I watched this show last night...I have no idea why I even watched it.
It took up 2 hours of my life because I just couldn't shut it off.
I heard about it on FB yesterday and was lured into the gossip about the ludicrously bizarre behavior of a particular group of people in our country.
Coupon Queens
Extreme Couponers
People Who Revolve Their Lives Around Coupons and Spend 5-6 Hours at a Grocery Store Trying to Spend as Little Money as Possible on Crappy Food
Yup...I can't really think of a good name for them because there isn't one.
I'm the woman at the grocery store check-out who always embarrassingly mumbles "no" to the "do you have any coupons today?" question. I'm never quite sure why it embarrasses me, but it does. I feel that if I'm going to spend that much money on groceries, then I should at least be trying to save money.
So, I'll suck it up. I'll open up one of those circulars that arrive at the end of our driveway and I'll look through it. I'll always get stuck on the "free" checks that they're offering because the designs are just so nice and pretty!
Then I realize that I'm wasting my time. There is nothing in this circular that we use. As a matter of fact, in my opinion, most of the foods for which they offer coupons are just over-processed crappy foods! Thanks a lot, coupon Gods...you just screwed me again!
I'd like a coupon for strawberries...then I'd like you to double it (did you even know that stores did that??? They double coupons??? I had no idea) and then I'd like to buy 24,000 pounds of strawberries.
Hmmm...maybe that's why it wouldn't work. Who can eat that many strawberries?
Okay, I'd like you to offer a coupon on my organic milk. No? Oh, okay...I tried.
What about Boar's Head? Do they offer coupons? No? Oh, okay...just thought I'd give it a shot.
Then there's the clutter...don't even get me started on the clutter. Some of these people filled up their entire garage with their "stockpile." Some kept it in their own bedrooms...sexy, right? Some of them would even fill spaces in their kids' rooms! WTF???
Here I am, trying to get rid of the clutter in my life and they're bringing in caseloads of cereal...I think I may have a different philosophy on the worth of these items.
Is it really worth my family's space, time, and zen-like feeling we have when we enter our home* to have 50 bottles of salad dressing, 75 boxes of sugary cereal, 900 pounds of ground beef (not even lean), 400 rolls of toilet paper, 60 deodorants, 210 bottles of soda (killing your brain), 65 containers of overprocessed noodle meals, 400 cans of crap???
I don't think it is.
So, maybe the next time the cashier asks if I have any coupons**, I'll feel less embarrassed because what I do have is peace of mind...can't double that and carry it home on a forklift.
What about you? Do you "coupon?" If you do, how much time per week do you spend on it? I'm just really curious!
* I kid about the zen-like feeling...half the time, I seriously wonder if we have been robbed when we walk back into our home!!!
** In all fairness, while I was watching these shows, I did try to find some coupons for the healthy items that we do buy every single week. I was mildly successful. God, does that mean they've sucked me in???
31 comments:
I do coupon... but NOT extreme! I may save between $5-$10 dollars a week... not much but I guess it does add up! I have 2 little ones and don't have the time to go to here, there and everywhere to get the "deals," but I do clip coupons for ONLY the products that we use. I hear about all of these people saving all of this money on products but in all seriousness is it worth it? To me we wouldn't use half of that junk so why be so excited to save when it's just taking up useless space!?!?! People are taking this a little to the extreme and quite frankly I think it's CRAZY!
my friend does coupons but not to the extreme way those people on the show do. at times she does make out well and only spends a few dollars on 1-2 weeks of groceries for a family of 4. i've asked her for some tips. the other day she was at a couponing conference. she may have gone over the edge...
When we lived in Virginia I couponed because we had Kroger and Ukrops, which double and tripple coupons, so it was worth it. I also played "the drugstore game" which is when you combine coupons with deals at CVS and Walgreens to get free stuff like shampoo and toothpaste.
I stopped because it was time consuming, we don't get good coupons here (I would have to go out of my way to order papers from another city), we only have HEB and Wal-mart, and I don't want to do it.
It can save you a lot of money, but there is a trade off, and it wasn't worth it anymore.
We do not coupon, unless it is by chance. I can somtimes find coupons for dog food, and some paper products, but our grocerys are mostly fresh (we shop the perimeter) food. We shop publix, so we have a lot of savings on the BOGO...but coupons are for unhealthy food and products we don't use.
You are not alone!!! I proudly say NO, when asked if I have coupons...I just dont have time.
Here in Texas we have a grocery store called HEB, and they do there own coupon system. Every week different brands/items have these yellow coupons for anywhere from 50 cents to 5 dollars or more. Lots of times it's "buy this brand name item and get this HEB storebrand same item for free". I love love that one. So, we spend at least $200 per week on groceries, and because of these yellow coupons I usually save about $20. However, I don't buy a lot of that processed crap, we eat homemade and fresh, and I still can use these. It's great. But those circulars and whatnot? No, it is not ever stuff that I will use. Sometimes the cleaning and hygene items, but that's usually it.
