Extreme Couponing on TLC
Did anyone catch the show “Extreme Couponing” on TLC last night? We don’t have cable, so I did not, but I’ve heard many comments about it and watched this clip on GMA. I am absolutely shocked by it.
Did you watch the show? I’m curious to hear what you think about it?
If you’re visiting my site after watching the show, I hope you’ll read my tips for getting started with couponing:
- Coupon Basics: What Every Couponer Needs to Know
- Beginner’s Guide to Couponing
- Coupon Sources
- Honest Couponing
- MORE
34 Comments
Lydia Filipasic
I’ve done great couponing! It’s been a life saver for me & my family! I am a single mother with 3 kids at home still & this show along with a great friend who got me into it has also helped me donate several times over to my Community! I love to help others & yes its addicting! I watch all the you-tube videos on couponing 101 ,extreme couponing, and other bloggers who post their videos on you-tube like myself. I’ve learned so much & never thought I would save as much as a have. It’s a blessing to give back to others & provide for your family.
christy
Ok i dnt understand how ppl on the tv show get all there coupons doubled.if i was to print out all the coupons and go to krogers i could never walk out there spending less like they do
Linda
another way to save is to learn to can some of your food, grow some of your own food, yes you can can
Sharonda
Need help to get started. I’ve used coupons before but never saved that much money maybe $10.00. Please help?
Claudia
My family was watching the show over the weekend and was amazed by the savings. With the economy the way it, I want to start coupaning, but I don’t know where to begin. Please help
Rochelle
I just saw my first episode tonight. I do a few coupons, but would like to learn to be more strategic so I can realize greater cost savings — more of a right product at the right time approach rather than buying something when I run out. That said, I couldn’t help but think about how this type of behavior may inflate prices over time. Companies cannot give away 100 tubes of toothpaste or whatever for free without making up that profit somewhere.
Patty
Wow!! I watched the show last night. I really want to learn more about saving money on groceries. 🙂
kristen
I watched the show and am still in shock at how much these people saved! I would be more like the coupon diva, who only bought what she needed vs filling up 9+ carts, but while I saw that they saved and watched them do it, does anyone really know or understand HOW THEY DID IT? I’m browsing the internet, going through my mail and while I can see how couponing saves money I don’t understand how they were able to get the price down to nothing! Can anyone help me out here? HOW did they do it? It’s driving me crazy trying to figure this out!!!! Please, ideas would be greatly appreciated! Thanks,
Kristen
Stephanie
@kristen, They had multiple copies of the same coupon (meaning they had 100 coupons for $1 off toothpaste and then bought 100 tubes of toothpaste that were a $1 each, so after the coupons, they paid $0 for 100 tubes of toothpaste). They likely bought so much stuff in one trip in order to make the show sensational. You can see my thoughts on realistic couponing here: https://www.couponing101.com/2010/12/realistic-couponing.html
kristia
I too had mixed emotions about the show.
I believe that the show itself took each person and twisted it to “make money” their own way. Boo on them!!! I bet others will not be so quick to share their knowledge next time and I can’t say that I blame them.
I did feel the first woman was a little OCD about it and maybe it had passed the healthy level but I would not want my faults broadcasted all over satellite tv (ugh!) Hopefully, she will see how important her family is and change some of her habits.
I loved watching all of them and realize that I can do better on my savings if I work on my planning a little more. I save a LOT of money but would love to get it under $50 (for most trips).
As for the stockpiling…I do it and love the idea. You never know when you will have an “ice storm” like we did back a few years ago and need stuff. But with that said…our philosophy (my husband and I) is this.
WITH EXTREME STOCKPILING=EXTREME GIVING
With the knowledge and ability to save and stockpile, it is also our responsibility and privilege to help others who are in need. Our local school resource center is always in need and the local mission house is always needing items. With the economy in the tank for so many people, how can I NOT help others. Only by the grace of God am I NOT in the same position.
Give with a cheerful heart….you can’t out give God. 🙂
I can’t wait to get better to save $$ for my family and to help others out too! (the best of both worlds!)
Krista
I had mixed feelings about the show. I thought the first woman and the last man were way too extreme, even though “Mr. Coupon” did donate most of his haul to the local food bank. They cast a negative view on couponers, and I didn’t appreciate that. The first lady they interviewed needs help, truly. I feel bad for her, and I hope after she sees the show she realizes she is hurting herself and her husband with her addiction.
