Extreme Couponing on TLC - did anyone watch this?

[artvandalay]

I totally wanted to watch this but forgot. Did anyone watch? I'm kind of curious to see how these people do it.

I'm pretty bad about clipping coupons... I'm much better at searching for online codes!

http://tlc.discovery.com/videos/extreme-couponing-debt-free-coupon-diva.html

I read about people getting hundreds of dollars of stuff for next to nothing, it's kind of crazy

[daisymommy]

I didn't watch it. But I have seen similar shows, read stories online, read books on how to do it.

Here is what I have noticed:
-these people are practically hoarders. 50 bottles of shampoo in their cupboard because it was a good deal.
-Eating almost all processed, boxed, canned foods.
-Buying things they normally wouldn't buy, but end up doing so because they have a coupon.

I tried it for awhile, and yes, I did save a ton of money! But I noticed we were doing all of the above mentioned things. I decided fresh, real food, that I had to pay full price for or on sale (without coupons) was better for us than saving a bunch of money.

I do still use *some* coupons. Like maybe $10 worth per trip. But not any crazy amount. Too bad you can't use coupons on meat, milk, eggs, fruits and vegetables!

[misshollygolightly]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/04/06/135176315/extreme-couponing-is-here-to-prepare-you-for-the-coming-mustard-shortage?ft=1&f=1008

[MelissaTC]

I watched it and yes, I think some of these people are a little nuts. I coupon and do use coupons for meat, eggs, milk, and even fruits and veggies although the fruits and veggies are frozen. I also donate a lot of food and buy things that we wouldn't eat but they are asked for by the pantry people.

[GaPeach_in_Ca]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/04/06/135176315/extreme-couponing-is-here-to-prepare-you-for-the-coming-mustard-shortage?ft=1&f=1008

Great article! It basically summed up all my thoughts on extreme couponing.

If they are doing this 40 hours a week, even if they were saving $40k (which is hard to calculate because they aren't actually using this stuff), that is $40k they could probably make with an actual job.

[artvandalay]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/04/06/135176315/extreme-couponing-is-here-to-prepare-you-for-the-coming-mustard-shortage?ft=1&f=1008

Oh wow.. just read that. That's nuts. I would worry about all that food expiring, too. Yeah, I could see how the show would be a little like Hoarders. I guess TLC has figured out that people like to watch reality shows based on people's freakish behavior - like Hoarders or the show about people with weird habits - like the woman who eats toilet paper (forget the name).

I guess I just want to see how these people live/how much time is involved in it, etc. I really can't imagine living like this and so it's kind of fascinating to me. I think they must get some sort of "high" when they are at the register and watch the numbers come down. I know I get really excited if I find a free shipping code for Lands End or something;)

[daisymommy]

MelissaTC~ I guess I was talking about fresh produce, fresh meat & poultry, cows milk (not cartons of soy) and eggs.

Have you found a way to coupon save on those? I promise I'm not be sassy :) I really wonder if there something I don't know.

I think it's great that you are buying food and donating to food pantries and charities.

[artvandalay]

I think it's great that you are buying food and donating to food pantries and charities.

:yeahthat:

[MSWR0319]

I despise this show. But I plan on watching the season premier tonight! I am a pretty heavy couponer. I don't pay hardly anyithing for any toiletries, paper products, etc and use coupons at the grocery store, BUT I don't stock up more than we can use in 3 months. I can't stand clutter! I dont buy more than one extra newspaper, and rarely that. I dont dig through trash cans for coupons. Just use what i get in the paper or on the internet. I really hate this show because its giving couponers a bad name and makes everyone think you're a hoarder. It also causes people to run to the store to start couponing and they end up not doing it correctly which causes stricter rules, etc for the couponers that are doing it right. I wish they would show a "normal" person using coupons. I guess it would be called extreme couponing then and no one would watch!

[MelissaTC]

I do buy milk like Almond and use coupons. Sometimes I will find a Horizon coupon for cow milk. I got on their list. Once in a blue moon, I get a Stoneyfield milk coupon but that is rare.

For eggs, there are specific brands that have coupons- Eggland and Born Free. I know neither has a great rep but sometimes it works that they are on sale and the coupon doubles. I tend to stick to the Born Free organic eggs. Otherwise I just buy eggs from a local farm at WF. They are not bad price wise. But I have bought the other kind.

We do not really do exclusive organic meat so there are coupons sometimes for meat, specifically from the Catalina machine. If you buy some specific items, there will be a coupon for a discount off of a specific kind of meat. I did this one time with some taco products. I bought some shells (with coupons that doubled) and then got a coupon for $3.00 chicken breast for my next order. I tend to buiy organic ground beef and chicken in bulk at Costco but we also eat regular meat from the store so I use those coupons then.

In terms of donating, it really isn't a big deal. We just pledged that we would pick up a couple of extra items every grocery trip to donate to the food pantry. For us, it is just sharing with others and trying to teach M to pay it forward. We are in a good place financially and I feel like we can, so we should. I try to use coupons to maximize the amount of extras I can purchase. There are always canned fruits and veggies on sale, peanut butter, pasta, etc... It isn't hard to find coupons for those things. We don't eat some of the foods but that doesn't mean others don't.

[Cam&Clay]

I somewhat did this for a while. I was paying next to nothing for toiletries and regular groceries (not including meat, produce, milk, etc.) The difference is that I didn't get 50 shampoos, just one or two. You don't have to get a ton of each item unless you want. I usually got a few extra that my XH took with him on a ministry trip to Guatemala a few years ago. I had maybe 20 tubes of toothpaste that I had gotten for free and some shampoo.

I really don't have time for this now, but we're still using soap and shampoo I got for free over a year ago! I just don't see the point in so many of each unless you are donating them.

[ashleybama24]

MelissaTC~ I guess I was talking about fresh produce, fresh meat & poultry, cows milk (not cartons of soy) and eggs.

Have you found a way to coupon save on those? I promise I'm not be sassy :) I really wonder if there something I don't know.

I think it's great that you are buying food and donating to food pantries and charities.

There are tons of coupons for the foods you mentioned above! Sometimes they have them in the weekend newspapers (Cutie oranges, cherry tomatos) but the best way is to go to directly to that manufactuer's website. I know Earthbound Farm always has offers for coupons if you do things like take a quiz about organic farming. If you sign up to get these companies newsletters you will get coupons in your email. I always have some for Horizon and Annie's products in my inbox. Stonyfield Farm lets you print coupons directly off their website but you can only get one coupon for each item. It resets monthly or quartly...I can't remember.

Another website Mambo Sprouts has organic coupons and they have teamed up with Whole Foods to bring you even more coupons there! They are avilable in the Whole Deal which can be printed online or found in all their stores. Hope that helps...we too try to save money but would rather eat healthy and fresh.

[Globetrotter]

My dad IS a hoarder, and he is hooked on those Staples free with rebate deals (or is officemax?) Whatever, the house is full of unused office supplies - it's sickening, but it started years ago with pharmaceutical giveaways (pens, paper, etc...). When those stopped coming due to stricter regulation (thank goodness), he started the free with rebate thing. I took away a bunch of them to donate to the schools, but he got upset so I just take them when he isn't looking. He cannot resist a free with rebate/coupon offer, and now that he is semi-retired, he spends time doing all these things :(

It can be related to illness, but I do admire anyone who is able to do it in a sane way and save money, like PP's!

I do agree with PP's observations that coupons encourage people to use processed foods (if that's all they are buying).

[Globetrotter]

There are tons of coupons for the foods you mentioned above! Sometimes they have them in the weekend newspapers (Cutie oranges, cherry tomatos) but the best way is to go to directly to that manufactuer's website. I know Earthbound Farm always has offers

I never knew that! Though I must say, as much as I love getting my deals, unfortunately I just don't have the patience to use coupons for food shopping. This is another reason I love Trader Joes, where the prices are just lower everyday.

[ashleybama24]

My dad IS a hoarder, and he is hooked on those Staples free with rebate deals (or is officemax?) Whatever, the house is full of unused office supplies - it's sickening, but it started years ago with pharmaceutical giveaways (pens, paper, etc...). When those stopped coming due to stricter regulation (thank goodness), he started the free with rebate thing. I took away a bunch of them to donate to the schools, but he got upset so I just take them when he isn't looking. He cannot resist a free with rebate/coupon offer, and now that he is semi-retired, he spends time doing all these things :(

It can be related to illness, but I do admire anyone who is able to do it in a sane way and save money, like PP's!

I do agree with PP's observations that coupons encourage people to use processed foods (if that's all they are buying).

My grandmother is a hoarder/addict. She has a garage full of food and every few years we go through and throw half of it out or donate it because it has expired. It's awful. She can't NOT buy something if she has a coupon even if she has 10 of the same item at home.

[KrisM]

Egglands best always has coupons, too.

In the summer, there are often coupons for free produce wyb something. Last year, it was Kraft salad dressing. I waited until the dressing was free after coupons to use them, since I donated the salad dressing.

Other things you might use are bread, pasta, canned tomatoes, yogurt, block cheese, orange juice, cereal, oatmeal and crackers. I don't buy boxed meals, except mac n cheese, usually. But, I buy parts to put together, like to make spaghetti sauce. And, I don't make bread or pasta usually, so coupons work for that.

Laura's beef often has coupons on its site.

www.taylortownpreview.com (http://www.taylortownpreview.com) has a list up everyweek of the coupons in the paper. They're fairly accurate for me, but coupons do vary by region a bit.

