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Post by Deleted on May 14, 2011 0:44:09 GMT -5
I have been hearing about this show for weeks at work and finally watched it tonight on TLC on demand. Let me say first I am beyond impressed, like OMG ![:o](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/shocked.png) I admire those ladies and secretly wish I was married to one of them ![:P](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/tongue.png) But I am guessing this would require it to be a hobby or a job since those ladies spend 6-8 hours cutting coupon, organizing it, etc. Another thing, would it require you to buy things you would not regularly buy? Example, my wife would have issues with the sale/coupon system for pasta since she only cares for one brand Barilla. Even if they were giving the others away for nothing (like Ronzoni last week) she will still not buy it. With cost of groceries going up, I might need to split my hobby time between the gym and couponing. Now if only I could get my wife on board ![:P](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/tongue.png) If you've seen the show, what do you think about it?
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Post by Deleted on May 14, 2011 1:24:02 GMT -5
Also, why buy things you do not need? One episode, the lady had cat treats but they had no cats, twin sisters had pile of diapers but no kids.
I get some item pay you to take it out od the store, but if you don't need... why? Or why not donate it afterwards? I mean the sisters have 4,000 diapers and haver no kids, none, nada! But they will be prepare when they get to have kids lol!
I guess it is smart ;D. The sisters went shopping on their birthday because they got jewelry and lunch for free since it was their birthday and some other discounts.
On episode 4 so far and still amazed/shocked.
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Post by Deleted on May 14, 2011 1:44:45 GMT -5
Last questions and I am off to sleep: some of them donate all the extra things they don't need or use to charities.
-> Do they get to deduct that from their taxes? -> What amount would they get to deduct? Retail price or what they paid for it?
Also... how does one get 20, 30, 50, 60 coupons? Do they go to their neighbors newspapers on sunday or what? None would give it up
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 14, 2011 1:51:41 GMT -5
First, what you see on the show is NOT REALITY. It is not to say that there isn't A LOT that can be "bought" for free, but most of what I have seen requires that you get doubled coupons (which many, many people do not get) and that the store where you are shopping gives overage (i.e. the item costs $.50 and your coupon is $1 so you will get that extra $.50 to be applied to other items that you are purchasing in that transaction).
Be aware that what you see allowed on the TV show would not normally be allowed for the everyday shopper. The stores are bending their normal rules to be featured on the show. Most stores would not allow someone to buy and use coupons in those quantities in a single transaction.
Okay, so let's talk about how the everyday person can use coupons effectively.
I have used the methods that you see on Extreme Couponing for over 25 years. I have always found a way to get several sets of the coupon inserts that come in the Sunday paper. That way when there is a killer sale on peanut butter where the sale price plus the use of a coupon = free or almost free peanut butter, I can buy 6 or 10 instead of one. Those 6 or 10 will get me through until the next time that I can get peanut butter for pennies on the dollar or free.
If you REALLY want to save money, you train yourself and your family members to avoid being brand picky (i.e. Barilla pasta vs Ronzoni). If you can get Ronzoni for free and Barilla costs $2, you have to ask yourself if the Barilla really tastes $2 better than the Ronzoni or provides $2 more in the way of nutrition.
I have been involved in the Grocery Challenge thread over on the WIR Forum for almost (4) years. I help people to learn how to coupon. If you go over to Page 1 of the May Grocery Challenge thread, there is a link to The Grocery Challenger's Handbook. It will give you a tutorial on the world of using coupons.