However, the middle two gals were fun to watch. I follow KCL, and understood that her segment was supposed to be lighthearted and fun. AND, she did donate almost all of her haul to the local food bank – they just didn’t air that part (shame on them).
At any rate, after watching the show, I was excited again about couponing. I’d gotten pretty burnt out here lately, and it really revved me up to build my stockpile.
Deb
Just because I CAN, doesn’t mean I SHOULD . . .
Couponing is a hobby for me, not an obsession or OCD. The people in the video are hoarders and make all of us, who use coupons with common sense, appear crazy to non-couponers. I once had a negative cashier say to me, “You probably could save more money if you didn’t buy things just because you have a coupon”. Of course, she was totally incorrect because I DON’T buy things just because I have a coupon! I use my coupons logically. Sure, I COULD buy 20 bottles of dressing, etc., but I KNOW I don’t need it and MOST IMPORTANTLY, I realize that there WILL be another sale. Oh, and the lady digging in the dumpster for coupons is repulsive. Hope she stocked up on anti-bacterial soap, haha. I do not buy the paper to get the Sunday inserts because I’ve found that I can PRINT pretty much the same coupons, plus I don’t NEED to have 10 or 20 coupons of a certain item. That just leads to over-stocking unnecessarily. I’ve seen other news programs that show the same type of extreme obsessive couponing and hoarding. It’s a shame they don’t show normal families and how well we use our coupons to trim our grocery bills. I feel THAT would be more helpful information for viewers.
Bree
@Deb, The lady dumpster diving had her son and her pregnant friend helping her. But she was the only one wearing gloves?! That part confused me.
kristen
@Deb, Hey Deb, maybe you could help me figure this out! I’ve never couponed before and after the show was pretty excited about getting startted but feel like I’m spinneng in circles when googling coupons sites. I understand how it saves money, but how the heck did they get the stuff for free pretty much? Did they HAVE to buy so much to do that? I would love to be able to help me extremely large family by learning how to do this right, I liked the preactical lady on the show who olny bought what she needed, but is there any way you might be willing to give me a little direction on how to get started and help me understand how it went from saving money to getting the stuff practically free? I appreciate any advice you could give!
Thanks,
Kristne
Rae
@kristen, Go up to the top menu and find a store that you are interested in that is in your area. I would start with one store until you get the hang of it. The matchups are already done for you. Like for instance when Kroger puts Colgate toothpaste on sale for $1, there is a coupon in the paper today for $.50 off any Colgate toothpaste. Kroger doubles coupons (around here it is up to $.50) so that will be free when they do that sale. That is just one example of getting an item for free because of the coupon. Usually it requires waiting for the right sale. Sites like this one that do the matchups for us saves a TON of money plus it usually helps you find deals that you might have missed doing them yourself.
Betty
I saw the show and I couldn’t believe how much money those ppl r saving!! I mean if they can save that much than I’m going to try to save my family some money too…. I don’t think I’ll go to that EXTREME 🙂
Darlene Howell
I watched it and see they have so much stocked up they will never use it all. I really liked the idea of donating to the food bank and that would be great to be able to do that.
After watching it though I am more reved up to get into it more. I am a couponer that uses a coupon if I am buying something I need. I would like to do it more to be able to get a supply of items and to share with family and food banks. I am all for free items!!!
I have used the information on your blog many times. I get the information in my email and I appreciate all you do to make it easier for us to save.
Jeni
and…..only one person spoke of giving extra food to a local food bank. The rest?????
Bree
@Jeni, Exactly! But in all fairness of the four featured. The one man donated to a food bank and the black lady said she only buys what she needs. The other two were just hoarding. I felt bad for the child of the 27 year old when she had him a) dumpster diving and b) sitting in the cart surrounded by pasta sauce.
Vernitta
@Bree, I follow the blog of the lady that was getting coupons out of the recycle bin. She donates a lot of what she gets. There’s actually a video on youtube of her donating. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=872klP3pqc8
Jeni
I thought it was insane wayyyy too much supplies. by their own admission they have 40 years of toilet paper, buying 40 cans of pasta sauce, over 100 boxes of pasta. It is hoarding at a new level. While I enjoy the game and the sales that I have, in no way do I ever plan to make my family go through what I saw. That one poor man with all the pasta was so frustrated at his wife and she’s making him move his things to the garage???? was she serious?????? Shame on her!
