Recently, TLC started airing the show, "Extreme Couponing". I, like others, found myself competitively wanting to do the same. Realistically, is that even possible? No. As the audience, we see the tv crew follow the Extreme Couponer to one visit to the grocery store. One. They don't follow them through their last 5 visits. And each of these individuals known as extreme couponers prepare for their visit with the TV crew. Their should be a disclaimer before each show. Otherwise, we as the audience think that with a few coupons that its that easy to get our entire orders for free or as close to free as possible. I am here to help slap reality into you but to also help you become the best at couponing that you can be. So lets start from the top.
1. I could get my entire order for free if I could clip coupons like the people on the show, "Extreme Couponing." Let's nip this in the bud. I you are able to get 50+ coupon inserts each week without putting money into it yourself to get the inserts, and if you were only in need of 125 boxes of toothpaste, 21 bottles of vitamen water, and 50 bottles of barbeque sauce then sure...you could get your order to free. What you don't see behind the scenes is what coupons specifically the couponers are using. Some use rebate rewards, catalina's (what prints out at many stores when you purchase certain items that gives you money off future purchases,) or rainchecks. While some store's double a coupon and a few even triple coupons, many stores only allow face value. Unless the item you buy is actually on sale for a dollar and the coupon you have will double to make it free, don't count on the actuallity of walking out with 125 of that item. You also see that most if not all of those on the show have rooms stockpiled with food and other items. Some of these items are not always used and may end up siting on shelves. (For example, the Twin Sister's who bought diapers just because they had coupons for them even though they didn't even have children.) Can you feed your family with the few items that you can actually purchase for free? My husband won't eat soap for supper. You have to remember that these cases are extreme cases of people shopping. If you want to save the most, stock pile some items that you know are more expensive and use the money you save to purchase your meats,etc. from wholesale places with good deals. It is possible to save and still feed a family. Just be realistic.
2. Stacking coupons. Up until recently, some stores allowed you to use e-coupons (coupons that you could stack onto a store card) along with a manufacturers coupons (the kind you get in the sunday paper or online and print off.) Many stores have realized that this is a loss of money for them as they don't necessarily receive reimbursement from the manufacturer if more than one coupon is used. With the popularity of the show on TLC and the economy being the way it is, alot of stores are now changing their couponing policies. The most important thing to remember is to call your local grocery/drug stores for their policies as they may change on the instant, before you even head out of your door to go shopping.
3. There is nothing illegal with manufacturing coupons or photocopying them. Let's get this straight. If you intentially manufacture, manipulate, or photocopy a coupon you can go to jail. IT IS ILLEGAL to knowingly scam a store out of money by using counterfeit coupons. If you knowingly use coupons that are manufactured or photocopied, you can be charged with fraud. Please don't ruin this for the rest of us. Couponing can save money not if you are spending time in prison for fraud. Remember, there are no such thngs as coupons in prison!
So this is a start for now. Don't be discouraged. It takes time to get up and going on it. If you want it to happen, it will. Just be patient. If you want to save it is possible! Stick with it. Till next time...
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