After you download and read the handbook, you can PM me with any questions you might have. I'll be more than happy to take the time to help you in any way that I can.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 14, 2011 2:12:21 GMT -5
Also, why buy things you do not need? One episode, the lady had cat treats but they had no cats, twin sisters had pile of diapers but no kids. I get some item pay you to take it out od the store, but if you don't need... why? Or why not donate it afterwards? I mean the sisters have 4,000 diapers and haver no kids, none, nada! But they will be prepare when they get to have kids lol! I guess it is smart ;D. The sisters went shopping on their birthday because they got jewelry and lunch for free since it was their birthday and some other discounts. On episode 4 so far and still amazed/shocked. I buy things that I don't need IF they are going to be FREE or almost FREE AND yield a reward that I can then use for something that I DO NEED. Example: This week Tylenol Precise in on sale at Rite Aid for $5. (It just so happens that my DH uses these from time to time). There is also a promotion that if you buy $25 worth of specified products, Tylenol Precise being one of them, they will give you a $10 coupon good on your next purchase of almost anything at RA (excludes stuff like tobacco, alcohol, gift cards, etc.). Okay, so how do I get the $25 to "buy" the Tylenol Precise? Last Sunday there was a coupon in the Sunday inserts for $5 off of one package of Tylenol Precise. But I need to buy (5) of them and would need (5) coupons; that is where getting extra Sunday coupon inserts comes in handy. So you buy five of them at a cost of $25 plus tax. You hand over (5) $5 coupons and pay just sales tax. Then at the bottom of your receipt the $10 coupon will print out. Now you have just made a profit of $10 minus whatever sales tax you paid. If you use Tylenol Precise - all the better. Similar offers can be had at Walgreens and CVS, although many of us have noticed that they have decreased in numbers recently. Anyway, buying something you don't need is all about getting a "reward" that can then be used to buy something that you do need.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 14, 2011 2:32:53 GMT -5
And you're a pretty smart guy. If you want to buy that Tylenol Precise, how would you rather pay for it? You could use a $5 bill - one that you had to earn - and not only that, but you had to pay payroll taxes and income taxes to get it. OR you can go to the coupons that you get in the Sunday newspaper and clip that five dollar coupon and use it instead. For me, it's a no-brainer.
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Post by bobbysgirl on May 14, 2011 7:14:15 GMT -5
I do what Dancin does. Another deal at Rite Aid is free Care Free pads. On sale for 1.00 with a 1.00 coupon in last Sunday's paper. You don't use this product but perhaps your wife does or a relative. We all donate what we get free, but don't use. After a while your stock is big enough that you have to eat from the freezer so it doesn't go bad. Then you pay a few dollars for a few weeks on milk and produce.
Go to my blog, if you are really interested, and check it out. The deals I put on there are only for good food and a treat once in a while. Look under the 'series' category and read the posts. There's more than one way to save money. If you do only one or two of the suggestions, the money is in your pocket, not someone else's. The blog address is just below.
And I don't want to hear about organic food only. Look for 12 organic coupons on my site in the past 10 days or so.
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on May 14, 2011 7:16:35 GMT -5
For me time is more important than money. Therefore extreme couponing is just not worth it to me.
My H and I both work long hours. We use our money to pay for things we don't want to do ourselves (lawn service, maid service, etc). I want to use my money to buy healthy food (we buy mostly organic anyways) and then get back home as quickly as possible so we can enjoy time together.
However, if I had a family of 6 and was trying to make it on 30k a year and was a SAHM, my answer might be different.
I hate being in grocery stores, I hate lines. I want to get in and out as fast as possible. I eat very little food from the center aisles anyways, and mostly eat produce and milk/juice. Yes, some couponers get TP and toothpaste. But I buy mine at Costco once a year and honestly, I don't miss that $100. I think it's all about priorities.
Some people on that show are jumping in dumpsters to get coupons. What? That sounds like a mental illness to me. We don't even get the paper so getting coupons would be a problem for me as well. Most the people on that show spend 50 hours a week or more doing their couponing. They also spend money buying extra inserts from the papers, several different papers, printing coupons from their computers (ink is NOT cheap), etc. There is a cost there, too, that is not explicitly described. It's just not worth it to me, and I hate the hording mentality of most of the people on that show.