[crayonblue]

On tonight's show, I know J'aime in real life. (She goes to my church and we've been in Bible studies together and other groups.) I'm quite sure she will be marching through Safeway in stilettos! I am curious as to how she is going to come across. She has a very strong personality.

ETA: When I go to Target or Safeway around here and every single thing I need is cleared out, I know J'aime has been through! Wish the Coupon Diva would shop at Walmart and any grocery store that I don't go to!

[artvandalay]

On tonight's show, I know J'aime in real life. (She goes to my church and we've been in Bible studies together and other groups.) I'm quite sure she will be marching through Safeway in stilettos! I am curious as to how she is going to come across. She has a very strong personality.

ETA: When I go to Target or Safeway around here and every single thing I need is cleared out, I know J'aime has been through! Wish the Coupon Diva would shop at Walmart and any grocery store that I don't go to!

It's on tonight? I thought it was just yesterday. I'm curious to find out if you think they portrayed your friend accurately.

[crayonblue]

It's on tonight? I thought it was just yesterday. I'm curious to find out if you think they portrayed your friend accurately.

9pm (Eastern) tonight. I don't get TLC! I was planning to go to the gym to watch it but DH is playing softball. I am hoping I can find it online somewhere.

[MSWR0319]

It's on tonight? I thought it was just yesterday. I'm curious to find out if you think they portrayed your friend accurately.

:yeahthat: I'll be checking back to see what you think.

Maybe the one you saw yesterday was the one that was shown in Dec?

[KrisM]

I think yesterday's was the special 1 hour and tonight is the regular series premeire that are 30 min. episode.

[wimama]

I didn't watch it. But I have seen similar shows, read stories online, read books on how to do it.

Here is what I have noticed:
-these people are practically hoarders. 50 bottles of shampoo in their cupboard because it was a good deal.
-Eating almost all processed, boxed, canned foods.
-Buying things they normally wouldn't buy, but end up doing so because they have a coupon.

I tried it for awhile, and yes, I did save a ton of money! But I noticed we were doing all of the above mentioned things. I decided fresh, real food, that I had to pay full price for or on sale (without coupons) was better for us than saving a bunch of money.

I do still use *some* coupons. Like maybe $10 worth per trip. But not any crazy amount. Too bad you can't use coupons on meat, milk, eggs, fruits and vegetables!


I despise this show. But I plan on watching the season premier tonight! I am a pretty heavy couponer. I don't pay hardly anyithing for any toiletries, paper products, etc and use coupons at the grocery store, BUT I don't stock up more than we can use in 3 months. I can't stand clutter! I dont buy more than one extra newspaper, and rarely that. I dont dig through trash cans for coupons. Just use what i get in the paper or on the internet. I really hate this show because its giving couponers a bad name and makes everyone think you're a hoarder. It also causes people to run to the store to start couponing and they end up not doing it correctly which causes stricter rules, etc for the couponers that are doing it right. I wish they would show a "normal" person using coupons. I guess it would be called extreme couponing then and no one would watch!

I missed last night show, but I am DVRing tonight's show.

I totally agree with you all! I tried my hand at couponing and stockpiling. Not anywhere close to the way these ladies on TV shop but still I wound up with a bunch of processed food and an excess of health and beauty products. I still have toothbrushes 2 years later.:rotflmao: Most of the excess health and beauty items I would up donating. But, after a few months of trying to really coupon and save money I realized we were eating too much processed foods, I was spending too much time hunting down the good deals, and the clutter was stressing me out. I figured my time was better spent with my family or working on my business. Later we figured out that many of those processed foods had dyes and preservatives in them, that were literally making our DS sick and behave poorly. So, when we started him on the Feingold diet, it was such relief to not to coupon. I am much happier and my family is healthier.

I still use a few coupons here and there for household products. But, most of my groceries are from Trader Joes or Whole Foods and I just pick up their coupon book on my way into their store. I do still stockpile to a limited degree. If I see a brand of food or product we do regularly use and like, I will buy 2-3 months worth of item. I am not saving nearly as much, but $0.80 cents off 5 boxes of crackers, is $4 in savings total. Stockpiling does make sense as long as you don't get carried away. Why pay full price for an item when you can buy a few extra of that item, when it is on sale. I think 3 months worth of a product is a good guide, to keep from getting carried away.

(I have one shelf unit in the basement for food storage. Nothing crazy. And, only a very small stockpile. We moved in with my MIL and she had little space in her kitchen for dry food storage before we moved in. With my DS's special diet, I shop once every 4-6 weeks at TJ, so I buy a bunch of food and put in on my shelf. I am not a hoarder. I just wanted to clarify. TJ and Whole Foods are 45 and 30 minutes away, so I try to avoid going to the store often. But, I will stock up on some our regular favorite foods if they are on sale.)

[♥ms.pacman♥]

i didn't watch it but just wanted to say i totally agree with daisymommy. i almost never use coupons when grocery shoping, bc i found its more of a hassle than it's worth. most of the coupons are for things that i either don't need (like i don't need 3 boxes of cereal just to save 50cents ) and/or they are for highly processed foods. for me i also found it's really hard to coordinate coupons with the stuff i want to get to make a certain recipe.

[Corie]

I have it recorded and I can't wait to see it.

One woman said she bought over $600 of groceries for approx. $6.
But I think she also said that it takes her 4-6 hours to prep for
her shopping trip.

I saw/heard all this on the previews that I keep seeing for the show.

[KrisM]

i didn't watch it but just wanted to say i totally agree with daisymommy. i almost never use coupons when grocery shoping, bc i found its more of a hassle than it's worth. most of the coupons are for things that i either don't need (like i don't need 3 boxes of cereal just to save 50cents ) and/or they are for highly processed foods. for me i also found it's really hard to coordinate coupons with the stuff i want to get to make a certain recipe.

Wait until those kids are older and you go through 1.5 boxes of cereal a week. And my oldest is not quite 7! I just ordered 8 boxes of Raisin Bran from Amazon because it was the best price I could find for a while. It'll be gone by mid-May.

[inmypjs]

I'm watching it right now! I saw a couple of episodes a few months ago. I am a pretty big couponer. I basically do what these ladies are doing, but on a much, much smaller scale. I have a stockpile of paper and household goods, pantry items and personal care items. But they don't take over my house :). They are on a small shelving unit in our basement store room.

Couponing can be time-consuming, so I can see why some people find it a hassle, but I enjoy making our money go further. I also donate quite a bit to our food pantry and that feels very good.

I don't agree that coupons tend to be more for processed foods. I'm preparing for a shopping trip tomorrow. I have coupons that will allow me to get free Kashi cereal, deeply discounted Annie's products, and free fruit.

I wonder if this show will ever focus on the psychological aspects of what is going on. Obviously I am all for couponing - but if you have enough stuff to last you 5-10 years, it seems you could take a break from stockpiling for awhile! That's really where I differ, I just don't think it's necessary to have such volume on hand! I think a lot the people profiled are getting a rush from their extreme shopping.

[jerseygirl07067]

I didn't watch it. But I have seen similar shows, read stories online, read books on how to do it.

Here is what I have noticed:
-these people are practically hoarders. 50 bottles of shampoo in their cupboard because it was a good deal.
-Eating almost all processed, boxed, canned foods.
-Buying things they normally wouldn't buy, but end up doing so because they have a coupon.

I tried it for awhile, and yes, I did save a ton of money! But I noticed we were doing all of the above mentioned things. I decided fresh, real food, that I had to pay full price for or on sale (without coupons) was better for us than saving a bunch of money.

I do still use *some* coupons. Like maybe $10 worth per trip. But not any crazy amount. Too bad you can't use coupons on meat, milk, eggs, fruits and vegetables!

I agree! I was doing the above too and found myself eating more processed junk because it was free. When I have seen the extreme couponers in front of me check out paying 18 bucks for over 100-200 dollars worth of food, I see two things. Their cart is full of junk and they are usually very overweight. I know this sounds like I'm stereotyping, but I've yet to see someone do that with healthy food in their cart!

[KrisM]

I watched the first show tonight. The first person on bought 66 bottles of mustard for $.39 each. I haven't paid actual money for mustard in a few years! I wait until it's on sale for $1 and then use my coupon :). But, of her $100 or so total, that makes $25.74 of it for mustard. I don't understand that.

I wish they showed more of how they do it than what they do. Tips that regular shoppers can use would be good.

[MamaMolly]

I wonder if this show will ever focus on the psychological aspects of what is going on. Obviously I am all for couponing - but if you have enough stuff to last you 5-10 years, it seems you could take a break from stockpiling for awhile! That's really where I differ, I just don't think it's necessary to have such volume on hand! I think a lot the people profiled are getting a rush from their extreme shopping.

I likes how the last woman, Jessica, planned her monthly dinner calendar and then coordinated her food purchases to the meal plan. Clearly she uses what she buys, and I really admire the work she put into it. But even she mentioned the anxiety at the check out, and the woman profiled before her (whoa nelly!!) she seemed really high strung. Calling in friends to come stand at the check out line? Waiting for 5 hours to check out groceries? That is just too extreme for me!

[daisymommy]

I don't agree that coupons tend to be more for processed foods. I'm preparing for a shopping trip tomorrow. I have coupons that will allow me to get free Kashi cereal, deeply discounted Annie's products, and free fruit.



