RE: Extreme Couponing

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Kaliko -> RE: Extreme Couponing (12/11/2011 5:19:51 AM)
Well, I'll let you into my little world o'crazy a bit. I have seen the show a couple of times, and fell in love with the concept as soon as I saw it. I don't have enough hours in my day to devote to it like those women do, but if I did, I would likely be one of them. At least I would hope to be. I am concerned about the ability to fend for myself if the market should tank, if oil should skyrocket, if the moon falls out of the sky or something equally catastrophic. I don't take it for granted that stores will always be there with bathroom tissue, food, water, and Chapstick. There may be any catastrophe down the road, well beyond our scope of imagination, that would cause us to have to fend for ourselves in a way that we are completely unable to (most of us) in our society. I hate being so dependent. Alas, I am. I'm not over the top nuts about this at all. But the thought does cross my mind, and if I had the time (and the space) I would happily coupon my little heart out and stockpile 500 rolls of paper towels. I have a very slow process going on in my life right now of becoming more self sufficient and less reliant on stores and utility companies, but that life I imagine for myself is just that right now...nothing more than my imagination. (And ultimately, of course, the right answer would be to grow my own food rather than getting it from a store. But that's a different aspect of it. ) Anyway, I think it's awesome they can do that, even if they're considered a little wacky. Who cares? They're providing for their family and they've figured out a way to do it for $5 a week. More power to them.

LillyBoPeep -> RE: Extreme Couponing (12/11/2011 8:13:13 AM)
I like coupons. Love them, in fact. They've helped me stretch a wimpy budget from here to Timbuktu, and it's kinda awesome how much you can really save with them. I don't have the time to do it like this, though, and I think it's a little excessive at times, when they're clearing shelves and they've got a whole garage full of paper plates or something... But I can see the allure for disaster preparedness -- if something goes wrong in the world, they'd better build a 15 foot high fence around their houses. haha I think some of these women are compulsive and this is their "thing." On one hand, i'm like "wow, that's awesome," and on another hand I'm sitting there thinking, "...really??" I clip coupons for things I'm going to buy anyway, or for something new that I've wanted to try, but that's as far as I go. Hilarious thought that people are stealing newspapers! But as the economy continues to get worse, people like this will probably become heroes. 14 years worth of groceries for $5 sounds like a great idea when all you have is $5. :p

AlwaysLisa -> RE: Extreme Couponing (12/11/2011 8:26:27 AM)
I'll admit, when I first heard about spending less then 30.00 for over 600.00 worth of product, I was intrigued and watched several shows, read websites, etc. After some time, it started to appear more like hoarding, less like saving. I mean, if you never use those 300 toothbrushes, it's not a deal. If you really want to save and plan for the future, try Googling "long term food storage". They tell you how to store staples and essentials for your family that will last a year or more. Yes, you will run into some fanatical types, but you will also find people, just your average folk, who are trying to save a buck or two and they don't have goals of filling the garage with toilet paper or toothbrushes, lol

LafayetteLady -> RE: Extreme Couponing (12/11/2011 10:31:43 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Iamsemisweet [:D][:D] would you believe it was the iPad auto spell that changed "couponing" to "coupling"? Because it was. Good thing I didn't post that on my Facebook. I can believe it. It's still really funny. Maybe more so that it was the iPad being stupid, and it is supposed to be a "smartphone."

LafayetteLady -> RE: Extreme Couponing (12/11/2011 10:59:04 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: LillyBoPeep I like coupons. Love them, in fact. They've helped me stretch a wimpy budget from here to Timbuktu, and it's kinda awesome how much you can really save with them. I don't have the time to do it like this, though, and I think it's a little excessive at times, when they're clearing shelves and they've got a whole garage full of paper plates or something... But I can see the allure for disaster preparedness -- if something goes wrong in the world, they'd better build a 15 foot high fence around their houses. haha I think some of these women are compulsive and this is their "thing." On one hand, i'm like "wow, that's awesome," and on another hand I'm sitting there thinking, "...really??" I clip coupons for things I'm going to buy anyway, or for something new that I've wanted to try, but that's as far as I go. Hilarious thought that people are stealing newspapers! But as the economy continues to get worse, people like this will probably become heroes. 14 years worth of groceries for $5 sounds like a great idea when all you have is $5. :p Things DO have a shelf life, lol. I would love to be able to have the space to take better advantage of sales, but this is extreme. In the case of a disaster, really, are the need for paper towels first in your mind? I'm like you, I look for coupons for things I normally buy or have wanted to try. Even with the paper towels, I like to have plenty on hand, but once I hit 100 rolls, I would just take a break for a while from buying it! The other thing I have really wondered about is that the stores around me have limits on how many sale items a person can buy. Not the ones with coupons, unless they are store coupons. A couple of years ago, cases of water were on sale at my local grocery store for $1.99 a case, a really good deal. Since the water in the house we lived wasn't really drinkable, I bought 12 cases. Everyone thought I was nuts, but it was a good deal and I didn't need to buy water for a month and a half. But still the store had a limit of 4 cases per shopping trip, and I needed to get "special permission" from the store to buy just the 12. On the show I saw, the woman who already had 400 rolls of paper towels was buying 240 more rolls because the sale made them free. I can't see a store being ok with someone taking advantage like that, because it was a generic brand. I saw these women (and teenage boy) buying large amounts of things they just didn't need for no other reason than it was a good sale. Does anyone really need to keep 6 years worth of anti-perspirant on hand? Personally, I would like to be better at coupon shopping, but these people really do have a bit of a problem to me.

