A few months ago, a bunch of us witnessed a pilot of a new TLC series called Extreme Couponing. ”Extreme Couponing” featured 3 couponers who scored some pretty extreme items for cheap. One person purchased 2,000 boxes of Total Cereal for FREE with his coupons.
Tonight at 6pm MST in Utah, the series Premiere of Extreme Couponing will air. (Check for your time) And I personally think it is going to be interesting to see what these couponers do, if they follow the rules or bend them, what in the world they do with WAY too much food and what kind of couponing personalities they have.
Obviously everyone has their concerns about this show. What kind of impact is it having on manufacturers after seeing extreme couponers? Does it show was REAL couponers are all about? Or, is it all just a reality TV show and just needs to be seen as that?
My opinion is that we will see a little backlash from companies- depending on what type of extreme things these couponers do. I guess it all just depends on how extreme they get. Real couponers purchase items their family NEEDS, and a few extra to have in their stockpile so they never have to pay full price again. Purchasing 200 deodorants is not what you should be doing- unless you are doing a Military Care Package Project.
Things expire, so I never personally buy more than my family can use during the expiration period. It doesn’t make sense to do so. So, although I have a pretty great stockpile, you will NEVER see me have one like the Extreme Couponers.
What are your thoughts? Excited as I am to see the show air tonight? I’ve set my DVR. So I’m crossing my fingers that we will have a few “good examples” in the bunch. Hopefully it didn’t get spun too much to just be a great TV show!
Brandi
I’m hoping it will be good too. You can check out TheKrazyCouponLady.com for insight into how the first one was edited for TV. If they continue to edit/stage the show the way they did the first one (i.e. coupon limits removed regardless of store policy, store was informed in advance of quantitiy of items needed, etc.) I’m afriad it’s going to give couponers a bad name and leave the newbies discouraged because they can’t realistically score the same Quantity of deals they see on TV. I guess we’ll see 🙂
Lisa Smith
I have to agree with you! I am anxious to see what they are doing because I am still learning but after seeing them on the “Today” show this morning and some clips of thier stock piling amazes me. I believe in stock piling to a certain extent but making my house a mini mart eeeehhh, I am not so sure about. I am curious as to what you will think tomorrow!
Chrissy
I totally agree with you. I think it gives couponers a bad name when people like that guy on the pilot buy 2000 boxes of cereal. Its just plain greedy if you ask me and so wasteful. I was so bothered to see that guy bragging about the deodorants he has stockpiled for the next 150 years. We have 4 kids and are foster parents to six teen girls so we use a LOT of stuff and I for one would never have more than 15-20 toothbrushes or sticks of deodorant in my storage. I never clear a shelf at a store and am very considerate of other shoppers. I have never walked out of a store with 3 cartloads of stuff having only spent $6. I buy what I need and its impossible to buy EVERY SINGLE thing with a coupon and get it for free. I save on what I can, I watch the sales and if I miss one–its no big deal. The sales rotate thru the stores and the same coupons are printed next month so there is no need to spend 10 hours a day planning shopping trips. But couponing has cut my overall grocery bill by about 60% on average. I sure hope that there isnt’ backlash from manufactures about this type of extreme couponing.But again–it IS a TV show so hopefully people keep that in mind. I actually was shopping earlier this fall and one of the checkers told me “the extreme couponer is here” and sure enough there was the TLC camera crew following her around the store! I watched the pilot a while back and I was dissapointed. I had hoped to see more tricks and learn something and mostly it was just people who collected teh same coupons and would buy 500 of the same item. To me, that’s just greed–not couponing. Im seriously wanting to get on that show myself and show them how REAL couponing is actually done. Anyone can collect a million coupons for shampoo that makes it free but only a good couponer can cut their annual grocery and household expenses in half or more.
Kirsten
Couldn’t have said it better myself! Amen sistah! 😉
Anjelica
Yeah I just think this is a addiction to getting free things for them and see how much they can score that gets them so worked up to get into this crazy extent. For me personally it is ridiculous to take up 70+ hours of your day for couponing and half of your house is filled with unnessary things.
I mean I thought about it, if I could do this I would donate everything I got for free to charities or Military care packages because many deployed soldiers would love care packages of things like this they need! So instead of hoarding it why not help at the same time?
But I guess its like people who have a hoarding problem that feel this need to have it all. I just hope manufacturers don’t put more restrictions on coupons because of this. It would really suck for the rest of us who his trying to do this to save money for our family.
Messa
I envy you your 70+ hour day. Wish I could get one of those. I’m just stuck with 24 hours. 🙂 (Don’t get mad, I’m just teasing.) I totally agree with your post though and I hope manufacturers don’t put more restrictions on coupons.
Therese Daniels
I feel these people weigh in on the OCD side-the women that had over 100 jars of spaghetti sauce and paid to have it moved to her new house with all her other stockpile-it’s a little over the top. And I agree, I am in hopes that this will not impact how manufacturers issue and allow redemption of coupons. No one needs 200 deodarants-if you are that lucky to be able to get that many-donate them to a shelter. And I also had hoped it would be more of a show on tricks of the trade. We will see.
Kristy
I think it will be fun to watch, but after watching the first episode a few months ago, I was telling my hubby that those people need to donate a lot of that stuff! The only time that I buy things that I don’t need, is when I know that I can donate them to a shelter. I also use a lot of stuff for care packages for my neighbors when they’re in need. But it is fun to watch some of the other couponers’ habits.
melissa
I really think it is going to hurt us couponers. I am not looking forward to that. I hope it might give me some more ideas. I really think that the manufacturers are going to really limit what they put out and put more size limits. I think that more people are going to start using coupons when they see how much you really can save and that means more items will be out of stock.
