Grocery prices are on the rise. According to a recent study by Coupons.com, 72% of respondents said they were planning on using coupons as a way to offset the rising food prices.
It’s perfect timing that tomorrow night TLC debuts the new Extreme Couponing show. You might remember they ran one show last year and it was pretty popular, so they made it into a series. I was bothered a bit by the show and my Extreme Couponing article caused some debate.
You can watch a preview of tomorrow nights show below. (Newsletter and RSS subscribers might need to click through to view it)
I realize this show is called Extreme Couponing, so it is going to be outrageous. No one is going to watch a show called “The Happy Housewife Goes to the Commissary and Saves $20.” The problem with being extreme is that it isn’t always possible to get 1,000 free boxes of pasta or get a $500 grocery bill down to $0.62! What bothers me about the show is that it gives new couponers an unrealistic view of how to save money. If 72% of the people surveyed are planning on using coupons to save money, they need solid coupon advice, not extreme examples that are not always possible in real life.
You Don’t Just End Up With 1500 Coupon Inserts Every Week
Most papers come with one or two coupon inserts. If you asked everyone on your street for their insert you might have twenty. If you dumpster dive for them you might have 100. To get 1500 inserts you need to buy them or have a connection at the newspaper to get the extra inserts each week. For most people this isn’t possible. 1500 inserts = tons of coupons. The average couponer doesn’t have tons of coupons, they have tens or hundreds. Which means they can’t get 1,000 packages of pasta for free.
Every Store Has a Coupon Policy
Many stores limit how many coupons you can use on double or triple coupon days. In order to film this show, stores are making exceptions to their policies. I would hate to think a newbie couponer is arguing with the cashier because they saw it allowed in the same store on television. When people start abusing store’s coupon policies everyone loses because the stores usually change the policy, and not in favor of the couponers.
There Are Rules to Couponing
Most internet coupons can be printed twice. Setting up multiple accounts or printing from different computers to get extra coupons is stealing. While you won’t go to jail for printing more than your limit of coupons that doesn’t make it any less wrong. The same thing goes for signing up for multiple discount cards. If the policy is one per family, then it is one per family. Don’t sign your husband, child, and dog up for a card to gain extra savings.
Clearing the Shelves is Bad Coupon Etiquette
We’ve all had this happen. You have your coupons ready to go only to get to the store and find they are sold out of the product you are going to get for free or close to free. Sometimes you can get a rain check, but it is a pain. No one needs 40 packages of toilet paper, 100 bottles of laundry detergent, or 200 boxes of cereal. All these items have a shelf life. There is nothing wrong with stockpiling, but doing it at the expense of others or taking more than you could possibly use in a year or two is hoarding, not stockpiling.
Couponing Takes Time
Obtaining inserts, cutting, sorting, filing, finding deals, shopping, these things take time and lots of it. While you do save money with coupons, extreme couponing is a hobby just like any other. You need to spend to save, whether it be on newspapers, printer ink, buying coupons from online site, gas to visit several stores, or extra space in your home for stockpiling.
Your Family Cannot Survive on Free Toilet Paper and Cereal
Don’t start throwing tomatos, but there are not a huge amount coupons available for milk, produce, meat, and organics. Are there coupons available for these items, yes… but do whole foods represent the majority of coupons, not by a long shot. Most coupons (aside from cleaners and toiletries) are for processed food like crackers, candy, and frozen pizzas. In fact the current Coupons.com food coupons are listed below.
