By ERIN TURNER
Okay, most of us have seen the TLC program “Extreme Couponing” where various individuals buy 200 boxes of cereal, 150 deodorants and enough toothbrushes for an entire small country. For some viewers, it has sparked a desire to take couponing to the extreme. For other viewers, they are appalled and disgusted. If you have seen the television show, how do you feel about it?
I’ve only watched the first episode. I had mixed emotions after the show. As someone whose friends called her an extreme couponer, I initially relished the idea I had reached the elite ranks of “Extreme Couponing”. But after watching the episode, I quickly realized my couponing and their couponing were worlds apart.
While I fully respected most of the individuals on the program for their ability to shop, I realized I didn’t quite fit the bill nor did I want to be crowned “The Most Extreme Couponer!” I’m perfectly happy being a Super couponer…someone who uses extreme couponing tactics but doesn’t take it beyond its reasonable limits.
Now, some of you may be saying, “Yeah, whatever Erin! I saw you on the news and saw you had bought 20 bottles of spices! What the heck will you do with all those? And 18 boxes of granola bars? C’mon, THAT is extreme!” Well, in essence it may be extreme for some people. Yet in my world, 20 bottles of various spices will last about a year (expiration is 18 months) and since they were free, I will use them generously and more than likely share with others.
And the granola bars…well, guess what? My family loves these and we use them as snacks for soccer, on car trips and for mid-afternoon energy when we are working on the farm. 18 boxes is a 4-6 month supply for our family. ..a reasonable amount for a family our size. (I do really need to find a great homemade granola bar recipe, though.)
So, my question is this: What is extreme couponing and what is super couponing? And is there a difference? Now, if you’ve seen the TLC show, then you understand what an extreme couponer looks like. They purchase vast amounts of products….some things which their families won’t use. Their homes are “retro-fitted” with shelving and cabinetry to accommodate their products.
As we’ve seen in the TV shows, their stockpiles encroach into their living space. Some of these extreme couponers donate generously to local charities which is awesome. The time invested in extreme couponing is many hours per week and much of their life revolves around couponing. They typically have 4-5 computers in their home and they belong to an online clipping service.
Extreme couponers’ boundaries are wide and they will do whatever it takes to get that extreme deal. As an extreme couponer, it’s not uncommon to have 5 or more subscriptions to the Sunday paper. Finally, I have read many times extreme couponers look at their couponing as a hobby and even call it a competitive sport!
Now, Super couponing (no TLC show about these guys since it doesn’t have the same ‘wow’ factor as the extreme couponers) are on a completely different level. Their approach is more domesticated and applicable to the general population.
Super couponers shop within their limits but their bottom line always is to help lower their household budget. They understand the “engineering” of matching up coupons and sales and they value stocking up reasonably. They respect couponing rules and the code of ethics (e.g. never clearing a shelf or using fraudulent coupons).
A Super couponer spends 1-2 hrs per week researching, matching, clipping and preparing. They have impressive stock piles but nothing outlandish. Their stockpiles fit within the confines of normal household storage space. Super couponers buy what they use and they use what they buy.
What kind of couponer are you or do you want to be? Although there are lines of distinction between Extreme and Super couponers, they share a common desire to manage how their money is spent. So please remember, there is room in the grocery store for all of us! We shouldn’t condemn anyone for the level of couponing they chose…whether it’s extreme, super, nothing at all or somewhere in between.
What works for one family may not work for another. People have diverse lives and run their households differently. It’s all about moderation, organization and doing what is best for your own family and your wallet. So YOU decide what type of couponer YOU want to be! If Extreme couponing turns your crank, go for it. If you’d rather not use any coupons, more power to you. For me, I’ll settle for Super Couponing…and I’m happy to share the checkout line with all of you!
Enjoy this blog? You might also like Erin’s previous posts on Organizing Your Coupons, Couponing Basics, Coupon Myth Busting, and Stockpiling.
Back to the Save It blog home page. AND, be sure to check out the “Missoula Save it Club” on the home page of MakeItMissoula.com (See the Daily Missoula Fix buttons in the left navigation bar) for savings updates throughout the week!
Click here to see the Coupon Queen’s “Save It” archive.
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Erin Eisenman-Turner is proud to be a native Missoulian. Along with her husband and three sons, they raise chickens, pigs, rabbits, and vegetables at Turner Family Farms in the Orchard Homes area. When the farm chores are done, the coupons clipped and the blog written, you can find Erin exploring Montana, collecting antiques and trying to maintain a well-run, happy and organized home for her family.
Great article, Erin! I cringe when I see people on TLC clearing shelves just to get an overage. I also don’t like the term “stock pile”. It has a negative connotation for me. I prefer stocking up. My plan is to be able to stock up on enough of each product my family uses to last us until the next sale on that particular product. I do get 4 copies of the Sunday Missoulian. Each copy after the first one is 50 cents so they easily pay for themselves! I have also subscribed to All You, the Walmart magazine with tons of coupons. It has also paid for itself. I don’t plan on using a clipping service. What is the point in paying for a coupon, err the service for somone to clip the coupon and mail it to you? Seems like that makes your savings smaller. I don’t not plan on dumpster diving! I do have 2 computers and use them both to print the coupons I am really interested in. I have also decided to clip ALL the coupons. I didn’t see the point of that at first. Especially for products I know my family will never use. But, if I can get personal care products for free I will get them and donate them to a local charity. I did spend a lot of time getting in the swing of things and getting my binder organized, but I don’t spend nearly as much time on couponing now as I did in the beginning. So, my long winded answer would be I see myself becoming a smart couponer. I want to stock up and donate items, but I don’t plan on clearing shelves or using a coupon clipping service.
