Extreme Couponing. How do They do it? - Page 2

[KatWrangler]

Originally Posted by kristandthekids 

Re: Coupon Printing

So many of the stores by me say they won't take printed coupons anymore due to fraud. I never bothered with them anyway because I figured the printer ink cost me more than the $0.50 I would save on that name brand I don't normally buy.

I don't have TV so I haven't seen the show, but someone did send me a clip of it where the mom was in the recycle bin with her toddler digging for coupons. Not for me.

Take the stores coupon policy with you.  More than not, WILL accept IP coupons.  Walmart, CVS, Target, Walgreens, Whole Foods etc. take IP coupons.  In fact you can get coupons right off their websites.

[KatWrangler]

There are plenty of websites that offer organic/healthy deals. Let me know if you want them. As far coupons Mambo Sprouts, Whole Foods (they have their own set of coupons you can stack with MFG coupons) have them. You can also go directly to the MFG website and print coupons. http://www.mambosprouts.com/ http://www.organicvalley.coop/ http://silksoymilk.com/ Don't forget to look on mfg accounts on Facebook.

[crunchy_mommy]

I think what a lot of us are saying is not that coupons for healthier foods don't exist, just that they are more rare/hard to come by (probably not worth buying a $3 newspaper for MAYBE 1 or 2 useable coupons) and that even the organic/healthier options just don't fit our diets/lifestyles. For ex, I do not buy eggs, dairy, milk, condiments, wheat, prepared foods, dairy-free 'milks', toothpaste, toilet paper, laundry soap, etc. We just don't buy any of it -- the majority of our grocery cart is fresh produce. Sure there may be 1 or 2 produce coupons floating around out there but to use them I would need to buy a printer and shop at a different, more expensive store (since the ones I shop at do not accept coupons). I buy my staples (spices etc.) at another store that is so heavily discounted I just can't imagine finding them any cheaper around here, even if I managed to find a coupon and it's expiration date coincided with a great sale.

I'm not saying that people who use coupons aren't eating healthily or anything... Just that WE aren't able to use them, for the most part. It probably varies a lot depending on where you live and what your diet is like and all.

[happysmileylady]

Oh, my, if a newspaper was $3, I might have a hard time buying it too! 

But, there are posters saying that if you are using coupons to get stuff that cheap, you must not be eating healthy. 

What I am saying is that if coupons aren't going to work for the foods you eat, then they aren't going to work for the foods you eat.  That's fine.  Just don't assume that because I might pay just a couple of bucks that retails for two or three or more times that, that doesn't mean that my cart is full of hamburger helper or fake potatos or any of that either. 

[HollyBearsMom]

Originally Posted by happysmileylady 

Oh, my, if a newspaper was $3, I might have a hard time buying it too! 

But, there are posters saying that if you are using coupons to get stuff that cheap, you must not be eating healthy. 

What I am saying is that if coupons aren't going to work for the foods you eat, then they aren't going to work for the foods you eat.  That's fine.  Just don't assume that because I might pay just a couple of bucks that retails for two or three or more times that, that doesn't mean that my cart is full of hamburger helper or fake potatos or any of that either. 

Maybe I missed it but I don't remember seeing that posted anywhere. I know that I was speaking about the "extreme" couponers who choose the majority purchase based on coupon availability not on the quality of the food.  The woman I saw showed shelves of processed foods. Those were also the examples they used when showing their savings-bottled juiced, soda, cereals, etc.  One woman even said "if its free I am going to buy it and then figure out how to use it". 

Edited to add:
I think what I am really trying to say is that yes coupons save money if it is products your family uses any way. However I find it hard to believe that anyone eating a whole food diet will likely save 90% on their weekly food bill which is what many extreme couponers claim.
Edited by HollyBearsMom - 4/9/11 at 6:51am

[ChristyMarie]

Originally Posted by velochic 

I never said that there were NO coupons for whole foods.  I said they are rare.  I clip the coupons every single week for the gals I work with (at the library), so I KNOW what is available.  No, there aren't many coupons for real food.  Not compared to what is available for processed junk.  That *is* the reality.  I do my research too.  I get coupons directly from the manufacturer sometimes.  I just don't make it a full-time job to save by buying junk instead of spending my time making food from whole ingredients.  Shopping smartly without taking 8 hours a day and then cooking real food from real, whole ingredients is more frugal in the long run.  Eating processed junk is going to cause all sorts of health problems in the long run.  It's just how it is. 

