Last night Brandon and I caught 2 episodes of extreme couponing. It was the first time I had ever seen the show and I was floored by some of the savings! When you get to a point where the grocery store is actually giving you money back after your purchases, that’s like winning the World Series of extreme couponing!
Although I was very impressed on one hand, I was a little put off on the other. My first thought was “who needs all that crap?” Pardon my blunt-ness. My second thought was, “these people are stocking up on a lot of processed foods.” My third thought was, “why is that woman preaching to people about how mini cookies go great in kids’ lunches and as snacks!?” Ug.
The cookies I was referring...
I realize some extreme couponers are making money by their excessive-ness and do it for that reason, but for others, do they really need all that stuff? I’m not going to buy Mini Chips Ahoy cookies just because I have a coupon for it. Why buy something if you don’t need it? Right? Wouldn’t you save more money THAT way?
I also notice that many of the food coupons are for processed foods. Why is this? Why can you get a discount on Fruity Pebbles but not fresh fruits and vegetables? This annoys me and is mainly what bugged me about the Extreme Couponing show. These people are filling their carts with garbage to feed their family!
Don’t get me wrong, I DO use the occasional coupon. Meijer, which they don’t have in Cleveland, give discounts for products in their organics line, and I LOVED that! You also can’t beat coupons for items like tampons, razors, Tom’s deodorant/toothpaste, organic yogurt, organic eggs, etc. My beef is that they need more coupons for healthy foods!!! Don’t you think so!?
QUESTION: What do you think about extreme couponing? Do you use coupons regularly? Do you buy foods that you don’t need just because you have a coupon?
Useful info. Fortunate me I discovered your site accidentally, and I am shocked why this accident didn’t came about in advance! I bookmarked it.
I’ve never seen the show, but I’ve seen several news segments on extreme couponing and totally agree with you. Why glorify the process of buying junk for your family to save a few bucks?! It shows what’s wrong with the American diet.
Personally, I love coupons. The Kroger Plus card system works really well for my husband and I. It rewards you with coupons for things you buy regularly. The past few times I’ve been to the grocery store I’ve had coupons for things like organic spinach and mushrooms (which I eat on an almost-daily basis). But, like you said, just because they send me a coupon for Chips Ahoy doesn’t mean I’m going to buy fake chocolate chip cookies. Thanks, but I’d rather bake the real deal!
I just started using coupons regularly and i’ve saved quite alot of money actually, I also have 6 kids. Oh and just because people are overweight and buy candy doesnt mean they gorge on them and just because you eat healthy or are thin doesn’t mean you don’t buy candy and eat it so just remember if you have that state of mind that only fat people eat candy just think of what that makes you every time you enjoy a sweet snack including fast food, brownies, cakes, or cookies. I do agree however that there should be more coupons for healthier food. I try not to feed my kids alot of processed food either and in fact they dont like alot of the processed foods. But for things like shampoo,soap or canned items if I get coupons for BOGO I will take up the offer even if I don’t need it (I dont stock pile though that takes up to much space. Have any of you thought to ask your grocery stores if they price match for items that other stores have cheaper? I guess us poor folk need coupons because we can’t afford for our grocery bill to be 300$ each week on 5$ gallon jugs of milk and 3 dollars each for protein bars or Organic produce but I think this crap is just another way to rip people off when the store produce is just as good and if you want protein EAT MEAT not crappy protein bars.
I use coupons but I do not hoard items. The Extrene Couponing must take a lot of time and I have other things to do. A lot of those people give their food to shelters and animal shelters. This really make since to me to give back. I do believe in having a stach but I do not want to give up all my time on just couponing.
I enjoy getting and using coupons. I do agree with you that most are processed foods. If I have a coupon for an item and it’s on sale anyway, I will probably get it regardless if it’s processed or not. I love free stuff! Also, some people could not make it without coupons. I’m amazed at how much free stuff they get, but never get upset because they worked hard at clipping, organizing, and finding all the store sales. They earned it! However, I don’t like that they hoard everything. I would keep 1-5 of each free item and give the rest to people who need it. Nobody needs to have as much excess as the extreme couponers do!!