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on May 14, 2011 7:18:30 GMT -5
And I don't want to hear about organic food only. Look for 12 organic coupons on my site in the past 10 days or so. Confession: I did print your Driscoll's coupon the other day. Thanks. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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Post by Deleted on May 14, 2011 7:20:18 GMT -5
I use coupons but not to this extent. One thing that you are ignoring is that you have to have the space to store stuff, which you don't have. I have a finished basement with a workshop with shelving. It's all organized and labeled. But some stuff I won't store down there such as sugar. That's in a rubbermaid storage bin in an upstairs closet. Where would you put your extras? The extra inserts and/or coupons are often purchased online. Some trading also goes on. I just can't see your wife dumpster diving. Lol. Dancin gave you some good tips. Check out the thread she mentioned and HotCouponWorld. Now rebating deserves another thread. My husband is amazed that someone wants to buy meat, water, chips, etc. so I could have a Cinco de Mayo party for just me, myself, I, and him. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on May 14, 2011 8:40:30 GMT -5
I watched an eisode where a guy had stockiled 1000 tubes of toothpaste! If he uses up a tube per month, he has enough for 83 years! He will be dead before it's used up. If he moves, he has to move his stash.
I do believe that going to that kind of extreme is a form of mental illness. It really is a form of hoarding.
I'll clip a coupon for something that I am going to buy anyway, but I won't buy something I don't need just because I have a coupon.
Most coupons are for processed foods - they have the highest markup. I've yet to see a coupon for fresh produce. I've seen them for milk if you buy cereal. Look at the carts of the coupon queens. TP, toothpaste, baby wipes.... How much "real food" do you see? And coupons for organic products are still for processed food. Nothing fresh.
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on May 14, 2011 9:23:48 GMT -5
"And I don't want to hear about organic food only. Look for 12 organic coupons on my site in the past 10 days or so."
How many of those coupons are for fresh produce or meat or milk?
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 14, 2011 10:27:30 GMT -5
"And I don't want to hear about organic food only. Look for 12 organic coupons on my site in the past 10 days or so." How many of those coupons are for fresh produce or meat or milk? gardeninggrandma: You are absolutely right - there are not as many coupon for fresh fruits and vegetables and meat, but they are out there. As far as food is concerned, I focus on the coupons that are for staples: eggs, sugar, coffee, tea, butter, cheese, sour cream, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, marinades, pasta, peanut butter, cooking oil, PAM, etc. I buy my fresh fruits and veggies based on the lowest prices that are offered in any particular week. I might buy them at a chain grocery store, at an ethnic supermarket, or at a outdoor produce stand. This week I was able to buy onions for $.25/lb, oranges 6 lbs/$1, zucchini for $.25/lb, sweet white corn $.20/ea., bananas for $.33/lb and Fuji apples for $.33/lb. I got A LOT of fresh produce for relatively little money and did not use a single coupon. I was also able to get chicken for $.89/lb so I bought several packages and packaged them up and put them in the freezer. The majority of the couponers that I know are able to save THE MOST MONEY on non-food items. No, you can't eat them, but you have to buy them anyway and every penny that is NOT SPENT on them can then be applied somewhere else in their budgets - for food, for gasoline, for debt repayment, toward retirement savings, or their EF. As a SAHM, using coupons game me a way to make a HUGE financial contribution to our household without actually having to be "employed".
