Marina, I have long felt the same way about those "donating" shelf clearers. I realize that Extreme Couponing is a television show that doesn't necessarily portray reality. But of the clips I've seen, all I see is garage after garage full of shelves of products. They aren't being donated to anyone. And I can't count the number of times I've read "the early bird gets the worm". Excuse me for working a full time job! I can't run to the store the minute Cindy Homemaker posts a deal online. :-/
I agree with Marina. I have been a vegetarian since the age of 13 (39 now) and a health nut all my life. My family and I do not eat processed foods. We eat fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grain breads and pasta, rice, etc. All of which I DO find coupons for on a regular basis. Granted, you do have to go look for them. You don't see too many in the Sunday paper. And unfortunately, the families being portrayed on this show are by and large clipping coupons from the paper - which are indeed for junk food.
I'd love a price book app that would let you list and easily view prices at multiple stores. The I'd know the best place to stock up on soap and the best store to buy my favorite shampoo.
I kind of dream of getting an iPod Touch, but I don't actually have one, so I just play with my little sister's smartphone. Since I don't have one, then, I can't promise my idea doesn't already exist.
Anyway, I'd really like to have an app that helps me find stores that sell fair trade coffee. I'm a nerd about my coffee and I like supporting the fair trade movement, so this would be perfect for me.
@Guest - There's nothing "pyramid-like" in the Empire Building Kit at all! It's not an organization, rather it's simply a product (an educational course) for sale.
"Although most people overuse over the counter mediations as it is and if you reach for a bottle of pills every time you have a headache you need to grow a pair"
Was that seriously necessary? Try living in chronic pain or with chronic health conditions. Sometimes what you have on the shelf is all you have, especially if you don't have health insurance. There is nothing wrong with wanting pain relief and nothing is more frustrating than when you can't find it so you can do things like function.
You are absolutely right! I just watched the show for the first time and was sickened just like the first time I watched hoarders. It's organized hoarding by addicts with too much time on their hands. No wonder my favorite cheap spaghetti sauce is always gone when I need it.
I buy a couple gallons of milk when it's on sale and freeze all but one; I buy lots of eggs when on sale and freeze them in ice cube trays (yes, it can be done). Certain things that we use often I try to buy the biggest size-- unless the price per unit is cheaper for smaller quantities.
I'd have to disagree; yes, the majority of coupons are for processed foods. But I consistently get tofu, shirataki, salad, almond milk, dried fruit, Cuties and other produce coupons. You will find some produce coupons on individual store web sites and inside individual stores, like Safeway. I have to say I love snack food coupons as well, I have several bars of good dark chocolate and about a dozen bags of Kettle Chips...wait, probably not a good idea but sometimes I like a treat!:).
You are exactly right! Unless you are the Duggar Family with 19 kids you don't need that much anything. I would love to see these people with 77 mustards donating them to a shelter.
Until recently I really didn't even know there was such a thing as coupon fraud. Then again until recently I didn't use coupons. I can safely say I am nowhere near being an extreme couponer, but I do take the time every week to clip coupons and look for sales between Publix and Target. Those are the two closest stores to me and I will not go out of my way to go grocery shopping.
I haven't watched the show but I hear enough about it and I have a friend who extreme coupons, which I actually learned something about couponing from her. I'm grateful for her sharing her experiences. But in spite of all that, I will never be able to be an extreme couponer.
I would add to the letter you write to just type your name, don't sign your name. It is very easy for someone in the electronic age to use a scanner and forge your signature.
You are so right. Not only is it greed, it is poor impulse control. I started couponing almost 2 years ago. When I first started I got about 14 bottles of shampoo for free, and I still have it so I don't buy more. My stockpile is pretty minimal, there's enough coffee, cereal, juice, soap, etc to last a couple of months, and I'm very comfortable with that.