- $0.60 off Pillsbury Toaster Strudel Pastries
- $0.75 off Cinnamon Burst Cheerios cereal
- $1.00 off Totino’s Crisp Crust Party Pizza
- $1.00 off Basic 4, Cheerios, Chex Cereal
- $0.75 off Chex cereal
- $0.55 off Original Cheerios cereal
- $0.50 off Yoplait Kids Cup Yogurt
- $0.40 off Totino’s Rolls Snacks
- $0.75 off Cascadian Farm products
- $0.50 off Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls
- $1.00 off Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookie Dough
- $0.40 off Pillsbury Italian Meal Breads
- $0.35 off Pillsbury Grands! Jr biscuits
- $0.75 off Kix cereal
- $0.50 off Gardetto’s Snack Mix
- $0.75 off Kraft 2% Milk Cheese Singles
- $0.75 off any Yoplait products listed
- $0.40 off Pillsbury or Grands! Sweet Rolls
- $0.75 off on any ONE (1) Gorton’s Grilled item
- $0.35 off one (1) bag of Pepperidge Farm Goldfish
- $0.75 off Frozen Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits
- $1.00 off Progresso Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs
- $0.50 off Pillsbury Rolled Refrigerated Pie Crust
- $0.50 off Two Packages of LAND O LAKES Butter
- $0.35 off Eggland’s Best Fresh Shell Eggs
While I do see coupons for butter, eggs, cheese, yogurt, and Cascadian Farm (yeah!), the majority of the coupons are for processed foods. Here’s the deal, I buy some of the items on the list. But not every week, and not in large quantities because I personally don’t want my family to eat them on a regular basis. It is also cheaper and healthier to feed my family organic oatmeal (purchased in bulk) for breakfast than nearly free Toaster Strudels.
It is important for me to spend the majority of my grocery budget on fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables, dried beans, dairy, and grains. If I can pick up a free box of cereal or package of toilet paper I’m thrilled because it gives me more money to spend on produce.
The Bottom Line
- You can save money with coupons.
- You can find coupons for organics and produce.
- Keeping a 3 to 6 month stockpile of your favorite products purchased at deep discounts is a good idea.
- Know your store’s coupon policy an abide by it.
- Creating multiple accounts to beat the system = wrong.
- Clearing the shelves = lame.
- Time = money. If you are spending 2o to 30 hours a week couponing calculate if you could save more money by paying full price and getting a part-time job.
- Remember, this show is extreme! If you aren’t saving $100′s a week at the grocery store don’t get discouraged! Very few people save that much money. If everyone got all their groceries for free manufacturers would stop giving away coupons!
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@Amber what I have read on other blogs and being a tech geek. The printing the coupons is based on your ip address. Thus you can print 2 of each coupon and even if you use IE for one print and then try to use Google Chrome it won’t work you still have the same IP address. As for the one’s you have to sign into with an email address that sounds like a pain in the toosh.
I agree… my biggest thing is the health issue. How healthy are these families living on processed boxes of pasta and poptarts? Yuck. Second for me spending those 20-30 hours with my family is much more “valuable” to me.
I am all about a good deal but not at the expense my family.
I do get discouraged with couponing, there seems to be less and less food coupons and more and more shampoo ones! Right now I price match and plan my menu around what the sales are!
Thanks for writing this!!!
I agree with one of the comments that this show looks like hoarding meets coupons. I love to save money on our normal grocery list that includes fresh produce, dairy (not sugary yogurts) and meats. I don’t know how a family can live on 50 bottles of mustard and 90 boxes of cereal. Its ridiculous. But the show is entertaining but I wished they would frame the show more as a hobby not as women trying to save money while preparing healthy meals for their families. These women are hooked on the rush of saving but I don’t think the items they are buying is necessary.
Well said! This is more of a coupon hoarders show more than a coupon learning show. It seems most of these women show a compulsive need to shop like this. Most of what they stockpiled were not healthy foods. On the original show, one woman bought 100 candy bars and 100 Gatorades – okay in moderation but in order to use it by its shelf life would probably seriously be unhealthy. I plan on trying to stock pile this fall out of necessity (transportation is an issue for us.) Even so, I couldn’t see purchasing more than a few months worth of anything.
I’m watching this show for entertainment purposes only. Thanks for a great read! =)
I agree! I use coupons and save $30-$40 when I go shopping every couple of weeks and it takes me a couple of hours to plan our meals, create my shopping list and organize coupons etc. before I go but to spend days and days prepping for a shopping trip only to buy mostly packaged food and add it to a such a huge stash that the family could never possibly even eat it all… what a waste. A waste of food, and money if it spoils before use, a waste of time for the store, a waste of time for the person shopping… they could be spending time with their family. Having more deodorant or toilet paper than you could ever use in your life means nothing if your kids don’t remember you and you’re dead before you can use it all! I love saving money and can’t fault anyone for doing the same (and I like cereal and candy bars as much as the next person), but to go to such excess seems like a different kind of problem! I saw the first show, but I doubt I will watch any of the new ones. Thanks for the post!