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Post by Deleted on May 14, 2011 10:30:50 GMT -5
I'd love to get diapers for free, I should figure out how to do it. Not only does my kid use them I donate them to local pregnancy support groups and food banks. There's an incredible need for diapers.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 14, 2011 10:31:42 GMT -5
I watched an eisode where a guy had stockiled 1000 tubes of toothpaste! If he uses up a tube per month, he has enough for 83 years! He will be dead before it's used up. If he moves, he has to move his stash. In that episode the show decided not to emphasize that that "guy" donates a ton of stuff to his local food pantry. From what he has posted on his blog, he would never have any intention of keeping 1,000 tubes of toothpaste.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 14, 2011 10:41:54 GMT -5
I'll clip a coupon for something that I am going to buy anyway, but I won't buy something I don't need just because I have a coupon. If you understood the "big picture" you would. I am not diabetic so I do not need diabetic meters, but last year Walgreens had them on sale and were giving a coupon good for $10 off your next purchase if you bought one. I had a coupon that allowed me to get the meter for free. I paid sales tax and got the $10 coupon in return. The purchase benefited me because I was able to use that $10 toward something that I DID need - anything that might have been on sale before the $10 coupon expired - preferably something that we needed at the time which would have cost me money out of my pocket to buy. The purchase also benefited my community because I donated the diabetic meter to a charitable organization that distributes them and teaches those who are newly diabetic how to use them. The manufacturer is happy because their product was sold. Walgreens is happy because they made a sale. I am happy because I got $10 to spend in Walgreens. And my community is happy because someone who needed it received that diabetic meter.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 14, 2011 10:56:31 GMT -5
For me time is more important than money. Therefore extreme couponing is just not worth it to me. My H and I both work long hours. We use our money to pay for things we don't want to do ourselves (lawn service, maid service, etc). I want to use my money to buy healthy food (we buy mostly organic anyways) and then get back home as quickly as possible so we can enjoy time together. honey: I TOTALLY agree with you. During my career days I worked very long hours. I did not have time to even read the daily newspaper much less clip coupons. But even in those days, I still shopped the ads and planned my menus around the sales. In those days, however, there was no such thing as a reward program at a drug chain. Today WITHOUT EVEN USING A COUPON there are many, many items that your family uses every day that you can pick up for free. Buy a tube of toothpaste for $2.77 and get a coupon good for $2.77 off of almost anything in the drugstore. There is no clipping or coupon usage involved; but if you DO have a coupon, what you actually pay for the toothpaste will be less and you still get the $2.77 coupon to spend in the drugstore. In my working days (because we were trying to save for a down payment on a home), I would have been all over deals like that.
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Post by Deleted on May 14, 2011 11:02:25 GMT -5
I watched an eisode where a guy had stockiled 1000 tubes of toothpaste! If he uses up a tube per month, he has enough for 83 years! He will be dead before it's used up. If he moves, he has to move his stash. In that episode the show decided not to emphasize that that "guy" donates a ton of stuff to his local food pantry. From what he has posted on his blog, he would never have any intention of keeping 1,000 tubes of toothpaste. They did show that he sent care packages to the soldiers. Most of the couponers featured on the show did admit that they donate the items they did not use/need to charity. The only reason they bought them was because they wereh - dirt cheap (like $.10) - free - they get money back for buying it, money they can use towards things they need (one lady used it towards buying meat since her store did not give money back)
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on May 14, 2011 11:42:20 GMT -5
There is very little that I NEED at Walgreens or Riteaid. I don't need baby items or feminine products. The occasional tube of toothpaste or bottle of moisturizer. I buy shower gel from Costco (with their coupon). It's easy go into a RA or WG and spend a lot of money on non-necessities. It's fine if someone wants to devote the time to couponing and justify buying things they don't need by donating them, but that isn't saving them real money. That's a hobby. I prefer to spend my time otherwise.
