134 replies to this topic

[motoXmom]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one wondering how in the world these people are getting soo much for free. Some say they will never pay again for this or that and I'm sitting here going crazy trying to figure out where these coupons are from. Like today we need TP and I have a coupon but even with the coupon and it being on sale it's nowhere near free. I'd be happy with getting one free and some on that show have HUGE stock piles they say are all free or very close to it. Laundry soap the same thing. Once in a great while I get a good coupon from the paper but that's it. I wish the show could give more of the ins & outs of how they do it.

[tinkrbel]

sorry for starting the site mentioning when apparently not allowed folks. Since it's strictly coupon related saw it as a support to our members not a competitor.

[tinkrbel]

I officially started couponing a little more seriously this week, I bought 3 papers today and had a fourth from my aunt. I already started my cheap deals for the week with the gilette pro fusion razor for .89+tax at walgreens after $4 coupon and $5 Register Rewards. I got a tube of colgate for less than free since it was 2.89 and I used $1 coupon and got $2 back in ECB's from CVS. I'm sure someone who doubles could have maybe found it free but I have to work with what I can. I'm kinda bummed that all the great deals I've found so far are on deodorant/toothpaste/razors but I'm sure food will come up soon. Sadly the P&G inserts only come in english papers I bought, not the spanish one my aunt gets.

[Rockfordmom]

I mostly get razors, toothpaste, body wash, toothbrushes and deodorant free; and it's mostly from Walgreens and CVS not the grocery stores. I can at best find 1 or 2 things a week free or almost free at the grocery store, a few weeks ago I found 3 things that week and for the past 2 weeks absolutely nothing in either grocery store here. Walgreens and CVS there usually is coupons for things that you get back RR's or ECB's, the grocery store lately the sale items there are no coupons for those items. It takes a little practice, but you can get good at buying things at Walgreens (and CVS) and using those RR's to buy other items that generate RR's. If I don't have a coupon for something that you get a RR or ECB for, first I check a coupon website and if they don't have one either I always go to the products website and see if they have any coupons. Occasionally I find coupons that aren't listed on any of the couponing forums anywhere.

[AndreaInNC]

The only way I can score with free food is when my grocery store does double and triple coupons. Sometimes my Harris Teeter will double up to 1.99 and triple up to 99cents. I've also been getting flyers in the mail that will save me $10 off my $50 purchase. Also rewards cards give me cash coupons as well (Kroger is really good with that). And if you know a senior citizen, take them with you to shop - some of our local grocery stores will give an extra discount a certain day of the week for seniors!

[tinkrbel]

And if you know a senior citizen, take them with you to shop - some of our local grocery stores will give an extra discount a certain day of the week for seniors!

I'd never thought of this, I know Marshalls and a few other stores offer it. I'll have to find out and drag my dad along shopping if that's the case

[trob67]

I too could never keep track of so many items and coupons, I tend to buy smaller orders at a time with coupons and have also taken it out to the car and come back and do another order ...I guess I just can't think. I give my store card first too, it is easier to see .... I go crazy trying out how to unload the cart, watch the register, watch the coupons, watch it all getting bagged etc. I love coupons but sometimes I am completely exhausted at the end of it all. I also started making envelopes for the shopping trip for each store and the list written right on the envelope (I have even used envelopes from mail I opened and was going to throw out anyhow). I have seen people use zippered notebooks with baseball card sheets inside but I don't have that many coupons and it seems to heavy and bulky to carry....Do others have tips?

many of these people are using spreadsheets ... I can PM you examples of peoples websites where they show how much a item is and their coupons etc with final cost...

[tinkrbel]

Publix mailer request here for $50 in coupons. Also, if you forward to 3email addresses you get a $2 off produce printable coupon by email

[tinkrbel]

Publix has free dial (after coupons) through wednesday if you got today's paper. It's 3.99 BOGO and the paper has $2 off coupon. 3.99-2-2=-.01 Also, if you pickup the green brochure titled "catch the big father's day savings" on the way into store there's a $3 off garrity flashlight/lantern coupon on the inside of cover page which can be used for a single "life lite" flashlight which costs 2.59 here. I didn't notice many other kinds available at the store within a close price range and the flashlight is a disposable but it's a money maker and with storm season upon us it's a good buy there's also a storm coupon booklet(5*7 maybe, found by customer service today) that has a $1 off of 5 cans of vienna sausage which with this weeks sale makes them 5/$1.

