Does anyone do "extreme couponing" here? I've just started...

[ragingbulls]

and thought maybe we could trade coupons or success stories?

[valley10]

I started to last year, but found it hard to extreme coupon for just one person. I do collect coupons and try to at least bring down the cost of household cleaning supplies, which is where the money really disappears.

I also subscribe to an online menu planning service that provides a shopping list based on the weekly sales items at the local grocery store. I seem to get the most bang for the buck with this approach.

[mwaters50]

I started to try to extreme coupon but it was very time consuming trying to find enough coupons to stock up on free items. I do on occasion see something I can't pass up a deal on and try to find coupons for that one item, but other than that, right now I'm rarely couponing at all! I get the concept, but I'm not able to execute right now. I have traded and bought coupons in the past, but I can't dumpster dive...sorry! Can't do it!

I'd love if we could start a couponing part of TN though! Maybe I could back into couponing on my own time, and not put 40 hours a week into it! Part of the concept though is to know IN ADVANCE what the sales are in order to prep!

[nwdealdiva]

Me! Well, maybe not extreme but I'm working on it. I get four Sunday papers and have quite a few sites I check for coupons. I also follow a couple blogs for my area so I know what sales are going on. I love going to Walmart and making them pay me to take stuff home. :p

What method do you use to store your coupons? I've just started using an enevelope/filing box type system. Works for me as I just take it with me and can check for coupons once I'm in the store. Binders seem too time consuming and bulky to me.

[ragingbulls]

I do "dumpster dive" but just in recycle bins, and just when I can reach in. My sister in law though, she climbs right in and I've gone with her. She once got like 160 smart source inserts from one dumpster dive!! I have also bought coupons on ebay when it was something we needed. For instance, you can get free pens now. They are a dollar each. I bought 20 coupons for 3.50. I got 20 packs of pens for 3.50 then. So that was a good deal for me, because with four kids and two adults, we ALWAYS need pens (and they don't go bad).

[macsmomma]

I do extreme couponing but have slowed down lately. I would love to trade coupons if anyone is interested.

[ragingbulls]

Me! Well, maybe not extreme but I'm working on it. I get four Sunday papers and have quite a few sites I check for coupons. I also follow a couple blogs for my area so I know what sales are going on. I love going to Walmart and making them pay me to take stuff home. :p

What method do you use to store your coupons? I've just started using an enevelope/filing box type system. Works for me as I just take it with me and can check for coupons once I'm in the store. Binders seem too time consuming and bulky to me.

I know! They paid me 66 cents last week to bring home a big stack of stuff. I don't clip. I just have a box in my closet where I store my inserts. Then I just pull the ones I need, clip, and THEN put in the binder. I just have a binder sheet for each store. So for instance, when I go shopping, I go to Walmart and I have the Walmart coupons all together, and I print out a list of what I'm going to buy. Then I have a Walgreens section, a CVS section, etc. I could never take the time to clip all of them. I usually only spend about an hour or so getting all the coupons ready and then 2 hours for shopping at all the stores. And then maybe an hour or two if I go dumpster diving with the SIL.

---------- Post added at 07:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:09 PM ----------


I do extreme couponing but have slowed down lately. I would love to trade coupons if anyone is interested.

If anyone has the $5 off purina coupon, I could really use them! My dogs love that stuff. It was in last weeks paper. I don't have babies, so I have tons of diaper coupons and lots of other stuff. Would love to trade!

[ccjp]

I would love to, but the stores in my area make it so difficult to even use coupons I rarely even bother anymore:(

[mwaters50]

I would love to, but the stores in my area make it so difficult to even use coupons I rarely even bother anymore:(

Just curious where you live and what stores you have?

[bridges6898]

I have tried before. Maybe I should get back into it. I am single and I don't have a lot of storage space so I is hard to stock up when there is a good deal. I still occasionally make trips to CVS.

[carebear]

Please forgive my ignorance as I've only been living in the US for a year....what is extreme couponing?

[mwaters50]

I do extreme couponing but have slowed down lately. I would love to trade coupons if anyone is interested.

I'd love to start trading again! I will have to start getting the paper again then, but I may be willing to do that! I'd love to have us start up a thread for this!

[nwdealdiva]

Extreme couponing is when people aim to get stuff free, stockpile, and use tons of coupons. There's an extreme couponing show on TV but some of those people are seriously nuts! It takes a lot of work but some can take 90% off their grocery bills.

[furby76]

I wish I had the attention span to clip coupons. I did get a really good deal on Diet Dr.Pepper at Dollar General today they were 3 for $3 and had a .55 coupon attached so .45 each is a steal ( in my book)

[carebear]

Okay - in Oz you can only use one coupon per product, are you able to use more than one coupon on an item at a time?

[ccfan]

I heard you can use some coupons for something other than what they were intended to be used for. Such as like if the first 4 numbers or something is the same, the UPC will scan as though it is valid even if it is the wrong product.

Isn't this a part of the "tricks" the people on TV use?

This is technically illegal though and some stores have started cracking down on this.

[valley10]

Nope, one manufacturer's coupon per item. Some stores allow you to "stack" coupons on an item by using a combination of an in-store coupon plus the manufacturer's but that's about it.

Where I am in California, none of the stores double on the coupon amounts anymore, so couponing is not that useful unless the item is on deep discount and I have a coupon as well.

[ragingbulls]

I heard you can use some coupons for something other than what they were intended to be used for. Such as like if the first 4 numbers or something is the same, the UPC will scan as though it is valid even if it is the wrong product.

Isn't this a part of the "tricks" the people on TV use?

This is technically illegal though and some stores have started cracking down on this.

I've heard that people do that, but I never have. Basically, I just go to the sites, see what is free or almost free, and then get that if it is something I use. Couponmom.com is a good site to start with.

[mwaters50]

I've heard that people do that, but I never have. Basically, I just go to the sites, see what is free or almost free, and then get that if it is something I use. Couponmom.com is a good site to start with.

Here is where I started too! You choose your state and store and she matches the coupons (and the date and edition) with what's on sale. She even calculates out the final price and % saved! I agree this is an awesome place to start!

[Sik06]

I love to use my coupons!! Lately I haven't had any time to do it though. I am new here and I have been trying to build my hits to 1000 (which I just accomplished) so I can get some decent paying hits. I love getting a good deal! I live in Upstate NY and shop at Tops. They double coupons up to 99 cents and you can stack store coupons and manufacturers. My store also gives you points for using coupons and the you get $$ off at their gas station. Right now I have 2.20 off a gallon for up to 30 gallons.

[Mutttz]

I haven't even attempted to do extreme couponing but it looks interesting just from what I've read here. I am going to have to check a few sites to see if it I can handle it.

Dumpster diving is a new one to me... where in the world do you do this at?


If anyone has the $5 off purina coupon, I could really use them! My dogs love that stuff. It was in last weeks paper. I don't have babies, so I have tons of diaper coupons and lots of other stuff. Would love to trade!

I haven't been through my coupons for last week yet but I have those ones, I can send them to you. I don't have babies either, just dogs but they don't eat that kind.

[snowkai246]

I do coupon, but far away from "extreme". Both of my main grocery stores double up to 99 cents & stack store and manufacturer ones together, so it's awesome winner with those 75 cent off coupons. Hitting up sale prices with coupons makes your store trip eventful. I usually save anywhere between 35 and 60% on average.