I LOVED each of your thoughts in this post. I didn't watch the show. Wish I had...is it on for more than one night? Just want to catch it once. haha! I do grab diaper coupons or some of the other things...but I typically forget them at home. I do take advantage of the Target and manuafacturing coupons sometimes. But I am with you - my time and energy are better spent...and most coupons are for things we don't need.
I agree with you. I do not coupon unless I randomly find a few coupons for items we actually use. However, I DO price-match at Wal-Mart. This saves me a ton of money and is not that time consuming. If I know milk is cheaper at Smith's, I just tell my Wal-Mart cashier and I'll get it for the discounted price. Nice and simple. I can get all the best grocery store deals in one place. :)
Again, we are totally on the same page, well because we don't feed our family junk. Yea I can stock up on boxes of shit cereal when it's on sale, but all of it has red #40 and all sorts of processed junk to make it taste better!
I never get coupons for organic milk, my meat we buy, chicken-I always buy organic meat and never have coupons. Maybe there are some but I don't ever get them.
I try and use coupons for beauty products when I see them...so I suck too I guess.
xo =)
The only couponing I use is the online coupons to Banana Republic. Who has the time and space for that crap? If they have that much time then I have a LONG list of chores they could help me with!
hahaha. i feel the same way - minus the zen-like house bc mine is a disaster. im always amazed when the lady in front of me gets $200 dollars of groceries for $5.34 but I don't have room for all that crap sitting around and it would take a lifetime for me to eat the 32 bags of pastaroni that she is buying. The only coupons i ever use are the ones that are like $10 off your total purchase over $30. that's like free money and i can buy whatever i want ... like boarshead maple honey turkey.
I'll use coupons but only on stuff I was going to buy regardless. Love the target ones for diapers and stuff.
I find these coupon collecting people fascinating too, but I can't seem to do it myself. I try, sometimes, to go through flyers and pick out deals, but I'm just not organized enough to actually cut out coupons and take them with me! Maybe one day...
I coupon, but not really for food. The idea of getting $600 of food for free amazes me but we also don't eat it. I usually use coupon for cleaning/laundry/household craps. I hate buying paper towels so why not save $.50? And I love when they come out with some new thing that I want to try, there is usually a coupon.
Scented candles-coupon.
BOGO Sandwich bags-please!
JCP, Carters, TCP, instert-random-kid-store-here half off coupons- ALWAYS!!
I use one coupon site and just click through it before heading to the store that very same day. I shop at our base grocery store, and there are coupons sitting with some of the items we buy.
I, too, would love to see coupons for fruit, I can't keep it stocked in this house and it is not cheap.
I do coupon but no where near these crazy people! I belong to a coupon group that posts local deals, sale and coupon match ups that helps me know what to use. But, like you said, a lot of coupons are for processed foods so when I add in fresh produce and meat, which we get a lot of, the coupons don't make much of a dent. I have had trips when I've focused on household products, health and beauty items and a few frozen/snack things and saved about 50% but that doesn't happen very often. We do have a big freezer and pantry but still...I surely don't hoard anything!
The things I DO like to stock up on are cereal, soup, frozen veggies and household stuff like kleenex, toilet paper and stuff like that. Things that I know we'll use or won't expire.
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No coupons for this household. I tried it for a VERY short time, but it just lures you into buying crap you don't need. I never find anything we actually NEED.
No, I do not coupon....but I have to admit I follow a few coupon blogs. I get a kick out of how much you can save if you don't care what brand or if it's junk! I really don't have the time or energy to do it. I will say I follow a healthy coupon blog. She blogs about whole food stores. They are building a whole foods right next to my work, so I thought well maybe I will take the time then. Who knows? Probably not! ;-)
Oh,I DVR the show, so I will only lose 1 hour of my time! :)
I watched that last night and thought the SAME thing. Well, yea, if I wanted 8,000 bags of doritos (or 35 things on maylox???) I could save money. Give me a coupon for produce please! Or milk! I go through 4 gallons of that a week!
I do coupon though - as in, I rummage through the BJs coupons while pushing my twins and infant through the isles to see if there's anything we're buying that we could save money one.
PS? I <3 your blog
-unfunny twin mom
I coupon, but only slightly.... For example, the store I go to in AZ takes all grocer competitor coupons, so I print out my weekly Fresh & Easy $10 off coupon, and take it to my store of choice. Also, my grocery store sends a big packet of coupons every other month, that are totally customized to what we buy most. So I'll get a gallon of milk for free, a free pound of butter (I figure the real stuff is better for you than the fake crap), free cherry tomatoes... You get the idea!
