Extreme couponing have you tried it?

With the rise in food prices and the reduction in the variety of coupons available, it is extremely difficult to recreate those type of savings without ending up with 20 bottles of dishwasing liquid.

Before these type of shows became popular, you could find coupons for meat and dairy items, but the prices for these name brand items have risen so much that often times purchasing the store brand is a better buy. Some stores also altered their policies on doubling.

There are still some great buys out there, you just have to really plan your purchases and be prepared to resist purchases just because it's cheap, especially if it's something you will never use.

 

No I haven't. I don't think I have the space or the time to go full time at this. I don't feel its profitable if you don't go full time with it either. Its always good to do this with a group of people so you can trade extras to eachother. Also I hear that a lot of the items end up getting donated because who really needs 300 baby deodorants?

 

I have never tried it, i just think it's a waste because I don't need all those things in my house. I look at this couple on YouTube and they do extreme couponing it's like a whole bunch of stuff that they basically will not even finish using because it's so much. I don't really think that it's necessary to have all those things. lol!! I think that it's an addiction actually. You don't need to do extreme couponing every time when you have about a 100 cans of everything.

Like who needs a thousand of each thing.

 

I haven't tried this out for myself, but I have seen the show and I love it. It has always made me wonder why more people don't do it, but I suppose it takes a bit more work than what is shown on television. Still, I'm very amazed at the deals that the people featured there are able to make and it makes me want to try it out for myself soon.

 

No, I have not gotten into extreme couponing. I do get amazed at how much people save, but I just feel that it takes so much work and time to do this that I just can't see myself trying it at all. While I do try and watch for sales and do a little bit of couponing (very little, admittedly) I am by no means as diligent as I should be about it.

 

No, but I plan to do some serious couponing, though. It's a skill, like anything else so you have to choose to learn it. If you end up getting more stuff than is practical, then you can help the elderly and poor (the real poor people, not the fat and lazy ones with their hands held out). This is a tremendous way to do charity work that actually makes a difference.

Also, you have to have some kind of preparation for the unexpected and really difficult times. I guarantee you there are plenty of people going through very difficult time that they never thought they would have to deal with, and they really wish they had some extra non-perishable food items. Don't ever think it can't happen to you.

 

I haven't tried it yet, I just use coupons one at time.

 

Hey, that's better than nothing!

Next time, try two coupons. Then, try one coupon on top of an item on sale, along with the store's discount card! Then figure out when and where you can have your coupon doubled (or tripled). Once you experience these things, you'll start using more than one or two coupons.

I don't understand what is people's aversion to coupons. For me, it has been an issue of organization, but that's a skill so it's just a matter of approaching it slowly and developing my skills as I go. Also, studying how others are organized. Don't re-invent the wheel.

I also think some people think it's embarrassing like having to use food stamps. Who cares what other people think? We've all seen these "other people", do their opinions really matter?

Another thing is other people's ignorance of how coupons work. Too many people, including some that actually work the cash register, don't understand how coupons work! They think that the customer is somehow stealing money from the store. How stupid is that? The stores get reimbursed for every single penny of the discounts given. They don't lose a penny, they in fact make more money because the shopper is buying more than they ever would, if they had to actually spend cash. That's why stores offer coupons in the first place, to encourage more purchases.

To be able to save at least 30-40% on grocery items, during these economical times, is a no-brainer. I'm starting small with plans to develop the skills to maybe be one of those "extreme" couponers. I would like to experience it at least one time, especially the charity aspect of it.

 

I use a lot of coupons. I got the idea because I watched Extreme Couponing, but I'm obviously not THAT extreme. It is definitely a rush when you are able to get FREE items, cheap items, etc.

The reason why people stock up on so much is because they want to purchase enough to last their family until they are able to get the item at the same price/better price later on down the line. Some people go overboard with it, sure, but I understand it completely. A lot of these items have longgg shelf lives...like toilet paper, obviously, and even a lot of canned goods, so it isn't all that wasteful.

Once you've practiced a bit and get a few really good deals, you'll see just how addictive it can be.