I don't mean to be rude, but Kashi cereal and Annie's products are processed foods. Anything that can sit out on a shelf for weeks, or is a combination of ingredients processed into a totally different form than it came from in nature is processed. The only thing there that is not is the fruit.

This is what I mean that it is darn near impossible (at least where I live) to find coupons for fresh, real, whole foods. I try to avoid stocking up on boxed mixes and snack foods, even if they are organic. But coupons make that so tempting to do.

[love_a_latte]

Wait until those kids are older and you go through 1.5 boxes of cereal a week. And my oldest is not quite 7! I just ordered 8 boxes of Raisin Bran from Amazon because it was the best price I could find for a while. It'll be gone by mid-May.

Ha! Wait until they are teens in sports! I just got the same order from Amazon (great minds :) ), and it will be gone well before the end of April.

Not trying to say the PP is wrong in not using the .50 off of three boxes coupon, just sharing my experience with hungry teen boys.

[JamiMac]

Wait until those kids are older and you go through 1.5 boxes of cereal a week. And my oldest is not quite 7! I just ordered 8 boxes of Raisin Bran from Amazon because it was the best price I could find for a while. It'll be gone by mid-May.

No doubt! I can't believe how much food we go through and cereal is always gone so quickly.

[maybeebaby08]

I love to coupon but have cut back to only what we use it's not a deal if you don't use it. It made me sad to watch the show, I know some people donate the food, but it's so obvious that some can't let go of piles of food. I just kept thinking imagine the kids they could feed with all that food they ll never be able to finish.

[hwin708]

I don't really coupon. It's an extra effort I'm not that interested in expending. Tried it (on a MUCH smaller scale), and accepted it wasn't for me.

But I really don't have that much of a problem with the "extreme" couponers. Lots of people have crazy hobbies that take up large portions of their homes. Certainly, some of these people may be hoarders and have some deeper psychological issues. But some don't. Some just found a hobby that saves their family money. Good on them.

Also, I didn't agree with the NPR article posted above, as it seemed very biased. Yes, there are potential psychological issues that the show is not addressing. But there are also good aspects that the show does not address. The issue of donating - I know in the special, they focused on one or two of the people donating. But in reading articles on these people after the show, every single one was a frequent donater. And another common feature of these extreme couponers was that they would sell their stockpile frequently, like a jar of spaghetti sauce that cost them 10 cents, then they sell it for 75 cents. With all those jars, they are making a good amount of money. That the writer of the article went through all the effort to do the math on how much mustard must be consumed a day, and concluded that all the food must be going to rot, without once visiting the idea that these people may be doing something else with it - it seems deliberately condescending and biased.

Equally condescending was the point that these people could have been working for money instead of saving money couponing during all those hours. Many of the people profiled during the special mentioned they started this when they were laid off and struggling to find work. Not to mention the issue of stay at home parents who are able to be home with their kids while saving this money, as opposed to making 20 grand a year and then promptly spending it all on daycare.

Again, it's not for me. But I can see how it would offer a lot of security and advantages to people who have struggled financially.

[randomkid]

I tried couponing, CVSing, etc for a short time. It was great in the beginning because I didn't have a stockpile on hand. I easily saved $25-$30 per shopping trip. However, I soon realized that the same coupons were available over and over again. Once I was stocked up, I stopped spending so much time on it. However, I still can't resist buying a full size tube of toothpaste if I can get it for 13 cents - lol! I have used coupons for years, but I did learn a few tricks during the time that I tried heavy couponing that I never realized before. I do still use coupons, but I stopped running from store to store and searching online for coupons to save a few bucks. I came to realize that the money I was saving was costing me precious hours of sleep and I was spending too much time messing with coupons and not enough time on things that needed to be done around the house. I compared the hours spent couponing and the amount of money I saved to the number of hours I'd have to work to earn that much money. It just wasn't worth it in the end.

I do still coupon a lot, but I don't spend nearly as much time on it. I will feel guilty if I don't have a lot of coupons for my shopping trip, but then I look in my cart and see that almost everything is fresh produce, meat, etc and realize that we are eating well and that is more important. I do still coupon a lot for household items, though.

FWIW, I have NEVER used coupons to purchase something that we don't use/eat, even if I can get it for free. That's how I decide whether or not to clip a coupon. I ask myself, "Even if I can get if free, will I ever use it?" If not, I don't clip it.

I'm still a bargain shopper, but not an extreme couponer. I'll have to check out that show, though. Might be interesting.

[KrisM]

I don't mean to be rude, but Kashi cereal and Annie's products are processed foods. Anything that can sit out on a shelf for weeks, or is a combination of ingredients processed into a totally different form than it came from in nature is processed. The only thing there that is not is the fruit.

This is what I mean that it is darn near impossible (at least where I live) to find coupons for fresh, real, whole foods. I try to avoid stocking up on boxed mixes and snack foods, even if they are organic. But coupons make that so tempting to do.

Does that include plain pasta? Do you make that, too? We have, but only for the kids entertainment :). I normally buy dried pasta.

I guess you can coupon without being extreme. If you can save $10/week on groceries for 10 minutes of time, why not? I used to use a lot more than I do now, but I still save a good chunk on what I buy (combo of processed and not). And of course on things like toilet paper.

[KHF]

This is what I mean that it is darn near impossible (at least where I live) to find coupons for fresh, real, whole foods.

I do most of my grocery shopping at Kroger, and they have customized coupons that are sent to you monthly based on your buying patterns (hello Big Brother...but in this case, I'm all right with that). So, I get coupons all the time for free carrots, lettuce, grape tomatoes and their cage free eggs all the time (along with the Nature's Path pop-tarts :bag ).

I use coupons to a small extent. Typically for things like frozen vegetables, pasta, and personal hygiene items. I *never* clip a coupon for something I don't use and I don't save the coupon circulars to see if there is going to be a sale on something before it expires. I clip and recycle.

[KrisM]

I do most of my grocery shopping at Kroger, and they have customized coupons that are sent to you monthly based on your buying patterns (hello Big Brother...but in this case, I'm all right with that). So, I get coupons all the time for free carrots, lettuce, grape tomatoes and their cage free eggs all the time (along with the Nature's Path pop-tarts :bag ).

I use coupons to a small extent. Typically for things like frozen vegetables, pasta, and personal hygiene items. I *never* clip a coupon for something I don't use and I don't save the coupon circulars to see if there is going to be a sale on something before it expires. I clip and recycle.

We get the Kroger coupons for bacon. I don't know why as I have only ever bought bacon about twice in my life, but I always get free bacon!

[crayonblue]

So, did anyone see J'aime? I wasn't able to watch it but am curious!

[wimama]

I tried couponing, CVSing, etc for a short time. It was great in the beginning because I didn't have a stockpile on hand. I easily saved $25-$30 per shopping trip. However, I soon realized that the same coupons were available over and over again. Once I was stocked up, I stopped spending so much time on it. However, I still can't resist buying a full size tube of toothpaste if I can get it for 13 cents - lol! I have used coupons for years, but I did learn a few tricks during the time that I tried heavy couponing that I never realized before. I do still use coupons, but I stopped running from store to store and searching online for coupons to save a few bucks. I came to realize that the money I was saving was costing me precious hours of sleep and I was spending too much time messing with coupons and not enough time on things that needed to be done around the house. I compared the hours spent couponing and the amount of money I saved to the number of hours I'd have to work to earn that much money. It just wasn't worth it in the end.

I do still coupon a lot, but I don't spend nearly as much time on it. I will feel guilty if I don't have a lot of coupons for my shopping trip, but then I look in my cart and see that almost everything is fresh produce, meat, etc and realize that we are eating well and that is more important. I do still coupon a lot for household items, though.

FWIW, I have NEVER used coupons to purchase something that we don't use/eat, even if I can get it for free. That's how I decide whether or not to clip a coupon. I ask myself, "Even if I can get if free, will I ever use it?" If not, I don't clip it.

I'm still a bargain shopper, but not an extreme couponer. I'll have to check out that show, though. Might be interesting.

That is pretty much exactly my experience. There are trade offs to everything. That first woman on the show said she would ditch plans with her husband, friends and family to go pick up the latest deal she heard about. It appeared to me that the deals were more important to her than her husband, friends and family. Personally, I just got to the point, where I realized the deals were not as important to me as my family and business.

I do think couponing can be a really good thing. I still use a few coupons. But, just not like we used to. I do think it is a very powerful thing to have modest stockpile. I think 3 months worth of a stockpile is sufficient for most families. Even up to 6 months of stockpile. Imagine living on tight budget and having a month where the car breaks down and you power bill was 2x as expensive as you expected. Having a stockpile means that you don't "have" to go grocery shopping. You can then cash flow the other unexpected expenses with the money you didn't spend on groceries instead on relying on credit.

[MelissaTC]

I was impressed with the woman during the special that said they lived off their stockpile when her husband was laid off.

I don't really stockpile but for a few items. We always have toilet tissue on hand. I also have three bathrooms so I spread the wealth around the house and store the rest. I currently have a lot of laundry products although I am anticipating giving a bottle or two to my Mom. I also load up on things like cereal, pasta, pasta sauce, etc... My parents come down here several times a year. Even though they have a house here, we tend to eat dinners together and I generally cook. My Dad is a big eater and my husband can be, so I go from cooking for 4 servings to cooking for like 6 or more, depending on who comes with them. I try to stick to pasta or rice meals because it goes further and is more economical. Coupons sure help with that!

I also tend to load up on some health and beauty items. I always have toothpaste!

