Bargains, Coupons, Rebates and Freebies

Re: Extreme Couponing

jayashiangel — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:59:33 GMT

slk2042:
"J'aime Kirlew, 34, cut nearly $14,000 off her grocery bill last year by clipping coupons. That's not always as easy or practical as it sounds. It means finding room at her home in Montgomery Village, Maryland to stockpile over 100 cleaning wipes, 200 soaps, 70 bottles of laundry detergent, 60 boxes of cereal, 450 rolls of toilet paper and 250 paper towels."

I read the article 2 adults and 3 kids... I find that for a family of 2 and a Cat we spend under $400 a month of grocery/tolittries/soaps/ etc..My total say for 12 months would be $4800...if she saves $14,000 on stuff what the heck did she spend???????

I use coupons from time to time like today I bought arm and hammer laundry soap sale was $5.99 for 2 bottles ( by one get one free) I also had $1.00 coupon so I got it for $4.99

Re: Extreme Couponing

MarthaMFI — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 02:16:23 GMT

I think kjathena you have a great attitude about couponing and stockpiling. Most of the people on the show are more on the hoarding side...though there was the guy from the military who stockpiled $20,000 worth of food, toiletries and clothes and donated it all at one time. was a goal he had for helping.

Re: Extreme Couponing

Brandy — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:24:14 GMT

kjathena:
and try to use homemade cleaners when I cant get the brand names free

If I were able to get the brand names free, I might take advantage of that more as well. Prices, even sale ones do not come down low enough to make a purchase with a coupon cheaper than homemade.

Re: Extreme Couponing

cheapChic — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 04:43:43 GMT

they go totally nuts for it and dumspter dive for news pappers and neighbers give them coupons I just do it at least to get a few bucks off I don't do that stuff takes like way to much time.

Re: Extreme Couponing

kjathena — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 01:41:18 GMT

I am a stockpiler and use coupons when ever I can. I have friends save inserts for me and buy 2 papers every sunday that they have coupons. We recently lost our "big house"(due to health problems that caused inabiliy to work) and moved back to one half of our rental duplex so we went from 2500 sq feet and a double car garage to 900 square feet for 3 adults 2 dogs and 3large birds so storage space is at a premuim. I donated over 3500.00 of food products to our local food bank last year and 4000.00 of makeup/toiletries/baby items ect to the batter womans shelter(This is my way of helping others). I do buy items that we will not use just to donate it if I can get the cost down below a quarter and limit each weeks donation purchases to 10.00 a week most times ( I did buy 30 boxes of diapers for the shelter at a discount store that costed me 1.00 per pack after coupons...they had ripped bags and are always in desperate need). My method is to buy a years worth of canned foods/frozen foods when they hit the lowest price and rotate but it took me a few years to figure out how many jars of mayo, greenbeans.ect we will use...last year I over estimated corn and bought 6 cases of store brand when they were 4 cans for a dollar but understimated our green beens also bought 6 cases(will only buy 3 cases of corn this year and 8 cases of greenbeans. I make my own laundry soap due to husbands allergies and having a front loader and try to use homemade cleaners when I cant get the brand names free( havent found away to make my own mr clean type dry erasers yet to clean my glass top stove but I do use dollar store brands)we do eat convenience foods more than most due to dietary restrictions and diffrent meal times. There are somethings I am brand loyal to such as scott 1000 sheet T.P.(or drugstore brands made by scott also 1000 sheet per roll) due to septic system and how much longer it lasts.My grocery budget includes food/cleaners/dogfood/bird pellets and mics sundries is 50.00 per week but I can skip a week here and there and not feel it if we have any emergencys. I write all coupon savings in a notebook and last year saved over $1200,00. When I have leftover grocery money it goes in a bank for treats like movies, dinner out, new underware ect.As of today there is 89.00 in the bank(started fresh new years day) and we have rented DVD's (1.00 per night from the vending machines)most every week and been out for dinner twice since the first of the year.None of our stores double coupons here and I do buy most fresh produce at our farmers market late afternoon on sundays(for the cheepest prices) and have no problem clearing the racks of marked down meat when I find it.

Last week by stacking sales/store coupons/and catalinas I bought razorbades for my hubbys favorite razor,his favorite bodywash,deoderant and bodyspray to last all year for 9.00. This week will be condiments for stockpiling (Catsup,mustard,relish.bbq sauce,soy sauce,mayo ect) due to a super sale at the local super discount and store.I alway check sell by dates when shopping anywhere

We store stockpiles in custom shelves in part of our laundry room under beds and couches and even behind our tv unit. I can no longer stockpile bulky items due to the downsizing but still find space for smaller items. There are many websites that give ways to find or build storage inventively (the mormon church has a number of pamplets available to anyone including plans for building furniture that has hidden storage).

I hope some of these ideas will be new and helpful to some

Re: Extreme Couponing

RobertaD — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:46:25 GMT

Karen K, I would ask everyone in your area to give you their coupons that they aren't going to use then start saving the coupons for things your family will use. Then start matching up sales (can view most online) with the coupons to get the most for your money. You will need to find out what each stores coupon policy is and sign up for any rewards cards and pay attention to any cash back bonuses. A lot of stores have coupons that can be loaded to their rewards cards for extra discounts so check into each store in your area.

