Extreme coupons?

[Bob]

Just watched a crazy show on extreme coupons. Im going to look into it just to add to my stock. Even if I do it with a few items. What do you think?
Bob

[barfife]

I am not nearly as dedicated as the show members (I don't need 500 bottles of mustard) but I routinely save 30-40 %. I spend maybe 20 minutes preparing to shop. I only buy what's on sale and make a list before I go.

[Bob]

Barfife,
I think thats the route Im going to take.

[Sunshine]

I hate that show!! It caused Kroger to change there coupon policy, so you can't get great deals anymore. I'm a couponer, since that show, people in the stores say stuff to me like: Oh, your one of those! Yep, I one of those who don't like to pay full price. I coupon, I save a lot of money. Well I used to save like 80% - 85%, these days it hovers at 50%.
If you live near a grocery store that has a good coupon policy, go extreme!!!
Here's a deal I recently got: Community Coffee reg. $7.99 on sale for $3.99 I had 30 $2 off 1 coupons + a $5 off $50 or more. So I went to Kroger and got 30 bags reg retail $240, sale retail $120, I got it for $55.
BTW I bought these coupons off ebay. The 30 coffee coupons were just under $2 and the $5 off coupons, I got 15 for $3.

[WiseOwl]

Yeah these shows have totally destroyed the couponin' game. Stores changed their policies and now we have to go on Sat nights to get our Sunday AJC because now on Sundays they are sold out by 10am...my wife has been couponin' for 5 years...nowadays we cant get any where close to the deals we used to get......and before long, the grocery stores are probably going to phase it all out ....or just give coupons for razors and candles only...
Its funny because now it has become a fad and it ruins it for the people that really hustle to save.....

Oh well...buy seeds and a shovel

[monkeybird]

Our Sunday Paper has NO COUPONS for food for the past 3 Sundays. Why? Having no coupons make the paper almost useless. I did sign up at one of those coupon web sites and then became inundated with spam. It took months to finally get it to stop, and occasionally I still get them.

[Sunshine]

@Monkeybird: No coupons for 3 weeks? Oh, no! My suggestion to you is to buy your red plum or smart source packets on ebay. You can usually gets 5 (uncut) packets for a couple of dollars. Its cheaper than buying 5 papers and in your case atleast you get your coupons. Or if you have a certain coupon you need, search ebay for that coupon. I like ebay over coupon services. They don't sell your info.
I hope this helps!! Happy couponing!!!

[miked2345]

The people on this show.... After watching how much they are buying of certain items, I have to wonder if they have ANY clue about "Shelf Life".

[michael b]

My wife and I's new years resolution was to try out the couponing seen on this show. We were not going to the "extreme" measure however and stockpiling half the house with condiments. After saving a few weeks worth of circulars we went on our first shopping trip and got a lot ofDEALS AT MY SPAM LINK. We got 5 bottles of Dawn dish washing soap, a few tubes of toothpaste, couple packs of dental floss, air freshener spray, and 10 glade plug ins and refills all for less than 2 dollars. It was our first time, and we felt like we "won"! We have kept every receipt for the year of our Sunday outings.

[ThePreparedMom]

I started "extreme couponing" in January of this year, and I admit that it was after seeing the very first episode of the show back in late December. However, that was before the actual series began and they started showcasing people who lie, cheat, and steal to buy 500 bottles of mustard that they will never use. I know that the series has made couponing more difficult for those of us who really use the system the right way, but I have to say that I am thankful for the series. I didn't buy into the whole "preparedness" mindset that my husband had, and were it not for my use of coupons and starting to build a stockpile simply to save money, I don't know that I would have changed my way of thinking. Living frugally is what started me on my journey to preparing my family for whatever may come in the future. Now I save at least 50 percent on my grocery bill each week, and I have at least 3 months worth of food, and at least a year to two years worth of health and beauty items stocked away. It's because of couponing that I am well on my way to having a year's worth of food in LTS, as well as the extra money to buy things for our preps, like a very expensive grain mill that my hubby wants, or a nice trip to the LDS cannery that we are making tomorrow to get some LTS foods.

[Yeti]

For me its a case of just make a list of what meals I want, than check the coupon sections to see if anything corresponds.

Generally I really pay attention to the stores in house programs. You know the little grocery card you can sign up for.
Some like them, some rate them to data collection. Me I use them for their purpose, and allow the store to send me advertisments tailored to my buying tastes.
Between that and watching for each stores sale ads in the paper, you can save a lot by tailoring a shopping list for each store.

Doing unit price shopping with that card in hand, makes a huge difference.
My ex used to make a list for each trip, than go down the list and see what she knew she could get at the dollar/bargain store.
She is pretty dang good at the game of save a buck when it comes to groceries..

[Grand58742]

I do the coupons at the commissary. With the tax free status along with the coupons, it works out pretty good in the long run.

Having said that, I do NOT go out and buy 50 jars of mayonnaise just because it's on sale. Now Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce or Ranch dressing might be a different matter lol

But honestly, anyone who doesn't do coupons this day in age and with elevated prices is wasting money. I mean, take Harbor Freight for example. Their sale catalog has free stuff in it all the time. My set of clamps came from there along with one of those AAA LED flashlights. All for a five dollar bug zapper and a fifty foot utility rope. And because I checked the sales paper and looked for the "Free with $XX purchase" coupon. And let's face it, you can't go wrong with free stuff and can't have too many flashlights.

[Yeti]

I do the coupons at the commissary. With the tax free status along with the coupons, it works out pretty good in the long run.

Having said that, I do NOT go out and buy 50 jars of mayonnaise just because it's on sale. Now Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce or Ranch dressing might be a different matter lol

But honestly, anyone who doesn't do coupons this day in age and with elevated prices is wasting money. I mean, take Harbor Freight for example. Their sale catalog has free stuff in it all the time. My set of clamps came from there along with one of those AAA LED flashlights. All for a five dollar bug zapper and a fifty foot utility rope. And because I checked the sales paper and looked for the "Free with $XX purchase" coupon. And let's face it, you can't go wrong with free stuff and can't have too many flashlights.

Many frown on Harbor Freight stuff.
Personally I don't mind it. I use them for my trail bags and tools I don't mind loaning out.
My good sets stay in my garage.
My son and his friends use the HF stuff when they want. My son uses the Craftsman/Snap-on stuff when he is with me.

[Grand58742]

Many frown on Harbor Freight stuff.

Some of the HF stuff isn't bad, like the tool chest and cabinets. Their tools...usually made in China stuff that doesn't look like it will hold up. I've never had any of their power or hand tools save the Dremel clone that I've never had the opportunity to use, so I wouldn't know. My stuff has been and will continue to be Craftsman, Ryobi or Dewalt. Typically in that order.

But the point I was trying to make was the fact there are coupons for neat doodads in the sales catalog for HF in the weekly paper. Maybe someone is on a budget and needs a starter set of tools. I could think of far worse places to shop for tools on a budget than HF. And getting a free flashlight or multimeter or headlamp or work gloves when you purchase something is a good thing when you are pinching pennies.

[baldsith]

MY wife gets 3 sunday papers and cuts coupons every sunday....this last trip she saved us 120 dollars....but this is everday use stuff and not just stuff we dont need