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another great blog my friend. I am a semi-super couponer. I have not seen the show on TLC as my time simply hasn’t allowed it. I have been known to go to teh store & get just sale items but also to just go get what I need & not use a single coupon. now if I see a good deal & I have the time I may go back to a store twice to get the items but never have I cleared a shelf or used fraudulent coupons. If I use an expired one in error – I apologize in advance. I some times don’t know what day it is nevermind the month!
Coupons are great but I never buy what i can’t use. If we discover we have too much of an item b/f it expires….i donate to food bank. i also keep an area on my shelf for those occasions when the high schooler or mailcarries or scouters are doing food drives. I like to give when I can w/o feeling like I’m depriving my family.
I haven’t gotten to the point of having too many coupons and shipping them to the military but I clan see where that is handy. I typically throw them out but I should do better on this front.
I don’t consider myself extreme in anything but i dabble here & there. since my husband works for a food companuy we get monthly coupons and I definitely use them. my hardest part – knowing what is a good deal or not….i don’t remember prices and since for years I bought what I wanted w/o thinking….i need to adjust my brain memory and think b/f i buy. most items go on sale in cycles but I have yet to learn the cycle.
BTW – I have a great granola recipe that the kids love – I’ll try to find it for you.
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Yes. I’ve seen the show. Unfortunately, I think it misrepresents “couponing” for the average person and gives a lot of folks the wrong impression of the many benefits of coupon shopping. Many of the individuals featured on the show admit that they treat couponing as a part- or full-time job. While that is their choice, it saddens me that some people seeing the show will think, “See? Couponing just takes too much time!”
Truth be told, you can make a very large dent in the grocery bill by spending an hour or so a week. In the past our family has routinely saved 25% to 30% (sometimes up to 50%) on trips to the grocery store by wise sale shopping combined with couponing. That can easily save $100 – $300 per month based on your family size. Divide that out by the number of hours spent scanning sales, clipping a few coupons, and organizing yourself, and nets out to significant “pay” on an hourly basis!
I agree with you, Erin. To each their own. I just hope most folks realize that it is what it is on that show – EXTREME – and that’s not what the average person needs to do to save a bundle at the grocery store.
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Thanks for your great comments, Karen! The other thing I heard in an interview with one of the couponers after she had been on the show was that she doesn’t shop like that every week. The producers expected a HUGE shopping trip with enormous savings. So, you’re right about the show not necessarily portraying everyone accurately! Gotta love Hollywood!
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Seems like some of the Extreme Couponers are really just organized hoarders. For the life of me I don’t understand the idea of having 579 rolls of toilet paper or 125 bottles of ketchup. Who needs that much of anything? It seems like some of them buy just see how much they can save — if you can’t use it all in a reasonable time, doesn’t that become wasteful? I’m all for saving, but just because it’s on sale doesn’t mean I should buy it. I really prefer your approach, Erin. Buy in reasonable quantities that you’ll actually use and/or give to charity. Don’t just buy for the sake of saving and then much of it goes to waste.
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At our age–over 65–we sure aren’t “super couponers”, but we do use coupons whenever we can & we’re learning LOTS from daughter, Erin. She may have learned the art of couponing from me, but she’s taken this project to a wonderfully new level. Her Dad & I especially like using restaurant coupons whenever possible, since we eat out more than we did when we were raising our 3 kids. Also, the stores were not into having double coupon days, but we DID go from store to store to get the best deals on their various good sales. And we bought in quatities, since we have always had a store room in the basement for our extra food. In fact, I just came up from down there with a big bag of groceries to put out by the mailbox on Saturday, May 14th, since it’s LETTER CARRIERS’ FOOD DRIVE DAY. Just a hint….we always use large paper grocery sacks. If it’s at all threatening rain, we put that bag into a plastic bag, since we’re never sure when the mailman will be here. We’re out in the county, so the mailbox is out by the road. Thanks Erin, for another fun blog. Love reading all the great comments.
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I am trying to put together a piece on couponing in Bozeman for the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Do you know of anyone in Bozeman who is a “super couponer” or an “extreme couponer,” or have you heard of any couponing blogs for Montana? I would appreciate any help you can give me. If you don’t know, I understand. You do, after all, hail from that lovely town of Missoula. But if you know anything, please email me!
-Alyssa
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Alyssa-
My apologies…I unfortunately don’t know any couponers from Bozeman. If you can’t find any online, I would suggest heading down to a local store (such as: Walgreens, CVS, Rite-Aid, Safeway, Albertsons) and walking around. If you see anyone with a binder in the cart odds are they will be a couponer! Sorry I can’t help you more! Good luck!
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[...] this blog? You might also like Erin’s previous posts on Couponing 101 The Basics, Extreme Versus Super Couponing, or Myths About Couponing. AND, be sure to check out the “Missoula Save it Club” [...]
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