As most of you are probably already aware, TLC will be airing a new series tonight called Extreme Couponing. I won’t be watching…
To hear the words “extreme” and “couponing” used in the same sentence just makes me cringe. I mean the very definition of of extreme is “going to the utmost or very great lengths in action.” Anything done to the extreme borders dangerously on becoming an obsession.
I don’t know about you, but that is not the way I want my actions to be viewed by my family and friends — or you, my readers.
:: Couponing As A Lifestyle
Couponing is a way of life, but taking it to the extreme isn’t necessary to trim your grocery budget. Yes, getting hundreds of dollars of groceries for under $5 is a thrilling experience. However, take a closer look at those groceries. Do you really have the ingredients necessary to put together a wholesome family meal? I’m betting the answer is no.
I prefer to support practical couponing here on Deal Seeking Mom. A typical grocery shopping trip for our family of seven averages about $100 and consists of a variety of fresh produce and meats and the sensible use of coupons on products that complement a healthy eating lifestyle. I could be wrong, but I’d imagine this is the ultimate goal for many of you — not simply getting free products for the sake of free products — and I plan to share more of these trips in the coming weeks.
:: Our Stockpile
It may surprise you to know that I pass up a good portion of the deals that I share with you each week, freebies included. If an item isn’t something my family uses, I’m probably not going to waste my valuable time and energy shopping for it. Yes, even if it would make a great donation — storage space is at a premium in our overcrowded house, and unless I know we can shuttle something off to a dropoff immediately, I’ll probably pass it by. However, I do want my readers to have every opportunity to save available, so I post all of the offers that I can without judgment.
That said, we do have a stockpile… a modest stockpile. I buy enough to last us 6-8 weeks, and that’s plenty in my book. It makes for easier management of expiration dates while still allowing me to be generous with family and friends as the need arises.
I will say that I’m thankful to TLC for inspiring more people to learn about couponing. If you came here by way of the show and are interested in learning a common sense approach to using coupons and saving money, I hope you’ll subscribe to Deal Seeking Mom and stick around!
What are your thoughts on the show? How do you approach couponing in your household?
shellie
Im watching the shows right now. Not because I want to shop like they do, but for the same reason I watch Hoarders, these people amaze me with their obsession. The first woman was actually in tears because she KNOWS she has a shopping addiction and her hubby hates it, but deals with it. I dont like other people’s misery, but it’s like a car accident, you cant help but look. I use coupons, and now that we are doing other things like readying ourselves to take over a business and purchase a new house I am being more disciplined at budgeting and couponing, but never to these extremes. I see all that stuff that will expire (TOOTHPASTE!!) in those stockpiles and it makes me sad. I do have a small stockpile now, but its dwindling and is what remains from I started about 2 years ago. Nothing in it has an expiration, and everything has been used or donated when it leaves the stockpile area. I do plan to watch the episodes, maybe for ideas on how to organize my items, or if they drop hints on how to organize items while shopping etc. I dont know how helpful it will be since I will never buy 300 toothbrushes and 77 mustards just for the hell of it.
Holly
i just hope this show does not backfire on the average couponer. i mean i like getting good deals, but i have never gotten an entire grocery cart for 5 dollars.
candy
I watched,,,,who goes through that much mustard.??????/ nobody normal…totally sick over that show…never again.
Richelle@TheCarolinaClipper
I couldn’t agree more! Couponers are a community of people who strive to use our hard earned money wisely. Yes, you can drastically reduce your budget. But my joy comes from giving back and teaching others how to save.
Dody
I watched the show just to see if anything was useful, wayyyy crazy! I don’t need 60 boxes of cereal at a time,nor would I buy a stockpile of maalox or toothbrushes. I mean come on! If i have to store food all over the house, it’s just not worth it. I’ve been couponing and refunding for years, raised 5 children,never saved that amount,but fed my kids well and healthy on a limited budget. The trick is to know what’s worth stocking up on and what’s not.