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on May 14, 2011 12:20:59 GMT -5
Here's another take on extreme couponing: moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/so-money/extreme-couponing-5-reasons-to-steer-clear/1847/?tag=content;col1Extreme Couponing: 5 Reasons to Steer Clear 1. Most food-related coupons are unhealthy. Couponers saved more than $3.7 billion in 2010 thanks to 50 cents off here and $1 off there. But most of those coupons went towards unhealthy products. We rarely see clip-and-save options for fruit, meat or organic foods. Instead, most coupons in the food category are for processed foods and snacks - otherwise known as “junk” food. 2. Some coupons promote spending, not saving. Last year, more than a quarter of all coupons for consumer packaged goods - items like cleaning supplies, toiletries and pet food - required us to buy two or more items to get the discount, according to marketing services firm Valassis. These deals entice us to spend more than we should. 3. Coupons encourage us to buy products we normally wouldn’t. Many manufacturers and retailers create coupons for new products that they want to introduce to the market. There’s nothing wrong with trying new products, but buying something just because we have a coupon can be a frivolous way to spend. 4. To some, coupons offer a false sense of security. A popular - though, debatable - claim among some coupon advocates is that money saved with coupons is potentially equal to or greater than money they could earn working. A Wall Street Journal reporter did some math last year and figured couponing is equal to making $86.40 an hour - a conclusion that sparked many a high-five in the couponing community. Others disagreed with the Journal’s calculations, however. And if couponers are opting out of the workforce because they think coupon-cutting is a more productive use of their time - well, that’s a pretty narrow-minded way of looking at life, says Dr. Ted Klontz, financial behavioral consultant and author of Mind Over Money: Overcoming the Money Disorders That Threaten Our Financial Health. He’s found that people who are obsessed with couponing trust that as long as they have a stack of coupons - or are in pursuit of more - their financial life is safe. But they are misled, says Dr. Klontz: “If they actually spent that time and energy on their jobs or getting a job, it would be a significantly better overall outcome for them … they would probably be better financially.” 5. Couponing can become an addiction. At best, coupons can help us save money on healthy foods and household products we would buy normally. At worst, the pursuit can affect our mental health. “There’s a line between being prudent and having the activity take control of you, instead of you controlling it – whether its couponing, exercising, eating, whatever,” says Dr. Klontz. He says the obsession with saving money can take over people’s lives, destroying marriages and other relationships. “There’s a point to which couponing makes sense, and then there are people who step over the line. They fall into the category of what we would call financial hoarding disorder,” he says. If coupon hunting is beginning to occupy more and more of your time - to where you’re neglecting other, more important things, like our well-being, family and job - or if your loved ones are complaining that you’re spending too much time on the web or circulars surfing for coupons, you may have a problem.
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MN-Investor
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Post by MN-Investor on May 14, 2011 12:23:00 GMT -5
I rarely use grocery store coupons. But what I do clip are restaurant coupons. Both DH and I are also on mailing lists for various eateries. If we're going to go to Red Lobster anyway, I'd much rather have a $5 coupon along to help pay for it.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 14, 2011 12:37:43 GMT -5
Here's another take on extreme couponing: moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/so-money/extreme-couponing-5-reasons-to-steer-clear/1847/?tag=content;col1Extreme Couponing: 5 Reasons to Steer Clear 1. Most food-related coupons are unhealthy. Couponers saved more than $3.7 billion in 2010 thanks to 50 cents off here and $1 off there. But most of those coupons went towards unhealthy products. We rarely see clip-and-save options for fruit, meat or organic foods. Instead, most coupons in the food category are for processed foods and snacks - otherwise known as “junk” food. 2. Some coupons promote spending, not saving. Last year, more than a quarter of all coupons for consumer packaged goods - items like cleaning supplies, toiletries and pet food - required us to buy two or more items to get the discount, according to marketing services firm Valassis. These deals entice us to spend more than we should. 