Puzzled over Extreme Couponing

[Marionnette]

Most coupons for meat, fresh fruits, and fresh veggies are a WYB (when you buy). The WYB item is usually something that is unhealthy, processed, filled with MSG/HFCS/nitrates etc. Your only really cheap option is growing it yourself.

The "Summer Grilling" coupon book that I got from my local market has coupons in it for fresh ground beef (including 92% lean) and premium angus steaks.

There were coupons in the Sunday insert last month for Perdue boneless chicken.

Printables for Butterball turkey burgers currently available on smartsource.com.

Lots of coupons for hot dogs. sausage, brats, kielbassa and bacon. Not bad things in moderation.

Hatfield has printables for pork tenderloins, ham and pork chops on their website.

I'm sure that someone will poo-poo any or all of these selections because they are not free-range, organic or totally fat-free meats. BTW, growing your own is not organic just because you didn't use pesticides yourself. True organic farming involves many different certifications of ground water, soil and other conditions.

 

[Jedana]

I don't go that crazy, but I do like to use coupons.

They have B1G1 (free) on the frozen veggies we like, this week. In the extra coupon flyer from the store, there is $1 off 2 bags of those veggies. The store lets me use 1 coupon per 2 items (even on bogos) so instead of paying $2.39 per bag, with the sale it's $2.39 for 2 bags, and then with the coupon, it's $1.39 for 2 bags!

Sometimes, they have the $1 off each bag coupon, and then I can use 2 coupons on one B1G1, so it's .39 for 2. I love those coupons! (and no limit on how many you can buy. At one point, I had 30 bags of frozen veggies in my freezer!)

I don't make extra trips to different stores, though. I tend to shop at Publix or BJs and occasionally Walmart (for things like dishsoap, it's cheaper there than at BJs). Whole Foods is my guilty pleasure, I go there for the cheeses and no sodium stuff, or if they have an awesome sale on meat or produce.

 

[Meetmeinmontauk]

I work & shop at Publix. Publix released a $2 off any produce coupon last week that is good until July 15. Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and bagged salad are all $2 this week.. meaning I'll get them for free Publix releases a lot of produce & meat coupons throughout the year!

 

[Cin]

Now I kind of wonder who has room to store all that extra stuff?!!!! If I buy 2 tubes of toothpaste, trust me I will use 1 and put the other on on the shelf for later use and then other stuff will pile up and it will get lost behind the hairspray or rubbing alcohol or bandaids and I will forget I bought it to start with.

 

[maggiew]

For example, my inserts had toothpaste coupons, but they were for $.35 and said "Not to be Doubled.

Some stores actually double the value of the coupon. So if you had a .50 coupon, the store would double it and take $1 off. It doesn't have anything to do with how many coupons you can use in a transaction. (Although stores that double coupons might have a rule that says they will only double up to 4 coupons or something like that.)

Maggie

 

[DizneyDogs]

This show has gotten to be so predictable. Every week it's the checkout drama!!! - what will they do when they lock up the computer or their coupon didn't work or they are using too many coupons OMG. They always buy about the same things too. Tons of sugar drinks, pills, candy, frozen food, pet food, hot sauce, mustard, toothpaste, and toilet paper and very little healthy products. Also they never take into account the cost of buying the coupons through a clipping service. It is all for show as each person they have had on this has "been their biggest haul yet" The stockpiles all look the same it's Ridonkulous!

 

[Theosus]

I think the best part about these shows is it helps the stores learn the tricks. The stores can change their policies, like, if you buy a $1 item with a 1.25 off coupon, then instead of getting an overage to pay for other stuff, maybe the new policy is, there is no overage... The computer just takes off the $1. limiting item purchases with coupons, limiting coupons period (no more than 50 per order and a max of three separate orders per person).
The biggest bs I saw was the lady who had to call in nine friends to do her separate transactions. The manager should have just said... Look lady, that's crap, get out of my store and don't come back.

 

[NYCDiane]

This show has gotten to be so predictable. Every week it's the checkout drama!!! - what will they do when they lock up the computer or their coupon didn't work or they are using too many coupons OMG. They always buy about the same things too. Tons of sugar drinks, pills, candy, frozen food, pet food, hot sauce, mustard, toothpaste, and toilet paper and very little healthy products. Also they never take into account the cost of buying the coupons through a clipping service. It is all for show as each person they have had on this has "been their biggest haul yet" The stockpiles all look the same it's Ridonkulous!

ITA.... it is beyond "ridonkulous"!!! Every single week, the register "locks up" or they have to break their haul into 8 separate orders and then "misplace" coupons.. and always, a group from the store giving a standing ovation when the couponer is done. YAAAAWWWWNNNNNN.

If they added up: the hours spent
the newspapers bought
the ink/paper for printable coupons
the cost of purchasing coupons

I bet they woulnd't really be saving nearly as much as they show.