I stockpile food, too.  I do it frugally.  I cook from scratch.  I buy by the animal (or side) and freeze, I grow a garden and can, I buy local (even though it may mean that I pay $2.75/dozen for farm-fresh, free-range eggs) I shop sales for the items we can't make ourselves. However, I save money in the long run.   I just don't think this buying a lot of processed food because you can get it for next to nothing (and spending 40 hours a week to do so) is a smart way of feeding your family and spending your time.  I'm sorry, but I *am* still on the natural family living forum, aren't I?

And nobody who does all of this couponing has even begun to address the waste and environmental damage from just the packaging of this stuff.

Sorry, I'll get off of my now, but I just can't see the justification with using coupons.  Well, at least not if your goal is to live as naturally and healthfully as you possibly can.  Cooking from scratch with whole ingredients is the *original* (and still valid and natural) frugal way of feeding a family.

I completely agree.

I do think that it depends on your location and the way your family eats. 

For us and our location (where no one doubles coupons that I know of) I do better shopping sales and buying bulk.  Like, serious bulk.  I buy chicken in 40 pound boxes.  I'm the one buying the huge bag of brown rice.  I've tried the coupon thing a couple of times but for me the time it takes it not worth the savings because we simply don't use much of what is being offered.  I don't buy most of my health and beauty stuff at the grocery or drug store.  I don't buy a lot of boxed or processed foods.  It just doesn't work for me.  Plus, for us we have access to a restaurant wholesale place - that makes a huge difference when it comes to bulk items.  Luckily we have the storage space.  Though I am thinking about at least one more freezer, possibly two, because I'm currently limited on how many different meat items I can buy at one time due to freezer space.  I'd like to get down to a wholesale trip once every 3 months instead of once a month but I just don't have the space yet.

I am wondering what one does with 70 jars of yellow mustard?  I usually buy one a year - for our 4th of July party.  How do you use that much mustard?!?!
 

[crunchy_mommy]

Originally Posted by happysmileylady 

Oh, my, if a newspaper was $3, I might have a hard time buying it too! 

Yeah the Sunday paper (the one with the coupons) is $3 and the weekday papers (sans coupons) are $1. I know I live in a HCOL area but I had no clue some people can buy a Sunday paper for $1!!!!

And maybe the people talking about couponers not eating healthy were talking about the TV show??? (I've never seen it but it doesn't sound like they are buying the healthiest things from what others have posted).

[velochic]

Originally Posted by happysmileylady 

But, there are posters saying that if you are using coupons to get stuff that cheap, you must not be eating healthy. 

What I am saying is that if coupons aren't going to work for the foods you eat, then they aren't going to work for the foods you eat.  That's fine.  Just don't assume that because I might pay just a couple of bucks that retails for two or three or more times that, that doesn't mean that my cart is full of hamburger helper or fake potatos or any of that either. 

Nobody said this.  The thread is about *extreme* couponing.  You shouldn't make statements such as "there are posters saying" because you're not even paying attention to what other posters are saying and are misrepresenting them (me included).  Nobody said anything negative about using coupons wisely.  Use them where you can.  However for NATURAL family living and eating, there are few coupons available and most certainly nothing that will net you $600 worth of good, healthy, whole foods for $6.  No matter how you cut it.

The question arises when people are buying nothing but processed foods for next to nothing just to get the thrill of the deal... they ARE feeding their families nothing but frankenfoods and IMO cooking things that are detrimental to their health.  My point is that time is better spent making reasonable purchases and then using the remaining time to feed your family with healthy foods from scratch.  If you are OK with the way you feed your family, you have no need to defend it.