Juseaus
There’s always donating those items to local churches & food pantries. That’s why I’ll be watching tonight. I really want to extend my coupon techniques to not only provide for those in my family but also to those who need it more than I do. There are so many people that could benefit from this so called “extreme couponing”. My church alone gives away thousands of bags of free groceries each year. Think of how many more lives could be touched if we could all just do this even once a year!
rebecca
I agree, I love to donate and have set a goal of 500 pounds of groceries for a year since the local food bank here gives you a slip for donation by weight. However, I don’t know if you realize what extreme really means if you think it’s good for donating. Most “extreme couponers” take it too far and cause stores to rethink and restructure policies, cashiers/managers to feel couponers are greedy, and end up clearing shelves of products others would like and sometimes equally are in need of like your donation recipients. I honestly feel that you have your heart in the right place and your values too, for sure but to coupon to the extreme like these people is not how to solve others needs. I do agree with you though that if everyone who coupons made an effort to grab an item or two each trip that could be put into a food pantry pile for a monthly donation, it would make quite an impact in their community! :D
Christina
Well, long before this show came out my mother and I called our coupon excursions ‘extreme couponing’. Not because we’re nuts like those women, but because of the extreme savings and the extreme fun we have shopping. And athough I do think that some people have a problem, better to have a problem where you aren’t spending a lot of money than the people who are spending themselves into bankruptcy like so many other stupid people here in America.
Julia
Ok you got me at $100/wk for groceries for a family of seven. Maybe I’m missing on how to do this?! LOL
I think it’s ridiculous the show I saw before where someone was dumpster diving with their kid…and she was wearing gloves but he wasn’t…ewwwww. I think she had some disorder because that is just crazy…
Tara Kuczykowski
LOL, remember that my kids are still very young — my oldest only just turned 9 and my youngest is 3. Ask me what we spend again in a few years when they’re all teenagers!
Amy
My goal when I started couponing was to reduce my household grocery budget to about $200 a month. But then again, I had 2 young children and an infant. I am now expecting and just realized that I will have to always make at least 2 boxes of mac and cheese or 2 pkgs of hotdogs for lunch with just me and the kids. That was a reality check for sure!!
Bettye
Now we know why the shelves are cleared when we want to buy our measly 2 boxes, and can’t!
I’d love to shop in a store where the cashiers smile and willingly make 18 separate transactions, just for you, and the manager applauds. Give me a break! Oh, and they don’t have to wait and there’s nobody else in line. HA.
Linda C.
The one woman who was shopping with her husband (don’t remember her name) there was NOBODY else in the store except the workers! The checkout girls were standing in front of the register waiting for them. The store must have agreed to let them do it if they came during closed hours/down time.
Jennifer
Bettye! Hahaha…That is exactlly what I was thinking… LOL… If I made a comment on this thread it would be almost word for word what you wrote! I wonder what would happen if they went to Walgreens??? How many smiling cashiers would there be then? lol
Lacey
I thought it was a bit unrealistic. At one point they were in Vons and she had 18 or so like kind coupons. It is Vons policy to only take two of like kind. So this is a fake or whatever you want to call it. And to be in the store for 5 hours to buy stuff you don’t need?!? Who has that kind of time!?! I was hoping that they would shine a nice light on couponing but not sure that happened. I hope that they don’t ruin cashiers and couponer; at time already strained, relationship. Interesting to see the impact of the show in the next few months.
Lacey
Also can I ask how others organize their coupons? Would love to have this be a discussion topic. Think we could learn a lot from each other. Also is there a app to our coupon database? Would be nice to type the the product name and get the coupon while I’m in the store rather then always having to do it from my home computer.
Susie
I cannot see stockpiling a lot of items I do not use. I am a grandma and my needs are different. I had stockpile some items such as cake mix, bbq sauce and other items I ended up throwing them out, date old, wasted eggs and milk before I found some bugs in old cake mix etc. So disappointed w/the waste I decided to only get items w/long shelf life. I am not saving when I throw out 10 to 20 cake mixes and a lot of outdated syrups and etc. It appears meats and cheese products cost me the most. Our Krogers closed and the only store that doubles coupon is Harris Teeter and unless on sale their prices are usually a little higher than others. Harris Teeter here only takes 20 coupns per transaction? Confining
Jen
I agree, I threw out some cake mixes and other items when I was sorting thru my stockpile at Thanksgiving for a food drive. I now try and concentrate on items we actually will use. I now know to avoid cookie and cake mixes because we just don’t eat that many sweets and if its even only 25 cents each it adds up when its mutliple items. My husband works way too hard to just throw it out!