Erin
Well, I’m still a newbie and thinking about organizing my grocery shopping to that extent stresses me out! I don’t even buy the things that are only like 50cents when it was originally $5 unless it’s something I need/use because it’s 50cents that can go to something else I do need! But I’ve got 4 kids and we are on a SUPER tight budget! 😀 I hope it doesn’t ruin couponing for people! I was really hoping for tricks of the trade as well…
Adhis
Don’t let TV editing fool you. I read some behind-the-scenes updates from the first season, and a lot of stuff WAS donated after the cameras shut off.
jen
I don’t think the manufacturer is hurt one bit. I think it’s the stores that get hurt the most. The manufacturer doesn’t care whether the consumer paid for the item or not, they reimburse a certain amount, whether or not the item is on sale. I think that if anyone is going to give negative backlash from this show it’s going to be stores. They are the ones that lose the money on free items, but they bank on the fact that they get those customers in the door and they buy other things. They are called loss leaders for a reason.
Whitney
My first impression of these people was that they are greedy. Who needs that much stuff?! If you can score that great of a deal, why not leave some for others. I hate when I go to a store knowing I can get a good price and I had only intended to buy a few, only to find the shelves cleaned out. Then I see on other peoples blogs that they bought 20 tubes of toothpaste and that made it so I couldn’t buy 2. People really need to remember that they are not the only ones who shop with coupons and be considerate of others.
Kelly
I agree with everyone. Stockpiling like that is crazy, I really truly hope that we level headed couponers don’t get the heat for shows like this! I have 8 people in my house and couponing helps with the budget. I think that these people should really donate a good percentage to their local food bank!
Julie
The description for one episode tonight mentioned a $50 monthly grocery budget. I am interested if she uses some tricks that would work for me as well. I am excited to watch it! I think it could help me stay motivated to spend the time to use coupons.
misty
2,000 boxes of cereal what in the world do you do with all of them even if you gave them away you would still have way too much this is going too far with coupons
Christine
I am not looking forward to this show. I know for a fact this will hurt all reasonable couponers. There will be a backlash either by the stores, manufacturers, or more people out there making extreme stockpiles. The Krogers in Texas are already changing their coupon policy to keep people from stockpiling!
I thought they should have called the show extreme food hoarding. It was ridiculous! They also fail to tell you that to get 2000 coupons costs money. So when he got all that cereal for ‘free’ it wasn’t the whole story! They need to tell the truth!!
Carolyn Johnson
I am looking forward to seeing this show, but wasn’t thinking about how companies will view it. Thanks for sharing those thoughts and concerns. I too think it is important to be honest about the real cost of buying some of those items. For example, is it possible to buy 2000 boxes of cereal in one trip? Do stores even stock that much cereal of one kind? I read somewhere that the stores are given a heads up about the extreme shopping trips so they will have the items available. I also saw an interview with Mr. Coupon and he said that TLC asked him to put together an over the top shopping trip for the pilot. If you are going to get those great deals, and get tons of them, I can’t think of a better way to help your community by donating your excess to homeless shelters and the like.
Rebekah
I am very courious about the show, but I am a casual couponer. I love printing coupons and getting discounts, but I only buy what my family needs and uses. I do not stockpile more then my 3 month food storage, but I also live in a tiny apartment so I don’t have room for much more.
I agree with the other comments about greed, OCD, etc. I believe that using coupons to get a good deal and save on the budget for the family is great, but over stockpiling and spending extreme amouts of time to get so much is not normal or good for the family.
I hope this show shows that in every group or type of people there are extremes, but not everyone is like that.
Jamie H.
It seems like they want to show the craziest couponers out there to make it seem like we’re all that crazy…which is what reality shows do, right? I mean, look at Hoarders and 19 Kids and Counting…a very extreme look at reality. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good bargain and love free stuff, but just as everyone else has said, I try to get things I know my family will need and USE. I started couponing to save money and that is what I have been able to do. If I have a lot extra, I try to share it with people who need it. But 2000 of anything is absurd! WOW! It should be interesting!
Ashley
I went to a couponing class last week and the guy who taught it was saying how he had talked to the producers of the show because they had asked him if he would be interested in participating. He said, and I agree 100% that he would not do it because the purpose of couponing is to provide for your families means. I agree I have a few toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste in my closet but over 100 years worth of deodorant is far beyond any families means, unless you are the Duggars and have 20 people using it. If they truly understood couponing they would realize the coupon, and the sale, would come around again in a month or two. They always do.
Pooja
I completely agree with everyone. I just saw the show and those guys are plain GREEDY. I mean what would you probably do with 2000 boxes of cereal? Feed entire N America a days breakfast ? 300 toothbrushes , do you really use 1 toothbrush for evry tooth and then throw it out. Just because you get something cheap does not mean you pile it up. Their houses are mini marts for christ’s sake. I use coupons and only because it saves me money on certain things we use.
the Coupon diva female was the craziest to buy all the mustard bottles and they dont eat mustard..wierdo I would say. GREED ….its just want-want and more WANt for them. its better to ignore them i say and i HOPE companies would too.
Shelley
Personally I just got done watching this and I think it is so funny how the stores are so accommodating. Everyone seems so nice at the checkout…….ya right! For us that coupon we know that those checkers are sometimes not the nicest and the managers seem more annoyed than willing to help you. How in the world did that lady work out to get the left over coupons that the newspapers company just throws out and they just leave them on her driveway! Hmmmmm I wish I could have the coupon fairy dump a bunch of coupons off at my doorstep instead of actually having to pay to get the paper delivered.