Figured out the "scoop" on the Extreme couponers
By coffeebreak
@coffeebreak (17797)
United States
December 10, 2011 10:15pm CST
I am an avid couponer...have been for 34 years. Years ago it was fantastic. Now a days..not so much. Low value coupons, and not many for normal things. But I keep trying. I have been looking for coupons all over. I have watched the Extreme Couponing show...and after it all...there is one looming question that never gets answered...where do they get those high value coupons and how do they get so many?
Well...here's what I have deduced from working with it online the last few months.
1. In watching the shows..they admit, albeit quickly and quietly...that they buy coupons...one lady said she buys 200 newspapers every week to get the coupon circulers out. Now, at at least $1.00 each..that is $200 every week she spends...anda that is not deducted from her savings...for instance..she gets $863 of food, and after all coupons..she hands over $24.54. So she says she "got all this for $24.54" Well, no she didn't she got it for $24.54 PLUS the $200 for the coupons so she SPENT $224.54 for the groceries. Granted, that is still pretty good to get $800 of food for $200 cash (rounding!) but still...they could mention this to us viewers!
Another one goes dumpster diving. Okay, so you get all the coupons for free...oh wait..there is gas you pay for and use to get to wherever you go to dumpster dive. Plus, they all use gas to get back and for to the multiple stores they often go to...and that is never deducted from the "savings'.
But still.....just using the coupons in the newspaper isn't getting things for free. I have looked at them and out of the dozens there are...I might clip 5-6 and half athe time once at the store, another brand is cheaper even with the coupon. Well, in listening and watching closer.. I find...
2. Every show the shopper goes to a grocery store that DOUBLES ALL COUPONS. AH!!!! Now we know...they not only use the coupon when it is on sale, but the store doubles it..that is how so many athings can be free. However...not all stores double coupons. I was in a very large populated area of southern california...no stores doubled coupons. I have recently moved a bit north and still...no stores double coupons. So watch out...if stores dont' double...there is no way you can have the success the show is showing.
3. You can print coupons online..however in my investigation...you are only allowed to print 2 or 3 PER COUPON..no matter the site.You can go to a dozen coupon sites (anda there are probably more than that...I watched/worked 6 of them.) But it doesn't matter. You can only print 2 or 3 per site. YOu can print 1 from 3 different sites, or all 3 at one site. Seems the manufacture tracks IP addys and only allows an IP the limite. So...just 3 coupons isn't going to get you enough for 100 free items! But now it is revealed..that you can print as many as allowed on as many computers as you have! You have 5 computers in your house..you can go and print out the 3 max ON EACH COMPUTER!!! That way you can get 15 of each coupon. Granted if yo have that many it'll work for you , but like me...I have just this one. So I am still just 2-3 per coupon.
So the moral of the coupon story...yeah, it can happen..but it isn't as easy as they make it sound. Getting the coupons is prob the hardest part..then you supposedly scan the sites that have comparison shopping and match what yo have with what is on sale. Not hard work but very tedious and detailed. But..if you don't have the coupons, why bother!
SO...how is everyone doing with collecting coupons? Anyone have any other ideas, suggestions or tips to share that will help us all save on grocery shopping?
Plus one lady today...she is couponing to save money as they want to move to Hawaii. how does she think that extreme couponing is saving her money? Granted she doesn't have weekly/monthly grocery bill but what she has bought is stuff she dont' really need and then she says she is going to "take it with her"...does she have any idea how much shipping costs are to ship that much weight!??! There goes her savings..so what has she achieved? Saved the money to have it to pay for shpping? Again..I don't see her achievement!!!
3 people like this
6 responses
@savak03 (6684)
• United States
11 Dec 11
This is a very good analysis of the couponing craze. I agree that the cost of collecting these coupons should be included in the cost of the groceries. Now just a little more data.
I have found that although some stores will double coupons they limit the amount of coupons they will double and the amount of the coupon. For instance, they will double five coupons of fifty cents or less. Also they will state that at no time can the value of the coupon exceed the price of the item. The stores will also limit one coupon per item.
As far as those printable coupons go many stores are refusing to honor them due to the ease of counterfitting them.
So, yes, there are a few people out there that get an enormous amount of groceries for what appears to be a little cash but appearances can be deceiving. Personally, I don't have the time or patience to do the groundwork to make that work for me.
2 people like this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
11 Dec 11
Yeah, no store I have EVER gone to will allow the excess of a coupon off to be given back in cash! In all the years I have been couponing...the limit is a dollar. They will only double up to a dollar and if the deduction goes over a dollar...to bad...the item is just free..they don't give the overage back in cash. And I've been shopping/couponing for 34 years in a whole lot of differnet stores and towns ans states, and never have I come across the cash back!