Dumpster diving is a new one to me... where in the world do you do this at?
When people do this, it's usually at their city's recycling center. There's laws against doing this - just depends from state/city on their regulations.

[sdmandjjm]

I don't do extreme couponing. But I do use coupons. The store I shop at doubles coupons up to $1. That's an awesome deal when they have sales on the coupons you have.

[nwdealdiva]

The biggest "trick" is to only use a coupon on stuff that's already on sale. Also some stores (Albertsons, Target, Walgreens) have coupons which print out when a certain item is purchased. So buying the razor that's on sale for $9.99, using a $4.00 coupons, and getting a $5 catalina for buying it and you've got a razor for $.99. ;) The extreme couponers are ones who spend time and are good at matching the sales, coupons, and special deals.

Clear as mud?

[ccjp]

Just curious where you live and what stores you have?

In Pa, mostly I frequent the local family owned stores.

[jdowling]

we haven't been doing it as much but we have gotten lots of free stuff before. I know I have a lifetime supply of hot sauce and mustard lol.

[Desert_Mama]

I don't do "extreme couponing," but we do use coupons. We also stock up on sale items.
The money we save using coupons goes into a special fund. For example, if we save $4.00 using coupons,
that $4.00 is taken out of our wallet and put aside. Half of that goes to an animal rescue group.
The other half is "mad money."

[modeezy]

I tried but apparently I'm horrible at it.

[tootsieroll]

I am a moderator at a coupon site - www.couponwithcents.com - and I have been couponing for over four years now. I save between 30 and 50% every week on groceries for our family of five, sometimes more if there is a good sale :) I really do not like the TLC show (Exteme Couponing) for so many reasons. Many of the shoppers will buy coupons from clipping sites, which is their choice, but they never include the costs of these coupons in their final savings. They also save catalina coupons (for money off their next purchase), and use multiples of these in their transactions - often this is against store policy to use more than a few in a transaction, but this is tv and has to be "extreme." They also purchase coupons for free products on eBay or clipping sites. It really isn't a 90% savings when you consider all of these things. Plus, it is showing new couponers completely unrealistic scenarios. The site where I belong is much more realistic, acknowledging that you can save big, but not stretching the rules.

[mimic20]

I always wondered how they get so many coupons in the first place. Seems like alot of work, but probably is worth it.

[nwdealdiva]

One of the ladies that was on Extreme Couponing has a blog I read regularly. She was very frustrated with the show for the reasons tootsieroll pointed out. She had saved Catalinas and they didn't let her mention them. I have heard them talk about buying coupons though. There is one lady I've seen on there twice that needs some psychiatric help. It makes me sad, she obviously has some major problems and coupons are an addiction with her. :(

My coupon goal this year is to build a decent stockpile and be able to make some major donations to food banks, women's shelters, and animal shelters this year.

[karen]

I normally don't but about 2 weeks ago, I was able to get 10 bottles of my favorite conditioner for .33 cents each. I was so happy, because regular price is $6 a bottle. I wish I could do more and have a stockpile. But unfortunately the stores around me don't participate in a lot of the national sales. For example the CVS stores near my sister has 10- 20 page circulars, while the ones near me are always 4 pages. Never more than 4 pages. It's so frustrating.

[aebaum91]

I do a little bit of couponing, but today is the first day I'm really going to try to do a lot. Our groceries are down to a can of coffee, a box of pasta, and some rice. I'm going grocery shopping today and hoping to use lots of coupons, though i doubt that will be Extreme Couponing level. :)

P.S. If anyone has some tips for cheap grocery shopping or using coupons, I'd appreciate it so much. Kinda stressed at the thought of shopping this evening.

[nwdealdiva]

Sunday are when the coupon books come out in the papers. There are some good sites that can help even if you aren't an "extreme couponer" I Heart the Mart is great for Walmart deals and remember that Walmart gives overage for coupons. So if you buy a $.96 tube of toothpaste and use a $1.50 coupon you get the entire amount of the coupon even if it means they give you money back! They will also price match so you can save gas by checking specials on other store's ads and making one stop at Walmart. There is an app called Grocery Smarts that matches up sales and coupons, they are used by quite a few coupon sites to get info. Make sure to check out the coupons you can print from Swagbucks. You get 10 Swagbucks per coupon used so it's like another $.10 off. It does take a while for them to show up in your account though.

What state do you live in aebaum91? I'll see if I have any coupon sites bookmarked from there. Good luck and I totally understand the stress of getting enough groceries with not enough money. :(

[aebaum91]

Thank you for the tips! I will look into all of them today. I found some Walmart and Hy-Vee coupons this morning. Hy-Vee is having BOGO sale, which is a pretty good deal when it comes to food. I live in Missouri. I really appreciate the help! :)

[TabethaC]

I do some extreme couponing. Though I haven't been doing as much lately. I mainly go to CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens and Target for most of my couponing and just get a lot of HBA and the occasional junk food. My grocery store deals aren't as good. I'm still learning at that.

[k8stack]

I do my major couponing at Rite Aid, and then whatever grocery stores have decent sales to match-up that week. I live in an apartment, so we don't have much room to stockpile. Drug Store couponing has a lot of rules, but you can easily get all your health and beauty items for free or pennies. It's a lot more work, because they all have their own "bucks" that you get back, and they have rather short expiration dates.

Extreme couponing, as seen on the show, is pretty rare (especially since the show came out and more people are trying to get those huge deals). I usually save 255-50% off retail, but I haven't paid for toothpaste since I started and I pay less than $1 for high end shampoo, conditioner, bodywash, etc. It doesn't come easy, though.

I use www.afullcup.com for all my couponing information. They post match-ups every week and have a member-maintained searchable database. It saves a lot of time.

[soulinstinct]

I just lost my job, so my roommate is helping me by buying the household stuff like food (he's fantastic, and his girlfriend's helping too), but when I'm the one buying everything I collect all the circulars and then go online to find coupons for sale items/coupons I have. There's a local store that does 2-3x manufacturer coupons! There was one time we could've gotten a bunch of pasta for free, but we already had so much it seemed silly to get it.. (It's an apartment, so there's not too much room.)

[spamgirl]

I coupon, but it sucks in Canada. No stacking, no doubling, and a LOT less coupons.

If you guys want me to start a coupon trading forum I could, you could post trade lists.

[pinkyts]

I coupon, and am in Canada as well. Walmart seems to be the best for using coupons right now, as they give overages. Out west you can stack at london drugs and save on foods. I like being able toilteries at very low costs, and use coupons to buy items to donate :)

---------- Post added at 09:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:24 PM ----------

The best website, in my opinion, for deals/coupons in canada is www.smartcanucks.ca :)

[EMfromOZ]

Dumpster diving is a new one to me... where in the world do you do this at?

One of the grocery chains in the city has covered recycle bins--one for cans and certain plastics (1 & 2 only), one for office paper, one for magazines, and one for newspaper. One day, as I was carrying a load of recyclables from my car to the bin, I heard a rustling noise. Since the doors to the bins are open, I thought some kind of animal had gotten in. Lo and behold, though, when I approached the bin I found a young woman sitting on top of the pile of newspapers, going through the inserts while looking for coupons. I think we startled each other!:o

[Sik06]

I use www.afullcup.com too. They have most any store you could think of on there.

