Extreme Couponing

Let's just get this part out of the way. I am not an extreme couponer.

 

I don't know how it all works - you get a million coupons and buy 50 of one product and pair it with 20 of another product and then you get a ten dollar store credit and fifty dollars in rebate rewards and then somehow, the store owes you thirtytwo dollars and sixtynine cents! 

 

Doesn't compute for me. I know that it must work becuase all these folks have it figured out. I just don't get it.

 

After watching a few episodes, I have to ask, doesn't it look like these people buy a whole lot of stuff they don't need? Or, a whole lot of stuff they need but that they won't have time to use before it expires? All that said, I have to say that I experienced a bit of the high yesterday that is "couponing".

 

I've been spending far too much time on Pinterest as of late. I found a great pin that was kind of an introduction to couponing with a focus on being realistic. I'm not dumpster diving to find 5 more Red Plum mailers so that I can buy my 99th tube of Crest Toothpaste for only 26 cents. Sorry, that just grosses me out a bit. The philosophy behind this site was this: take your store sale circulars and circle the stuff you use on a regular basis and need that is on sale. Then go to various website and coupon sites and see if you can pair a good sale with a coupon to make it even less expensive. Don't buy more than you can realistically use up before it expires, and don't buy things that don't need. Also, if you have some money to stock up on things, then you can wait to purchase, say canned corn, until the next great sale.

 

So, I got my Harmons mailer, I circled the canned corn and the stove top stuffing and the cereal and spices all on sale. I went out to various coupon sites, blog databases, and manufactur sites to get some coupons (not as many as I thought I'd find actually) and then the next day I went to Harmons. I was disappointed to find that the Pillsbury Cake mixes that we on a great sale were all sold out (Others had my same idea) as well as the chicken breasts other than the large you-break-it-apart-yourself-at-home size. I didn't buy anything (except the vinegar) that wasn't on sale. I tried to only stock up on things that we actually use. I had her ring up all the products and then ring the coupons. I have to admit, when I got my receipt and noticed I had saved $71.59, I got a glimpse into why people spend all this time and effort. I can only imagine what it must feel like to have two carts full of groceries worth $300 that only cost $20! That must be quite the rush.

 

 

So, while I will not ever be featured on TLC's Extreme Couponing television show and I will probably never walk away with the stoe owing me money, I also will not have to expand my storage room into the spare basement bedrooom and hopefully will never have to dumpster dive before I go grocery shopping.