I wish ours did that. we’re limited to one like coupon doubled!
Amen, sister!! Thank you for posting this!!
The sad truth I find about couponing for me…it forces me to buy products I wouldn’t have spent money on in the first place. Toiletries, it is great for. I do have to have paper towels, toothpaste, deodorant, tampons, toilet paper, etc but we don’t eat toaster strudels, so am I going to buy for the thrill of buying and then let the things get freezer burnt? My kids don’t like them, my husband and I don’t eat them…not to pick on toaster strudels, it’s lots of other items too.
Excellent post. I watched these programs last night and have them on the DVR to watch again. After sitting there for an hour I have to say that my overwhelming thought at the end was that even couponing can be an idol.
I love couponing but I would love to learn how to do like they do and go and do it for our food bank times are hard enough that would be great to be able to give people that come to the food bank tp, cereal, meat, yogurt. Good can goods. I use a plastic container with a snap on lid. Does anyone know how to use a binder ?
Amen! Time = money, and spending hours a day dumpster-diving for coupons is a waste of time that could be better realized. Also, dragging your kids along dumpster-diving is gross. The only publicly accessible recycling bins and centers around here are filthy and are often frequented by homeless and mentally ill people (not being negative about them — they’re sad, lost souls and should be helped and respected and loved, but they’re not appropriate playmates for your little ones).
On one show, the woman was proudly displaying the extension on her garage built just for the extra food and congratulating herself on moving her hoarde from one state to another. Well, if she had to build an extension and shelving and if she had to pay to move her goods, she pretty much blew all her savings right there.
Good point, too, about the processed foods. I rarely buy canned or frozen goods. We buy fresh produce, fish and some dairy and grain products. There are no coupons for the Farmer’s Market or the fresh fish market or the organic dairy. We may not save at the register as much as these nutters, but we’ll save on our health care costs bigtime way down the line. I shudder to think what some of these folks’ cholesterol levels and blood sugar/insulin ratios look like.
I’ve been a couponer for 37 years, but not “extreme”. I find that the Sunday inserts are getting worse and worse. One week, I bought the paper and it had two food coupons! The rest was expensive toiletries and cleaning products. I bought “All You” at Walmart and there were two coupons for clothing stores, which made up a large part of the savings advertised on the cover. The current issue of “All You” is better though. I love the new television series, but being an experienced shopper, I know that it is not realistic, but still, fun to watch. My husband thrills at the savings and loves the show! Of course, he’s been the chief breadwinner for these aforesaid 37 years! I would hate to have a stockpile “littering” my home. I’m more into interior decorating and couldn’t stand to have groceries out in the open for others to see. I agree, that raiding the toothbrushes or candy bars and buying every single one, because they are free, is on the verge or what I would call selfishness. I hope that people don’t start cheating and photocopying coupons or other illegal acts after watching this show, although that is not what these people on the show.do to get all of their coupons. There will always be those who will try to figure out a way to cheat the system and thereby ruining it for the legitimate couponers out there. Let’s enjoy the show, but keep everything on the up and up and not destroy the coupon’s future. We need coupons to survive in this economy!
I watched the 2 new shows last night and boy , that first lady really irritated me. Dressed to the nines to go to the grocery store & if people mistakenly thought she was rich, so be it! And high heel boots! Just grinded me! And a different new story, the lady cleaned the store shelf out of mustard!!? Good grief…her husband wanted to leave some sale items, she did not, just so much greed. Then there’s the lady that said her stockpile was almost as beautiful as her family….WOW.
Hoardin??? Addiction maybe?
I agree with you! So many of the coupons are for items I don’t even normally buy! I wish there were a surplus of coupons for fresh produce
Excellent post! I found the show to be disturbing, overall. I thought I would enjoy it. I do use coupons to save about 30% on my grocery bill every week, but I do not aspire to be like any of the people featured so far. I have been blogging about frugal living for over two years and my friends and family all know how I save with coupons, but it took this show to get many of them to jump on the bandwagon. Although I’m happy they’re finally taking another look at coupons, I know it won’t be long before they get discouraged and give up because they won’t see the kind of savings this show demonstrates.