[KrisM]

So, did anyone see J'aime? I wasn't able to watch it but am curious!

She did a nice job, but she's the one who bought $25 of mustard :). It appears that she doesn't normally shop like that because she said she had never used that many coupons at once before. Personally, I wish the show had them do their 'normal' shopping and not something so extreme just for the show. The show said she spends 4 or so hours per shopping trip to prepare and she does 4-6 trips a week! That's a lot of couponing time! I don't know if that's her normal time spent or just for the show or what.

And, yes, she did have stilletos on :).

[Trigglet]

This is fascinating to me, as I have considered trying to use some coupons and always find it inconvenient (I have to run to three different stores) and not worth the effort (small value coupons) because none of the stores in my area of Louisiana will double the coupons - and that seems to be the key for these extreme couponers. I am heading into a period of very tight budgeting though, and so I am tempted to try a bit harder with it, but no idea how to make it work in the absence of doubling. Any ideas?

Also, I found something rather macabre about the guy in the hour-long special who had 150 years' worth of deodorant...I just imagined him as an 80 year old man still using that *&#$% deodorant that he bought as a thirty year old - call me odd, but I find that a bit creepy and sad!!

[crayonblue]

She did a nice job, but she's the one who bought $25 of mustard :). It appears that she doesn't normally shop like that because she said she had never used that many coupons at once before. Personally, I wish the show had them do their 'normal' shopping and not something so extreme just for the show. The show said she spends 4 or so hours per shopping trip to prepare and she does 4-6 trips a week! That's a lot of couponing time! I don't know if that's her normal time spent or just for the show or what.

And, yes, she did have stilletos on :).

Thanks! I love mustard but where in the world would someone put that amount of mustard!? And if they buy perishable foods, do they have several fridges to store the food?

I think J'aime usually does $400 or so shopping trips and gets the total down to $20ish. At least that is what I have seen in the past.

I don't doubt the 4 hours 4-6xs per week. She does this as a job as she also teaches classes on how to coupon.

[Puddy73]

Calling in friends to come stand at the check out line? Waiting for 5 hours to check out groceries? That is just too extreme for me!

I agree, way too extreme for me. That had to be staged. I love my friends, but I would not drop what I was doing and waste gas to drive to the grocery store to help them save $10.

[KrisM]

Thanks! I love mustard but where in the world would someone put that amount of mustard!? And if they buy perishable foods, do they have several fridges to store the food?

I think J'aime usually does $400 or so shopping trips and gets the total down to $20ish. At least that is what I have seen in the past.

I don't doubt the 4 hours 4-6xs per week. She does this as a job as she also teaches classes on how to coupon.

No kidding on the mustard. It doesn't exactly stack, either. I thought it was funny because here it's often on sale for $1 and I get it free with $.50 coupons doubled. I can't imagine paying $.39 for it :).

I have 2 refrigerators, but I can't stock up on perishables because we can't eat them fast enough anyway. It does let me buy 4-5 gallons of milk at a time.

[lizzywednesday]

I didn't/dont' watch ... it's on opposite Mythbusters.

[artvandalay]

OK I watched a little...

It was interesting, but I found the stories to all be sort of similar. I don't know that I would keep watching, because I really didn't learn much, and like I said, they all seemed to be the same story. It's kind of like Hoarders. I watched the first few episodes out of curiousity, but then realized all the shows are the exact same thing.

Two things that stuck out in my mind.... with one of the women, they said her checkout was 2 hours. I could not imagine that - ever. I am usually in a hurry in the grocery store. Could you imagine getting stuck behind one of these people? I wonder if these people have to call ahead so the supermarket makes sure they have just one person set aside to be dealing with that mess for 2 (or more) hours. At least she didn't have any kids with her. The other lady brought all their kids along. Also I was surprised at the wilingness of the husbands to join along in that!

The second was the hoarding. One of the ladies had food stockpiled all over her house, there was toilet paper under her kids' beds, food in bedrooms, living rooms, etc. I don't understand living like that. I would feel like I am living in a 7 eleven or something.

Oh.. also if these people are buying multiple newspapers each week to get the coupons, then they have to deduct the newspaper cost from what they are actually saving - and I sure hope they are recycling! I think my Sunday paper runs about $1.75

I will watch the rest of what I recorded tonight hopefully. I am not much of a couponer but I was hoping to watch so I could be a little more savvy when it comes to shopping for food. I've noticed my grocery bill creeping up lately and I hate it.

And this might sound like a dumb question, but what does it mean when they talk about "double coupon" days?

[Moneypenny]

I'm curious as to how many stores have such generous coupon policies. In my area, there is one store that doubles, and it's a max of five coupons up to $1, and only on Wednesday and Saturday (and the Saturday is just a temporary promotion - usually it's only Wednesday). You have to buy a minimum of $25 of stuff or it won't let you double. You have to give them your store card to get the sale price, and the number of coupons you've used is embedded in your card, so you can't even do multiple transactions.

I do make the most of my five doubles, but there's no way I could ever get anywhere near what these folks do because my stores just don't allow it.

[lizzywednesday]

...

And this might sound like a dumb question, but what does it mean when they talk about "double coupon" days?

A store will "double" the face value of a coupon up to a certain amount, usually $1. For example, on a "double coupon day", you're shopping for an item and have a $0.50 coupon, the store will scan your coupon and give you $1 off the item. It's usually only good for manufacturers' coupons and not register-receipt coupons and can be a big draw for business.

Stores by me used to have TRIPLE coupon days. *sigh* Sadly, those have gone the way of the dodo.

The key to using coupons is not just buying something because you have a coupon. It's buying only something you NEED that you have a coupon for AND it's also on sale.

My dad used to be a champ at this - he'd clip his coupons every Sunday (or Saturday, as several papers around here have started putting their circulars in on Saturdays), file them in his "coupon wallet", scan the weekly circular and write out his list with a note where an item had a coupon to go with it. The store where he shopped also ran double coupons, so he'd often get items for near-free. It was great to see how proud of himself he was when that happened!

[MelissaTC]

I'm curious as to how many stores have such generous coupon policies. In my area, there is one store that doubles, and it's a max of five coupons up to $1, and only on Wednesday and Saturday (and the Saturday is just a temporary promotion - usually it's only Wednesday). You have to buy a minimum of $25 of stuff or it won't let you double. You have to give them your store card to get the sale price, and the number of coupons you've used is embedded in your card, so you can't even do multiple transactions.

I do make the most of my five doubles, but there's no way I could ever get anywhere near what these folks do because my stores just don't allow it.



I tend to shop a lot at Harris Teeter. They double up to 99 cents all the time but they limit the amount of coupons a customer can use to 20 a day. They keep track with your customer card. When they do super doubles (up to $1.98) or triples, I will use my mom's or bff's number to do more in one day. But generally speaking, there is no way to do what these people do around here.

[g-mama]

I watched and I want to know how it is fair that the mother of 4 was making 19(?) separate purchases in order to maximize her savings? Isn't the whole reason they make these rules to put a limit on how cheap they are selling their products? I know that the store allowed her to do that, but then, really what is the point? It just made a lot of extra work and anxiety for the cashier, took more than an hour to ring it all up, and they break their own rule. I feel like it is really cheating the system and it seems dishonest. JMO.

[alien_host]

Oh wow.. just read that. That's nuts. I would worry about all that food expiring, too. Yeah, I could see how the show would be a little like Hoarders. I guess TLC has figured out that people like to watch reality shows based on people's freakish behavior - like Hoarders or the show about people with weird habits - like the woman who eats toilet paper (forget the name).

i saw that episode...now that woman should be using coupons and getting free toilet paper! ;)

I haven't made it through all of the comments here but I am curious about the show. I've seen some couponing specials on TV (news) and newspaper articles.

I do "recreational" couponing....not to the extreme for sure but I use them when I can.

A few thoughts I have:

1) ITA who the heck needs 50 bottles of shampoo?....it takes us months to finish 1 bottle! I have stocked up if we have a coupon and it's a good deal but not more than 2-3 bottles worth. Like a PP though I do love free Colagate toothpaste!

2) I also don't think one needs to "buy" something just b/c it is free. Even on couponing sites like A Full Cup you see people getting 10 diabetic blood sugar meters....and they aren't diabetic! Not to mention you have to pay tax on the item and gas to get to the store. Sure people donate them but that takes extra time and gas $$ too. I'm not sure that it really makes real financial sense.

3) I hate how sometimes you have to buy 2 or 3 of the item to make the coupon valid.

4) I can't imagine spending that many hours clipping, organizing and sorting coupons to get ready to shop and that may take hours.

5) I don't like it when extreme couponers "clear out the shelf" --- leave a few for those that just want 1 or 2!

6) I'm sort of brand loyal to specific products like toilet paper and laundry detergent so getting free 1-ply toilet paper does not excite me ;)

7) I do like the Coupon Mom site since it helps you figure out which week had what coupon.

I've also done the Walgreen Register Rewards thing, for those free items....but I've stopped since there were a few times I didn't redeem the coupon in time and lost out on it. It's too much for me to keep track of.

CVS Extrabucks are OK....I go through spurts on that too, especially helpful when you have mfgr. coupons on top of the ECB....but that takes time too.

[crayonblue]

"I don't like it when extreme couponers "clear out the shelf" --- leave a few for those that just want 1 or 2!"

Agree totally! I detest that. DETEST.