Bree
@Jeni, My husband and I thought the same thing too! We felt so bad for him when he was tossing the dozens of boxes of pasta out of the bags and said, “this is all s—“.
Teresa
I’m all for saving as much as possible, especially with prices seeming to steadily rise. I can not figure out how they can use so many coupons, because there were a lot of duplicates, and most coupons will not allow you to use more than one per purchase. At the stores I frequent, this means one per visit. Can someone explain how they manage this? I’d really love to be able to save that kind of money!
Sherri
@Teresa,
One coupon per purchase basically means one coupon for each item you have. So if you have 2 pasta, you can use 2 coupons. If it was only one coupon at all, it would say one coupon per transaction. A purchase is one item that you are purchasing.
Melissa Reynolds
Yes, I did watch that show; and yes, I’m visiting this website to learn how to do it too!
I can’t ever afford groceries and have been thinking about applying for assistance, but, if I could learn how to save the way they do, I wouldn’t buy 300 toothbrushes, or 3000 rolls of t.p???? I would just buy what we needed and such!
My mother stock piles food and she can’t keep up with the dates! Why buy it, if you’re only going to end up throwing it away later? It has come in handy for us because if she hadn’t have helped us out from time to time we would’ve been hungry! I could only imagine if she did use coupons! It wouldn’t be a pretty site! She would be as bad if not worse than the ones on the show! LOL!
When I saw this program I thought, gosh if everyone knew how to do this not so many people would need assistance! Wouldn’t that be great!
I don’t even live paycheck to paycheck so this would really help my family out! Loved the idea of using some of that, to help the needy!
Sonja
Anything can be done to excess. I guess some of these couponers have a little hoarder in them, too :). Yes, I love to go shopping on Wednesdays and spend 100 dollars but having saved around 45 bucks, too, because its double coupon day up to 1 dollar. But it does not mean that I buy toilet paper just for the heck of it or things I know I will not need any time soon. Couponing is a hobby for me, not an obsession.
Tara
@Sonja, Where is there coupon doubling up to a dollar. All our local stores won’t double over $.50
Sonja
@Tara, Farm Fresh does double on Wednesdays coupons up to a dollar face value, unless they say “no doubling”.
Sandra
Wow….I watched the show last night and I could not believe the amount of money that was saved!
I’ll admit…. it was EXTREME and a lot of work…..but all I could think of was our local food bank. Recently, our food bank has been in need of more donations. With the economy the way it is now, people just can’t afford to donate. I definately wouldn’t need hundreds of boxes of cereal, but I’m sure our local food bank would love to have them!
I’ve never been a couponer, but I’m doing my research to try to learn how to get great savings like the people on the show, and hopefully help out our local food bank.
Kate
The extreme coupon guy who bought all those boxes of cereal did donate to the food bank… which I thought was really great…
Marianne
Hello all,
I’m disabled due to late stage lyme disease. My husband now does shopping and pays premium prices for basic food and toiletry needs. We’re spending way too much for what we have to live on…….
I only wish I could work with someone locally who is an extreme couponer to help us out. I’d even pay them a finder’s fee to help. We spend more each month than we bring in.
Wish there was a way to work with someone locally………in PA 610 area code who could help or sell us their haul at discounted prices. Will never survive the way we are going but husband refuses to coupon as he feels like we’re begging. 🙁
I wake up every morning, thinking, how do I get thru another day w/o working, when I can’t even get myself out of bed w/o help. I’m only 56 but my body feels like it’s 90. 🙁
Misdiagnosed for 17 years, so lyme has gone into my brain…..hard to speak at times, let alone do anything except feed my pets.
Thanks
Marianne
Rachel
I think the phrase that comes to mind is “Eat to live, don’t live to eat.” I coupon FOR my family. When couponing starts having a negative impact on your marriage instead of providing opportunities to use those savings towards things that bring you together as a family, you need to take a good hard look at your priorities.
Mandy
Wooooah. Those are some CRAZY stockpiles. I mean, I totally understand the “high” she’s talking about, but I only have like, 100 rolls of toilet paper stockpiled. Not 3,000. And I DEFINITELY don’t spend 70 hours a week couponing. Holy cow.
Aimee- The Coupon Diva
I posted my thoughts on my site. That was way extreme.