I was just having this conversation with a friend, and my conclusion was the same as yours, it’s not always stockpiling, it’s hoarding! It’s selfish, gluttonous and it’s shameful when we think of the many people that do not have personal care items and more importantly food! One lady had cases of deodorants, they’ll likely expire before she ever uses most of them. That is just wrong.
I’m all for a good deal and using coupons. I’m a regular couponer and have even had great results saving around $30 per trip at Wholefoods on healthy items but the show, like many shows provide an unrealistic view. Many states and countries for that matter, only allow one store and one manufacturer’s coupon per item, they don’t double and triple. I know for sure they don’t here in FL. I always wondered how they get their hands on 1,000 flyers with coupons! The time spent on these savings could well be spent on a full time or even part time job making for more than the savings they earn from couponing. Also, I have to wonder how well a mom can take care of her kids if she’s spending 40 hours per week clipping coupons.
One gentleman actually showed how he used his couponing to benefit his church’s pantry and various charities which made me smile. If more people thought about sharing their ‘wealth’ vs. keeping it all for themselves, the world would definitely be a better place.
Thank you for your article and post-very thought provoking.
Warmly,
Karla
I watched the first show on tlc a few months ago. One of the things that was brought up is several of the people buy their coupons from a clipping service, this reducing their savings The second thing was the first lady on the show just bought bags and bags of microwave ramen noodles, walked them to a spare upstairs bedroom and left them. Her husband was griping the whole time that “we are never going to use all this crap”. Coupons are great if they are for products that a person normally uses, but I unable to use most of them. I also want to know what stores these folks are shopping in because here in south Florida none of the 3 major stores double or triple coupons.
Yeah, I would only buy one thing off that list. If there were coupons on fresh produce–then we’d be set. But there’s not usually. Coupons are a way for companies to get you to try their product. If EVERYONE tried to do this they would get rid of the coupons and stores would change their policies. Great commentary!
Stores run in three month sales cycles so there isn’t really a need for a 40 years worth of toilet paper. I do believe in having a stockpile. But if your not loyal to a brand there are some products you can get dirt cheap or even free every month. There is usually one brand of tooth paste, razors, shaving cream, soap, and toilet paper on sale each month. I buy enough to get my family through until the next sale. If I miss a sale or just don’t feel like putting the effort into couponing I know that there will be another sale. Anything that takes over your life is an addiction. I won’t remember what I bought with this weeks inserts when I’m 80 but I will remember taking my sons to the park and watching my 3 year old pulling a wagon around at is bigger than he is. For me my family is more important than always getting the best deal. I’m not saying a stockpile is a bad thing we went through a week long snow storm without having to go to the store, which was nice. But our stock pile doesn’t take over our living space. I think the last line of this article really said it all.
I am curious – when you say there is a limit of two coupons per household, where are you getting that information? I’ve been printing coupons from coupons.com and other sites for a couple years now and have never seen anything stating a two per household limit. Sure, there is a two per IP limit – but per household?
If the sites don’t have a written policy stating that limit, then it is not cheating or stealing to print an extra couple coupons from a second computer.
I am an avid coupon mom but not at that extreme! I only buy what we will use and I consistently save 40-55% on my weekly shopping trips which include fresh produce, meats and dairy. I plan my weekly meals on the sales such as half price chicken and great deals on lean beef. I stock up on the great prices and freeze what I have room for. I have found that at the end of the month there is more money for other things like family activities or to pay down debt. I have found using coupons helpful but when I look at the breakdown on my receipt I save more on the store sales than I do with coupons. I usually save 30% or more on store savings and an additional 10-20% with coupons.
I agree this is a great article! The extreme couponing is unrealistic. Plus after those large shopping trips that took 5 hours to just checkout then they have to put all 100+ items away and organize based on use by dates!