3. Coupons encourage us to buy products we normally wouldn’t. Many manufacturers and retailers create coupons for new products that they want to introduce to the market. There’s nothing wrong with trying new products, but buying something just because we have a coupon can be a frivolous way to spend. 4. To some, coupons offer a false sense of security. A popular - though, debatable - claim among some coupon advocates is that money saved with coupons is potentially equal to or greater than money they could earn working. A Wall Street Journal reporter did some math last year and figured couponing is equal to making $86.40 an hour - a conclusion that sparked many a high-five in the couponing community. Others disagreed with the Journal’s calculations, however. And if couponers are opting out of the workforce because they think coupon-cutting is a more productive use of their time - well, that’s a pretty narrow-minded way of looking at life, says Dr. Ted Klontz, financial behavioral consultant and author of Mind Over Money: Overcoming the Money Disorders That Threaten Our Financial Health. He’s found that people who are obsessed with couponing trust that as long as they have a stack of coupons - or are in pursuit of more - their financial life is safe. But they are misled, says Dr. Klontz: “If they actually spent that time and energy on their jobs or getting a job, it would be a significantly better overall outcome for them … they would probably be better financially.” 5. Couponing can become an addiction. At best, coupons can help us save money on healthy foods and household products we would buy normally. At worst, the pursuit can affect our mental health. “There’s a line between being prudent and having the activity take control of you, instead of you controlling it – whether its couponing, exercising, eating, whatever,” says Dr. Klontz. He says the obsession with saving money can take over people’s lives, destroying marriages and other relationships. “There’s a point to which couponing makes sense, and then there are people who step over the line. They fall into the category of what we would call financial hoarding disorder,” he says. If coupon hunting is beginning to occupy more and more of your time - to where you’re neglecting other, more important things, like our well-being, family and job - or if your loved ones are complaining that you’re spending too much time on the web or circulars surfing for coupons, you may have a problem. gardeninggrandma: I agree with ALL the pitfalls that you mention; however, the experienced couponer avoids many if not all of them. I can't imagine ANYONE quitting their job to become an extreme couponer. If it happens at all, this show would certainly encourage it. No one that uses coupons that I know of is a fan of the show. When I use a coupon, the value of the coupon IS more than its face value. The value of the coupon is what it would take me to earn/take home the face value of the coupon; BUT I do not use a $5 coupon and think, I just "saved" $6.50. I think, that's $5 I don't have to earn; that's $5 more that I have in my pocket because I used a coupon. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 14, 2011 13:00:29 GMT -5
There is very little that I NEED at Walgreens or Riteaid. I don't need baby items or feminine products. The occasional tube of toothpaste or bottle of moisturizer. I buy shower gel from Costco (with their coupon). It's easy go into a RA or WG and spend a lot of money on non-necessities. It's fine if someone wants to devote the time to couponing and justify buying things they don't need by donating them, but that isn't saving them real money. That's a hobby. I prefer to spend my time otherwise. I guess you have to just do it to realize how it works. There are many times when buying things that you don't need DOES SAVE MONEY. I've already given you examples of why and how it works.
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MN-Investor
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Post by MN-Investor on May 14, 2011 13:02:14 GMT -5
It was probably 20 years ago when the wife of one of my DH's good friends got sucked into extreme couponing. My DH's friend got so disgusted with how it took over his wife's life and their house that he threw out five bags of coupons. (I liked her, but she didn't always have common sense. Couponing was not the first thing she had overdone.)
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constanz22
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Post by constanz22 on May 14, 2011 13:12:59 GMT -5