Freezer items also. We really don’t care for some of the freezer stuff that coupons are available… My kids won’t eat the frozen soft pretzels or pizza rolls if they were starving LOL!
richard Stanton
Somebody please tell me what store allows you to purchase 1100 boxes of cereal at one time. EVERY store I have ever been in has signs limiting quantities to “reasonable family quantities” I would not be surprised to find out that TLC has made previous arrangements with these stores to allow this. And what about the cashiers that treat you like you are stealing from them by using coupons? If TLC is going to do a reality show like this then it should be REAL!
Jennifer
I think they should be wearing micro recorders so you get to see the “real” reaction of the cashiers when you buy 1100 boxes of cereal!
Melissa
the guy that got all the free cereal called ahead to order cases of it.
Richard Stanton
It was pretty obvious he ordered ahed, but do you really thing any store would allow a pre-order of an item that was obviously a “loss leader” for the store that week? and in such quantity? Id like to think the buyer explained that he was donating the cereal and the store allowed the purchase for that purpose, but I would be more inclined to think the store allowed it for the SHOWS PURPOSE!
guest
Maybe these people should spend the six hours they look at coupons with their kids instead. After all this time and money buying more coupons I don’t think it’s really worth it. I am a single mom with 3 kids (2 in diapers) and I have a stockpile but these people are ridiculous.
Tamara
Oh my goodness!!I like the fact that the ladies are so crafty with coupons but…really why so many of each item?Clearing the shelves of an item?It is selfish in my opinion.I have a family of 7 people and I would never need that many mustards.Not 1 of those ladies donated to a food pantry,church,needy family (more than they think they are).Unless of course they donated while I made a break to the bathroom.I am just curious if shopping trips like that is what ruins the good coupon policies.
Elisha
I think that the mustard person donated, as did one cereal person. Not many others, though.
Stacey
I agree that I hope his doesn’t ruin couponing for those of us that use it to truly support families on small budgets. But the show ignores he ultimate rule is couponing – it is only a good deal if its something that you would buy anyway, otherwise it’s money you didn’t need to spend and the money spent on it was actually wasted – not saved.
cathy Hauk
can you say ridiculous, thanks to you , I have saved a fortune on our groceries, and will probably never pay ful price for my make up deoderant and shampoo again, but really a pallet to take your groceries out. at the risk of inciting a riot these people, are crazy…. get a grip.
dee
I just want to say these people are not normal..well with the exception of the mothers with 7 kids..i can see why they needed all that. I coupon but in no way do I ever buy more of at top 10 things. I don’t clear shelves..I don’t need to stuff things under beds….I save a ton of money..I am a normal couponer and consumer…this show is crazy!..PS even with my normal couponing i still donate to charity on items i use coupons with…dee
Linda C.
Enough bags of chips for 800 PEOPLE! Maybe they can pay for the triple bypass with the money they save couponing. Good thing she had coupons for Maalox, too!
Linda C.
ps: Tara thanks for letting us post our honest opinions, it seems my wacky negative comments have been removed from the KCL website (she’s very pro-Extreme Couponing having been featured diving in a dumpster on the first episode).
Melissa
IMO the girl and her husband don’t need to be eating chips. obviously if you have that many its just easier to binge on them! not even her party for 20 friends would out a dent in that chip stash.
and the girl that bought hundreds of candy bars? where’s the healthy alternative? why aren’t baby carrots ever free!
Miss L
I watched the show and it’s gluttony at it’s finest! I know it’s partly entertainment, but REALLY?! I agree that most people want to save a few bucks on their grocery bill in this recession. Myself included! Everything is going up in price I’ve noticed. But to buy all this stuff just seems sooooo over the top. When i look at the items most of it is frozen, processed, boxed, and canned. I realize some people eat this way but it’s not healthy. I won’t judge people on how they eat but this has got to make dieticians, doctors, etc just cringe! On the flip side Jillian Michaels of the Biggest Loser may have more contestants in the near future than they can handle. So i guess somebody wins. Just S.A.D. I also didn’t notice anyone say we give away a certain amount to a church, food bank/pantry, a sponsored family, or neighbors. The one woman who was so proud of all her items with “face forward” labels crammed all over her home and in her daughter’s living space was just pitiful. To teach your children that hoarding things you can’t possibly use is a good thing bothers me. I’m just overall concerned, are you?