I actually kind of hate coupons! lol I clip them, and then forget about them and they just take up space in my drawer! I need to be better about them.
I totally wish there were more coupons for actual healthy foods. Usually I can’t even find coupons on things I regularly buy… The majority is for processed junk. Totally wish that was different.
I’ve always been a little fascinated by the coupon system in the US, because it doesn’t exist in Australia. We get 4c / L discounts on petrol by spending >$30 at the major supermarkets, but that is really all there is. I do notice that the specials in supermarkets, including ’2 for 1′ deals and the like, almost always apply to processed foods though. I do struggle not to get sucked in by them, but I’m getting better with age. If I wouldn’t buy it not on special, I don’t buy it on special!
Completly annoying! I rarely use coupons because they are not for the foods I would buy anyway! I have nituced some coupons for silk almond milk more and more as well as the egglands eggs. Would be nice if there were more coupons for healthier foods!
I can’t remember the last time I used a coupon on groceries (although I will use coupon codes online for stuff like costumes, books, makeup, etc.). I buy what I buy, regardless of whether or not I have a coupon, and since I try to buy mostly unprocessed stuff, there really aren’t coupons anyway. I do try to buy what’s in season, though!
This is so funny you posted this today….my husband & I were just talking about this the other day. The show is a horrible example of how to feed your family. WHO CARES how much HFCS & Fat filled foods you bought your overweight family? We can’t even watch it…it disgusting.
xoxo from Trinidad
I never saw THAT show but saw news segments on women who cut their 200 dollar bill down to like 12 bucks. All processed foods. The only healthy food coupons i evr have had were for packaged foods too…and they are tough to come by. My grocery budget is def a killer. It really is off-putting but some people have to shop that way and like you said it’s really not good!!!
Most of the time, I just rely on the deals or sale prices at the store for that week, but sometimes, I’ll use a coupon for like yogurt. Most of the coupons are for junk food that I wouldn’t eat! There should be coupons for healthier food choices like produce.
I immediately thought, wow, most of the people are overweight and are buying 50 candy bars at a time, not saving much in the long run….
It struck me as all being junk, processed food, etc. too.
That is the reason why I also dislike this show. It is a LOT of unhealthy food!
That is exactly my thoughts when I watch that show. I am all for getting free detergent, dryer sheets, advil, etc. but the food items they normally get are crap. I have seen some people get meat, but normally it’s processed food.
YES!! I was thinking the same thing watching that show. It’s a shame that these people would rather get things for free and pack them all in a room than get HEALTHY foods that aren’t processed. Thank you for sharing!
I rarely use coupons because, as you note, they are usually for processed foods. Occasionally, I will get those “register printout” coupons at checkout for items I normally buy – bagged salads, protein bars, frozen vegetables or chicken.
I understand why coupons are usually for processed foods from a business perspective. The price of processed foods are much more stable, whereas prices for produce are highly variable. Rather than issue coupons, which could be used for months in the future and cut into profit margins if used at a less-than-optimal time from the merchant’s perspective, merchants simply put those on sale when there is a high supply. I watch for the weekly specials to get good deals on product.
I totally agree, these people are horders. Who needs all that crap.(sorry) Just buy it just because you can. They will never use all of the body wash and other products that they have before the dry out or expire.
I feel the same way you do. I don’t usually find coupons for products that I need but when I do find one, I’ll use it for sure. I used to think that coupons were a great way to try a new food item, but those are usually processed foods that I don’t purchase anymore so most coupons are not useful to me.
My friend and I were talking about this show last night. I think it is interesting how much money you can actually save. But why can they not make coupons for healthy foods. My mom uses coupons a lot, and I started to use them before I moved home. But a lot of times I find that coupons are for things I don’t need or don’t even really like!
Yes! I completely agree with you! Why can’t there be more coupons for unprocessed, healthier foods??? I’m not going to buy a bunch of garbage either just to save money. My mom though is the ultimate coupon shopper. She’s gotten better,now mostly only buying things she needs, and I have a lifetime supply of aluminum foil thanks to her coupon shopping