[spamgirl]

The best website, in my opinion, for deals/coupons in canada is www.smartcanucks.ca :)

I agree - a few of us here are already over there. I've got a trade list up ;)

[ragingbulls]

I would love a trade list on this forum! I had a great trip to Walmart this weekend, got like 16 packs of pens, 5 things of white out, some KY Jelly, some hot sauce, some gum. My total was they had to pay me 2 cents. So good trip for me.

[drama108]

I did, but since I had my daughter, I just haven't had the time/energy to do it. I'm trying to get back into it. Nothing like the TV show makes it seem, but I do like getting over $100 of stuff at CVS for a couple dollars. That's a favorite store of mine. Couponing in general is almost becoming a necessity for me. I like to write to companies. Better coupons!

[ragingbulls]

I need to write to more companies. I did it once and got some Dial Coupons. But I keep forgetting to write. Thanks for the reminder. I like shopping at CVS too. Their system is easier than Walgreens I think.

[GnomyRose]

I would love a trade list on this forum! I had a great trip to Walmart this weekend, got like 16 packs of pens, 5 things of white out, some KY Jelly, some hot sauce, some gum. My total was they had to pay me 2 cents. So good trip for me.

Ha! That is awesome. I really need to take some time and check out some of these sites. I got interested in couponing a while ago, but a lot of the sites I had found relied on doubling for most of the savings. Since none of the stores near me double coupons, I got discouraged pretty fast.

[snowkai246]

I would love a trade list on this forum! I had a great trip to Walmart this weekend, got like 16 packs of pens, 5 things of white out, some KY Jelly, some hot sauce, some gum. My total was they had to pay me 2 cents. So good trip for me.
Argh.. I envy you Wally World shoppers. Being a public transportation dependent, it's hard to get around at times for the best sales - and Walmart usually scores the most on a given week, lol.

[tikuiaku]

I could be wrong, but I've always thought that extreme couponing was a bit too time consuming. There's no doubt that it saves money, but is it worth it? I guess I mean that if you were to skip couponing and spend that time on mTurk instead, would the money you make on mTurk be more than the money that hunting for coupons saves you?

[mawhite]

I've done a lot less couponing since we moved from the city for a number of reasons.

First off, when we were in the city, I lived in an apartment building that had a newspaper recycling bin. I could go through there and grab tons of Smartsource inserts. The RedPlum inserts came once a week and sat in the mailroom in their own bin. Almost no one took them, I couldn't believe it, so each week I'd grab handfuls of those too. We lived in a big city so within a 5 minute drive for me was a Rite Aid, Walgreens, Kroger, and WalMart was only 15 minutes away.

Those were the days.

Now I'm stuck out in the country where there's only one grocery store, and it neither doubles nor accepts internet coupons. There is a RiteAid though, so I still go to there.

Once a week I'll go over to CouponMom.com and get a list of what's 75% off to free at all the stores, and if there's something that's worth my while I'll make a run back into civilization where I can get to a Kroger, Walgreens or Walmart, but I really miss the couponing I was doing last year.

[tina1rules]

I tried to get the gras on extreme couponing, but it is just overwhelming. I have too many kids, a job and a disabled Uncle to worry about. If I could just get someone to send me a bunch of worthwhile coupons and map out a shopping trip for me, I think that would be awesome lol but otherwise I just clip what I may use and shop as usual. I have always tried to be organised and plan things, but after 34 years of life I have figured out that I can't do it.

[mommyof4]

I do it every once in a while. The last time was in December I got $600 worth of items for just $50. I really don't have the time right now but it is definitely worth it.

[purplestarfishx]

I clip coupons that look useful to me every week and also save the leftover inserts so I can go back and find something if I need it. Thanks for the info about the deal sites. Looks like I will be picking up some free pens and KY Jelly. haha

I sell coupons on eBay occasionally. If it's a $10+ coupon I'll usually list it for .99. I also sold 100 random grocery coupons for $1.99, but I probably won't do that one again as I feel it's too much to keep up with for so little money. I've seen it pay off big though - someone auctioned off 20 ($5 off I think) RedBull coupons and got $50 for them. 20 identical coupons is the limit.

Right now my favorite coupon is the $1.50 off 2 packages of Purina/Friskies cat treats. Purina Whisker Lickin's are $1.07 at my Walmart, so I get packs of treats for .32 each, and many have a $1 off 2 coupon attached that don't expire for a year. My cats are pretty stocked up on treats since I bought 20 of the coupons off eBay for a couple bucks.

---------- Post added at 03:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:54 AM ----------

Oh, and since we're sharing links - http://queenbeecoupons.com/coupon-database-find-your-coupons/

This is what I use to look up products to see if there is currently a coupon for it. This way I find a lot from product official websites as well.

[bestway]

I enjoy couponing but it can be a lot of work. In essence, the way to maximize your savings is to match a coupon with a sale. If you don't want to clip coupons every week, just wait for a sale. Then look at a coupon database to see if there is a coupon available. There are also many internet sites that will do these types of matchups for you. So, just find one that tracks your store and you're half way there. Trying searching for a site by using your store name followed by the word "deals" or "matchups".

[mommyof4]

There is also coupon clipping services where you can purchase certain coupons.

[mwaters50]

Ok, ya'll...I just had the newspaper start redelivering starting this Sunday! Who's up for some trading and what-not? Maybe we should all put our W/Ls together (if you don't have one that is.)

I love coupons!!!

[tina1rules]

I refuse to buy coupons. If you search coupons on Facebook and find one or two pages to like, they always are giving them away. They usually play little games and the winner gets a prize of random coupons. Facebook is a great place to find the best deals there are so many bloggers and couponers that dedicate themselves to passing deal info along.

[mykill86]

I refuse to buy coupons. If you search coupons on Facebook and find one or two pages to like, they always are giving them away. They usually play little games and the winner gets a prize of random coupons. Facebook is a great place to find the best deals there are so many bloggers and couponers that dedicate themselves to passing deal info along.

Thank you for that info!

[giall]

I don't want to pay for a ton of extra coupons either, so thanks for the FB tip. I'm far from an extreme couponer though. I usually only save between 5-10 dollars on a normal grocery trip, but for me that's enough to make a difference and make it worth doing.

[bestway]

I actually think that the "Extreme Couponing" show can give a wrong impression about couponing. Some of the people they show seem to be somewhat like hoarders. If everyone couponed like that, soon companies would stop supplying coupons. It also seems a bit selfish for these people to "clear the shelves" in a store when clearly they don't need another 100 boxes of pasta. Most couponing sites suggest that you just stock up for a 3 month supply when you see a deal.

[mawhite]

I totally agree. Especially when some of the stores bend policies for sake of the show. Things like allowing overages, or doubling over $1.00 coupons. It's a way for people to get very discouraged if they see a show were people are getting hundreds of dollars of items for less than $10.00, but the best they can do with their own couponing is 50-60% off (which is still very good, in my opinion).

And I hated the shelf sweepers when I was in an area that had a lot of stores. There were some Mondays that every single sale item on my list was already cleared out by the time I got there.

[vagabund]

I actually think that the "Extreme Couponing" show can give a wrong impression about couponing. Some of the people they show seem to be somewhat like hoarders. If everyone couponed like that, soon companies would stop supplying coupons. It also seems a bit selfish for these people to "clear the shelves" in a store when clearly they don't need another 100 boxes of pasta. Most couponing sites suggest that you just stock up for a 3 month supply when you see a deal.

