Hello, for quite a while I have watched the television series "Extreme Couponing". I know shows can exaggerate things but I was curious to know if it truly works in real life. What are the methods of extreme couponing and what are some easy ways to find coupons. Has anyone here actually practiced it successfully and if so, what is your advice on it?
I used to watch that show and always wondered if that really did work out as was shown. I have tried to do it myself but with no success as most coupons have loopholes and can usually only use one coupon at a time. Maybe it is possible but one must be an expert or at least have some experience doing it like the people in the show. It also takes much time and dedication to get it right.
@kamai I see. Thank you for your input, it is much appreciated. Extreme couponing seems like an effective way to live and save money. Especially in the times we live inn now. If you come across any type of information regarding it or even how to be successful with it, please inform me. It would be greatly appreciated.
It does work in real life. I save a lot of money from coupons and I really always do bulk buying when it comes to groceries. You won't feel the savings though if you are not a Bulk buyer who buys things for a long term.
This is one area that I wish I was better at and I know that I cam improve, but i still will never be as good as some people that I know. I guess you have to know where to look.
Sure, you can save a lot of money with couponing, but there are a lot of variables. It takes a lot of time, effort, and research to be a pro at it. First, you have to make sure that stores in your area allow you to do all the extreme things shown on this series (and I haven't found any that do). You need access to good and useful coupons. You have to make sure that the product is really a savings, even after using a coupon (sometimes, a different brand is cheaper, even without a coupon). You also have to be careful not to buy stuff you don't need just because it's a really good deal. Some people end up overspending that way, which defeats the purpose of savings in the first place.
@thisnthat Thanks, aside from the show would you recommend any specific books or websites that will help with using extreme couponing or is it something you just need to practice on your own?
I don't practice it. It just hasn't worked for me, but then again, I'm in a rural area without many stores around, so there isn't a lot of competition here. I find the Krazy Koupon Lady to be interesting and informative. You might like it too. There are quite a few sites and apps that talk about coupons, share coupons, and even sell them. You can probably also find some right here (and if not coupons you can use, freebies and other hot deals). Have you tried sites like Retail Me Not or those that give back money when you shop through them?
I have watched that show before and am amazed that these people can get what they do for such low cost or free. I truly don't understand some of them though and why they need hundreds of certain products such as toothbrushes or candy bars. Some of them I have seen that they get foods that you would normally buy and it makes more sense to me. I have never tried to become an extreme couponer since I just don't have the time or the patience to go through ads, coupons, and make spreadsheets outlining my purchases and such. I always forget to use the few coupons I do get when I am at the store.
That's a really good thing to keep in mind, @morgoodie. Is it really saving money if you're buying tons of stuff that you don't really need or won't ever use? I think some of these people are just obsessed (I guess that's why they call it "extreme" ha ha). I do get a bit excited over finding great deals and saving a good chunk of money, so I see how this could become addictive. For me, it just doesn't make sense to spend that much time and energy (and money) buying stuff, just because it's cheap. It's taken me a while to learn not to overbuy, but I try to avoid doing it now.
I used to have The Krazy Coupon book and some other ones when it comes to saving money with coupons. Sometimes, you can get free stuff like I did a few times or had a sunscreen at a cheaper price with a paper coupon and an app to save some money as an example or two. I haven't utilized apps like Ibotta and getting loads of coupons since that is extreme. Plus, I don't have a permanent place with my hun. We pay weekly at a studio place. Now somewhat stressing over money because this Friday we gotta pay up for another week to avoid paying more than we have to.
My oldest daughter has gotten really good at this. She got some stuff free, some that ended up costing only a penny, and she even ended up getting a dollar back after making a purchase with coupons. Wow. I have really got to look into this more, since I've never been able to pull off anything quite that good. Maybe she will give me lessons in extreme couponing, ha ha.
Lol You definitely need to come with her on her shopping trip and see how she does it. More than likely, she was able to sometimes combo the store coupons with manufacturer coupons and/or sales at the stores. She might be using things on her phone to help her save more with Ibotta, Checkout, Receipt Hog and so forth. Can make extra income with this option. Sometimes having things that are free or extremely cheap is hard to do and it's got to be perfect timing in order to make this work for you. Your daughter would teach you how she does it and use the tricks she showed you so you can save and make money.
I haggle with the price but I never used a coupon before. Maybe I don't buy much in a grocery store that is why I don't need to use them and I don't have the patience to hunt down coupons. But if this works for others, by all means, go for it. My Dad was into couponing before, but he also likes to buy things at a flea market.