[beck6100]

I don't think coupons are bad but cone on people..its crazy to gave that many bottles of hot sauce..and it us so not healthy to eat cans n prepack food all the time.

[tinkrbel]

agreed, there's no excuse for hoarding or payoff for being unhealthy

[Rockfordmom]

I was noticing that the foods they got were a lot of frozen and canned and not necessarily healthy.

[tinkrbel]

I noticed the sandwich meat was all that bar-s stuff which is beyond processed crap, I officially deleted it from my dvr yesterday permanently. I originally put it on their in hopes of learning how to save more but it IS just basically people hoarding without bothering to explain how. And most of them do have double coupons too.

[darkzone]

Are you talking about the show? It's because they are fraudulently using coupons, both fake and on products they aren't intended for. Several parties featured, including stores and TLC, are under investigation for major coupon fraud.

Nice to hear that that show looked so fake.

[luvsand&sun]

I do hope they decide to take this show off the air. It is my understanding that stores are becoming even more strict with their coupon policies because of the show.

[Rockfordmom]

I know they mention on every show how long the people spend planning for their shopping trips, but they really don't show the fact that those people spend the equivalent of a full time job planning for their shopping trips. I went to the grocery store the other day and my total was almost $100, I pulled out 4 coupons and they took $3.10 off my bill, the lady behind me asked me if I was one of those extreme couponers like on tv? I used 4 coupons and my total was still over $90! It was odd and funny at the same time.

[tinkrbel]

I went to the grocery store the other day and my total was almost $100, I pulled out 4 coupons and they took $3.10 off my bill, the lady behind me asked me if I was one of those extreme couponers like on tv? I used 4 coupons and my total was still over $90! It was odd and funny at the same time.

I think that since the show has gotten so much attention people are being difficult. I verified the store policy at a certain Publix regarding register rewards yesterday and this morning when I went in someone else had a different story so we had to void and redo whole order split into I don't know how many orders.

I understand cashiers not wanting to do something wrong but it's a whole different inconvenience when after verifying with customer service manager yesterday a different scenario is created today AND they wouldn't give me anything in writing to avoid more trouble on next visit. They contradict even their own coupon policies to try and make life difficult but I played by the rules they decided to follow today and used up all my register rewards from free bayer this week.

[Rockfordmom]

no Publix here

[AndreaInNC]

I wish they would show how much these folks spend on couponing. For instance the chic who gets 4 papers on Sunday. Here our papers are almost $3 each. And then the cost of the ink to print the internet coupons. That all adds up which they of course don't show.

[tokanm]

I wish they would show how much these folks spend on couponing. For instance the chic who gets 4 papers on Sunday. Here our papers are almost $3 each. And then the cost of the ink to print the internet coupons. That all adds up which they of course don't show.

I totally agree. I think many of them buy coupons as well and that adds up I would imagine:eek:
I just feel so empty that I don't have 400+ rolls of tp or 55 bottles of hot sauce, you never know when u might need those! The only one is really admired was the guy who donated tons of stuff to the homeless shelter. The others IMHO are hoarders:(

[Stowasser]

There was the one lady who had a whole room filled with the coupon pages from newspaper (they didn't mention how she got so many but I think she knows someone and these are the extras or ones that didn't make papers). One lady did mention that she asked for the leftovers etc, we usually don't have coupons in our papers. How do you keep all that straight and used before they expired, I guess that is how they get 100 of an item though can't see using 100's of one item. Still love when they say they saved their family $60K a year, really, would you spend $60K a year in groceries and household items?