Also, let's not forget, most of the stuff they're buying is junk. Those salt-laden "chinese" soups, flavored water, soda, candy, etc....

I've been couponing for a long time. I have never, ever even gotten $100 of groceries for $5. What these people do cannot be done in real life. The stores are allowing them to break the rules, etc just to get the free publicity. I wouldn't be surprised if TLC is paying these stores for their participation.

Do you really think a store manager is going to applaud someone who just took out $3000 worth of stock for $7???? I don't think so!

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

I work & shop at Publix. Publix released a $2 off any produce coupon last week that is good until July 15. Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and bagged salad are all $2 this week.. meaning I'll get them for free Publix releases a lot of produce & meat coupons throughout the year!

Oh wow! Where can we find those coupons? I was at Publix today but didn't see any coupons out.

 

[NYCDiane]

I think the best part about these shows is it helps the stores learn the tricks. The stores can change their policies, like, if you buy a $1 item with a 1.25 off coupon, then instead of getting an overage to pay for other stuff, maybe the new policy is, there is no overage... The computer just takes off the $1. limiting item purchases with coupons, limiting coupons period (no more than 50 per order and a max of three separate orders per person).
The biggest bs I saw was the lady who had to call in nine friends to do her separate transactions. The manager should have just said... Look lady, that's crap, get out of my store and don't come back.

Yes, my store does that now. For example, if something was on sale for $1 and you had a .75 coupon, it would double to $1.50 and you'd get that .50 overage. Now? If it's $1.49 and you have that.75, it will double only to $1.49.

I've also noticed that the cashiers (even the young ones) are inspecting the coupons for "do not double" and checking expiration dates and item descriptions.

 

[maggiew]

Do you really think a store manager is going to applaud someone who just took out $3000 worth of stock for $7???? I don't think so!

Managers actually like when people use coupons. The store gets the value of the coupon plus some token amount (7 cents, I think) from the manufacturer. Also, it drives up the stores sales numbers.

Maggie

 

[Meetmeinmontauk]

Oh wow! Where can we find those coupons? I was at Publix today but didn't see any coupons out.

You request the coupon book here

http://www.stockingspree.com/

& they email you the coupon

 

[laura.anne]

Marionette, you are giving awesome advice/answers in this thread! I am a couponer too but you are doing a great job of explaining. Btw, if any of y'all live in a no-beer/wine purchase required state (I don't ), then you can use the rebates on beer and wine packages without having to buy the alcohol. Sometimes they say stuff like "X dollars off fresh ground beef", so if you are interested and you live in a state where you can do that, keep your eyes open for them.

 

[tomthebarncat]

There are several rather lengthy threads about this show, you may have to go back a while to find them. The general consensus was they did it by cheating the system. These folks have serious hoarding issues, remember there is nothing real about reality trash trainwreck television.

 

[maggiew]

There are several rather lengthy threads about this show, you may have to go back a while to find them. The general consensus was they did it by cheating the system. These folks have serious hoarding issues, remember there is nothing real about reality trash trainwreck television.

The general consensus is NOT that they were cheating the system. ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS was accused of cheating the system.

Maggie

 

[DawnM]

I have wondered. If the store doubles (as ours does up to .99 everyday) do the stores only get the face value of the coupon? Do they eat the doubling part?

Dawn

 

[fortwildernessishome]

Managers actually like when people use coupons. The store gets the value of the coupon plus some token amount (7 cents, I think) from the manufacturer. Also, it drives up the stores sales numbers.

Maggie

Thats right!!!

 

[fortwildernessishome]

The general consensus is NOT that they were cheating the system. ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS was accused of cheating the system.

Maggie

I agree! I have only heard of one person cheating, as far as I know everyone else followed the rules!

 

[21yankees]

I think the best part about these shows is it helps the stores learn the tricks. The stores can change their policies, like, if you buy a $1 item with a 1.25 off coupon, then instead of getting an overage to pay for other stuff, maybe the new policy is, there is no overage... The computer just takes off the $1. limiting item purchases with coupons, limiting coupons period (no more than 50 per order and a max of three separate orders per person).QUOTE]

I completely disagree with the stores not allowing for the overage. The reason being is that they are going to get reimbursed full value for that coupon. So they are in turn cheating the customer and the company. JMHO

Also I don't believe this show is the sole reason coupons are in such high demand. I currently follow 34 coupon focused blogs that are from all over the country. There are hundreds of them out there. These are super easy to keep up with and provide a great deal of information that help people. Not to mention boards just like this one that are focused on couponing, following the sales, coupons and being the experts on each store policy.


steph

 

[allison443]

I have wondered. If the store doubles (as ours does up to .99 everyday) do the stores only get the face value of the coupon? Do they eat the doubling part?

Dawn

I have wondered that too Dawn...I always thought it was the store that aborbed that cost (to get customers to come into the store for double coupons). Does anyone know?