That being said, there is that adrenaline rush that you get when you first start raking in the free or almost free items. Some people grow out of it and others justify their addiction by saying that they are "donating". Regarding the most egregious shelf-clearers, find it very hard to reconcile their generosity to donate with their gluttonous need to clear shelves, and sense that in most cases they are trying to justify their addiction. I'm on couponing blogs all the time and read about steadfastly religious couponers talking about shelf-clearing as "early bird gets the worm". I find it baffling that they justify selfishness in order to later "donate". Whatever. I say POOR IMPULSE CONTROL.
My best tip is to look ahead as to when the bigger sales such as those hosted by churches or senior centers, or an estate sale, or an official neighborhood association sale is taking place in your part of town. Southeast Michigan also has a garage sale genre called Mom 2 Mom that is only "kids stuff." If that's common in your community, look for those announcements.
Then schedule your sale the same day that a bigger sale will be in your neighborhood.
Reason: Some of us aim our time and attention to the multi-family or church sales. But if there is a single family sale near the big sale, then I may stop by to see what they are selling.
Finding for scholarships is hard when there are so many out there, but it's great to have ideas like these to help take the pressure off when applying for them!
Ed,
To get the real flavour of a whiskey, you'd need to keep distilling it down to about 50% alcohol by volume. That's what they do with Scotch and Irish whiskey. "Cask Strength", it's known as. Vodka always has a cut-off point of around 90%, which is why it's relatively tasteless. And as Phil has pointed out, ageing it with oak makes all the difference really.
Disclaimer: I have seen only clips, no full episodes of the "Extreme Couponing" show.
I'm not certain I would call myself an extreme couponer. But I do use coupons and save a lot of money. I haven't paid more than $0.50 for most personal care products in years (most things I get free). Now, I am single, so I use fewer things that a couple or family.
I agree with the commentors who say that you can do a lot of coupon shopping without it taking a lot of time. And, for me, it may save time as I don't have to worry about running out of toothpaste or breakfast cereal when I want to it. I've always got more in my pantry. Dealing with coupons and making a list takes me probably 1-2 hours per week. Shopping takes probably about the same, as I generally end up going to a couple of different stores to get the best deals. I'm fortunate to have most stores within 2 miles of my house and I can combine shopping with my other errands. I do eat some processed foods, but not a lot. My big savings come from non-food items. And I pass on to friends or donate what I don't use (the crisis pregnancy center loves it when I end up on the baby formula mailing lists and have lots to donate to them).
Like many of the other commentors, I think that people who "extreme coupon" like I do are definitely more the rule than those who are portrayed on television. We're not all horrible people, most of us just like to save some money and don't mind spending a bit of time to do it. :)
I have only seen clips of the show, but something I found extremely disturbing was the obese couple purchasing 100 Butterfinger candy bars. And the woman yelling at her husband and treating him like a child because she lost count of how many Butterfingers were in the shopping cart - she is a total nutcase. Much of the other product they purchased was processed, pre-packaged junk. This is why much of America is obese people! Personally, I couldn't care less if they clear the shelves, because I'm not interested in eating those kinds of "foods" anyway. I feel sorry for the children of these extreme couponers if they are on the same kind of diets as their parents.
I so agree with this article. when I first saw these people I thought I am so bad at this, then saner thoughts prevailed. Why would I need 77 bottles of ketchup. I don't want to clutter up my life with things I will never use. i don't want to take so much that someone else will never get any. i just want to have a nicely stocked cabinet for my family. if I can get extras for free occasionally, i donate them to my local food pantry. There are a lot of needy places we could put all of this excess energy instead of becoming serial hoarders.
Thank you for this insight. I thought I was the only one that thought these people were crazy buying so much stuff that they'll never use it all in their lifetime. How is that saving money?
I totally agree. It's good that it helps with the expenses but if it would lead to addiction and hoarding, then it's not worth it. Buying in excess just because you can have it for way less its usual worth isn't really what I call wise.