Mary Ledford
I did watch extreme couponing tonight. It was fun to watch! But, I agree with you, 100%. NOBODY needs 65 bottles of mustard! I’m just starting couponing. It has been fun and I love saving $ whenever I can. Mary
Elke
I didn’t watch the show tonight but I watched the first show and it reallt turned me off. Who in the world takes a Day off from work to go shopping?
Who needs a Pallet of Crereal? how sick is that at least he gave some away to Care and Share. People like this give us who save money with coupons a bad name. I will not watch it again. By the way, I like these people they are so cheap they can’t even bring there own bags :-( but I guess most of us do :-)
Marianne
I did watch this show because, unfortunately, my husband watched it first and said “I’m cutting the food budget. You should be able to do this too.” I kid you not! Then I had to explain to him that these peple FIRST have a big problem. Most of them are hoarders or have other issues. Then I explained taht thse stores were ready for these people by lifting their coupon rules and having the items in question avilable and in the quantity they wanted. I don’t knowabot you, but there is NO WAY that ANY local store would let me get away with half that stuff!!
NONE of them except for the 1 man donating th cereal was doing anything good withtheir purchases and I saw NO meat, produce or anything healthy! If I have excess in my pantry it’s things that I use to bless others in their time of need and that is a very small area in my pantry. I have already heard the buz that manufactureres and stores are going to start pulling back! I am so angry that this showe aired and I wish it would go away!
K. Renee Kawcak
I noticed that all of the people on the show shop at places that double and triple coupons. I live in Florida and there is not one store that will double or triple a coupon. On rare occasions you will see KMart do this up to a certain $ amount and even then, the price is so high that it doesn’t work well. Somewhat frustrating.
Save At Home Mommy
I am so happy to see this! I totally agree. We have a stockpile as part of my strategy to plan ahead but only enough to last a few months at most. I think some of it is glutonous and a little sad.
Olivia
I think TLC should have labeled the show “extreme coupon hoarding”. Pretty soon there will be meetings for coupon addictions. This show I cannot watch – it does not show people how to coupon shop – the ins and outs. There are alot of men and women who are just starting to use coupons and they want the tips. I have been couponing for years and I still learn a new tip everyday
Melissa
there was an episode of hoarders right after the show lol
Casey
I totally agree with you. I don’t watch that show!
I started couponing last year, following you and several other websites for good deals, and it does help me save a lot of money. Thank you so much! It’s a fun shopping experience with couponing, who doesn’t like saving $$ whenever possible? But when people turn frugal life to obsession, it’s a totally different story.
Oh, speaking about $100 for a family of 7, I’m very amazed! Is that for each week? Since I don’t remember seeing any posts about your own shopping trips, is that something you may consider doing in the future?
Jenny
My husband laughingly pointed out that it’s ironic: Extreme Couponing was follwed by Hoarders: Buried Alive.
EFJIO
the show is staged. none of it is real. who cares, it’s fun to watch. go cry in a corner u whiner.
Vernitta
“go cry in a corner u whiner” Is this directed at someone in particular? Or, are you simply a troll trying to start an argument?
Lisa
Vernitta this may be a post from one of the people who appeared on the show.
Nicole
I watched the new shows tonight. The new episodes where much more realistic then the first one. I wish my Albertsons would let me do 18 transactions :)
Meg
Are these people hoarding food for the second coming of Christ? It’s ridiculous. Stockpiling food is actually wasteful since everything has an expiration date. One woman in particular was obese. Not surprisingly, her cart was full of junk food. I don’t think the checkers think too highly of crazy coupon shoppers. It takes forever to ring up their purchases. Worse yet, can you imagine standing behind one of these people? We live in tough economic times and I’m all for saving money, but these people are selfish. What’s the point of purchasing a gazillion boxes of cereal?
Lakeicia
You share my sentiments exactly. A coworker knows my penchant for savings and suggested this show for me. I politely advised her nah, I don’t think so, plus it’s Wednesday and I shall be watching the new episode of “House of Payne”. I already have gone through a process where I felt guilty if I got something and didn’t have a coupon for it listening to all the comments about those kinds of deals. I am all for groceries that allow for healthy wholesome meals for my family while saving as much as we reasonably can. :)