[HIU8]

I tend to use coupons for toiletries and other consumables. I often have 2 or 3 of something in the house but no more. I cannot stand clutter in any way shape or form (note: MIL and my BIL are both hoarders so it's affected me in that way). I do get coupons from the grocery store for a free milk after you buy 6, so I save it for my 6th one (and I only buy milk from the grocery store when it's on sale for a better price than Target or Walmart). I have gone and saved between 10 and $30 at the store for one visit (when I'm doing really well with couponing and store sales combined). I only get one paper and I only clip the coupons for what we actually use. I have also looked for coupons online and printed some out to use (not as much though).

[GaPeach_in_Ca]

Also, I didn't agree with the NPR article posted above, as it seemed very biased. Yes, there are potential psychological issues that the show is not addressing. But there are also good aspects that the show does not address. The issue of donating - I know in the special, they focused on one or two of the people donating. But in reading articles on these people after the show, every single one was a frequent donater. And another common feature of these extreme couponers was that they would sell their stockpile frequently, like a jar of spaghetti sauce that cost them 10 cents, then they sell it for 75 cents. With all those jars, they are making a good amount of money. That the writer of the article went through all the effort to do the math on how much mustard must be consumed a day, and concluded that all the food must be going to rot, without once visiting the idea that these people may be doing something else with it - it seems deliberately condescending and biased.

Equally condescending was the point that these people could have been working for money instead of saving money couponing during all those hours. Many of the people profiled during the special mentioned they started this when they were laid off and struggling to find work. Not to mention the issue of stay at home parents who are able to be home with their kids while saving this money, as opposed to making 20 grand a year and then promptly spending it all on daycare.


Well call me condescending then. :)

I watched the shows last night and I find I still agreed with the article, especially about the mustard.

When they calculate the "savings" they are calculating against MSRP. Who pays MSRP for groceries, especially when buying in bulk? Like for the mustard, they said the bottles are $1.50 retail, but she paid like $.28 or something and bought 66 bottles. Well, I only use about 1 bottle of mustard a year. So my yearly mustard cost is like $1.50 unless I get it on sale, which is pretty likely. She just spent $20 on mustard, so what has she really saved? Is she still going to want to use this mustard in 5 years? I think not. Even if she sells this at a flea market, people at a flew market are going to be expecting a bargain, not retail. So say she can sell them for $.50, then she's really only saved $.25/mustard, not $1.25, plus the cost of the flea market booth, gas, etc.

For the mom with the "litter," as she said, I saw she had the fancy can storage racks. Um, those were probably *not cheap.* Oh goodie, you got a bunch of can goods for $.10 or whatever, but you paid $100s for a storage system. :ROTFLMAO:

Anyways, I really don't eat much of what they were showing and I don't use very many paper towels or toiletries, etc. We just buy much much less apparently, so the extreme couponing just seems wasteful. I'm sure much of this stuff ends up being trashed eventually.

The one on the show I appreciated the most was the mom with the meal plan. However, I agree that seperating into so many transactions was a way of cheating the store. I would think they will stop that.

Also, if my friend called me to the grocery store to save $10, I would be annoyed. Seriously? I would like $5 of that then. Gas is expensive and personally, my time is valuable.

[lizzywednesday]

Oh wow.. just read that. That's nuts. I would worry about all that food expiring, too. Yeah, I could see how the show would be a little like Hoarders. I guess TLC has figured out that people like to watch reality shows based on people's freakish behavior - like Hoarders or the show about people with weird habits - like the woman who eats toilet paper (forget the name).

...

That would be My Strange Addiction.

And Hoarders just gives me the heebie jeebies.

[american_mama]

[QUOTE=love_a_latte;3100987]... I just got the same order from Amazon (great minds :) ), and it will be gone well before the end of April.

Where are you guys looking to discover that Amazon has a great price on Raisin Bran? I would never in a million years think of Amazon and food. What made you connect the two?

[alien_host]

I have another thought...I think eventually stores will stop offering those double or triple coupons if a lot of people create more work for the store to cirumvent whatever policies they have in place. These extreme couponers could be ruining the process for everyone else who abides by the rules. But if they showed it on the episode, I suppose the store didn't care or wants the publicity.

And I personally wouldn't be buying food from some random person on craigslist or at a yard sale...

Has anyone seen someone like this IRL at the store? I really haven't. I've seen people use coupons but not for a cartload of mustard.

[icunurse]

I watched most of the episode and was a little disgusted by it. Seriously, short of donation, does anyone really neeed to stockpile that much for that long? 100 conatiners of yogurt? 66 of mustard? Would it have killed her to only take 40 (or a reasonable 5)?! It's not like sales and coupons don't come and go. It seemed like an addiction, using way too much time and effort. Frivilous, IMO. And it is that type of person that ends double-coupon days, accepting expired coupons, combining coupons for the average person.

I do use coupons, but I only cut out what I could imagine using it if was free. Organize it in a binder. Use Coupon Mom to match sales, as well as glancing at the sales papers myself. That's it. We don't have double-coupons here, most stores don't accept expired coupons, so barring junk I don't need, there is only so much that I can really acomplish.

[artvandalay]

I watched most of the episode and was a little disgusted by it. Seriously, short of donation, does anyone really neeed to stockpile that much for that long? 100 conatiners of yogurt? .

Yes! I thought the same thing. Yogurt has a short shelf life... sometimes I have trouble eating mine before the expiration date. How in the heck was she gonna store 100 containers of yogurt and use it all up? I know one of the moms had 7 kids, so I get her kids go through alot of food - but come on. And that would take up a good portion of her fridge.

[alien_host]

Oh and I think donating is great, as long as it is something usable by the organization. I try to have extra toiletries and stuff on hand when places are looking for those types of donations.

BUT does the local food pantry want/need 50 bottles of mustard? I suppose they might....but it's still a ton of mustard that might get wasted b/c it's thrown out/not used.

I need to watch this show...did she really buy 100 containers of yogurt? How can you consume that much without wasting any of it? How do you donate perishable foods? Don't most food pantries only take non-perishable food?

[artvandalay]

i saw that episode...now that woman should be using coupons and getting free toilet paper! ;)

.

:hysterical:

I want to know how store managers/owners feel about these people. On the show they were just standing around watching in amazement.

[lizzywednesday]

...

And I personally wouldn't be buying food from some random person on craigslist or at a yard sale...

...

That just violates the "dollar store food" rule DH and I have.

Except for water and sometimes soda in a cooler by the register, we don't buy food from the dollar store.

[JTsMom]

I just watched it, and I agree with a lot of what has already been said. Asking several friends to drive to the store immediately to save you $10?!? I hope it was only b/c of the show, b/c that is just totally inconsiderate.

66 bottles of mustard?! Nuts.

I've done some CVS'ing (nothing remotely close to this level) in the past, but it sucks up so much time, and causes me so much stress, it's just not typically worth it to me. I can explain the blood sugar meters though- they buy that stuff to get to a certain $ amount so that they can use a $10/50 coupon or whatever amt they're aiming for. Sometimes, they can even make money for taking them, so even if you don't want the thing, you take it so that you can have the extra cash or discount.

[cleo27]

I really did not care for the show. Like PP's have said, it was very unrealistic. I definitely see some parallels with "Hoarders" (I found it amusing that "Hoarders" came on right after the episodes of "Extreme Couponing" last night.)

I've been dabbling with couponing at CVS & Walgreens lately and find it really takes a lot of time and energy. Also, if I'm not careful I will start getting things I don't need like candy, because it's free... I'm getting kind of burned out on it.

[Corie]

Well call me condescending then. :)

I watched the shows last night and I find I still agreed with the article, especially about the mustard.

When they calculate the "savings" they are calculating against MSRP. Who pays MSRP for groceries, especially when buying in bulk? Like for the mustard, they said the bottles are $1.50 retail, but she paid like $.28 or something and bought 66 bottles. Well, I only use about 1 bottle of mustard a year. So my yearly mustard cost is like $1.50 unless I get it on sale, which is pretty likely. She just spent $20 on mustard, so what has she really saved? Is she still going to want to use this mustard in 5 years? I think not. Even if she sells this at a flea market, people at a flew market are going to be expecting a bargain, not retail. So say she can sell them for $.50, then she's really only saved $.25/mustard, not $1.25, plus the cost of the flea market booth, gas, etc.




Exactly!!! I was thinking this exact same thing while watching her buy
all that mustard.
I kept thinking, "Do you really *need* 66 bottles of mustard?"

[KrisM]

Yes, you do have to consider how you get your coupons. Here, we have a coupon club and we trade coupons. I buy 1-3 papers a week at $1 each. If there is a coupon I want a lot of, I'll buy it from ebay. I bought 20 $1 off Welch's grape juice coupons for $1.99 shipped. DH drinks it often and the kids at times. I didn't need 20, but no one was selling 10, so 20 it was. Even if I toss 10 of them, I come out $8 ahead.

And, yes on timing the sales to the coupons. With those grape juice coupons, I used them at Target a couple weeks ago when it was on sale for $2.87. So, I paid $1.97 each, including the coupon.

My grocery store only doubles the first 2 coupons. I've talked to the manager about changing it and he said no, but doesn't care if I do 2-3 transactions with more coupons. Typically I only do them in a row if the 2nd is only 4-5 items, otherwise, I go to my car and then back in.