And yeah also...most stores don't double at all! The one I went to down in the INland EMpire...they had twice a year...a week of doubling coupons... and even then it was only up to 10 coupons per visit. Not sure if there was a limit on how many visits per day...just go in and out to a different register if that's the case. But still...given that option, I would still only do it for items I would use. Not just to stock up on something cause it is free and let it sit and spoil or go stale.
Do those horders really think that those 264 plastic liter bottles of soda is going to be any good this time next year? I bought 4 12pack cans of soda once last summer while it was on sale. We don't drink soda much mainly cause of the price but also the sugar and acid in it. But we do sometimes and I thought..summer, great to feeze them slightly and take to the pool or the like. 6 months later, I still had 1 of the cases! I finally opened the cans...and they were flat! Nearly no carbonation at all! And Sweet!!!!! Boy that sugar must have multiplied in massive quantities as it was so sweet we couldn't have drank it if there was carbonation to it! SO...things go bad that you dont' think they will and look at all their work...down the drain! THey'll figure that out this time next year or so when they go to get a roll on deodarant and it is dried up!
1 person likes this
@savak03 (6684)
• United States
11 Dec 11
Do you really think they will figure that out? If they were good at figuring things out they would already realize the full cost of the couponing they do. Some people just have way too much time on their hands. Of course that is just my opinion. That and a coupon will get you a cup of coffee. 
2 people like this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
12 Dec 11
Probably not savak03! They have what they have and continue to buy more so, apparently not! And, that and your opinion will only get you a cup of coffee..... if the fast food has double coupon day!!!LOL!!!
1 person likes this
@rogue13xmen13 (14402)
• United States
12 Dec 11
One of my cousins is like this, but she is do good at it, and the things that she gets from it are pretty awesome. She knows how to get a great deal on just about anything.
2 people like this
@rogue13xmen13 (14402)
• United States
12 Dec 11
My cousin, but she doesn't come on mylot. I will ask her the next time I see her.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
12 Dec 11
Glad to hear someone is getting it right! I do pretty good myself..about $25 each shopping trip and never have anything left to "go bad" or that gets tossed out. I don't expect free..but some savings work. At the eye doctor's yesterday, they had some coupons for artificial tears which I have to use. $3 off. Since I have to have them, there's $3 I have saved. I'll watch for the sales and use them on a sale day. It can be done in an intelligent manner and have what you need and even a stock of it and not have it go bad. Have your sister share her strategies with us!
2 people like this
@JoyfulOne (6231)
• United States
13 Dec 11
Hi coffeebreak, good discussion! I've had some of the same thoughts about extreme couponing as you wrote. One of the best things I ever did was when we had a lot of neighbors nearby and started a 'coupon club.' What we did was each person had a big brown envelope (or paper sack) and when we'd get our Sunday paper (or other coupons) we'd clip our own, and whatever we didn't want for ourselves, we'd add to the bag. Each week or two, we all would swap bags and mark our name on the top of our bag. (That way we'd know who already had that particular bag.) We'd keep swapping, each time adding our weeks worth of coupons we didn't need and passing it on. That way each of us was constantly getting new coupons, rebate forms, etc. When going through the bag, we'd take the coupons we wanted, and throw out the expired ones. Worked really great as we had 5 families doing it together. Made a nice way to get coupons, plus we'd usually see each other and enjoy a cup of coffee and a visit too:-) My one neighbor cut his pool supply bill by at least 1/2 the one year because none of the rest of us used pool chemicals, and there was a 'buy one get one free' coupon from each one of us and a giant rebate on top lol. I would never, I repeat never, buy coupons...sounds like a nuts idea to me haha.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
13 Dec 11
It most certainly can work in certain ways. I did an exchange years ago when they had box of them at the stores...didn't last long! It can be good if you do it right. And no. Buying coupons isn't much sense there. Now if you get alot of dollar ones and pay less than half that for the coupon and have a store that doubles the coupon...it is marginally worth it, but to me...more trouble than its worth! If you have a dog or a baby...TONS of coupons!!!
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
11 Dec 11
My Mother and her Cousin used to dumpster dive for their coupons when I was a kid. Those two had oddles of coupons. But of course stores had some generics but not as many as they do now and there was no Aldi (til I was a teenager) that I recall.
I agree there is alot of cost to this couponing craze that is usually left out. I have not seen the show nor do I intend too. It's far too depressing because we only have on store that doubles coupons, they limit you to 5 coupons & you have to buy $25 worth of stuff after the value of the coupons has been deducted. Now if I could just buy what I wanted of the 5 coupons allowed and nothing over the items listed in the coupons I'd do it.
I've heard of people before buying several newspapers just to get the coupons on Sundays. But like you said how often is there a high value one in there? I don't want to buy 6 packages of whatever to save $1. I want to buy 1 package to save $1.