I have a question & hope the post sends me a notification or I may never see any response. A lot of people have mentioned how they would never stockpile, maybe a month but not so much stuff because time is precious, etc,. I never used to stockpile but these last several months I have-but only maybe a year’s worth? The reason I’ve been doing it is because I know (now very shortly) we are going to be in deep financial trouble. Self-employed in Northern MIchigan in the construction industry-need I say more? So I’ve bought TP, PT, pasta, canned tomatoes, garbage bags, canned catfood for maybe the next year. Because one of t hese days there will be nothing or close to it to spend. Does this make more sense to others as a good reason to stock up on sales? I also think how everyone is saying prices are going to continue to rise, so I was buying sales for the future. When I bought to stock up though, I always wondered if I wasn’t just adding to my own problem-if I have to pay $50.00 to stock up with a sale, well I’m spending more than I would have if I”d only bought one item for that week…so am making things worse by spending more on sales! Anyway, thought I’d try asking this. I must admit though that a year doesn’t feel like enough as the anxiety builds-I think well we won’t BE hurting totally for maybe a year, so a year from now this stockpile runs out, I need 2 years…..sigh.
I totally agree with you and I thank you for making others aware. The show depressed me. I felt as if I were a failure at first then realized I could in no way accomplish what these extremeist were doing because I cannot afford to pay for coupons etc.
Mary, My husband was a custom home builder and had a stroke. Self employed we went thru our savings emergency savings in less than a yr. I am thankful and have never regretted had having a stockpile of bathroom neccessities. Now I did not spend $50 though. I only stockpiled b/c lack of funds when an item cost 50cents or less by sale and coupon usage together. I shopped different stores to do this. CVS, Walgreens used frequent buyer plans, coupons, shopped the sales only extra bucks at cvs, register rewards at walgreens, went in with friends etc. There is a way to do it. Maybe you can set your limit at 1.oo per item that is ok if you can do it. But I would save money, do not put in bank but hide it in your walls or something like that. Things are going to get tougher for sure. Start a home garden in containers or if fortunate enuf to hold onto home in the ground. Buy organic seeds so food is pure and save seeds to replant. Buy quality so you can reuse. Rethink what you are using , can you make homemade better than store bought etc. The computer is full of resources like The Happy housewife. I have not purchased shampoo in over a yr b/c I stocked piled for my husband, and I have used the non-poo method for over a yr myself with fantastic results, my hair is actually growing back after a horrible amount of hair loss due to disease. I use nothing but bakingsoda/water on my hair and rinse with apple cider vinegar and water. That is it and now my hair covers all balding spots all over my head!!!! I use homemade mixes as in pancke etc now instead of purchasing and I swanny I would dry my own herbs etc if I could only grow them, a green thumb I do not have. LOL Do what you can do, experiment find out what you can do , and do that and purchase what you can not do on own. But don’t assume you can’t, try first. You will surprise yourself. Good luck. If I can help you pls write, I am not on line everyday but I will answer you Mary. Sincerely Deanna, dshouppe@gmail.com
I use a binder, I clip every coupon and when I see people in the store shopping for an item I have coupon for I give it to them. It is the only way I can give at this time because times are tough for us as we ourselves are on assistance. But alas it has become extremely heavy for me to carry so sometimes I have to leave in car. But you should see the smiles on people’s faces it makes it worth it to me. I love to make people smile. Especially when you hear a parent say if only we had a coupon and you can pull it out!! Priceless!!!
Binder, get dividers and divide up according to aisles in store, beware it can become heavy, and time consumming but very thourough. So if you are healthy and strong ( which I am not so much) go for it. I used old binder from thrift store, zipper can so I can carry calculator, pen etc.) place to hold coupons that I am using at registar, pull them as you go, and I put coupons in sleeves one uses for baseball cards, the business card sleeves are too small.
sincerely,
Deanna
dshouppe@gmail.com
Amen, anything we give more time to than our Lord, becomes an Idol. I found that out the hard way and had to check myself, icouponing became my enertainment, hobby, job, challenge, high, idol and had to really check myself about a yr ago. Now, if I do it great, but if not great. I choose to spend more time with Father and my husband who has been my friend for more than 27 yrs. and lots more fun. I am thankful that he showed me what I was doing too. You are so right Debbie. Bless You for your wisdom.