There is very little that I NEED at Walgreens or Riteaid. I don't need baby items or feminine products. The occasional tube of toothpaste or bottle of moisturizer. I buy shower gel from Costco (with their coupon). It's easy go into a RA or WG and spend a lot of money on non-necessities. It's fine if someone wants to devote the time to couponing and justify buying things they don't need by donating them, but that isn't saving them real money. That's a hobby. I prefer to spend my time otherwise. I guess you have to just do it to realize how it works. There are many times when buying things that you don't need DOES SAVE MONEY. I've already given you examples of why and how it works. I have to agree with dancinmama and all of the points she has made. I am not an "extreme" couponer, but, I do coupon, a lot. I only have to buy for myself and 3 burbabies (2 dogs and a cat) and I have just reduced my monthly "grocery" budget from $100 a month to $80. I am completely confident that I can stay within my budget. I include everything from food, HBA, pet items, cleaning supplies and paper products in my "grocery" budget. The items I "buy" regularly at Walgreens and Rite Aid, using THEIR money is: coffee Special K cereal, granola bars, SunChips canned fruit and veggies pet food, treats, wee wee pads milk, eggs paper towels, tp, napkins, paper plates, coffee filters make up lotion, body wash, deoderant, face cleansers, shave cream, razors Windex, Lysol, Cascade, Magic Erasers toothpaste, floss, mouthwash This is just a small example. If I had to spend MY money buying these items, there is NO WAY I could manage an $80 a month budget. Most people use the above items regularly. I just don't understand why you'd want to spend your hard earned money on them when you can get them for free, or close to free. ![???](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/huh.png)
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 14, 2011 13:22:05 GMT -5
It was probably 20 years ago when the wife of one of my DH's good friends got sucked into extreme couponing. My DH's friend got so disgusted with how it took over his wife's life and their house that he threw out five bags of coupons. (I liked her, but she didn't always have common sense. Couponing was not the first thing she had overdone.) A lot of people jump in 100% before they really understand what they are doing. Their homes become disorganized, they spend a lot more money than they should (because they are the type that wants immediate "success"), and they ignore other parts of their lives that are important in favor of saving a couple of bucks. For me, couponing is like a game. There are three players: the manufacturer, the retailer, and me. I am VERY strategic about how I play the game. When either the manufacturer or the retailer (more often the retailer) changes the rules of the game, I adjust my strategy accordingly. I do not coupon for the "fun" of it (although sometimes it can be fun); I do it because I am running my household like a business and coupons are the easiest way for me to reduce my overhead.
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on May 14, 2011 13:25:35 GMT -5
Special K cereal, granola bars, SunChips canned fruit and veggies pet food, treats, wee wee pads milk, eggs paper towels, tp, napkins, paper plates, coffee filters make up lotion, body wash, deoderant, face cleansers, shave cream, razors Windex, Lysol, Cascade, Magic Erasers toothpaste, floss, mouthwash This is just a small example. If I had to spend MY money buying these items, there is NO WAY I could manage an $80 a month budget. Most people use the above items regularly. I just don't understand why you'd want to spend your hard earned money on them when you can get them for free, or close to free
Cereal - DH has a favorite brand and I have used coupons sometimes combined with sales to buy it. Paper towels, tp I buy at Costco at a consistently low price. Dishwasher detgt - ditto I don't use Windex or magic erasers. I have a recipe for a home made window cleaner toothpaste, floss, I get free from the dentist. Mouthwash I buy at a consistently lower price at Costco (often with their coupon) Dog food - I buy a grain free brand that is not carried in the big box stores. I have a loyalty card that gives me a free bag when I buy 10. 11 bags is about a 1 year supply. I don't buy "wee wee" pads. I walk my dogs.
I don't spent hours clipping coupons, buying newspapers, emailing others to exchange coupons. I do use them occasionally, but I refuse on principle to buy something I don't need or more than I need or can use in a reasonable time, and I'm not into free "stuff". I'm not saying it doesn't work for you; but I don't choose to spend that much time on the issue. Time is the stuff that life is made of. I'd rather be in my garden or with my grandkids.
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dancinmama
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LIVIN' THE DREAM!!
