The truth about extreme couponing...

[beansmom]

well, as I see it.

I have been an avid couponer for 30 years. It is NOT possible to get free groceries every week nor is it possible to have a completely rounded diet free with coupons.

Yes, there are meat, dairy, produce coupons out there...but fewer and farther between than processed foods. You can save more on cleaning supplies, pet food and HBA than anything else.

As we see from the debacle this week regarding fraudulent couponing, it's just NOT possible to do LEGALLY.

It is, however, possible to trim your bill by 25-50% or more on good weeks while still providing a healthy diet to your family. Yes, I feed my family canned stuff sometimes and poptarts and even the occasional microwave burrito. I'm not asking your opinion...just stating a fact.

So...to all who are interested, take what you can from the couponers and save what you can. Every dollar saved is a dollar, right? The rest who don't want to...then DON'T. But stop passing judgement on everyone who is different than you. It's a big world...room for plenty of diversity.

ANd now...I'm off to eat an orange that i had to PAY for.

 

[julie4423]

You know there is something that really bothers me about this show. They fail to add in the cost of the coupons that these people are BUYING online in order to have such a large amount. Don't you wonder what the savings really is? It only seems fair to add in all the costs associated with the "savings".

 

[Halbleib1]

You know there is something that really bothers me about this show. They fail to add in the cost of the coupons that these people are BUYING online in order to have such a large amount. Don't you wonder what the savings really is? It only seems fair to add in all the costs associated with the "savings".

Exactly that is what my husband and I said the first time we watched the show.

I use coupons and I agree with the OP there is no way that you can get all of your grocerys for free or close to free each and every week.

 

[beansmom]

You know there is something that really bothers me about this show. They fail to add in the cost of the coupons that these people are BUYING online in order to have such a large amount. Don't you wonder what the savings really is? It only seems fair to add in all the costs associated with the "savings".

you can generally get a coupon for 7-12 cents per and 25-50 for the big $ ones. So...no, they don't deduct the price of coupons because that would lower their savings and that wouldn't be 'sensational' enough for tv.

 

[julie4423]

I am a big couponer, and I never buy anything but produce, dairy, and meat if it isn't on sale. There have been times where I have gotten things for free, but they are definitely the exception and not the rule. Unless the only groceries I need for that week are toothbrushes and maxi pads, there will never be a totally free trip. lol

 

[Kristi1357]

I also will not go dumpster diving while I wear gloves to protect my hands, and then put my glove-free toddler directly into the dumpster! EWWWWW!

These people have serious mental issues. I will gladly continue to save 25-50% on groceries, etc. I will not spend my time trying to figure out how to commit fraud or throw my child into a dumpster with goodness-knows-what!

 

[Reddy]

I usually get coupons for stuff that I don't use - so how is that saving me money?? why should I buy something that I really don't use -- I do alot of house brands

 

[happygirl]

I don't think those shoppers go weekly. I could care less what they buy with there couping, I say anyone would can buy 1900 in groceries and only pay like 10.00 bucks are my heros

 

[MrsPete]

Did any of the people on these recent shows tell what they spend TOTAL on groceries each month? I'm sure people who work on it can get the good deals, but they're never going to get everything they need this way -- coupons for meats, produce, bread, milk, etc. are rare. I don't doubt that people are lowering their bills, but they're focused on their "savings" rather than what they're actually spending because that's more sensational.

And I question the "savings". I mean, let's consider bread. The grocery store sells good whole wheat bread that I like for $2.99/loaf . . . but I tend to hit the bread outlet (takes a five minutes every week out of my drive home) and buy the same stuff for sixty cents. You could claim that I'm "saving" $2.39 per loaf . . . but the truth is that IF I were to buy at the grocery store I'd buy the cheaper store-brand stuff for .99/loaf. So the truth is that I'm spending thirty cents less to get the bread I like. Not as sexy as $2.39/loaf, but truthful.

And that example had nothing to do with coupons, but my best grocery store deals don't.

 

[beansmom]

that's part of my point. You have to gather coupons for weeks to be able to pull of this kind of stunt. It's not a 'normal' shopping trip for anybody.

 

[kacaju]

I agree. I once did an extreme coupon shopping trip. It was a lot of fun and I have never been able to do it again.

A store near us had triple coupons. I went through all my coupons and pulled out every coupon with a face value of 99 cents and under. (coupons were tripled up to 99 cents)

I shopped only what I had coupons for and only if it worked out in the end to be cheaper then the store brand. Also I only bought it if it was something we would use.

I do not remember my total order, but I know that one time I saved more money then I spent and the reciept was longer then my dd who came with me (she was in 2nd or 3rd grade)
It was fun to do and it was fun to see the reactions of those around us.

 

[LaDonna]

I don't think this show will last too long, I found it a little boring and I'm a big couponer, but maybe that is because I realize all the points everyone here has brought up.
And seriously I stockpile heavily but not anywhere near what these people were doing, and I know a lof of that stuff will expire before they can use it. The salad dressing/coke/etc.....I'll stock pile a lot of that but and I still have things expire before I can get to it. I really hope they donate a lot of that stuff.