Totally agree. I've gone many times to store and nothing could be found.

[drama108]

I personally think that the people on the "Extreme Couponing" show get their coupons from places other than the newspapers. You can pretty much tell that some of the manufacturers are involoved and sending them coupons to get certain items for free. Like the one lady that had over 20 coupons for FREE maxwell house coffee. Sure enough, Maxwell house was one of the brand names that was clearly shown as she shopped, whereas some other brands were blurred out. There's definitely something else going on there.

[Noalani]

I've been following this thread with interest....trying to figure out how to budget and cut costs. I came across another website that has good info and also a coupon link, www.AmericasCheapestFamily.com; hope this can be of help to someone! :)

[tootsieroll]

There are legitimate places to get coupons for free products, it does seem unlikely that a person would have that many free product coupons. There are product testing sites like bzzagent and house party where members receive coupons for free products to provide to party guests or spread the word about the product. I have gotten free glade, scrubbing bubbles, lawry's marinades, mahatma rice, the list goes on and on. I could have saved all of those coupons for a big sale and gotten a bunch of stuff for free.

Also, many of the people on the show are members or owners of coupon forums. They can and have asked their members to send them free and high value coupons to prepare for the show. There isn't anything wrong with it, but the show doesn't show all of the preparation that goes into one of those trips. The beginner couponer then assumes that those deals are everyday trips, when in reality they are not.

My best advice is to find a blog or forum that lists the ad previews for the stores you shop at most often. The ads are provided several days in advance and include sales prices, coupons that are available l, and even links to printable coupons that you can print instantly. I shop at Shop Rite and regularly read the sales ad coupon match-ups to make my grocery lists.

If you are interested, a great site is couponwithcents.com. I have known the owners through online forums for four years now, and the site is super helpful :)

[turkturk7]

I subscribe to the Hunt4Freebies & Hunt4Coupons blogs. I get emails each time a new post is up. I have to check my email often because the site posts multiple new posts each day, but the only way to get some of the freebies/deals is if you get a notification as soon as the post is up. Those online deals go really fast!

[hennamom]

I feel the show is unrealistic to a degree. I have seen people do really well in places that double coupons, but when you live where I do and there are no doubles allowed you have to really shop. My best deals come when I find items reduced for quick sale (like today Starbucks bean and ground coffee for $2 per bag). I really feel the show has been a huge disservice to those who rely on coupons.

There is a lady locally who orders inserts and clips them, she charges a clipping fee, it makes it great for getting 10 of one coupon or ordering only the coupons you need weekly.

[nwdealdiva]

Well it is Extreme Couponing not Normal Couponing. That would be boring. ;) I just remind myself that it's entertainment, not a how-to show.

One of the blogs I follow was on the show. It was interesting reading her take. She was actually quite frustrated that they didn't go over some points she wanted to make. It also wasn't a "normal" shopping trip for her. Tons of extra time and effort went into that trip.

[Rhain]

I'm not an extreme couponer, but I do use them. My only tip is to sign up for Target coupons. They mail out a bunch and you can sometimes find them in the Sunday paper. Target will allow you to use one of their coupons and a manufacturing coupon. I like saving $6 when I buy Olay stuff. :)
The coupons that you can print off of Target's website are manufacturing coupons and you can only use one of those. An actual Target coupon will not say 'manufacturer coupon' at the top and it will say that you may use one target coupon and one manufacturers coupon together in small print.

[TabethaC]

I went to CVS yesterday and I was able to get 4 Nivea lip balms, 2 Maybelline lip glasses, 2 tubes of Colgate toothpaste, 1 Oral B toothbrush, 1 Cadberry Creme Egg, and 2 Summers Eve cleansing cloths all for only $1.09 and received $7 ECBs back.

I've never been good at using coupons on food at the grocery store ut I usually get good deals at CVS and Target on other stuff. I mainly use We Use Coupons ( which has a ton of subforums for practically every store you can think of) and Totally Target to find out the different deals.

[amaeru]

I enjoy the show Extreme Couponing (because it is secretly my dream to own 1000 rolls of toilet paper!) but I know that I do not have the time or energy to clip that many coupons and get that organized. Not only that, but I think there are many factors that prohibit what we see on the show (store coupon limits, no doubling, stores don't have good matching sales on items that we have coupons for, etc.). That said, I do browse through my circulars and try to use coupons whenever I can. I usually end up saving ~5-10 dollars on my groceries weekly. I'd like to save more, but there will be no dumpster-diving for me.

[tjwillturk]

CVS has some pretty good deals from what I have seen.

[dblandon]

I'm fairly certain the stores allow policies to be broken in exchange for boatloads of free advertising. I have tried to use coupons whenever I can though.

[mammapia]

Wish it was good like that here is SoCal. No one doubles coupons anymore. No one lets you stack coupons, either. We do get gas discounts, but they usually top out at .10 a gallon.

[TabethaC]

Mammapia - CVS allows stacking when you use a CVS coupon and a Manufacture coupon. Target does as well. If either store isn't letting you, call their corporate number and tell them that your store isn't following the coupon policy.

[bestway]

Walgreens allows stacking also. This is a great way to get items cheaply.

[TabethaC]

Yes, Walgreens does too. I don't normally go to Walgreens. I'm a CVS girl myself. LOL

[macsmomma]

Just a heads up if anyone is interested. In this week's red plum there were coupons for 3.00 off any got2b hair product. And at walgreens they are 5.99 B1G1. I was able to get 6 for just tax.

[TabethaC]

I didn't think Walgreens allowed you to use two coupons on a buy 1 get 1 free sale? CVS has Got2Be hair products for $3.99 each. I keep meaning to look to see what kind they had when I go.

[cmkstar - closed]

CVS has some pretty good deals from what I have seen.

CVS is my favorite place to coupon! On Black Friday I paid $10 to take $200 of stuff out of the store. My boyfriend's jaw dropped when I walked in the door.


Wish it was good like that here is SoCal. No one doubles coupons anymore. No one lets you stack coupons, either. We do get gas discounts, but they usually top out at .10 a gallon.

Where in SoCal are you? I'm LA/Ventura county line- Vons doubles 1st like coupon, which helps. If you do shop at Von's (or another Safeway store), look up Tony Tantillo's newsletter for free printable coupons good on the produce section (also available in the produce section, but my store never has the new ones out). The other grocery stores are a pain though- they either don't double or they make up the rules as they go. I've found CVS, Walgreens and Target are the easiest to coupon at out here, mostly bc they do store q's that stack with the MQ's.

[Jewels]

I'm skeptical that it can really work like on the show. I've read that the stores featured on the shows will admit they are bending the rules just for show, or to be a good sport, but in reality they won't allow 8 cart fulls of stuff, 6 of their staff being utilized to bring stuff to your car all for $42.

[cmkstar - closed]

I'm skeptical that it can really work like on the show. I've read that the stores featured on the shows will admit they are bending the rules just for show, or to be a good sport, but in reality they won't allow 8 cart fulls of stuff, 6 of their staff being utilized to bring stuff to your car all for $42.