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 20:49:45 GMT -5
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Post by dancinmama on May 14, 2011 13:58:10 GMT -5
Special K cereal, granola bars, SunChips canned fruit and veggies pet food, treats, wee wee pads milk, eggs paper towels, tp, napkins, paper plates, coffee filters make up lotion, body wash, deoderant, face cleansers, shave cream, razors Windex, Lysol, Cascade, Magic Erasers toothpaste, floss, mouthwash This is just a small example. If I had to spend MY money buying these items, there is NO WAY I could manage an $80 a month budget. Most people use the above items regularly. I just don't understand why you'd want to spend your hard earned money on them when you can get them for free, or close to freeCereal - DH has a favorite brand and I have used coupons sometimes combined with sales to buy it. Paper towels, tp I buy at Costco at a consistently low price. Dishwasher detgt - ditto I don't use Windex or magic erasers. I have a recipe for a home made window cleaner toothpaste, floss, I get free from the dentist. Mouthwash I buy at a consistently lower price at Costco (often with their coupon) Dog food - I buy a grain free brand that is not carried in the big box stores. I have a loyalty card that gives me a free bag when I buy 10. 11 bags is about a 1 year supply. I don't buy "wee wee" pads. I walk my dogs. I don't spent hours clipping coupons, buying newspapers, emailing others to exchange coupons. I do use them occasionally, but I refuse on principle to buy something I don't need or more than I need or can use in a reasonable time, and I'm not into free "stuff". I'm not saying it doesn't work for you; but I don't choose to spend that much time on the issue. Time is the stuff that life is made of. I'd rather be in my garden or with my grandkids. My sister is exactly like you. She can't be bothered. She buys most of what she uses in bulk at Costco just like you do. She doesn't exactly understand HOW I do what I do, but she understands WHY I have done it and never poo poos it. To tell you the truth, I spend more of my time teaching people to use coupons and answering coupon questions, than I actually spend acquiring, clipping, and shopping myself. I am very strategic about what I do and the reason I am doing it. I will not spend $1 in gas and my time just to save $1 on toothpaste, Please keep in mind, that a lot of people coupon out of necessity. They are not "extreme couponers" in the sense of what is shown on TV; they are people just doing a "job" like any other household chore (shopping for the products that their families use on a regular basis) and they go about doing it in the most cost effective manner that is available to them. That is one reason why many everyday couponers DO NOT like the show. Now America is getting the false impression that anyone that uses coupons in abundance is a whackadoo who will do anything for a coupon or to save a dime. That simply is not the case.
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marvholly
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Post by marvholly on May 14, 2011 14:02:49 GMT -5
OP As a single person I am NOT an extreme couponer. At MOST I will do 1-2 of any single advertised deal.
Extreme couponing REQUIRES shopper to be NOT brand specific. Extreme couponers ASSUMES participants live in areas of double coupons. Extreme couponers REQUIRES participants the get multiple Sunday papers, get multiple inserts from friends, family, co-workers, dumpster dive or BUY extras papers. Extreme couponers assume all YOUR stores accept internet printed coupons. NOT true. Extreme couponers assume your stores will accept expired coupons Extreme couponers get overage-I do NOT even thought the stores WILL get coupon face value + handling charge. NONE of my stores accept other store catalinas (register rewards/OYNO) no matter what the official corp on-line policies state. Do NOT ask the battles I have had. Stores/mgrs are FREQUENTLY allowed to limit number of coupons/transaction, number of transactions per day…….or they just do it if they BLASTED well please. Cashiers are HIGHLY untrained and store mgrs do not care Stores run out of stock 1 day/less into the ad, do not get more until WAAAY after your coupons expire and give you a hassle about rainchecks (come back on xxx, truck comes in-NOT per FTC RULES!!!
This is what happens EVERY day in my area.
I just last week realized I had WAAY too much toothpaste so I dropped a bunch on my adult daughters. I have also donated to my local women’s & homeless shelters and local food pantry (were they VERY surprised). They seldom get but MUCH need personal care items.
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stats45
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Post by stats45 on May 14, 2011 14:05:19 GMT -5
I just think this is a waste of time. I saw one of these shows, and the participants seemed remarkably proud of the amount of time that went into it. I don't think that bragging about spending the amount of time these people spent on coupons on a budget item that makes up maybe 10-15% of total expenses is a sign of good judgement.
Let's say that your household makes a median wage, around $55k. This would mean you spend (on average according to the Census Burea Consumer Expenditure Survey) around $7k-$8k a year on food and personal items. Even if you get all of this for free, you are spending 30-40 hours a week for maybe $150 a week and a stockpile of goods that are of varying levels of use. This just isn't an efficient use of time.
The two people I saw on the show clearly looked to be shopping addicts. One came out and said it was a way for her to justify shopping more on her income, and both made a big deal of the 'rush' they got at the checkout. This seems 'cheap' rather than 'frugal' because it seems to be an example of how little these people value their time.
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