I was asked today if I was extreme couponing like on tv. I said nope. The cereal my family likes is nutritious not a lot of sugar and it runs 3.89 to 4.29 a box. It is on sale for 1.99 I have 6 coupons for $1.00 off of 2 so I bought 12. The cashier said it sounded good to her. It sure does my hubby is a teacher now and if it was not for his military disability we would qualify for food stamps so when a deal like that comes along. I do stock up. 12 boxes for 5 people who all love it and all are boys but me. I can only hope it lasts awhile. 40 yrs worth no.
Thank you SO much for this breath of fresh air. I needed to read this so much as reassurance. I live in a small rural town and don’t subscribe to our local paper. I recently picked up the last 3 weekend papers trying to get the coupon inserts only to find that there weren’t any and rarely are. Like you, I limit processed foods and find it cheaper to feed my family oatmeal than any other breakfast. Health issues make couponing (even in a non-extreme way) a burden that isn’t cost effective in terms of time or money for me when I make wise choices that are whole foods. These things may go on sale, but rarely have coupon deals that beat the store brands.
I’ve never seen this show as I don’t have cable TV, but it sounds way too consumerist focused for my tastes.
That show is so frustrating! Who needs 65 bottles of mustard! There is no way she could use that much in her lifetime, especially since her husband said he didn’t even like it. Surely there will be another sale on mustard at some point in her lifetime. The frustrating part is that this will force the stores to limit their policies and it will hurt those of us who only buy what we need or a few extra. I can’t imagine that she is going to use all of the paper towels stored in her shower. This is definitely a sickness. I think they are just obsessed with getting something for free! But who wants to spend 4 hours at the store! My time is worth way more than that.
I agree with you. Also a lot of the people that are “stock piling” aka “hording” lol, buy things that are not needed. They get them for next to nothing or free just because they can. No one needs hundreds of deodorants or shampoos. I think it’s greedy and an unhealthy obsession to teach your children.
THANK YOU! I watched the shows (we dvr’d them) and the entire time, my daughter is saying Mom, you’ve got to do this, look at how much you would save. So I’ve been trying to figure out how on earth it’s possible, I do not subscribe to the newspaper, I might pick up the Sunday one from time to time, if I know something is coming up in coupons, but the subscription cost is $137 a year for that. No thanks. But I have been thinking maybe I need to, look at what they save, I work full-time, do not want to spend 20hrs a week sorting thru coupons and I would walk out of the store if it took hours and hours to check out. My time is valuable, but I have been having doubts. THANK YOU, now I know I can continue on my way and what I save, is good enough.
I agree with you. I became a “Couponista” for a while. I still have about 10 bottles of Purex to prove it. I felt like I was doing the right thing until I began to read blogs. It made me realize that most of what I was buying was processed foods and chemical laden cleaning and hair products. This is Not what I intended to do, but sadly it is what most coupons are for. The Extreme Couponing show should be called Extreme Hoarders in my opinion. I am no RAINBOWS AND PUPPY DOG, PIE IN THE SKY kinda gal, but I am convinced and convicted that natural is better. I am a work in progress, living and learning through helpful blogs like yours. Thank you, Teresa in Mississippi
Thank you for your blog and everyone else’s comments on this. I’m a new wife with no kids but I don’t work so our budget is very tight. So glad to come across this site. I coupon but get frustrated with the extreme couponing cause it never made sense how they could actually feed their families on the junk they buy. Thanks for the encouragement!
Thank you for writing this. These are all the thoughts I have Bern having since this ridiculous show. I feel it gives a false view of what couponing is or should be. The twins in one episode made me so angry I thought I might throw something at the tv. Their stockpile of diapers for the family they don’t even have yet. Anyway I agree with all you’ve written and hope new couponers will read sites like yours and find a better understanding of what coupling really should be.
…and why are they previewing all the shows by saying “all new at 9 & 9:30…” the 9:00 show is not new, only the 9:30 one is.
Mary
Ohh thank God! It’s so great to hear so many bring up the same points I have been shouting at the TV while watching this show!! My wish is that some of the people on this show, connect with a Food Bank or Safe House for women/children and donate the 40 years worth of toiletries they have hoarded….seriously, who can use 1500 sticks of deodorant? I’m all for saving money, but now when I find an empty shelf, instead of the item I’m looking for at the store….I’ll wonder if other people really needed it or did an Extreme “Hoarder” beat me there!