I think with some of them having such an addiction and excess that maybe they should consider this a hobby and donate what they cannot use before it expires?
Shipping it to Hawaii? Not just would the costs of shipping be insane but the cost of living there is insane as well since many things have to be "imported" from the mainland.
2 people like this
@Shellyann36 (11383)
• United States
12 Mar 12
#1 is very correct! I have pointed this out many times before. Somehow the show does not seem to count the X amount of $ that the coupons cost to begin with. Most of those people spend more time clipping coupons/buying coupons than they do working. One of the first shows has a woman spending 40 hours a week clipping coupons and trying to match sales. My time is very valuable and I can't spend that much time clipping coupons. You also mentioned stores doubling coupons. I only have one store near me that doubles coupons and it is one county over. Do I take advantage of this? Nope, can't afford it.
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
12 Mar 12
Anything you would save would be spent on gas. Not to mention things that need to be cold...will be warm by the time you get home! Lot of these women also go to several stores...and they don't include the cost of gas not to mention their time to make so many trips to all the stores. Plus, like you said...40 hours cutting coupons...just to save on food...what about other things? If they'd get a job for 40 hours, they'd have enough for food and other bills. People like this are the ones that have ruined couponing for the rest of us.
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
26 Mar 12
If the stores are right in your area, I dont' see a problem with stopping at both. I just am speaking from my area...I have one near me..and the others are several miles in a direction I usually don't go! So for me it isn't worth the gas to go use coupons so I can pay for the gas! But if they are near where you are or go...that's great.
Yeah, that show did ruin it for us. If those people would put that much time and effort into a real job...they'd not only have enough to pay for groceries, but a lot of other things too! This way, the only thing they save on is groceries. Don't think their landloard is going to accept 250 bottles of deodarant and 136 liter bottles of soda as rent this month!
I save about $15 each month I go...I'll take it! I can't find much good ones anymore. They are either nothing I want to buy or so little it is hardly worth the effort to make the calculation to see the savings...I mean "50 cents of 3 cans"... and another brand is 50 cents cheaper per can without a coupon?!?! No brainer there!
But they never include how much they pay for the coupons either. And where they get the big value ones. I look in the sunday papers and in all the circulars..I find maybe 5-10 that I can use. The other stuff I dont' use. And no store around me doubles so...I just plug on with what I have and know. Sounds like you do to!
@Shellyann36 (11383)
• United States
26 Mar 12
Now I will admit that I go to different stores. I have two local stores (literally less than 5 miles from my home) that I frequent. I try to hit their sales and use the coupons that I have on hand to go with the sales. One is a larger chain store and one is a smaller family owned store. I usually get all of my meats from the smaller store. They have excellent meats and they are so much easier to work with. They don't mind taking time out to give you a specific cut, etc.. the other stores personal act as if I am asking them to donate their kidney for transplant if I ask them to cut something up for me. I will check their local deals weekly to see what they have and I will shop them on a weekly basis if there is something that peaks my interest. I make a once a month trip about 15 miles away to the local Save-A-Lot and Walmart.
The show literally did ruin couponing for us. Because of the show Target changed their coupon policy and so did another store... (can't remember which).
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
14 Dec 11
We just recently got cable again...I have heard of this show previously but never seen it until recently. I have to admit I was hooked instantly and my husband had turned to me and asked why arent we doing this?? I said I didnt know it was possible.
You make very good points, and I agree with you on a lot of points...however, I think that if you use coupons and reward cards and are able to save up to half of your grocery bill then you are one step ahead of the ones that dont use coupons. I was in the past very bad at using coupons except out of my entertainment book and now I use coupons every day and have saved almost half of my bills lately. It has been great.
I dont think it is necessary to have a 2 yr supply of things that will probably expire before they actually use them....however my goal is to have a 3 month supply ahead and to try to save as much as I can. :)
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
14 Dec 11
Coupons are great and can help alot for saving money! I use them all the time. I was just trying to learn more ways to use them and to get them. And in watching the show..I have discovered lot of things...most "not what they seem" things or what they don't tell you that you really need to know to be able to do what they do.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
14 Dec 11
Keep at it...I have been couponing for 34 years! The routine comes and goes, and ups and downs, but you just have to adjust to the whimes of the manufacture. Right now they are so annoying because the coupons are for such low values...I mean...30cents off when you buy 3 cans,...hardly worth the effort! Back in the day...we got dollar off on item all the time! Or the next annoying thing is cents of one item when you buy an accompanying item. I don't want that other item..just the one the coupon is for!!! I dont think these extremers are doing anything different other than buying coupons and are fortunate enough to have a store that doubles them. Those two things are key
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
14 Dec 11
I agree, I am very new to this and I want to learn what I can as well. :))