The people featured on the show are very unrealistic- buying 100 bottles of mustard? No way! Because of this show many stores are changing their policies because of people who watch it and then go out and abuse the system. That being said, it isn't unreasonable to get most toiletries and household products for free/cheap. We have enough toothpaste, deodorant, razors, shampoo, shaving cream etc. to last us a long, long time... and I got them all for free or got paid to take them out of the store. Groceries are the hard part- there just aren't as many deals on non-processed items like meats, fruits and veggies. We supplement this by gardening, buying in bulk/on sale or buying larger cuts and slicing them down ourselves.

[bestway]

I think that the extreme couponing show is giving couponers a bad name. These people just seem like hoarders to me or at the least greedy. I too worry that stores and manufacturers will change their policies on coupons.

[Jewels]

I saw one show where one lady was expecting and was trying to store up because she knew that after the baby was born it'd be hard to shop. She actually seemed sweet and paid her neighbor that she shared a garage with, with cat food to use up storage space. I sort of got it, but the other lady was a stay at home mother and being down to one income made things difficult. I completely understand this, however if the only way you can afford kids is to abuse the system, can you really afford kids?

[macsmomma]

I didn't think Walgreens allowed you to use two coupons on a buy 1 get 1 free sale? CVS has Got2Be hair products for $3.99 each. I keep meaning to look to see what kind they had when I go. Yes,they do. It is in their policy.

[TabethaC]

I went back to CVS today and got the last of the stuff I wanted. I got 8 bottles of various vitamins, 1 12 oz bag of m&ms, 3 bags of Planters trail mix, 6 bottles of lady speed stick deodorant, 1 bottle of SoftSoap body wash all for 98 cents. And I still have $1.49 on my CVS Cash Card and $5 ECB.

[tjwillturk]

I went back to CVS today and got the last of the stuff I wanted. I got 8 bottles of various vitamins, 1 12 oz bag of m&ms, 3 bags of Planters trail mix, 6 bottles of lady speed stick deodorant, 1 bottle of SoftSoap body wash all for 98 cents. And I still have $1.49 on my CVS Cash Card and $5 ECB.

That is not bad. Do you use coupons in combination with the good deals CVS has? And how many coupons do they allow you to use?

[cmkstar - closed]

CVS has a couple of ways to get deals with them.

Sometimes their sale price + coupons just turn out to be a good deal. Sometimes they offer store coupons that can be combined with a manufacturer's q's.

They also have a program called 'Extra Care Bucks' (aka ECB's) so if you buy qualifying items you'll get a ticket at the end of your receipt with a dollar amount on it that you can use as cash in the store (they're good for two weeks).

CVS also gives out coupons for $ off if you spend a certain $ amount (it varies).

They also run have a program that if you spend at least a certain amount on specially marked items in the ad they'll give you a gift card (lately this has been a CVS card). There was a while that I didn't have to buy gas because of the giftcard promo!

There's a couple other ways to save with CVS (Beauty Bucks, Quarterly Spending bonus, Green Bag tag), and as you shop with them you'll encounter/learn about those as well. If you Google "CVS Scenarios" you can get a fairly accurate idea of how other people set up their shopping trips to CVS- it gets addicting! Here's CVS's Coupon Policy (http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvscontent/faq/couponpolicy.pdf) to help you get started.

[tootsieroll]

Great info, kstar! I haven't been to CVS in a while since the closest one is 15-20 minutes away, though I went there weekly when I lived in Texas.

I do go to Walgreens often. I was able to get two packs of the Tylenol Precise pain patches for free yesterday. There is a $5 coupon in yesterday's paper, and Walgreens has the pain patches for $5 this week. At my regular grocery store last week, I got 5 bottles of Lipton tea and 5 bottles of Sobe for free, too. Nothing extreme, though, just taking part in the sales that the stores advertise.

[tjwillturk]

CVS has a couple of ways to get deals with them.

Sometimes their sale price + coupons just turn out to be a good deal. Sometimes they offer store coupons that can be combined with a manufacturer's q's.

They also have a program called 'Extra Care Bucks' (aka ECB's) so if you buy qualifying items you'll get a ticket at the end of your receipt with a dollar amount on it that you can use as cash in the store (they're good for two weeks).

CVS also gives out coupons for $ off if you spend a certain $ amount (it varies).

They also run have a program that if you spend at least a certain amount on specially marked items in the ad they'll give you a gift card (lately this has been a CVS card). There was a while that I didn't have to buy gas because of the giftcard promo!

There's a couple other ways to save with CVS (Beauty Bucks, Quarterly Spending bonus, Green Bag tag), and as you shop with them you'll encounter/learn about those as well. If you Google "CVS Scenarios" you can get a fairly accurate idea of how other people set up their shopping trips to CVS- it gets addicting! Here's CVS's Coupon Policy (http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvscontent/faq/couponpolicy.pdf) to help you get started.

Thanks! I just read if there is a buy one get one free sale and you have a buy one get one free coupon, you can get both items for free! Thanks for posting. I think I might seriously start heading to CVS.

[bestway]

I recently started shopping the "deals" at CVS. I have found their Extra Care Bucks (ECB) program very easy and pleasant to use. Walgreens has a lot of rules for using "Register Rewards" along with coupons. (These are Walgreen's version of Extra Care Bucks.) CVS doesn't seem to have any similar limitations on using coupons with ECBs. You are also given a longer period to use your ECBs than Walgreen's 2 week time period.

[TabethaC]

Yeah, CVS is the best when it comes to their rewards program.

---------- Post added at 04:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:51 PM ----------


Great info, kstar! I haven't been to CVS in a while since the closest one is 15-20 minutes away, though I went there weekly when I lived in Texas.

I do go to Walgreens often. I was able to get two packs of the Tylenol Precise pain patches for free yesterday. There is a $5 coupon in yesterday's paper, and Walgreens has the pain patches for $5 this week. At my regular grocery store last week, I got 5 bottles of Lipton tea and 5 bottles of Sobe for free, too. Nothing extreme, though, just taking part in the sales that the stores advertise.

I wanted to do this deal...price match at Walmart...but my area didn't get that coupon. I was quite bummed.

[tootsieroll]

I recently started shopping the "deals" at CVS. I have found their Extra Care Bucks (ECB) program very easy and pleasant to use. Walgreens has a lot of rules for using "Register Rewards" along with coupons. (These are Walgreen's version of Extra Care Bucks.) CVS doesn't seem to have any similar limitations on using coupons with ECBs. You are also given a longer period to use your ECBs than Walgreen's 2 week time period.

CVS deals are great, but there are limits to the ECBs that you can earn since it is linked to your card. At Walgreens, you are not limited to the number of times you can earn Register Rewards, though you can't use a RR from one company on another product from that company - well you can, but won't earn the RR on the second transaction.

For example, Huggies diapers are 9.49 with 2 RRs. You can use a manufacturer's coupon to pay 7.49 plus tax and earn 2 RRs. If you use that RR on another pack of huggies, you won't get another RR. You could use it on another product not from Kimberley Clarke to get a RR that can then be rolled into another pack of diapers. And you can keep doing this all week long, while at CVS you may only be able to do the deal once to get your ECBs.

[gabby354]

The CVS game to me is the rebate game. I'm just not willing to get up early enough to drive to get the deals. Drives me crazy, but my MIL gets me a $50 CVS gift card for Christmas every year. Can't go wrong with that, but I do like Walgreens better.