I completely agree my husband saw this show twice and got all in a roar when I didn’t save that much last time I shopped, but I don’t buy much processed food I am trying to start eating better. I was happy because I had saved $30 on groceries and $50 on baby products. He was upset because I still spent $250. I explained however that I could spend less time with him and our children to save money (I really wouldn’t) and he got the point. That saving something is better than nothing. And I have to say I agree with not clearing the shelf because the shampoo and conditioner I use was on sale this week (and I happen to be out) for a very low price when combined with a coupon (like $0.45 cents each) but low and be hold there was none at the store I shop regularly so I had to pick something different (lowest priced product was $2.50 each) just so I didn’t have to drive 40 minutes out of my way for my normal stuff. UGH!!
I don’t know who’s more annoying, the couponers who take everything or the stores that let them do it. I know a manager can override the system settings for amounts, etc., so why are they allowed to do that? Can’t we all just save along?
Because when you try to print a third from the same IP, you will get a message stating that you have already printed your limit of the coupon.
i totally understand and support those extreme couponers who then donate 80-90% of free stuff to charities, ministries, churches, people in need… it makes sense. But if it ‘s just for yourself, or so that you can look at you “beautiful stockpile”, seems a bit overboard. I would totally have some minimal supply of paper towels, toilet paper, detergent. But the rest would give away, nothing can last forever, plus others would feel so blessed by free stuff.
Oh my my ladies…. I personally love the show and also coupon to extremes. Yes it is a hobby, however, I do not let it consume every waking hour of my life. I have a very nice stockpile (in case of employment issues or other emergencies) and am not ashamed to say that at least I will be prepared for several months. Yes, some things on the show are very unrealistic (as the the amount of inserts one gets) and also don’t agree that they portray a woman stealing newspapers from driveways of unoccupied homes. The women that have special rooms in their homes just for their coupons in my opinion are just being selfish. There is NO way possible that she will use all of those coupons before they expire. That is just being greedy. Also, the other negative is that MOST stores do no double up a 1.00 coupon to another 1.00. I am happy for you if you DO have a merchant in your area that grants you that priviledge, but it does not happen in the area I live. I also agree on one more thing, if your buying cat food and don’t even have a silly cat…… then you could at least take the food up to the local Humane Society or Animal Shelter as they are ALWAYS in need of supplies. Other than that coupon on ladies and keep saving your money. Many Blessings.
The one point that people seem to be missing is that it does not matter to the stores if 1 person buys 12 jars of peanut butter or 12 people buy 1 jar each. All that matters to the store is the fact that they sold 12 jars of peanut butter and they will be reimbursed the face value of the coupon + 8 cents, so they are making an even bigger profit when people use coupons.
I get a couple hundred papers every weekend. I do not pay for them, I have an arrangement with a few of the local gas station that I come collect the unsold papers on Monday morning. They just throw them in the garbage. I take the inserts and recycle the rest. I clip them, use some and the rest are sent to military families. I hope I am teaching my children how to be responsible, thrifty, and helpful people.
This was awesome! I loved how you presented this subject and went head on with all the questions that a “new” couponer would be thinking. I personally wanted to learn what it was that these extreme couponers are doing in order to get so many inserts…and like you said, the majority of people DO NOT have 1500 inserts at their disposal. I have noticed many newspaper machines are broken into just for people to steal the inserts, that is crazy!!! It goes to show you that people are not going to waste a few dollars per newspaper just to get coupons, that defeats the purpose of “saving” money…Great article!!!!
I would like to say that if you are not using what you buy then yes its wasteful, but I coupon a lot. I buy for my mom who doesnt have a lot of money, my aunt who lost everything & my sister who has a fatal illness.. & it is possible to get$500 worth for .61 becausei havedone it. Also these people are on tv, we dont know if they donate after the show is over or if they provide for others… I have a neighborwho buys from me & a friend who worksfull time & has 3 kids, she buys from meto save money…. I do mot ”clear shelf” I pre order to.give others equal sgot to buy, I leave coupons for others &I give coupons away. So yes while some hoard, u shouldnt stero type others