I mostly clip coupons only for things I will use, but if it's something that is often free after coupons, I do those and donate. I'm lucky in that there is a collection bin at the church where DD goes to preschool, so I'm there 3 days a week as it is, so not a big deal to drop a couple bags of groceries, too. Stayfree is often free and food stamps doesn't cover feminine products, so I get as many as I can to donate. And, our food pantry often has mustard on its wanted list :). They have a website with a list on it, so I try to work for that. The current wish list is: broth, gravy, pasta (side dishes), razors, shaving cream, applesauce, pears, peanut butter, feminine products. Since razors and shaving cream are easy to get cheap, I will be working on those if I can.

[love_a_latte]

Where are you guys looking to discover that Amazon has a great price on Raisin Bran? I would never in a million years think of Amazon and food. What made you connect the two?

Slickdeals (http://slickdeals.net/). A couple times a month Amazon has great prices of different kinds of cereal, and they usually end up on the front page of SD.

[wimama]

This is fascinating to me, as I have considered trying to use some coupons and always find it inconvenient (I have to run to three different stores) and not worth the effort (small value coupons) because none of the stores in my area of Louisiana will double the coupons - and that seems to be the key for these extreme couponers. I am heading into a period of very tight budgeting though, and so I am tempted to try a bit harder with it, but no idea how to make it work in the absence of doubling. Any ideas?


The stores by me double up to $1, but double the coupons only on Wednesdays. Wednesdays happen to be the last day of of their sale cycle. So, when you go with your well laid out shopping list the shelves are frequently already cleared of those items or the sales tags are frequently already down, preparing for the new sales tags for the next day. And, to top it off they limit the number of coupons you can double. You can get rain checks, but that is an extra hassle. The stores around here know exactly what they are doing to limit the extreme couponers.

That said, my take on couponing and stockpiling is you can still save money, even if you don't get your coupons doubled or tripled. If you buy 6 boxes of cereal each on sale $50 off and the use 2 $1.50 off 3 boxes of cereal coupons, then you have saved a $1 off each box of cereal and a total of $6 over the course of the few weeks or months it takes you to eat the cereal. And, you can get better deals than that. I just wanted an easy example.

My goal in stockpiling is not to hoard a bunch of food. My goal is to never pay full price and my personal time saving goal of not doing any big shopping trips more than ever 4-6 weeks.:rotflmao: I shop at TJ and Whole Foods and fill in at the regular grocery stores. But, my son's food sensitivities and the distance to the stores I need to shop at, have drastically changed the way I shop.

Here are my guidelines for you, if you want to save some money and not turn into a crazy coupon/food hoarding lady.

I would chose 2 or 3 stores tops to hit up for deals in a given week. Try not to run yourself ragged trying to get all the deals. There will be more deals that come around. Eventually you get an idea of what the best sale prices are for different items.

Set a limit when you will stop stockpiling. 3 months worth? Think about how long it will really take you to use up the food and products.

Set a budget for stockpiling. How much of your grocery budget can you afford to put towards your stockpile. You still need money for your regular groceries.

Don't buy stuff you don't use or will not eat. Or, would not normally buy. No matter how good the deal is.

Eat the food, and rotate through it. Make sure the food doesn't expire. I always stored the food on a shelf like the grocery stores, with the oldest food in front, so children and husbands will take the oldest food first.

Couponing and stockpiling can definately save you money. If you want to try it go for it!:thumbsup:

[inmypjs]

Personally I get 2-4 newspapers each week, but I don't have to pay for them. Our local gas station chain gives away a free newspaper when you fill up with gas, so DH & I fill up both of our cars on Sundays and get 2 newspapers that way. I get another 1-2 from a neighbor and/or a relative. So I don't have to spend extra $ on newspapers. I also don't spend extra $ on gas for donations. Our church and preschool both have drop boxes for the local food pantry, so it's very convenient.

I have found the attitude of store employees and managers toward couponers varies greatly. I do not buy anything near the quanitity of items shown on the show - but I have encountered employees and managers who are just upset that I am getting something for very little cost, even if I am following all of the polices and rules and buying just a few of the item/s. They seem to think I am cheating somehow. Others are quite nice about it. A lot of people don't realize that in the case of manufacturer's coupons, the manufacturer pays the store whatever the coupon value is plus around .08 - so the store actually makes money for each coupon redeemed.

Personally I wish they would show some less extreme couponers on the show - but I guess that's not the point! I have only seen a couple of episodes but they are all very similar - with the huge amounts and crazy stockpiles. I could actually see this show causing more negative attitudes towards those of us who use coupons but aren't extreme, so I am not crazy about it.

On a humorous note, I must admit that I buy more mustard than most people! DH has a smoker and smokes a lot of meat, and mustard is one of the main ingredients in his rubs/sauces. It is not uncommon for us to go through quite a few bottles in the spring and summer. So if you see me buying what looks like a lot of mustard, please don't think I am like the folks on the show! I promise I am not stashing it under my child's bed :).

[Corie]

3 questions-


1. Why does J'aime think she needs to apply and reapply more
makeup before she does her grocery shopping? She already had
on too much to start.

2. I cannot believe that one woman (Joanie?) said she moved
her stockpile when her family moved across states. I wonder how
much it cost her to move it all.

3. How in the world does J'aime get all those extra coupon stacks
delivered to her house? It looked like big huge piles of extra coupon
stacks all neat and bundled for her sitting by the newspaper. How
did she work that out?

[artvandalay]

Ok I watched another episode last night. The one with the guy who bought all those deoderants. Weird. Also I don't get why he stockpiles so much - it's just him and his wife - no kids. I don't get why they need to have a grocery store in their basement. However, I did appreciate that he donates so much. He said he donated all those boxes of Total cereal to the food bank, so that was nice.

I was thinking that the woman who plans out her monthly meal schedule was the least crazy of the bunch - until she had the cashier ring up 18 seperate transactions. I'm surprised the cashier/store allows this. The managers/employees were all standing around dumbfounded.

Just as bad as the woman who called her friends to have a "warm body present" so they could get the additional discounts because it is one transaction per customer. But I still don't understand, even if her friends were standing there, she is still paying. I agree with whoever said it's dishonest.

Oh, and one of them said their checkout was 5 hours! That's completely insane.

[egoldber]

I read somewhere else that apparently some of the stores on this show are suspending their normal rules for the show. (I wonder if the show is reimbursing the stores in some way?) So a lot of what is being shown isn't actually possible to do.

I think many stores have changed their coupon policies in response to "extreme couponers" and couponing websites.

[randomkid]

I read somewhere else that apparently some of the stores on this show are suspending their normal rules for the show. (I wonder if the show is reimbursing the stores in some way?) So a lot of what is being shown isn't actually possible to do.

This is what I figured when reading through this thread. I'm sure those stores suspended their policies for the show. This is what I hate about "reality" shows - it's not reality at all!

[alien_host]

I watched the last 1/2 of an episode last night w/ DH. The guy had something like 1500 tubes of toothpaste that he only paid sales tax on.

He had a stash of bodywash that was enough for 21,000 showers. If you shower once a day you have 57 years worth!

I thought it was great he donated some of his toothpaste stash for the troops, but to me it seems like a sickness, obsession or whatever you want to call it. Like he can't pass up the free toothpaste. Man you have 1,500 tubes at home, do you need another 20?

I often get our toothpaste free by using coupons at Walgreens or CVS, but I buy just enough to last a few months (6 tops).

DH said I could never be an extreme couponer b/c I'm not organized enough...which is true, I often misplace coupons. But it sounds like my DH might be challenging me to a coupon duel ;)

[calv]

I watched the last 1/2 of an episode last night w/ DH. The guy had something like 1500 tubes of toothpaste that he only paid sales tax on.

He had a stash of bodywash that was enough for 21,000 showers. If you shower once a day you have 57 years worth!

I thought it was great he donated some of his toothpaste stash for the troops, but to me it seems like a sickness, obsession or whatever you want to call it. Like he can't pass up the free toothpaste. Man you have 1,500 tubes at home, do you need another 20?

I often get our toothpaste free by using coupons at Walgreens or CVS, but I buy just enough to last a few months (6 tops).

DH said I could never be an extreme couponer b/c I'm not organized enough...which is true, I often misplace coupons. But it sounds like my DH might be challenging me to a coupon duel ;)


I watched that show as well today on our DVR. not sure what's worse, this our hoarders. seriously who needs that much of ANYTHING?!?!?!?

[alien_host]

I watched that show as well today on our DVR. not sure what's worse, this our hoarders. seriously who needs that much of ANYTHING?!?!?!?

I missed the beginning, is he married w/ a family or single? He mentioned the extra "stuff" was like insurance, because you have to feed your family if you get laid off...I was trying to figure out how many people he was "supporting". Also did they talk about whether he had a "regular" job?

[calv]

I was 1/2 paying attention but I think he's alone. Please correct me if I'm wrong. They showed him shopping w/his mom. what I did love was the 1000 packaged he put together/gave to the milatry. now that would def be worth the time/effort to get the must have items for pennies, KWIM?

[alien_host]

I was 1/2 paying attention but I think he's alone. Please correct me if I'm wrong. They showed him shopping w/his mom. what I did love was the 1000 packaged he put together/gave to the milatry. now that would def be worth the time/effort to get the must have items for pennies, KWIM?

He did go shopping w/ his mom, I think she got him interested in coupons. I wasn't sure if that was just for effect or if he really goes shopping w/ mom regularly. At least he used some reusable bags ;)

And I agree it does seem a little like hoarders, although the extreme couponers I've seen seem to have a organized storage system etc. which I guess separates them from the hoarders.