[cmkstar - closed]

My CVS is pretty good about staying stocked and is really good about the rainchecks, so it helps. I just started Walgreens and I'm definitely starting to see why people love it so much. When I first started couponing I was advised to pick one store and focus on learning how to do their deals correctly before moving on to other places, so CVS is where I cut my "couponing teeth" so I guess they're just familiar to me haha.

[TabethaC]

I think I am going to try out Walgreens this week since there are so many free after rewards deals this week. Not sure if my store will have anything left in stock though. We shall see. Can't go until tomorrow though.

[cmkstar - closed]

I think I am going to try out Walgreens this week since there are so many free after rewards deals this week. Not sure if my store will have anything left in stock though. We shall see. Can't go until tomorrow though.

I did Walgreen's today- it was wonderful :D

[TabethaC]

I am hoping to stop at the one here either tomorrow or Thursday. I may try Thursday because I know that my CVS gets their truck on Wednesday and things are stocked for Thursday morning and I want to get some stuff there. Walgreens and CVS are right near each other so I'll go to both then.

[cmkstar - closed]

Yeah, mine are right across the street from each other, it's nice. I wasn't too impressed with CVS's ad this week. I'm excited for next week though, Softsoap and laundry detergent, woohoo!

[Squarix1 - Closed]

I normally shop and walmart, but they never seem to have any coupons. :( I will use a coupon whenever I can though.

[TabethaC]

Yeah, Walmart doesn't have its own coupons. You can get good deals there something though.

[bakes]

You can get some good deals at Walmart with coupons, but I live in the Midwest and many of my stores double coupons up to $.99, so I normally do better with Meijer, Giant Eagle, and Kroger. I normally buy health and beauty products, and food at CVS and Walgreens. (Make sure you check out soups at the drug stores, they are often on sale cheaper than the grocery). There are some great couponing forums that make it much easier to save money.

[cmkstar - closed]

Walmart will price match other businesses in the area though and will take other store's coupon as a price match if they list a price (so Walgreens has gum for $0.69 as a coupon, I can use that at Walgreen as a price match). They also take all manufacturer's coupons and catalina's you get from other stores. They even take my Walgreen's register rewards as cash off the bill! They're also the only store I know of that will give you back any overage (Use a $2 coupon on a $1.50 item and you can get the cash back or put it toward the items in your cart). Walmart is awesome when it comes to coupons. :D

[TabethaC]

Yes, Walmart is getting better. It would just be nice if they had their own coupons or they doubled. But oh well. Also, I didn't think that Walmart accepted the Walgreens Register Rewards? I thought they stopped that?

[cmkstar - closed]

Mine still takes them because their coupon policy says they take catalina's that say manufacturer's coupon and have the info for them to submit for payment.

[bestway]

Walmart also price matches Aldi. I love price matching. It reduces the amount of running around you need to do to get deals.

[jdowling]

I have used competitor coupons at walmart before but never thought about using register rewards. That is an awesome tip thanks.

[coolcat]

At one time I toke couponing to the max by waking up at three o clock in the morning and hitting my 24 hour Kmart so no one could beat me there. My husband thought I had lost my mind. At the end of the week when I showed him all the receipts and the house full of supplies he quieted down. I brought so much lotion from two and a half years ago I still got twenty bottles (yes twenty bottles) full. Jergens and Vaseline lotion city in my home. Since I brought so much stuff I don't do very much collecting anymore. It is so fun getting items for free. Our poor Kmart could not even keep enough stuff in stock that the regular customers without coupons started complaining about us taking all the items. :D

[yurika975]

I am thinking of starting to coupon. I know it takes time and preparation. I just want to get some supplies in the cabinet. Stockpile my pantry.

[tsukiakarinoshita]

I want to, but I can never figure out how people find those crazy deals. Plus, the fact that I have SED (Selective Eating Disorder) makes it tough, since it's really anxiety-inducing to think about planning my food choices around what I have a coupon for...

[TabethaC]

I want to, but I can never figure out how people find those crazy deals. Plus, the fact that I have SED (Selective Eating Disorder) makes it tough, since it's really anxiety-inducing to think about planning my food choices around what I have a coupon for...

Try not to stress too much, couponing can be fun if you let it. Start off small. With one store and then work your way up. If couponing for food stresses you out then start off with non food items such as cleaning supplies or health and beauty.

Also, I use the forum at Weusecoupons.com. It is a great source for couponing. They have a subforum for practically ever store possible. They post the ads and will match up all available coupons that match that sale. It is a great place for a beginner.

[BlakeIsBlake - banned]

I don't do extreme couponing, but I do know some people that use illegitimate coupons, such as ones for free fast food meals.

[TabethaC]

Yeah, people aren't supposed to use coupons that are meant for something they aren't purchasing. It creates a bad name for any who does couponing.

[macsmomma]

Try not to stress too much, couponing can be fun if you let it. Start off small. With one store and then work your way up. If couponing for food stresses you out then start off with non food items such as cleaning supplies or health and beauty.

Also, I use the forum at Weusecoupons.com. It is a great source for couponing. They have a subforum for practically ever store possible. They post the ads and will match up all available coupons that match that sale. It is a great place for a beginner. That is the forum I use too. Do you ever do any trades on there?

[TabethaC]

No, I've never done any trades on there before.

[tsukiakarinoshita]

Try not to stress too much, couponing can be fun if you let it. Start off small. With one store and then work your way up. If couponing for food stresses you out then start off with non food items such as cleaning supplies or health and beauty.

Also, I use the forum at Weusecoupons.com. It is a great source for couponing. They have a subforum for practically ever store possible. They post the ads and will match up all available coupons that match that sale. It is a great place for a beginner.

I'll have to check that out. Considering that I'm really on a budget--I don't know where my rent for next month is going to come from, for example--any help is a big help. Thanks for the recommendation!

[pentimenti]

I've always liked clipping coupons more than I have enjoyed using coupons. I find it soothing.

[rosie436]

The krazycouponlady.com is another good couponing website to use, if no one's mentioned it yet. The women who run that site keep things fun. I use coupons more for bath and beauty stuff. It seems like its easier to get better deals on those things.

R. ;)

[TabethaC]

I managed to get 3 Revlon nail polishes, 1 colgate optic white toothbrush, and 2 bags of Easter candy for $1.59 at Rite Aid using in-ad coupons and other store coupons. Pretty sweet deal.

---------- Post added at 08:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:02 PM ----------


The krazycouponlady.com is another good couponing website to use, if no one's mentioned it yet. The women who run that site keep things fun. I use coupons more for bath and beauty stuff. It seems like its easier to get better deals on those things.

R. ;)

This is what I do as well. Mostly health and beauty related items. I do sometimes get good deals on food items at the store but not nearly as often. Though this might change when we get that promised Publix supermarket in my area. They get crazy deals there that go well with coupons.

[rosie436]

CVS is my favorite drug store for couponing. They seem to have good sales that match up with coupons, plus you get 2% back on your spending every quarter. My only complaint about Publix is that they don't do double coupons here in Florida. >:( But you're right, Tabetha, they do have good deals with coupons on their BOGO stuff.

[TabethaC]

Yeah, CVS is my favorite store too. Though Rite Aid and Walgreens give good weeks occasionally too.

[Elvis of Dallas]

and thought maybe we could trade coupons or success stories?