I do NOT cut coupons out of the weekly ads (except for deoderant - because you're right. it's mostly processed crap that we won't eat anyway) but I do scour each grocery stores' weekly ads to make sure I'm getting the best deal. I may have to go to 2 stores in a week, but if I can get chicken for half off, it's worth it!!!!
Sorry for the novel :)
I coupon. I would not say extreme, however I am a good saver. I do the circle shop...you know all the extrenal aisles, never in the center (processed crap). I found a few things that work for me....
I save most on paper products and such at Walmart. I usually do a BIG shop once every 2 months where I spend a good $200+ on paper towels, toilet paper, soap, razors, etc...I usually save about $30-$40 in coupons.
For food stuffs, because I shop weekly, and buy mostly fresh foods coupons are limited. If you have favorite brands you buy (like Boars Head) you can visit thir websites, look for coupons, or their "contact us" link. Send them a message that you buy there products and would love to be considered for mailings or coupons. You WILL get them. Also my main big box grocery gives you coupons with your receipts based on products you normally buy, so I almost always get Free Gallon Milk (any brand), buy 1 get 1 salad mix (Dole), $2 off your next shopping, etc and once a month they offer 5 extra $1 off coupons for any product you choose...I also clip some of the coupons out of the Sunday paper. At the grocery store I usually save between $20 and $30 a week.
My main store also offeres $.10 off for each re-usable bag you have. I always bring 10 bags, even if I only use 4!!
Sorry for the long comment....Just wanted you to know that buying healthy, and with little effort, you can find ways to save~
I used to send coupons with husband when twins were on Formula.But husband kept losing them(coupons not formula)So I kinda gave up.
I was just telling Jake how I was going to use coupons. With 3 boys and him I might as well start a farm because we are going to be BROKE. Nathan eats 4 times the amount Jake does and he's 8. SO RIDICULOUS. Any savings would help but I certainly wouldn't have a coupon for every item.
Also I read in a magazine that whatever you save from coupons or store discounts you should put that amount in a savings. So that's my goal, save us money while using it to save for the boys for school someday!
I don't. I'm too lazy to go through the flyers, find coupons I'll actually use, and then remember to take them with me to the store.
You know my thoughts on this. Crazy looney people.
So well said! I do try to cut some coupons when I can, but most of the time I don't. I hate looking through the coupon booklet because, you are right, most of the coupons are for processed crap! Makes me mad. A coupon for strawberries would make my day!
I used to coupon more when we lived close to a Publix and Kroger. It's a lot harder to do with the grocery store and Wal Mart that we have here. I feel like I do okay shopping the sale items and stocking up on staples. I was into the CVS thing for awhile too, but I just don't have the time anymore.
I feel like for a lot of these extreme couponing people, it's the thrill and the competition. Most of them are just trying to see how much "stuff" they can get and if they can top their savings week-to-week.
I use coupons for stuff I actually buy, not just because I can get a good deal. But in all honestly, our meals consist of whole foods and very minimally processed items and like you mentioned, there are rarely coupons for those healthy items.
I caught the show and had a lot of issues with it. Something about it seems slimy, I mean how can one person ask a cashier to make 18 transactions just so she can cheat the system and save more money. That's not right.
Here's my review on the show and my takeaway.
http://theunemployedmom.com/2011/04/07/extreme-couponing/
I don't really, I'm horrible at it. I'll buy something I DON'T need because I had a coupon. So I stopped doing that.
These people, some of them, seriously need to donate some stuff. WHO needs 1000 toothbrushes?? Who's gonna eat all that food before it goes bad?
I don't know if you saw it, but there was a blog today about how that lady on the coupon show really was fradulent in her couponing!
http://www.jillcataldo.com/node/16258
I love clipping coupons, but I don't ever waste time clipping stuff that I won't ever use. A lot of the coupons I come across are for processed junk, but I have found some really good ones for laundry soap (which I need tons of with my large family), body wash, and even Kashi bars. There is good stuff out there, if you feel like weeding through the bad. When you can save on fabric softener by combining coupons with a BOGO deal, that is extra money that can be spent at the Farmer's Market.
Couponing can really pay off, as long as you re sticking to buying stuff that you actually use, and not buying so much that it expires before you get around to it. Some of these shows are kind of sickening to watch, but I try and take pointers from them and apply to my life in a more appropriate way.
I really only shop at Trader Joe's (for whom there are no coupons) and Target.. and I use the coupons that they give me at checkout with my receipt or in the mailer thing they send around. I am with you ... there are never coupons for the whole foods type foods anyway... sure wish there were!
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