[happysmileylady]

However I find it hard to believe that anyone eating a whole food diet will likely save 90% on their weekly food bill which is what many extreme couponers claim.

What I am saying is that it IS possible to save that much on a shopping trip and still be eating healthy.  AND that most couponers will tell you that they don't save that much every single trip.  What I am saying is that on average, couponers usually save about 50% overall, and yes, many do still eat healthy doing so. 

It is possible to get fresh produce for free.  How and how much is just going to depend on your particular stores.  A few months ago, Meijer had a sale going on for cheese (real cheese, not the individually wrapped slices of processed cheese food).  In addition to being priced at $1.67 for an 8oz package, there were coupons out for $1 off two.  Yes, it was Kraft, which I know isn't the organic, family farm, grass fed stuff, but it's still real cheese.  Anyway, Meijer also offered a catalina, which is a store coupon.  You buy X number of packages, you get a coupon for $Y off your next order.  I purchased enough cheese to earn $7 in coupons.  I turned around and used that to buy fresh produce.  You could argue that it's not "free" because you have to buy the cheese, but I would have been buying the cheese anyway.  It's a good deal, it's healthy (which is a subjective term and since it's not organic etc, maybe some here wouldn't touch that particular cheese with a ten foot pole, but I don't think you could classify it as junk food either.)  And, there's no reason not to buy lots, since it was a good deal and it freezes.  But really, the point isn't the cheese, there are LOTS of things that these types of catalinas are offered for, at many stores.  Meijer, and Kroger are the only two here that I have personal experience with, but I have heard that Publix does, and Safeway.  It could be buy 2 laundry detergents, get $1 off.  It could be buy 20 yogurts get $2 off.  It could be buy 2 boxes of diapers, get a $10 gift card.  I currently have waiting in my coupon binder a $5 gift card, and a $3.50 off your next order, both of which can be applied towards produce.  They will go towards my whole order today...which yes, will include some junk cause I have a cherry coke addiction that is just out of control.  But since I am also getting fresh peppers for a great deal, and bags of frozen veggies for a great deal, well that will have to balance out my vice.  And I have already explained how to get frozen veggies/fruit for free and cheap with coupons, and IMO, that's probably better, nutritionally speaking, anyway.

And, I will reiterate again.  This show is called EXTREME couponing.  These shopping trips showed are EXTREME.  That means even for the people on the show who made the trips.  These specific trips are NOT typical, for anyone.  In the original special, one guy special ordered over 1000 boxes of cereal.  That type of thing is NOT typical for him or anyone else who coupons, they don't do that every week.   It's not possible for anyone to get $1900 worth of groceries, of ANY kind, junk or not, for just $100 each and every week. 

If it doesn't work for you then it doesn't work for you.  But that doesn't mean someone who has saved 90% on an order of groceries is has a cart full of junk in that particular order.

[MidwifeErika]

I do couponing. There are NO stores near me that double, which is a huge bummer as that is how many of the people on that show are getting things for free. I will not pick up things that I have no use for either. I still save quite a bit of money! Also, I won't have huge trips like they showed, I might only be picking up a deal on 1 or 2 items for the week and stocking up. Or, this week I really didn't see much of anything that I wanted or that we would use. A few weeks ago I ended up with over 30 boxes of cereal though as there was a great sale and with coupons I only paid $0.17/box and got 10 gallons of free milk.I don't need a HUGE stockpile of food, so I didn't feel the need to get 100s of boxes, just what we would reasonably consume before they expire. I highly recommend finding a local couponing blog that matches up the deals for you. I don't want to spend 60 hours a week matching deals, I let someone else do the work :)

[happysmileylady]

I just wanted to share, I felt like I hit the coupon jackpot today!

I went to Dollar Tree last night to try to pick up a paper.  I was originally going to skip the papers this week, I didn't really feel like there was much in there I needed/wanted.  Well, then my mom let me know that there were coupons for Silk Soymilk, $1 off a half gallon.  Well, didn't get there until JUST after they closed, but I saw that they still had papers left.

