Josh Elledge - Chief Executive Angel
When the TV show Extreme Couponing hit the airwaves, the jaws of the nation collectively dropped to the floor. $2000 worth of groceries for $100? There is only one word for it: unbelievable!No, really, the show is completely unbelievable. Or at least it is for those of us who live in LOND (that would be the Land of No Doubles), play by the rules and don't have unlimited hours to spend on couponing each week. Before you feel too bad about being unable to buy enough groceries to feed a small army using only the money in your change jar, consider these ways extreme couponers get their savings and why the strategies may not work for you.
They are doubling coupons ““ lots of coupons
The extreme couponers on TV are almost always using double coupons to get items for free or nearly free. Not only that, they are using stacks of coupons, and the store is doubling each and every one.
However, the reality is that stores are seriously restricting their double coupon policies. West Michigan shoppers have long found themselves in LOND while other parts of the state are following suit. Earlier this year, Meijer discontinued double coupons at many of its mid-Michigan stores, and Detroit-area Meijer locations only double two of the same coupon at a time, up to 50 cents each.
They may be buying coupons online
Some of the extreme couponers may be getting their stacks of inserts and coupons from family, friends or dumpster diving. However, others may be buying coupons online so they can purchase extra items and make their shopping trip look all that more impressive.
For example, 16 year old Joel made a splash on the show with an amazing haul. But after the show aired, the Coupon Information Corporation reported the coupons he used to score free toilet paper were counterfeit. Typically, the only way counterfeit coupons end up in a shopper's hands is when a couponer uses a clipping service.
Fraud aside, buying coupons online adds to the total cost of the shopping trip ““ a cost that isn't reported on TV.
They are using overage to pay for other groceries
Extreme couponers often use overage to cover the cost of items that aren't on sale or free. Let's say they have a $1.00 off coupon for a product that costs 75 cents. That extra 25 cents is their overage. It's how some people pay for extras on their shopping trips, and it seems to figure in prominently on many of the extreme couponing trips you may see on TV.
The problem with overage is that, like double coupons, not all stores offer it. In our example above, rather than giving a shopper a 25 cent credit, a store may reduce the value of the coupon down to 75 cents. That means no overage, and no opportunity for you to get paid to shop.
They make multiple transactions
Catalina deals often play a big role in extreme couponing scenarios. These deals are when you get a coupon at the register for money off your next purchase. An example could be found at Meijer last week. Spend $15 on Dannon yogurt products and get a $5 coupon for your next shopping trip.
To make the most of these Catalina deals, some shoppers split up their order. That way they can get the Catalina coupon multiple times and each time, use it immediately on their next transaction. I've seen extreme couponing shows where the shopper has more than 30 transactions planned. That might work on TV, but it's not practical for most regular shoppers.
Multiple transactions may also be used to get around store coupon policies or other sale restrictions.
Multiple transactions may also be used to get around store coupon policies or other sale restrictions.
They spend hours in the store
Along with their multiple transactions, the extreme shopping trips shown on TV are all day affairs. These shoppers are spending 4, 6 or even 12 hours in the store. Again, it makes for great TV, but the average shopper simply doesn't have the time (or patience!) to spend that long walking the aisles and standing in the checkout.
While the extreme shopping you see on TV isn't necessarily a realistic portrayal, don't give up on couponing all together. Our SavingsAngel members can save 50 percent or more on their grocery bill by spending as little as an hour each week on their couponing. Remember: there is no need to be extreme to get extremely good savings!
SavingsAngel is VIP-level savingsfor busy people.
The bestcouponerssave hundreds of dollars every month at the grocery store. However,couponerscanend up living very extreme lifestyles to get those savings. For over five years, SavingsAngel.com has equalized the playing field ““ giving extreme savings to busy families who don't have the time or ability to be a full-timecouponer. Each week, SavingsAngel.com's team of more than 70 angels combines over 2,000 products on sale at local grocery and drug stores with an enormous database of over 2,000 different manufacturer coupons. These combinations result in our members getting access to over 300 products each week for 50% off or better. Simply log in, choose the deals you want, print or clip only the coupons you need, and save hundreds of dollars a month at regional and national stores. Our angels will personally work with you to craft a plan that will help you buy healthier food at lower prices ““ helping you keep $200 to $400 in savings each month.