[hellokitty]

I started couponing a few months ago. I know how to extreme coupon, BUT I don't really want to extreme coupon. The majority of the products are ones that I don't use. However, I do use coupons for products that I like. I only stockpile toiletries/disposables up to a few months ahead, so when I run low, I start looking for deals again. In our moms club, there are several hardcore couponers, BUT they love to donate stuff (like toothpaste, which is easy to get for free or just pennies), which is great, since we often do service projects involving donations to the women's or homeless shelters. We are doing, mother's day baskets of spa/toiletry items for the domestic violence shelter and I know that the hardcore couponers will be the ones who will probably donate the most stuff for these baskets. Like you said, what do you do with 20 tubes of toothpaste and 20 bottles of shampoo?

Oh and as for the show, I saw it and I agree, that it was staged to make it impressive. The amt these ppl were buying was probably what would normally be at least 3-4 shopping trips. I just do not like TLC anymore, it's like one big freak show. Oh and I think most of these couponers start out and over-do it and then back off when they realize that it's just too excessive. Many coupon bloggers even admit that they went overboard at the beginning and then toned it down, and they also highly encourage donating to charity.

[artvandalay]

I started couponing a few months ago. I know how to extreme coupon, BUT I don't really want to extreme coupon. The majority of the products are ones that I don't use. However, I do use coupons for products that I like. I only stockpile toiletries/disposables up to a few months ahead, so when I run low, I start looking for deals again. In our moms club, there are several hardcore couponers, BUT they love to donate stuff (like toothpaste, which is easy to get for free or just pennies),
.

Do you mind sharing how you get toothpaste/toiletries for free? On the show they mentioned a few times about getting toilet paper for free...what's the secret? I only like one brand of toilet paper, but I would get another brand for the boy's bathroom ;)

[chozen]

I didn't watch it. But I have seen similar shows, read stories online, read books on how to do it.

Here is what I have noticed:
-these people are practically hoarders. 50 bottles of shampoo in their cupboard because it was a good deal.
-Eating almost all processed, boxed, canned foods.
-Buying things they normally wouldn't buy, but end up doing so because they have a coupon.

I tried it for awhile, and yes, I did save a ton of money! But I noticed we were doing all of the above mentioned things. I decided fresh, real food, that I had to pay full price for or on sale (without coupons) was better for us than saving a bunch of money.

I do still use *some* coupons. Like maybe $10 worth per trip. But not any crazy amount. Too bad you can't use coupons on meat, milk, eggs, fruits and vegetables!

i think one of them had enough coupons for 74 bottles of mustard, how long would it take to use 74 bottles of mustard, maybe 6 yrs. or more.

[hellokitty]

Do you mind sharing how you get toothpaste/toiletries for free? On the show they mentioned a few times about getting toilet paper for free...what's the secret? I only like one brand of toilet paper, but I would get another brand for the boy's bathroom ;)

If you want cheap/free toothpaste, you should do Rite Aid, CVS and Walgreen's. They often do credit (ECB, RR, UPs) for toothpaste or they will have it really cheap and if you combine it with a coupon, it makes it super cheap/free or even a money maker (a money maker is a coupon that is worth even more than the price of the item, so has overage).

As for TP, the deals are not that great, IMO. I have had bad experience with some brands of TP, so generally, unless it's a brand that I know that I like, I don't do the TP deals.

Things like pantiliners, tampons and maxipads are all things you can get for super cheap or free by couponing. You don't have to be an extreme couponer. Also, for those of you starting out, keep in mind that some places let you stack coupons. Target lets you stack. So, you can use a target coupon and a manufac coupon together. You can tell what kind of coupon it is, b/c it states at the top of the coupon. And the catalinas that print out, those are almost always manufac coupons, so if I get one that prints out at meijer and it's manufac, I can use it at kroger. I've had the cashier kind of freak out on me, but when I patiently point out that it says, "manufacturer coupon" on it, even though the meijer logo is on it, it's a non-issue.

My fav coupon blog site is www.hip2save.com. Collin is so cute, she explains things so that you can understand them on her youtube videos and posts.

[alien_host]

I am very brand loyal on TP so I don't really do many coupons. I like Northern and they occassionally have coupons.

Toothpaste...we use Colgate Total. Watch the ads for Walgreens and CVS. They often have free toothpaste after Register Rewards or Extrabucks. If you use a coupon (for us $1 off one tube comes out maybe once a month or every 6 weeks), you can make money.

Shampoo - same thing. We use Garnier Fructis and they have $1 off shampoo/conditioner about once a month and then CVS often has deals where you buy $15 of it (on sale for $2.99 or 3.33) and you get $5 in ECB. If you have a $1 off for each bottle you can usually buy 5 bottles (we also get hair gel) and end up paying about $1 each.

Feminine products - I try to buy on sale w/ a coupon when I can. The best are the BOGO Stayfree deals w/ coupons. I finally finished my stash of pads and need to look for more on sale. You can also do Playtex tampons w/ a coupon and CVS often does ECB.

I use couponmom.com to match the sales w/ coupons. The theory is you write the date the coupon flyer came out on the front so you can find which coupons you need. It works if I remember to record the date.

[ray7694]

I love the idea of saving money but I already have a full time job. How much time do you spend? I just don't know if it is worth it.

[hellokitty]

I love the idea of saving money but I already have a full time job. How much time do you spend? I just don't know if it is worth it.

It can be time consuming. However, if you limit yourself to certain things (toiletries, disposables, etc.) and find a good match up site, it wouldn't take you much time at all. The match up sites basically tel you what to do.

[ohsara430]

Here's a site with a number of organic coupons, might be of interest to some here.

http://www.coupons.com/couponweb/Offers.aspx?pid=15046&zid=uw18&nid=10&bid=alk041816044847d97c71f2918

[inmypjs]

I love the idea of saving money but I already have a full time job. How much time do you spend? I just don't know if it is worth it.

I would start small. Begin getting newspaper inserts, clip what coupons interest you, and most importantly - save the inserts! Then pick a store that you like to shop at and start watching their ads. If possible, find 1-2 online sites/blogs devoted to couponing and deals at the store you've chosen. Those sites/blogs find all the deals for you. It will take more time at the beginning, but it won't take as long as you get more skilled and get your own system going.

[KrisM]

I love the idea of saving money but I already have a full time job. How much time do you spend? I just don't know if it is worth it.

I spend about an hour a week for the coupon part. I look at what coupons should be in the paper and decide how many papers to buy. Then, I buy them. I sort and cut and file. Then, I go through ads for Meijer, Target, Walgreens, CVS and Kroger and make my lists of what I need based on what's on sale and what I have coupons for. I do most of my shopping at Meijer and just do the deals at the drug stores and super good sales at Kroger.

My shopping cart often looks odd. Tonight, I had: 4 lbs butter, 4 bags of chocolate chips, eggs, 2 bags of potato chips, baked beans, cream cheese, mayonaise, organic yogurt, strawberries and carrots. The butter is usually $4.19, but it's on sale for $2.79 and I had 2 $1/2 coupons, so I paid $2.29/pound. Chocolate chips are usually $2.59, but on sale for 2/$4 and I used a $1/2 coupon and paid $1.50/bag. The chips are for DS2's birthday party at the end of the month and those were b1g1 and a $.55 coupon, so $1.50/bag. Organic yogurt is $.79 and if you buy 4, you get a $3 coupon for your next order, so those were a whopping $.04 each! Strawberries and carrots were what we need for now for fresh stuff.

So, I buy in cycles rather than meals. I make sure I have what I need and then for the actual cookinug, I'm set. And, I plan ahead for parties or I find I spend waaaay too much on food just for the party! Last week, I used a free ice cream coupon at Kroger to buy it for the party.

For me, the couponing is the easy part, but learning to shop sales/coupons is harder. But, it lets me stay under $500/month for 5 of us. I don't save 98% of my bill, but tonight I saved 29% off regular store prices when sales and coupons are combined.

[JTsMom]

Did you all see the stuff about J'aime possibly committing coupon fraud?
http://www.jillcataldo.com/node/16258

[JTsMom]

delete***

[Cam&Clay]

Did you all see the stuff about J'aime possibly committing coupon fraud?
http://www.jillcataldo.com/node/16258

Wow...that's amazing. I've done some couponing in my days but never would consider doing that. If she did do that, TLC should be ashamed!

[MSWR0319]

Did you all see the stuff about J'aime possibly committing coupon fraud?
http://www.jillcataldo.com/node/16258

This is exactly what I was afraid of! The show is showcasing people doing the wrong things (if this is I deed the truth) with coupons and driving tons of people to think they can coupon like that. I'm afraid it will hurt those of us who have used coupons correctly for awhile. The manufacturers may stop issuing coupons or put limits,etc. Much like P&G has already done on their coupons.

[alien_host]

I read the blog about the potential coupon fraud. Did she really make a You Tube video showing her committing coupon fraud? It's stuff like this that makes manufacturers not want to issue coupons. I think if TLC is further promoting potential coupon fraud then that is an issue.

Do you think couponing is more popular than it was say 10 years ago? I wonder if larger %s of coupons are actually redeemed. I remember reading many years ago that only a small % of coupons issued are actually redeemed. I wonder how that compares to years ago.

[Mommy_Mea]

Do you think couponing is more popular than it was say 10 years ago? I wonder if larger %s of coupons are actually redeemed. I remember reading many years ago that only a small % of coupons issued are actually redeemed. I wonder how that compares to years ago.