OrionTheWolf -> RE: Extreme Couponing (12/11/2011 11:50:26 AM)
~FR~ Extreme couponers sell items. One states she makes $300 a day. http://jennstrathman.com/2011/09/23/extreme-couponers-sell-their-deals-at-yard-stockpile-sales/

LafayetteLady -> RE: Extreme Couponing (12/11/2011 12:57:28 PM)
Interesting. Although I can see there being problems legally for her in the future. There are regulations about purchasing things for resale and she is running a business, which I doubt she is doing legally.

OrionTheWolf -> RE: Extreme Couponing (12/11/2011 2:33:01 PM)
There are many stories like this and most mention the fact that it is hard to enforce. One lady that got 600 free tooth brushes donated them to a charity that helps teenagers, and many stories about those that give much of the extra to their churches. My only concern is the out of stock conditions it creates and the impact it may have on prices. There was a lady in the grocery store today that was literally stamping her feet demanding where the Sunday papers were. quote: ORIGINAL: LafayetteLady Interesting. Although I can see there being problems legally for her in the future. There are regulations about purchasing things for resale and she is running a business, which I doubt she is doing legally.

AlwaysLisa -> RE: Extreme Couponing (12/11/2011 3:20:05 PM)
quote: My only concern is the out of stock conditions it creates and the impact it may have on prices. There was a lady in the grocery store today that was literally stamping her feet demanding where the Sunday papers were. Perhaps that is how we can get out of this slump! If everyone bought 300 toothbrushes, then the factory that makes them would need to hire people to help manufacture what was needed for shelves! Of course, once everyone had 300 toothbrushes, there would no longer be a need and all factories would close. But it could be one heck of a ride while it lasted! [:)]

ShaharThorne -> RE: Extreme Couponing (12/11/2011 3:43:21 PM)
I use to do couponing when it was double and triple. I was on food stamps and Bo was driving a cab. It was a good day if I get $75 worth of food for only $35. It stretched out the stamps a little further. These days, we get coupons for the OTC meds (fish oil, vitamins, GERD meds) and once in a while some body lotion or body wash. When I get shampoo, I get the largest size. I am still on the mega bottle of Aussie moisturizing shampoo that I brought about 2 years ago (we got short hair). If we got coupons in Sunday's paper, I do get the other shampoos and conditioners for Lizard and Bo. Bo does not have the patience to do any couponing, but man can he cook!

LookieNoNookie -> RE: Extreme Couponing (12/11/2011 6:03:56 PM)
While I should....why waste money?...but I don't. I'm not willing to invest the time. I have a pantry bigger than most people's bedrooms, shelves on all 3 sides, floor to ceiling, all full, all ready for a midnight or 3 a.m. snack, with pretty much everything I could ever want....I used to make a trip every 2 weeks to WalMart, go in twice, spend Sunday putting it all away, everything stacked just so, 120 cans of chicken noodle soup, 120 cans of tomato, pea, etc., rice up the ying yang, enough cat food to feed a zoo, everything you could imagine (that I'd want), I have. But now the damn thing is full...and no one has any coupons for contractors to build another pantry :( I've never much focused on what I spend, just on what I want. But I LOOOOOVE watching that show. I love seeing those people get 43 cans of soda for a penny, $1,800.00 worth of groceries for 38 bucks....it's actually kind of exciting. (Okay....fine...I'm a boring son of a bitch).

LookieNoNookie -> RE: Extreme Couponing (12/11/2011 6:07:10 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Iamsemisweet [:D][:D] would you believe it was the iPad auto spell that changed "couponing" to "coupling"? Because it was. Good thing I didn't post that on my Facebook. quote: ORIGINAL: LafayetteLady quote: ORIGINAL: Iamsemisweet I have never done a lot of coupling. Ok, I know it was a typo, but it is still really funny. Maybe there a coupon in the Sunday papers to give you a discount so you could do more "coupling?" I used that defense in my divorce. The other side didn't buy it either.

LookieNoNookie -> RE: Extreme Couponing (12/11/2011 6:09:27 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: AlwaysLisa I'll admit, when I first heard about spending less then 30.00 for over 600.00 worth of product, I was intrigued and watched several shows, read websites, etc. After some time, it started to appear more like hoarding, less like saving. I mean, if you never use those 300 toothbrushes, it's not a deal. If you really want to save and plan for the future, try Googling "long term food storage". They tell you how to store staples and essentials for your family that will last a year or more. Yes, you will run into some fanatical types, but you will also find people, just your average folk, who are trying to save a buck or two and they don't have goals of filling the garage with toilet paper or toothbrushes, lol Good dental care is always worth the effort.

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