 

[SFWife]

I dont buy coupons online but I do print free coupons for target, use e-coupons for Kroger, and random manufacturer coupons that I find from various blogs like southern savers. If you have to spend hours "couponing" then it isn't worth it. I may spend an hour or so a week preparing for my grocery shopping and that includes meal planning.

I do, however, save all the coupons that I get from newspapers and what-not that I won't use and will sometimes leave them on the store shelf with the product they are for, or leave them at the front of the store if they have a coupon board for that purpose. I have on occasion sold some on ebay if I have alot. Last bundle I sold was for 120+ coupons (legally you cannot sell the coupons themselves, but I can charge for the clipping services I provide) and they sell for a few dollars plus the cost of a postage stamp. A few bucks is a few bucks and it provides me the extra cash to take the kids out for ice cream or something like that once in awhile.

I don't hoard stuff. I think the only thing I buy more than 2 of at any time is cans of tuna, and boxes of cereal...we go through about 4 a week. My family is cereal hounds and we like tuna salad sandwiches!

 

[DanaAustinChelsea]

Yes, I agree the show is highly sensationalized. Seriously, what grocery store will double every coupon you have at the register? None that I am aware of. And there is certainly not employees, customers, nor store managers applauding any coupon purchase or willing to spend 4 hours ringing up one person.

I think it should be called 'Extreme Couponing: Hoarders Edition' to be more accurate. I see nothing wrong with buying items {within reason} for a low cost or getting them free & donating to a homeless shelter or church group, but seriously, 77 bottles of mustard? That's not normal. Not to mention clearing the shelf & leaving one bottle. That is bad manners in the coupon world

I do buy coupons to get items for free or extremely cheap, but I only pay $0.08 to $0.10 per coupon plus the cost of a postage stamp, but not absurd amounts.

 

[eliza61]

I think what we all have to remember is that this is a reality show. And like every other reality show on TV very little is real.

Would anyone watch a show about us doing a rather routine shopping trip. LOL.

 

[csmommy]

I agree. I once did an extreme coupon shopping trip. It was a lot of fun and I have never been able to do it again.

A store near us had triple coupons. I went through all my coupons and pulled out every coupon with a face value of 99 cents and under. (coupons were tripled up to 99 cents)

I shopped only what I had coupons for and only if it worked out in the end to be cheaper then the store brand. Also I only bought it if it was something we would use.

I do not remember my total order, but I know that one time I saved more money then I spent and the reciept was longer then my dd who came with me (she was in 2nd or 3rd grade)
It was fun to do and it was fun to see the reactions of those around us.

I just had the fun of triple coupons this week & pulled out every coupon I had for $0.99 & under. It was a fun trip, & I shocked the heck of out the cashier & those around me b/c I spent like $30 on $150 "worth" of groceries. Now I would not have purchased many of these items, nor paid their asking price, there was a good amount of what
I consider junk (pop tarts, pringles & all sorts of sugary yogurts like ones with w/ crushed cookies to add - seriously who buys this?!). So it was fun, the kids were happy, interesting to try things, but not healthy & sustainable.

 

[LaDonna]

And there is certainly not employees, customers, nor store managers applauding any coupon purchase or willing to spend 4 hours ringing up one person.

I , 77 bottles of mustard? .

yeah if I had that many coupons I cant imagine the store employees being nice to me Maybe at Publix, everywhere else seems to scrutinize all my coupons

and if I remember correctly she paid almost .40 for each of those bottles?! You can buy an off brand for about 20-30 more, totally not worht it

 

[beansmom]

Yes, I agree the show is highly sensationalized. Seriously, what grocery store will double every coupon you have at the register? None that I am aware of. And there is certainly not employees, customers, nor store managers applauding any coupon purchase or willing to spend 4 hours ringing up one person.
.

actually, 2 of the chains near me double up to 99cents unlimited (as of my last trip...who knows what this Extreme Couponing debacle will do to that). And I still cannot get a no-expense trip.

My best trip in the past was $350ish worth of food and the store owed me 12cents when it was over. the cashier nearly wet himself not knowing how to handle that so i bought a couple candy bars so he wouldn't have a stroke at the tender age of 18.

 

[hsmamato2]

There have been times where I have gotten things for free, but they are definitely the exception and not the rule. Unless the only groceries I need for that week are toothbrushes and maxi pads, there will never be a totally free trip. lol

that.....

 

[ChisJo]

I was just having a conversation about this show with someone. When I was watching it, I couldn't really see anything healthy in their carts. How much pasta do you need? Pringles? Bags of chips? Soda? Seriously, I just can't see it. We coupon for certain items, but most of the time, we have to pay the price to eat a healthy balanced diet. Lean meats I'll buy on sale, and I'll buy the veggies and fruits that week on sale and plan my meals around them, but seriously, i can't imagine eating crap all the time.