 

I have just ran across this show this week. I was watching a Baby Story and it came on after that. I was so amazed. I never really seen anyone break down to start getting all those savings, but I was excited! I thought about looking into it, however, I haven't. It seems like the key is to order bulk items and get more savings, from what I was seeing.

 

I am an avid couponer, but not extreme. I would like to be. I tried to get lots of free Gain dish soap once at Fred's and the cashier flipped out about it. I lost my courage and haven't tried it since.

 

Oh no...don't let this get you down. It's easy to get frustrated when things don't go like you want them to, and I have noticed that things almost NEVER go like I want them to when I use coupons. Cashiers definitely try to get in the way of our fun and savings, but you can't let them get you down. You should try again! Just make sure that you aren't clearing the shelves (it's against coupon ethics) and that you are following the coupon verbiage and store coupon policy to the letter. Then, if you have to, you can argue it out with a manager...politely, of course!

 

The thing to do is to not let ignorant people stand in your way. A lot of cashiers (and managers) are ignorant of how coupons work, and of their own store's coupon policies. Always have a printout of the store's coupon policy (it's always available on the store's website).

These people are simply jealous (which is silly because they could be using coupons as well). They also don't understand how coupons benefit their store. They think that you are "stealing" money from the store, when in fact the store's want people to use the coupons because it encourages sales that, otherwise, would not take place. They get reimbursed by the product manufacturers.

A couponer's biggest enemy is ignorant employees. If you have to, be willing to contact their corporate office to get it resolved (provide store number, dates, and names). Inform Corporate that they owe you something for wasting your timing shopping at their store believing that they would have employees competent enough to uphold their coupon policies. Yes, this will take courage. The employees are violating their corporate policy. It WILL get corrected. Or, you can let ignorant people waste your time, effort, and money while you play the part of the victim.

You have to push back, gently but firmly, against the mindset of these people who believe that you're trying to get away with something nefarious. Educate them, don't let it go.

 

I still haven't tried this yet mainly because couponing is not that popular here in my country and also due to the fact that there are very few coupons available here for use.

 

I use coupons whenever possible and I saved $200 on my last grocery trip. I don't get free stuff, and in Florida where I live, they don't double coupons. But clipping and using coupons is definitely worth it. Saving money on your groceries, whether it's $26 like a lady I saw at Walmart yesterday or $200 like me, is always worth it.

Don't expect crazy results like the people on Extreme Couponing. Some of those people don't have jobs and devote 60 hours a week to couponing.

 

Well, Couponing is a worthwhile strategy to save a huge amount of money in our daily life with some shopping skills.
Once I tried to go for it but it took a lot of time.
Extreme couponing essentially takes a huge of time and analysis such as Coupon Sources, Coupon Lingo, Organising the Coupons, Stockpiling, Catalina Coupons, and many more.

 

I still say that it comes down to skill development. Getting up to speed with couponing can make it seem like it's not worth it. But, developing the skills, the workflow, the resources, etc. will make it easy just like anything else learned.

Typing, for example, used to be such a pain in the butt for me. Peck, peck,...peck,..peck.

I then got the bright idea to develop my typing skills! Hello, Mavis Beacon (how ya doin'?). Now, typing is a breeze and I can't imagine what took me so long to decided to learn how to do it properly.

 

I know what you mean about developing couponing skills and once you have a system down, it does take less time and you do get more efficient at it. BUT the people on Extreme Couponing who pay 1 penny for $900 worth of groceries have gone beyond skill development, they have spreadsheets, maps of the supermarket aisles,
and scheduled times to go dumpster diving for coupons. One couponer, Desirae has a planner full of scheduled couponing activities that don't allow much room for a life.

You can save a lot of money with coupons without becoming an extreme couponer and making it your full time job.

 

I would love to try it I just have to figure out where to start and how I had a lady come in Walmart one day I use to work as a cashier and she got about 200 dollars in grocery have me get coupons and her add matches when it was all done her total was twenty bucks I was like wow she told she had been learning how to coupon extreme and was getting good at it since that I have wanted to try.