Marina, I have long felt the same way about those "donating" shelf clearers. I realize that Extreme Couponing is a television show that doesn't necessarily portray reality. But of the clips I've seen, all I see is garage after garage full of shelves of products. They aren't being donated to anyone. And I can't count the number of times I've read "the early bird gets the worm". Excuse me for working a full time job! I can't run to the store the minute Cindy Homemaker posts a deal online. :-/
I agree with Marina. I have been a vegetarian since the age of 13 (39 now) and a health nut all my life. My family and I do not eat processed foods. We eat fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grain breads and pasta, rice, etc. All of which I DO find coupons for on a regular basis. Granted, you do have to go look for them. You don't see too many in the Sunday paper. And unfortunately, the families being portrayed on this show are by and large clipping coupons from the paper - which are indeed for junk food.
I'd love a price book app that would let you list and easily view prices at multiple stores. The I'd know the best place to stock up on soap and the best store to buy my favorite shampoo.
I kind of dream of getting an iPod Touch, but I don't actually have one, so I just play with my little sister's smartphone. Since I don't have one, then, I can't promise my idea doesn't already exist.
Anyway, I'd really like to have an app that helps me find stores that sell fair trade coffee. I'm a nerd about my coffee and I like supporting the fair trade movement, so this would be perfect for me.
@Guest - There's nothing "pyramid-like" in the Empire Building Kit at all! It's not an organization, rather it's simply a product (an educational course) for sale.
For more information on pyramid structures (and multi-level marketing), check out this article:
http://www.wisebread.com/multi-level-marketing-the-future-or-folly
"Although most people overuse over the counter mediations as it is and if you reach for a bottle of pills every time you have a headache you need to grow a pair"
Was that seriously necessary? Try living in chronic pain or with chronic health conditions. Sometimes what you have on the shelf is all you have, especially if you don't have health insurance. There is nothing wrong with wanting pain relief and nothing is more frustrating than when you can't find it so you can do things like function.
Looks like a new type of pyramid scheme.
You are absolutely right! I just watched the show for the first time and was sickened just like the first time I watched hoarders. It's organized hoarding by addicts with too much time on their hands. No wonder my favorite cheap spaghetti sauce is always gone when I need it.
I buy a couple gallons of milk when it's on sale and freeze all but one; I buy lots of eggs when on sale and freeze them in ice cube trays (yes, it can be done). Certain things that we use often I try to buy the biggest size-- unless the price per unit is cheaper for smaller quantities.
I'd have to disagree; yes, the majority of coupons are for processed foods. But I consistently get tofu, shirataki, salad, almond milk, dried fruit, Cuties and other produce coupons. You will find some produce coupons on individual store web sites and inside individual stores, like Safeway. I have to say I love snack food coupons as well, I have several bars of good dark chocolate and about a dozen bags of Kettle Chips...wait, probably not a good idea but sometimes I like a treat!:).
I MIGHT actually go through that much mustard in a year, but I am far too lazy to do it with coupons.
You are exactly right! Unless you are the Duggar Family with 19 kids you don't need that much anything. I would love to see these people with 77 mustards donating them to a shelter.
Until recently I really didn't even know there was such a thing as coupon fraud. Then again until recently I didn't use coupons. I can safely say I am nowhere near being an extreme couponer, but I do take the time every week to clip coupons and look for sales between Publix and Target. Those are the two closest stores to me and I will not go out of my way to go grocery shopping.
I haven't watched the show but I hear enough about it and I have a friend who extreme coupons, which I actually learned something about couponing from her. I'm grateful for her sharing her experiences. But in spite of all that, I will never be able to be an extreme couponer.
I would add to the letter you write to just type your name, don't sign your name. It is very easy for someone in the electronic age to use a scanner and forge your signature.
That lady makes me mad.
You are so right. Not only is it greed, it is poor impulse control. I started couponing almost 2 years ago. When I first started I got about 14 bottles of shampoo for free, and I still have it so I don't buy more. My stockpile is pretty minimal, there's enough coffee, cereal, juice, soap, etc to last a couple of months, and I'm very comfortable with that.