[AndreaInNC]

yep - unless it is free - I won't use a coupon if its not something I don't normally use. like the twins who have stacks of diapers - BUT HAVE NO CHILDREN!!!! That is a hoarder or at least a compulsive shopper and an intervention is needed. I liked the guy who did the donations to the troops. I like watching stories like that one. But the other stories are kind of sad. But I keep reminding myself that its TLC and I could be watching Toddlers and Tiaras. I ask friends and families for their coupons when they are done with them - but I don't go out of my way to get coupons. Actually since I stopped clipping coupons - I actually find myself spending less money as I am shopping less. DD20 works at Kroger and always thought I went overboard on couponing. She told me last night that she realized my couponing was nothing when she sees the people come in with the 3# binders filled with coupons. Kroger will only let you use 2 of the same coupon - so I doubt they would film anyone that shops there!

[Rockfordmom]

I liked the guy who did the donations to the troops. I like watching stories like that one. But the other stories are kind of sad.

Actually since I stopped clipping coupons - I actually find myself spending less money as I am shopping less.

He donated 1000 boxes of cereal, or something like that, but he still had like 30 lifetimes worth of deodorant and toothpaste in his house !?!? That's kind of odd.

I think to do well with coupons you have to know the prices of items you normally use, so you know when something isn't a good price when it's on sale or with coupons. And you have to realize that even if something is a great deal at $0.99 because is normally costs $10, it's a bad deal if you won't ever use it or it expires.

[tokanm]

I watched another episode today. This woman bought over 25 bottles of hot and spicy mustard as "they ar free, but we don't even use it at my house" She did not mention donating it. Yeah just what I want all this stuff I will never use because it was free, lol. I wish there were more coupons for healthier (fresh) items

[AndreaInNC]

And I wish they would be more truthful in how much is really spent/saved. They never show how much they spend on getting the coupons. Nor do they say how many hours per week is spent clipping, comparison shopping and even the time spent on each shopping trip. The last episode I saw they spent over 6 hours in one store. I mean that could translate in close to me missing like $200 plus in pay away from my job!

[sneakers1234]

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[Rockfordmom]

And I wish they would be more truthful in how much is really spent/saved.

They never show how much they spend on getting the coupons. Nor do they say how many hours per week is spent clipping, comparison shopping and even the time spent on each shopping trip.

The last episode I saw they spent over 6 hours in one store. I mean that could translate in close to me missing like $200 plus in pay away from my job!

They kind of just brush over how many hours are spent and how they get the coupons and how much they spend to get the coupons... 6 hours in 1 store, that's crazy! Or the one woman who's babysitter called and canceled right before she was leaving so she had to bring her son, how much does she spend on a babysitter to go shopping? If you're good with saving money why would you get spend money on a babysitter to shop?

I will get 1 or 2 of something that's free that we don't use and give it to a neighbor or my son, but 25 !?!?!?!? Why? Why would someone want to have shelves of stuff they don't use taking up space in their house?

[tokanm]

I recently saw an extreme couponer at my local Stop and Shop. The woman had 2 giant binders filled with coupons and a tablet/ipad with it. I would have loved to see her at checkout. I think couponing is great but EXTREME couponing is a bit over the top, imho. Is it hoarding or is it being frugal.

[AndreaInNC]

I think we've all said that these folks on this show are hoarders or hoarders in the making.

[happysunshine28]

I watch a few of the show and I just dont understand how you can get tide for free. All those laundry detergents they say were free, I just cant believe it. Plus toilet paper and paper towels. After watching the show I started couponing again. The best deal I got on laundry detergent was wisk, for $1.25 each minus the cost of coupons I bought off ebay. I use wisk so it was a deal for me, but now I have so many wisk, probably enough for a few years, I got 20, I didnt want to waste my money after buying those coupons. I have got a few things free or for cents but no way I could ever do what those show people do, maybe that is why they are on TV or like all things that are hollywooded up it is false. Oh I was at walmart and the cashier told me that they were all chewed out for taking bad coupons, so now everytime I use a printed coupon at walmart they call someone, I dont blame them, I would not be willing to be chewed out at work for someone trying to steal. So lets try to be a little more understanding about cashiers, they are just doing their job by pleasing their bosses. But on my last visit to walmart I got a magazine with a printed coupon, coupon wouldnt scan so I couldnt use it. I have never had that problem before. It was making a noise but wasnt taking off amount. Weird. THey were nice about it as was I.