I really wanted to know how the twins got 18months worth of diapers for free. I commented while watching that show that I sure hoped the future children weren't allergic to that brand of diapers! I had to change diaper brands with each child as they would get rashes from them. I did use cloth at home which is really frugal.

Roberta

Re: Extreme Couponing

MarthaMFI — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 20:27:19 GMT

I watched one show..the twins and I think they have diapers stocked and no kids!! I think we all love the thrill of a good deal but like anything only good if used.

Re: Extreme Couponing

magdalena6647 — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 07:24:23 GMT

Another thing is what many people aren't realizing is that their grocery lists are for only the things they know will be a good deal with the coupons. It is not showing them when they have to go back and buy the fresh things like meat, produce..etc and the other items they'll need that they don't have coupons for.

Secondly, they use coupons for other things in life saving money on those, too.

Lastly, they let coupons dictate where they shop, eat and what they generally consume, for the most part. That is the goal of the coupon.

Re: Extreme Couponing

magdalena6647 — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 07:13:35 GMT

Oh and one more thing... I used to do the 'hoarding, extreme thing'. Only my bill would be down to like $75 for $500 worth. Upside was I could sell the excess at yard sales, and the down side was when I was hungry I had a housefull of mustard (not mayo), ketchup, bbq sauce, dressing, worcestershire sauce...etc.. you get the picture. I would spend $1.00 for ten little bottles of worcestershire sauce when really just buying one good size would run around $1.00 and this when I didn't really need it. I kind of get caught up in the deal and spend money on other stuff in the store that is a bit more pricey b/c you live in that dang store. I don't know.. Still, it is a fun hobby of mine here and there, now.

PS The absolute best feeling is when you find something like DOVE soap marked down to $1.50 for like a six pack and you have a $1.00 DOVE soap coupon. That's really neat. Always, always check the clearance item. And target takes both their coupons and manufacturers coupons on the same deal. I'll stop now.

Re: Extreme Couponing

magdalena6647 — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 07:08:04 GMT

Funny you should mention eBay... I was doing that for awhile then really stopped and paid attention to the fact that the coupon is void if sold, "auctioned" or traded. So, conscience got the best of me. A really awesome thing you could do is go to the grocerygame.com site and this lady matches the sales in your area and coupons for the absolutely best deals. She does all the leg work. The coolest thing is that you can just collect the coupon inserts from the newspapers and not even cut them. She tells you which ones the coupons would be in. It costs very little. I did it and it was very efficient for awhile.

Definitely collect those inserts or go to the actual websites redplum and valassis to get the coupons.

Good luck.

Re: Extreme Couponing

MarthaMFI — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 02:08:38 GMT

actually since I am doing food demos now and I was told if I had extra coupons from the manufacturer to get rid of them not leave them for others. It is ok to keep some and give away a couple to family members but apparently because of retail fraud ..owners of smaller stores redeem them for free money.

Re: Extreme Couponing

Erika — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:43:26 GMT

What some people might not know is that most of these shows are taped in places where they have double or triple coupons in combination with the stores rewards cards so things are super cheap. In those instances I can see where it would be easy to become a hoarder.

We don't have those kinds of deals where I live now so I can't stock up like I could when I lived in the southwest but my savings comes from the non food items, I don't buy many prepackaged items either.

I think it's great to save as much as you can within reason. Like many people have said, it's a waste if you have more than you can use.

Re: Extreme Couponing

Karen K — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:48:31 GMT

MarthaMFI:
$179 is more a normal grocery bill and I would like to do that lol for $19

This is exactly where I want to go ... I'm not into the $1000 bill whittled down to $20 and then what to do with it?? I want to buy the products that we use or a fraction of the price I usually spend. That's the kind of couponer I want to be.

Re: Extreme Couponing

grame — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:26:53 GMT

It's a shame they are letting thier greed rule their brains. I think they are missing out. If I had the time & inclination to coupon to this extreme, I would sure as heck be using it to a greater advantage.

If I got $1,900 worth of groceries for 103, I would head straight to our local food pantry, have them write me out a letter stating what I donated and the value. I would then keep that letter until tax time. What a charitable write off!!

I need tax deductions a lot worse than I need that many groceries & products going to waste!

Re: Extreme Couponing

elirachi — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:11:10 GMT

I have never watched the show but as a couponer for several years I have never had such a huge stockpile that it would go to waste! I have 3 children so I buy products that we are going to use not things that we would never use, that was the first rule in couponing i learned only clip coupons for things you are going to use not products you would never use unless you plan to donate the items such as dog food for a animal shelter. Also, I have learned that retailers get the amount of the coupon pluc 8 cents from the clearing house so if you buy something that would be 1.50 and you have a dollar coupon they get your 50 cents plus 1.08 from the coupon clearinghouse. So the retailer makes money not loses it and it doesn't come out of anyone's pocket for use of the coupons and it doesn't raise prices. I have found coupons for fresh vegetables and meat and healthier versions of many products! Many product companies will provide you with coupons as a thanks if you write them an e-mail or letter stating how much you enjoy their products! As for the people who use coupons fraudulantly as with anything these are the 1% or less of the people that use coupons legally and save without having to resort to such tactics. I belong to RefundCents and the one thing they always stress is "keep it legal" and that's what I and many coupon savers do!