So I headed over there this morning.  I grabbed 2 papers, but then, with permission of the managment, I went through the other papers and grabbed a few more of the inserts.  AND, score, there were 2 Silk coupons, each one $1 off a half gallon, in each insert.  This is the only milk DH can drink, and he often puts it in his coffee too.  It's like $3 a half gallon here, so $1 off a half gallon is a big deal.  For just $2, I got eight of these coupons.  So that right there is a big savings.  That doesn't even count some of the other coupons I will use.

Then, I stopped by the recycle bin on my way back home.  It appears someone emptied their recycling today.  I found a home mailer from Joann's, complete with several 50% off any one regularly priced item.  I sew, so that's a big deal too.  I can't believe someone pitched out their home mailer!  Anyway, I also picked up several inserts from last month.  I will probably only use about 3 coupons from each one, and most of those pet food ones, but since I didn't pay anything for them and it won't take much time at all to cut what I need, that's awsome. 

All in all, I probably picked up about $60 or so worth of coupons I will use, including fabric, pet food, milk, frozen veggies (several of those $0.50 off 2 that we discussed earlier in the thread, since my stores double, those are just like $1 off 2, wooo whoo!!) and deoderant (whic is $0.50 iff any one, doubles to $1, and that deoderant often sells for $1 on sale) all for just $2, plus the minute cost of the gas to go to the dollar store. 

[DuckDuckGoose]

I read an article that exposed these extreme couponers as committing fraud to make these sales. Without getting into too much detail they were using coupons with higher values on different products that had the same family code. Or using them on the wrong size item. Basicly your cashier would have to be asleep to let these go through. Clearly these stores were letting it happen. So while you can get some sweet deals with coupons, it would be difficult to actually ring up these kinds of sales using coupons properly. And since I got that out of the way.....I want to address the "coupons are only for processed crap" comment. I too was on that soapbox years ago. And in am in debt because of it. I used to go over my budget buying only organic foods so much so that I covered the excess with my credit card. I watched my bill rise every week and it made me SICK. So when I started following the coupon blogs at the recommendation of a friend I customised it in such a way the works for my family. I switched stores to a doubling store and have cut my budget down by 1/3. Some of my best stock ups have been for oatmeal, coconut milk, almonds, beans, tomatoes, breads, flours, sugar, yeast, organic yogurt, cheese, soups, stock..... and i could go on and on. Yes, I do buy a few things that would have never been on my list a few years ago. A couple weeks ago I got 4 boxes of duncan hines brownie mix for free. But its sitting in my cupboard for that time where I need to make a dessert for a get together and I'm out of ingredients. And I do have canned fruit (in juice) in the pantry in case we run out of fresh and my kids are hungry for it. The toiletries really do make for a big defecit in my budget too. I don't cloth diaper for many reasons, and even the generics are at least 6.99/pack but at Rite aid with sales and coupons I can get huggies as low as $3 a pack. I stock up at those prices so that I don't have to spend $7 a week on diapers. Same with shampoo. I get it nearly free at drugstores so that when I need it I can shop out of my cupboard instead of buy the shampoo I like because I need it when it is full price. I have enough free toothpaste, dental floss, and contact solution to last me a year. And toilet paper....I used to buy the generic but then when I did a cost comparison based on how many sheets there was I realised that yes indeed I am saving money by buying a name brand with a coupon when its on sale. Its just a matter of putting a little math and patience into the scenario. I know this is the extreme couponing thread, but it always bums me out when I hear people bashing coupons. Not everyone has the luxury of shopping organic and while I see a lot of junky coupons there are also a lot of good ones. Plus, you can donate anything that you get for free or cheap that you wouldn't eat. When it comes down to it, someone with no food would rather eat hamburger helper than starve.