That being said, there is that adrenaline rush that you get when you first start raking in the free or almost free items. Some people grow out of it and others justify their addiction by saying that they are "donating". Regarding the most egregious shelf-clearers, find it very hard to reconcile their generosity to donate with their gluttonous need to clear shelves, and sense that in most cases they are trying to justify their addiction. I'm on couponing blogs all the time and read about steadfastly religious couponers talking about shelf-clearing as "early bird gets the worm". I find it baffling that they justify selfishness in order to later "donate". Whatever. I say POOR IMPULSE CONTROL.
My best tip is to look ahead as to when the bigger sales such as those hosted by churches or senior centers, or an estate sale, or an official neighborhood association sale is taking place in your part of town. Southeast Michigan also has a garage sale genre called Mom 2 Mom that is only "kids stuff." If that's common in your community, look for those announcements.
Then schedule your sale the same day that a bigger sale will be in your neighborhood.
Reason: Some of us aim our time and attention to the multi-family or church sales. But if there is a single family sale near the big sale, then I may stop by to see what they are selling.
Finding for scholarships is hard when there are so many out there, but it's great to have ideas like these to help take the pressure off when applying for them!
Ed,
To get the real flavour of a whiskey, you'd need to keep distilling it down to about 50% alcohol by volume. That's what they do with Scotch and Irish whiskey. "Cask Strength", it's known as. Vodka always has a cut-off point of around 90%, which is why it's relatively tasteless. And as Phil has pointed out, ageing it with oak makes all the difference really.
Disclaimer: I have seen only clips, no full episodes of the "Extreme Couponing" show.
I'm not certain I would call myself an extreme couponer. But I do use coupons and save a lot of money. I haven't paid more than $0.50 for most personal care products in years (most things I get free). Now, I am single, so I use fewer things that a couple or family.
I agree with the commentors who say that you can do a lot of coupon shopping without it taking a lot of time. And, for me, it may save time as I don't have to worry about running out of toothpaste or breakfast cereal when I want to it. I've always got more in my pantry. Dealing with coupons and making a list takes me probably 1-2 hours per week. Shopping takes probably about the same, as I generally end up going to a couple of different stores to get the best deals. I'm fortunate to have most stores within 2 miles of my house and I can combine shopping with my other errands. I do eat some processed foods, but not a lot. My big savings come from non-food items. And I pass on to friends or donate what I don't use (the crisis pregnancy center loves it when I end up on the baby formula mailing lists and have lots to donate to them).
Like many of the other commentors, I think that people who "extreme coupon" like I do are definitely more the rule than those who are portrayed on television. We're not all horrible people, most of us just like to save some money and don't mind spending a bit of time to do it. :)
Yea definitely not worth the effort.
I have only seen clips of the show, but something I found extremely disturbing was the obese couple purchasing 100 Butterfinger candy bars. And the woman yelling at her husband and treating him like a child because she lost count of how many Butterfingers were in the shopping cart - she is a total nutcase. Much of the other product they purchased was processed, pre-packaged junk. This is why much of America is obese people! Personally, I couldn't care less if they clear the shelves, because I'm not interested in eating those kinds of "foods" anyway. I feel sorry for the children of these extreme couponers if they are on the same kind of diets as their parents.
I so agree with this article. when I first saw these people I thought I am so bad at this, then saner thoughts prevailed. Why would I need 77 bottles of ketchup. I don't want to clutter up my life with things I will never use. i don't want to take so much that someone else will never get any. i just want to have a nicely stocked cabinet for my family. if I can get extras for free occasionally, i donate them to my local food pantry. There are a lot of needy places we could put all of this excess energy instead of becoming serial hoarders.
Thank you for this insight. I thought I was the only one that thought these people were crazy buying so much stuff that they'll never use it all in their lifetime. How is that saving money?
I totally agree. It's good that it helps with the expenses but if it would lead to addiction and hoarding, then it's not worth it. Buying in excess just because you can have it for way less its usual worth isn't really what I call wise.