You know there's this amazing show on TLC called "Extreme Couponing," which follows a couple of individuals across this fair land of ours who really take couponing to an entirely different level.
This level is so up there and high it has me somewhat scared of it's heights.
Basically, each episode we follow a couple of people who talk about the why's and how long's re: their couponing obsession(not quite the how's on how to obtain so many coupons which was common sense to me as I noticed paper inserts and computer printout coupons) and how they get their stuff for free, and some do mention their unethical methods of obtaining their coupons, via dumpsters, stealing them from Sunday papers and other's stoops, etc..), and personally, I think it's a bit of an obsession. Some of these people go through insane methods of obtaining coupons, as forementioned via dumpsters, foreclosed homes that still get Sunday paper delivery, recycling centers, etc.... Some of these ladies own anywhere from 10 to hundreds(yes, I said hundreds) of coupon inserts. Some of these here women go on about how they love their coupon folders sooo much and if anything happened to them, they'd literally kill someone. And then you have the couponers who take those hundreds of coupons and use them to purchase 50+ items they really don't need to save on other stuff, like purchasing over 60 bottles of mustard(this happened in one episode where one woman proudly sporting her Coach handbag most likely purchased at an outlet w/the money she saved on mustard) where the husband said, "I don't even eat mustard, 100 packs of croutons in one episode, another one who purchased over 100 pairs of discounted jeans from Target(via printed e-coupons off Target's website. I wanted to know how he printed out over 100 coupons for jeans. My computer only allows 2-4 printouts per week, so...), over 100 vitamin infused H20...you get the idea. These people literally empty shelves(which I think is extremely rude and quite inconsiderate IMO) and walk away with three to four shopping carts filled to the gills with 100+ of each item on their coupon itinerary. I've stood behind some of these here coupon junkies and along w/their hoard of goodies they guard like a Doberman Pincher, they can be quite rude to fellow shoppers and cashiers, which IMO is a no-no, especially if you want things done in a nice, quick way. Then you see them drive off after their amazing purchases where they only pay cents on every dollar spent(some pay nothing at all) and you have to wonder how can they drive with all that piled into their car. Funny thing about most of these people don't mention about donating the mass amount of extras they have falling out of closets, bathrooms, kids bedrooms, garages, etc...but are not hesitant to show their amazing yet ridiculously huge stockpiles of everything you'd see in your local grocery store, and then some. It's as if they're waiting for some sort of apocolapse and brag about how they don't have to buy anything for a couple of years.
Now don't get me wrong, I am a couponer...not an extreme one yet but I've done quite well for our family saving anywhere from 30-80 percent on our grocery bill. I recall one occasion where my husband came along and as he watched the bill go up and up, ending at over $180, a tell him "watch the magic" and our bill went down to $63 bucks. Not bad for a newbie with coupons, no? But when it gets somewhat...odd, IE, 100 bottles of soy sauce and 50 packs of taco seasoning, it kinda reminds me of the show "Hoarders," and I start to think; is this an example of organized hoarding?
They have so much stuff...to the extent of families being slightly displaced, they're rude to shoppers and cashiers, their somewhat unorthodox methods of obtaining the coupons where they just don't care who it hurts or bothers.....
.....it's a bit of a disorder, me thinks.
I've been on the TLC blog/message board site where people are constantly asking where to obtain coupons and I'm thinking, "uh, don't you see the show? They say where they get them." It's interesting as I'm asked all the time where to get coupons(I get the paper and print offline) and I tell them proudly, sharing my wealth of wisdom in regard to that issue. What gets me is how they can get the items for free as I have yet to do that...and they won't be entirely free as our beloved governor has not only imposed a tax on using coupons here in Illinois, but for some reason stores in ChiTown aren't allowed to double except for the occasional Le K Boutique coupon double session, which doesn't allow you to use more than five coupons on one item, then the coupon cannot be over a dollar to double, so there are too many restrictions it is just not worth the trip, so it's a hard task here in ChiTown to get your items for free without a lot of stragedy and the possibility of getting double the value of your coupons.
But I'd like to get close to that goal, and I shall one day here in this great city called Chicago...with our without the government intervention, and without being rude to my fellow human being and the cashiers at my local grocery stores whom I love to begin with as they give us so much respect w/the fact we have our son's service dog along for the food run and know all of us by our first names...and I'd like very much not to alienate my family by not using up valuable real estate space or our kids' play space.
I would also donate as much as I could to my local food pantry, because there was a time when we had to rely on food from the local pantry. Not a pretty sight, and boy does it do a number on your spirit, and psyche.
But for the record we WOULD use those 60 plus mustard bottles as my family goes through a couple of bottles of mustard a week. We'd have the room then, no?
Check your local listings for TLC's lineup.