[heatherdeg]

We buy around multiple food allergens which leaves us eating predominantly whole foods.  But we do use coupons for health & beauty (well, health) stuff like toilet paper, soap, etc.  I laxed my standards on laundry detergent when I read conflicting ideas of what was environmentally okay and what was not.  We use dryer balls for softening.  I occasionally splurge on deli meat but we can only buy Hormel Natural Choice (gluten, casein, soy, corn, dye and nitrate/nitrite free  :D) and just found coupons for that in this week's paper... so I'll now go online and buy more of those on eBay since summer is coming and I need to pack a disposable bag lunch for when ds goes to camp.

We are dairy free but man, can I find deals on coconut milk.  Whole Foods is currently running a deal where the shelf-stable boxes are 2/$4.  Add the case discount (I forget how many you have to buy for that... 6?  12?  Not sure because I'm usually buying 20) and it's another 10% off (which they do even for fresh produce, btw--you just have to ask how much of the produce qualifies for a "case discount" because it's not on the little price label on the shelf like everything else).  I'm not sure how many coupons they allow per product per transaction, but I just scored 7 $1 coupons for the coconut milk.  I've used 2 of those at a time, but I've never had more than 2 before now.

I also dye my hair, and between coupons and CVS--that's a score.

I think the misconception is that "groceries" equals "food".  Agreed that because the bulk of my food is meat & produce, I'm not able to use coupons on it.  I've never found coupons for the large bag rice, beans (who's got bean coupons?!?!?  SHARE!) or untreated nuts.

[Sharlla]

did anyone see this http://www.jillcataldo.com/node/16258

[heatherdeg]

Originally Posted by Sharlla 

did anyone see this http://www.jillcataldo.com/node/16258

Yup.  I saw it.  And I have to wonder if any of the manufacturers that have been scammed are going to press charges.  The woman outlined in the link you gave was not only on TV, but has apparently been doing YouTube videos and local talks for quite a while.

[laura163]

Originally Posted by Sharlla 

did anyone see this http://www.jillcataldo.com/node/16258

Thank you so much for this link.  I have already learned so much!!!

[happysmileylady]

What I got for free today (and how I got it free):

A dozen eggs-free dozen eggs coupon sent to me by Kroger

A bag of frozen green beans-same as above

A bottle of salad dressing-same

A bottle of ketchup (with no HFCS)-Kroger e-coupon for a bottle of ketchup when you buy chicken

3 loaves of bread-Aunt Millies bread (no HFCS) on sale for 10 for $10 get 11th free used $1 off a $3 bread purchase meijer coupon and a $2 off your next order coupon

A cucumber-my 11th item free as part of the 10 for $10 sale get the 11th item free

Cat food-Friskies kitty treats (which is really not any different than their kitty food) on sale 5 for $5 (seperate from above sale) had 7 $1 off 1 coupons, so picked up 7 pouches.  THEN, on 5 of those, there were coupons for buy this pouch, get a free can of this new wet food.  So I grabbed 5 cans of that.  Which means a total of 13 servings of free cat food.

The Kroger coupons are regularly sent out by Kroger to folks who have Kroger cards.  The coupons are tailored to the customer based on what they buy using the card.  I think they come out about every 6 months.  I have one for $5 off a $50 order sitting in my binder that I haven't had a chance to use because I haven't had a $50 order. 

The Meijer coupons are catalina coupons that spit out of the Catalina machine, by the receipt machine, at the register aftter you check out.  They are sometimes specific to the store, and other times the Catalina company has special promotions.  In this specific case, the two I used on the bread were specific to Meijer. 

[bobbinbopbop]

New to the board and not super crunchy but wanted to add, my original goals with coupons was to save on cleaning products and pet foods as well as anything household. So TP, tin foil that sort of thing. WE have saved so much I've migrated over to clipping for food. I do admit I buy processed stuff but Most of what I save on is Pet food. I wish I could find more coupons for juice around here. I'm very picky on that. (must be 100% juice, no artificial sweeteners, or HFCS)And I wish I could get hubby to be less picky on some things but since he is and I can't change him or convince him to try new things all at once, we use the coupons.