I just started doing some article writing about coupons last week - 50 articles in one week about coupons gave me a lot of links to review. There are a couple of really cool sites, but I'm leery of the ones that require payment for mailed, clipped coupons to be sent to you. Good software is useful if you want to use printable coupons because smaller savings don't really match up to the cost of ink and paper.

Good luck!

[cmkstar - closed]

I do have to say that I've given up on my local grocery stores for the most part. I do my produce shopping at the local ethnic shop, do my drug store couponing and only hit the big grocery stores for pasta/sauce deals, meat sales, milk, cheese, yogurt and eggs. I'm tempted to start making my own cheese and yogurt but haven't works up the nerve yet.

[TabethaC]

I just started doing some article writing about coupons last week - 50 articles in one week about coupons gave me a lot of links to review. There are a couple of really cool sites, but I'm leery of the ones that require payment for mailed, clipped coupons to be sent to you. Good software is useful if you want to use printable coupons because smaller savings don't really match up to the cost of ink and paper.

Good luck!

Most clipping sites are completely legit. I think many of them allow payment through Paypal. I've used a few clipping sites for coupons and have had great experiences with them. I also use ebay to get coupons.

[sweetberry]

I stopped "extreme couponing" in December 2011 after my printer cartridges become expensive and I started eating vegan more. In the last month, I have started to get a handle on saving on vegetation products and going back to the basics of couponing. I don't hit down those daily deals like others but I am slowing getting back into it. Just trying to be more environmentally conscious while saving is hard.

[tskmoore]

I love couponing and consider it another job. I know that I would spend atleast another $50 a week if I did not coupon.

[turker88]

My couponing habits are not really extreme, but I do try to combine mfg coupons with store coupons whenever I can.

[Drkangel]

I try to coupon for what my family needs. I got lost in the extreme couponing part for a little while but it was exhausting trying to go to all those stores every week. Now if its a great deal and I'm headed that way for something else I'll drop in otherwise I just try to time my trips to the grocery during their coupon events.

[TabethaC]

OK, I went to CVS today and I did two transactions. First transaction I got Biore pore strips and Biore cleanser. When you buy any 2 Biore products you get a $5 ECB back. The other week we got a coupon where if you get 1 Biore pore strip, you get a Biore Cleanser free. Some of the products have a $1 coupon attached to them. You can use these coupons together. I also used a $5 ECB. I paid $2.13 out of pocket after taxes.

2nd transaction - I got 6 Suave body washes - they were on sale for 3/$6 and when you buy 12 you got a $4 ECB back. In yesterday's paper there was a coupon for buy 2 get 1 free. I had two of those coupons. I also got 2 tubes of Colgate Optic White toothpaste. They were on sale for $3.49 each, when you buy 1 you get a $2 ECB back. You can do this deal twice. So, I got two of them. Last week we got $1 off coupons for the Colgate Optic White. I also used a $3/$15 CVS coupons that I got and $8 in ECBs. My total came out to be zero. I got back $8 in ECBs from the Suave and the Colgate.

So not too bad. $2.13 for face cleanser, pore strips, 6 body washes and 2 toothpastes. And I still have $8 to use at CVS next time.

[TabethaC]

If anyone is interested, Harris Teeter is doing a triple coupon week until Tuesday.

[shellers]

I used to try to get into this. I would really like to try again, but it's just so hard to find the time you need to put in to be really good at it.

[Dragonmom]

I'm another person who coupons regularly, but I wouldn't call it in an "extreme" fashion. Saving even $10 to $40 a week for my family adds up over time though.

[binderlady]

I was doing really good until this year. It seems the coupons are not as good this year and they don't seem to match up with our local sales. I get the coupon previews and then they are never in my areas paper. I live in a rural area with one Walgreens 20 miles away. They run out of stuff almost before the sale even starts. I had been getting a lot of coupons from our library's box but it hasn't had many in it either. Has any one else been thinking this or is it just me? I need to email my local wal-mart cause they have not updated there system to scan the new barcode on the internet coupons. If they won't scan they won't take it so I don't want to waste my ink and paper.

[eeka]

I got into it for a while, and I sometimes still do the coupons on Swagbucks for things like soymilk that we buy every week, but for the most part I find that the store-brand stuff at Trader Joe's is cheaper and of higher quality than buying brand-name things and using coupons. For drugstore stuff I can usually get it on Amazon for much less than at a store with a coupon.

[redheadch2]

I love saving money, but the stockpiling took too much work, that I don't have currently with the kids and all. I do still coupon but I have drastically cut back on what I get. I would save a ton on stuff we would use, but I seemed to still be spending a ton to get the quantity. Now I think I am going to focus on menu planning so I can shop just once every 2 weeks and get smaller quantities, all the while saving as much as possible, of course! :)

[KuKuKachoo]

Stockpiling works if you follow the sale cycles and don't buy more than you need to last you a couple of months. I save an average of 80%. I live in a 1 bedroom < 1000 sq.ft. apartment, and I have more than enough space to store my 'stockpile.'

For instance, I haven't bought toothpaste, toothbrushes or hair ties since Black Friday, even though there have been plenty more opportunities to get them for free. I don't have can rotation systems because I don't have that many cans. I don't have a deep freezer either, but that's one thing I've been thinking of investing in (as I'm starting to find that loads of other foods freeze well, not just meats.)

I'm just hoping I can get that Got2Be heat protection product I use for free again before I run out. Fat chance, though.

[qtkitty]

Personally I do not like using coupons unless its for something we use regularly, because then it sits and spoils. Then I get angry.

The local paper does not do coupons any more here, so to get coupons we would have to buy some major newspaper on Sunday. We have a few stores and one that offers double coupons up to 99cents.

[646count]

I started a few months ago but it didn't work very well for me either, being in southern Calif., like was said earlier, there is no coupon doubling around here which would really make a difference. I'm not into brands so much and most coupons are for brands. I can find better deals at my local WinCo. I know there aren't many in Calif. but if you have the chance, you should visit. They do take coupons, but still off brands are usually cheaper than brands with coupons, for what I buy anyway. It does take a lot of time, but can be worth it if you shop that way.

Here's a site where you can print what you want http://grocerysmarts.com/

and this site has all kinds of helps and hints and printable coupons too http://thekrazycouponlady.com/

[li mama]

I don't do extreme couponing, as I haven't got the room for that sort of stockpile, nor would I want one! I do coupon for our everyday needs though, and keep a price book so I always know is a sale is really a sale!

[jdowling]

Last week we had buy one get one free pantene shampoo coupons and kmart had a sale for buy one get one 50% off so we got four bottles for like two bucks or something with two coupons. We ended up with 12 bottles for six dollars pretty good deal in my book.

[thadius856]

Do not "extreme" coupon because I don't have a large enough family or house to store all of the free stuff for years on end before I can use it.

But I do coupon regularly. Cut down a $350/mo food budget down to about $150/mo while adding quite a bit of chicken.

[bettalove]

I usually save 1/3 by primarily buying in store sales and using my "member discount" card. I'd like to do better, but I haven't figured out the coupon finding end.

[eatglitter]

I would love to get back into couponing a little more but none of our stores do the triple or double coupons :( LAME!

---------- Post added at 07:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:24 PM ----------

Wow, that is awesome!