I think the idea of "extreme" couponing is more popular, but normal everyday use of coupons (pairing a coupon with something you were buying anyways) is down as people are just too busy.

I also think there are a lot more coupons out there than there used to be. Companies are so big on new products to make money, and they push the coupons with that.

So overall, while there are more coupons, I wouldn't be surprised if the total % is down.

I go through bouts of "extreme" couponing just to stock up on a few staples for home (ECB at CVS, etc) and try and find coupons that match everyday stuff that I would buy anyways. But beyond that I find 99% of coupons to be useless to me!

[artvandalay]

Did you all see the stuff about J'aime possibly committing coupon fraud?
http://www.jillcataldo.com/node/16258

Whoah. I have a headache right now and trying to look at that and figure it out makes my head hurt even more. Someone spent alot of time on that!

I'm annoyed that apparently the grocery stores suspended their rules for these people. I don't want the person in front of me asking for their order to be broken up in to 10 separate orders because they saw it on the show :irked:

[KrisM]

There is a You Tube of her telling people what she's buying and saying what coupon she's using. She says she has a coupon for "$4 off Any Schick", for example and buys shaving cream. Those $4 coupons say "$4 off Any Schick Razor".

I sometimes do more than 1 transaction, but only if the second one is really quick, like 2-4 items total. Otherwise, I go to my car and back in again. Or, if no one is there, I'll do a couple.

I also find it annoying that stores changed some rules about doubling, etc for them. My store only doulbes 2 of the same and I really dislike that, but I'm stuck with those rules.

[alien_host]

I also find it annoying that stores changed some rules about doubling, etc for them. My store only doulbes 2 of the same and I really dislike that, but I'm stuck with those rules.

THat is wrong IMO, if the "average" (ie you and I) can't do it why should these folks get special treatment b/c they are on a TLC show? That makes that whole experience misleading IMO.

We have doubles (99 cents or less) that are unlimited. Although most coupons issued in the Northeast are $1 or more and require you to buy 2 or 3. I'd rather a 50 cent off one but those aren't as common. Some stores allow doubles over $1 but you only get 5 and probably have to spend $15 after coupon to be eligible. Most stores only do the doubles over $1 occasionally.

[JTsMom]

The whole thing is misleading. It's like someone hightailing it out the door with a cart of stuff and saying, "Look! I got all of this for free!" TLC is getting more ridiculous every season.

[alien_host]

It looks like TLC is showing the J'aime or Jaime or whatever her name is episode again Wed at 9. I'm going to DVR it, I'm not sure why.

[hellokitty]

Extreme couponing has been around for a while. I think it's just that the internet has made it much EASIER to do than before, esp with the use of IP (internet printables). Also, I feel lucky that I can just find sites that do match ups for me, b/c it would take a lot of work to have to sit there and match up ads and coupons on my own. So, really, I think it is easier than ever to coupon and if you can find a store that double or let you stack coupons, it makes the deals even sweeter.

[KrisM]

THat is wrong IMO, if the "average" (ie you and I) can't do it why should these folks get special treatment b/c they are on a TLC show? That makes that whole experience misleading IMO.

We have doubles (99 cents or less) that are unlimited. Although most coupons issued in the Northeast are $1 or more and require you to buy 2 or 3. I'd rather a 50 cent off one but those aren't as common. Some stores allow doubles over $1 but you only get 5 and probably have to spend $15 after coupon to be eligible. Most stores only do the doubles over $1 occasionally.

I agree.

We only double up to $.50 and boy do those $.55 coupons annoy me!

[Smillow]

I agree.

We only double up to $.50 and boy do those $.55 coupons annoy me!

Two of my local grocery stores double coupons up to $.50, but one of the 2 (Martins (sub. of Giant)) will make any coupon under $1 a $1 coupon essentially (e.g. a $.55 coupon will be "doubled" to $.45). I was very happy to find this out & now I save those over $.50 but under $1 coupons for this store only.

[alien_host]

I watched the episode w/ J'aime last night. I have to say it really irked me that she was so proud that she cleared the shelves (I think this was her)....when she told her husband just to leave 1 bottle of the mustard on the shelf...gee thanks, I hope no one in her town needed mustard! I think bragging that you took all the product is lame. AND her DH doesn't even like mustard!

I do think she is smart for asking the newspaper distributors to give her the extra inserts though, pretty clever not having to pay for the newspapers.

After watching 1 or 2 of these episodes (the J'aime one and 1/2 of the show w/ the guy who donated to the troops) it is really surprising to me that only one (the man) talked about donating some of his stash.

I also saw part of an episode where the lady got 93 bags of croutons...that's a lot of salad that needs to be eaten ;) Just over the top IMO...since those croutons will get stale!

For some reason I'm drawn into this show though.

[GaPeach_in_Ca]

Bumping up, because I just saw this article where J'amie says she just matches the UPC code and not the object and she thinks it's fine...

http://blogs.smartmoney.com/paydirt/2011/05/11/extreme-couponing-star-i-was-a-scapegoat/?zone=intromessage

[daisymommy]

I've watched a few episodes recently, and I think they all need some therapy! ;)

I see some major hoarding, OCD (I have a coupon for it and it's on sale, so you HAVE to buy the 100 bags of croutons!), they're all on a power trip, fueled with adrenaline. It doesn't matter that they have a lifetime's worth of food that will go bad before it ever gets used.

It's pretty greedy and sad if you ask me.

[lhafer]

I watched the episode w/ J'aime last night. I have to say it really irked me that she was so proud that she cleared the shelves (I think this was her)....when she told her husband just to leave 1 bottle of the mustard on the shelf...gee thanks, I hope no one in her town needed mustard! I think bragging that you took all the product is lame. AND her DH doesn't even like mustard!

I do think she is smart for asking the newspaper distributors to give her the extra inserts though, pretty clever not having to pay for the newspapers.

After watching 1 or 2 of these episodes (the J'aime one and 1/2 of the show w/ the guy who donated to the troops) it is really surprising to me that only one (the man) talked about donating some of his stash.

I also saw part of an episode where the lady got 93 bags of croutons...that's a lot of salad that needs to be eaten ;) Just over the top IMO...since those croutons will get stale!

For some reason I'm drawn into this show though.

I saw it on this day (I think they were doing a marathon). I was so happy that the guy was donating so much to the troops! I don't mind the hoarding if he's helping out along the way.

[KrisM]

Bumping up, because I just saw this article where J'amie says she just matches the UPC code and not the object and she thinks it's fine...

http://blogs.smartmoney.com/paydirt/2011/05/11/extreme-couponing-star-i-was-a-scapegoat/?zone=intromessage

Wow! If she didn't know it wasn't wrong, that's fine. I have a hard time with her knowingly continuing to do this though. Thanks for sharing.

[alien_host]

Ok I'm addicted to this show. Did you ladies see the one where the woman got 150 or so butterfinger candy bars....I eat maybe one or two bars every few months....I mean 150 bars is a lot of candy and calories!

One woman said she spent $70 on coupons from a service, like PPs said you really have to count that into your total "cost".

I forget now but I had some other "complaints" that I now can't remember.

[alien_host]

Wow! If she didn't know it wasn't wrong, that's fine. I have a hard time with her knowingly continuing to do this though. Thanks for sharing.

I just read the article. It's clear to me that people like J'aime are causing companies/manufacturers to look into changing the bar code system. I can't believe she thinks she is a SCAPEGOAT, what a loser....she knows it is wrong but thinks b/c she is getting away with it that it is OK....maybe she should go rob a bank.

[traciann]

Bumping up, because I just saw this article where J'amie says she just matches the UPC code and not the object and she thinks it's fine...

http://blogs.smartmoney.com/paydirt/2011/05/11/extreme-couponing-star-i-was-a-scapegoat/?zone=intromessage

I read the article and I have a problem with what J'aime was doing. Yes, it took the coupon, but I don't think she is being honest because she is not buying the product the picture/descriptions matches to. I don't even use a coupon that is expired!

I am all for getting a good deal, but I think extreme couponers seem like hoarders. Nobody needs that much dishsoap, mustard, etc.

[alien_host]

Does anyone think the store (was it Safeway) and/or Jaime will get into legal trouble? Who would bring forth charges? Would it be the manufacturer(s)? I mean she admitted to doing it and it is in writing. I guess there is no coupon police and it probably isn't worth the manufacturers' time/effort. I would just like to see this bite her in the butt....

[MSWR0319]

I'll be interested to see if anyone does anything to her. I think they should since she's basically screaming from the rooftop that she's committing fraud. It's not something I'd be too proud of.

[KrisM]

Ok I'm addicted to this show. Did you ladies see the one where the woman got 150 or so butterfinger candy bars....I eat maybe one or two bars every few months....I mean 150 bars is a lot of candy and calories!


I did that a couple years ago, in early Sept. I bought coupons and got 180 free candy bars. I actually made $5 in ECBs at CVS for every 15 I bought, which offset the cost of buying the coupons. I gave them out for Halloween :).

[alien_host]

I did that a couple years ago, in early Sept. I bought coupons and got 180 free candy bars. I actually made $5 in ECBs at CVS for every 15 I bought, which offset the cost of buying the coupons. I gave them out for Halloween :).

Aahh I totally forgot about Halloween! That is a good idea, I like to give full sized bars but they are expensive!

All these shows must have been taped close together....everyone is getting the Vitamin Water and Barilla Pasta ;)