We eat more junk than we should, but we've limited it a LOT in the last year and a half. I don't want my kids eating fruit roll-ups and pringles instead of strawberries. I want them to like baby carrots, and tomatoes, and apples, and such. We use tortilla chips instead of other kinds, we found natural snacks instead of junk, I've even found 100% natural fruit snacks and we pop our own popcorn in an air popper and limit the butter.

I feel so much better all ready and can't wait to get even healthier. We're just doing to slowly to reduce cravings and such. )

We don't save the huge amounts the couponers I know or see on t.v. do but we save enoug hto stay in our budget, and not overdraft our bank account. And our pets are happy and fed, and tht is the important thing right now!

[Biscuits & Gravy]

Originally Posted by Sharlla 

did anyone see this http://www.jillcataldo.com/node/16258

Yes! I read that over the weekend. It really makes me sick to be honest. I hope people like that don't end up ruining things for those of us who coupon honestly and ethically. I really hope she has to face some kind of repercussions for being dishonest.

In regards to bean coupons, the one that I'm aware of was a few months ago. There was a printable coupon for $.50 off any progresso product. My grocery store doubles, and canned progresso beans were $1, so free after coupon. I got a ton of free chickpeas for making hummus, but my little hummus monsters have totally plowed through them and I used up my last can this week. I use dried beans normally (except for kidney beans) but I couldn't pass up free!
 

[happysmileylady]

Originally Posted by bobbinbopbop 

New to the board and not super crunchy but wanted to add, my original goals with coupons was to save on cleaning products and pet foods as well as anything household. So TP, tin foil that sort of thing. WE have saved so much I've migrated over to clipping for food. I do admit I buy processed stuff but Most of what I save on is Pet food. I wish I could find more coupons for juice around here. I'm very picky on that. (must be 100% juice, no artificial sweeteners, or HFCS)And I wish I could get hubby to be less picky on some things but since he is and I can't change him or convince him to try new things all at once, we use the coupons.

We eat more junk than we should, but we've limited it a LOT in the last year and a half. I don't want my kids eating fruit roll-ups and pringles instead of strawberries. I want them to like baby carrots, and tomatoes, and apples, and such. We use tortilla chips instead of other kinds, we found natural snacks instead of junk, I've even found 100% natural fruit snacks and we pop our own popcorn in an air popper and limit the butter.

I feel so much better all ready and can't wait to get even healthier. We're just doing to slowly to reduce cravings and such. )

We don't save the huge amounts the couponers I know or see on t.v. do but we save enoug hto stay in our budget, and not overdraft our bank account. And our pets are happy and fed, and tht is the important thing right now!

On the juice, check out old orchard.  There are frequently coupons out for it.  The concentrates are a good deal because they are still 100% juice, no added sugar, flavors or anything else and because they are concentrates, you can dilute them with additional water when you make it, decreasing the total sugar per serving.  Frequently you can get $0.50 off one or BOGO coupons for it.  And at least at my stores, they often go on sale for $1 each.

http://oldorchard.com/promotions/#/show/offers/juice-coupons/

Originally Posted by Biscuits & Gravy 

Yes! I read that over the weekend. It really makes me sick to be honest. I hope people like that don't end up ruining things for those of us who coupon honestly and ethically. I really hope she has to face some kind of repercussions for being dishonest.

In regards to bean coupons, the one that I'm aware of was a few months ago. There was a printable coupon for $.50 off any progresso product. My grocery store doubles, and canned progresso beans were $1, so free after coupon. I got a ton of free chickpeas for making hummus, but my little hummus monsters have totally plowed through them and I used up my last can this week. I use dried beans normally (except for kidney beans) but I couldn't pass up free!
 

I hope she does too.  They just did a little teaser blurb on my news, just now, about new rules stores are considering so people can't do "extreme couponing" anymore.  I am interested to see what they say, I hate that it just takes a couple of bad apples with delusions of grandure to screw it up for everyone.