[Michele72]

I don't think I could ever do 'extreme couponing'. I don't have a huge family, I have little to no storage space in my little kitchen and I don't have the patience to sit and cut out 100s of coupons. I do try to use coupons whenever I can.. sadly our Sunday paper here kind of sucks and sometimes there aren't even coupon inserts in them. I had a special subscription price but it's about to expire and I won't pay $2 for a paper if there's no coupon insert.. I don't use the paper for anything else so it would be a waste.

Once I can afford ink for my printer again I can just start printing them offline.

[laurao22]

Newspapers usually do not have coupon inserts on holiday weekends. There are places online where you can find the schedule and preview of upcoming coupons so you will know if it is worth it to get a paper that weekend (without having to search the paper in the store). But sometimes one paper will get a certain coupon and others will not.
I agree, the coupons are the best thing in the paper.

[ajmom]

I started couponing a few years ago. Grocery store competition is very high in my area, so the stores will usually make any coupon worth $1. That really adds up.

When I first started, I went a little crazy I got 6 papers and grabbed all the freebies I could. I was so impressed with my 6 free bottles of mustard! LOL I just used the last bottle (what was I thinking?) :o

Now I get 3 papers a week from the dollar store. It is perfect for my family of 4.

[BoomMike - Banned]

I started couponing a year ago. I found that at the very least, I save $8 off my weekly grocery bill with essential stuff I buy anyway. I get two sets of inserts a week, so not that extreme... but I think the big saver is cereal. If you wait for it to go on sale, you can get boxes for an average of $1.50, and as cheap as 74 cents. Which is a huge savings when you consider when it's not on sale it's probably $4.00.

I also found it helpful to clip coupons for "new items", because most of the time I find it on clearance a month later because nobody bought it.

[Jessann]

I get my Sunday paper and clip out all the coupons that are things I ALREADY buy. Then I go through grocery store ads and see where they are on sale at, if at all. I wouldn't call this extreme, but I do save a lot of money, on food and personal care products. I never buy anything I don't think I will use within the next month.

[DJCynic]

I may make someone sting when I say this, but extreme couponing seems greedy to me...:p

[Michi0122]

It may seem greedy but the coupons are there for people to use. Why pay money for something when you have the option of legitimately getting it for free? I don't get how people can actually get free items from couponing. Where do you even get a coupon for free stuff? The only kinds of coupons I ever find are .15 off a $10 item with a "cannot be used with other offers or coupons" clause.

[cmkstar - closed]

It may seem greedy but the coupons are there for people to use. Why pay money for something when you have the option of legitimately getting it for free? I don't get how people can actually get free items from couponing. Where do you even get a coupon for free stuff? The only kinds of coupons I ever find are .15 off a $10 item with a "cannot be used with other offers or coupons" clause.

When I coupon I don't usually get stuff for free, but it all depends on the store you shop at and what kind of deals you're looking for. At my local Vons they'll double any coupon up to a max value of $1, regardless of what the coupon says. So when toothpaste, paper towels and stuff like that goes on sale for $1 every couple weeks I'll make sure I pick them up. Last week I found Heinz ketchup on sale for $0.99 and was able to get it for free w the doubled coupon. The place that I get the most "free" stuff is at drug stores. Between the manufacturer coupons and the store coupons/discounts, it's hard not to save money.

Last week I was able to get two Physician's Formula facial creams, two Physician's Formula eyeshadows, 2 bottles of Pantene (shampoo and conditioner), Nivea hand cream, a bottle of Tide and got back a $10 gas card for $12.09 out of pocket. I already spend over $10 a week on gas so if I offset that from my budget it's like I spent $2.09 for all that (or I spent $12.09 but saved $10 on gas).

I feel like I do "right size" couponing. The money we save on food/household products makes up for some of the hourly wage I give up while working from home. I don't buy for the sake of buying or try to get every deal, my stockpile fits in my cabinets and anything we have that is excessive is given to family or donated. Like thadius, I was able to bring down a $350/month budget down to $150 for a family for 3 (and this includes personal care/toiletries and cleaning/laundry supplies!).

The best suggestion I can give to anyone who's trying to start couponing or just save on their grocery budget is to stop shopping based on a menu or what looks good in the ad and start looking at what you consume on a regular basis. If you buy chicken every week, no matter what the price is, try stocking up on chicken when it's on sale so it'll last until the next sale (for example: boneless, skinless chicken breast is on sale for $1.97/lb but is normally $3.97/lb. If you buy 2lbs on sale but then 2lbs/wk for the next three weeks at the regular price, you'd spend $27.76. If you'd purchased 8lbs when it was on sale you'd have spent $15.76... a $12 savings!). The same goes for pasta, cereal and all of that. By buying your most frequently used products at their lowest price in advance, you save money. You don't need to buy a year's supply all at once (the biggest objection I hear to couponing is that there's no room), just enough to last until the next sale, 4-8 weeks later.

[tina1rules]

I clip coupons, I do not store tons of stuff, no room. But I do agree about the meat, buy it up when it is onsale fersure!

I came to say about Target. They have coupons online a lot, and they come in the newspaper once in awhile. The great thing about target coupons are they are usually high value and you can pair it up with a regular manufacturer coupon! I friggin love it!

So right now i have one target coupon for 5$ of a Gillette fusion razor and cartridge and a manufactures for 3$ off. the items are roughly 10 bucks after taxes so that is 20 bucks - the coupons = 12 bucks. . .but wait if you buy these two you get a 5 dollar gift card, which is kinda like a refund to your pocket so these expensive razors are now around 7 bucks.

So if you coupon always check Targets site and Match-up with coupons you already have! They do these gift card deals all the time too!

[emilysnow]

What is a catalina exactly? And why is it called a catalina?

[cmkstar - closed]

What is a catalina exactly? And why is it called a catalina?

Catalinas are the coupons that print out at the register. They're distributed by the Catalina Marketing Group.

[Azuredragoon]

I did extreme couponing for a week, the main problem was I ended up having a lot of stuff I really didn't need or could use effectively and a lot of junk food. I'm sure it would work better for a family than a single person.

[qwerti]

I've been starting to coupon a little. I think it just takes patience to wait for something good sometimes. I had a big score at CVS with a bunch of on sale items combined with coupons. I got $50 worth of stuff for $9 and $10 in extrabucks back. It's just me, so I'm picky, and I wait for the scores. My mother gives me her paper and I buy one each Sunday. It's new to me but I also think reading the coupon blogs is so helpful.

[Mominct]

I love it! I don't do it as the show states (as many things they do are illegal).. but I shop with coupons, save 75%+ and have a basement that looks like a small grocery store :) It's been a hobby for years, I was published a few times with articles on how to do it, why, etc..

It's a really fun hobby to get into! And helps the family at the same time ;)

[sburch75]

I love it! I don't do it as the show states (as many things they do are illegal).. but I shop with coupons, save 75%+ and have a basement that looks like a small grocery store :) It's been a hobby for years, I was published a few times with articles on how to do it, why, etc..

It's a really fun hobby to get into! And helps the family at the same time ;)

You may need to start your own thread with tips :)
I've never had a huge stockpile (2 teenage boys and a younger daughter who eats as much as them). But I do save where I can!

[Mominct]

sburch75 - I'd gladly share my tips, there are alot. It's a great time of year to start, coupons + black friday = Major Savings!! It's my favorite time of year to shop ;) I understand about the food moving, we have a "tween" and an 8 year old so I have to shop twice a week to keep up, which is new to me. The eating non-stop has just started a few months ago!