Extreme Couponing

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Now, if you read this article, I applaud this woman, but what can anyone do with 62 bottles of mustard? But, the other night, while shopping at Giant Eagle, with coupons, as I always have done for years, I was amazed when, my bill would had been 63.01 but, after redeeming the coupons, they paid ME, $3.01! This was a first for me. And, I didn't get one bottle of mustard, but instead, dog food, other food products, milk, OJ, etc., and a cheesecake!
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J'aime Kirlew, 34, cut nearly $14,000 off her grocery bill last year by clipping coupons. That's not always as easy or practical as it sounds. It means finding room at her home in Montgomery Village, Maryland to stockpile over 100 cleaning wipes, 200 soaps, 70 bottles of laundry detergent, 60 boxes of cereal, 450 rolls of toilet paper and 250 paper towels.

She struck up a friendly rapport and a deal with her local newspaper carrier: he brings her the unsold newspapers, she recycles them for him. Kirlew spends hours clipping coupons, set up a database on her computer to track her savings and pre-orders goods at her local grocery stores so she doesn't clear the shelves and upset other customers. She now has her own website and describes herself as a coupon "diva."

Her extreme couponing began when her husband took a pay cut in April 2009, and continued in earnest when he lost his job a year later. She will never turn back into a regular shopper, even now that her husband found a new job. Kirlew appears on TLC's 12-part series, "Extreme Couponing" to mixed reviews and questions about their behavior.

Of her own coupon-clipping, Kirlew says, "I'll never stop."


Pay Dirt: There is only a finite amount of left-over newspapers to go around. Do you have any competition from rivals?

J'aime Kirlew: I've never seen that in my own neighborhood. But I've taught 750 people how to extreme coupon over the last two years. I teach people to be courteous to others shoppers, and to never clear the shelves.

Some say extreme couponing takes advantage of the system.

I learned how to shop this way because our finances changed, as did the state of the economy. I've donated to the food bank that I frequent because I've bought too many perishable items, and I'll make purchases for friends and give them the bag of goodies. The way that I'm shopping is part of the new economy. I provide as much as I can to my family and spend the least amount.

What if manufacturers put strict limits on the amount of coupons allowed per person?

Stores make money from coupons and receive a kickback from the manufacturers based on the amount of coupons redeemed. The price of food has gone up and sizes of our containers have gone down. I don't see manufacturers refusing the consumer to buy a brand named product at a reduced price. I haven't bought a generic item in two years.

What was your biggest shop?

I paid $103 for a $1,900 grocery bill. Three friends of mine came over. We clipped for about 10 hours over four days. My 11th Commandment is "Thou shalt not pay retail." I typically know the month that things go on sale. If it's possible for me never to pay retail, I won't.

You say that with pride.

Absolutely, I definitely took it on as a challenge.

What do your three children say about this?

My kids have everything they need. We never have to run to the store when there's a snowstorm for anything we need because we've got it.

Have you treated yourself with the savings you've made?

I just treated myself to a four-day cruise with 13 girlfriends to the Bahamas. I saved enough cash to be able to do that.

Is it a passion or an obsession?

I think it's both. I'm passionate about giving and providing for other's needs. It's also an obsession. I could never shop the old way again.

This article is part of a series related to being Financially Fit
 

AlexandraM

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When it comes to shopping, it depends on the shopper whether or not they will use their coupons extremely, almost as if hoarding. If you do donate or give some of the perishable goods to others, then that's one good thing. We're all looking to save cash in these troubled times. Coupon cutting is one way to conserve cash on groceries and other products. But not every penny is worth the cost of earning it. TLC's reality show "Extreme Couponing" depicts an action that, for some, may become a dark obsession. Article source: Coupon clipping can help but it has a dark side.
 

JohnfrWhipple

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We clip coupons to.

Two days a go my wife bought six tubes of Crest Toothpaste for $0.75 each. That was pretty awesome.

It is hard to keep track then all.

Buying basics in larger stocks is the best valvie most times we find so we often buy like one year of dishwasher soap and break it down into smaller containers.
 

DonL

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There is a lot of Fraud with Coupons.

I have seen reports where companies issued 1000 legit ones and over 3000 were redeemed.


When I get behind someone with Coupons, I go to another lane.


They Need a Coupon lane and get rid of self checkout where Coupons can not be used.
 

JohnfrWhipple

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My favourite is the Entertainment Book the kids sell every year.

Entertainment-2013BookSlant.png


Photo: Source

Costs like $25.00 dollars to buy but always full of savings.

We typically get all our money back in one night out with the kids. It also is a good idea book for play dates with the family. Sometimes these attractions are not worth what regular admission is but the appeal of saving 40% of list is enough of a push to make you go.

We have driven by the mines here in Vancouver for years and never went. Took out the coupon and spend an entire day last year up past Squamish. Awesome day - worth every penny, the drive and we went because we saved like $20.00.

I'm not much of a grocery coupon guy unless the coupon is stapled to my shopping list. This happens about once a leap year! lol

JW
 

DonL

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My favourite is the Entertainment Book the kids sell every year.

Entertainment-2013BookSlant.png


Photo: Source

Costs like $25.00 dollars to buy but always full of savings.

We typically get all our money back in one night out with the kids. It also is a good idea book for play dates with the family. Sometimes these attractions are not worth what regular admission is but the appeal of saving 40% of list is enough of a push to make you go.

We have driven by the mines here in Vancouver for years and never went. Took out the coupon and spend an entire day last year up past Squamish. Awesome day - worth every penny, the drive and we went because we saved like $20.00.

I'm not much of a grocery coupon guy unless the coupon is stapled to my shopping list. This happens about once a leap year! lol

JW



That is cool if it helps out the kids.

I have bought the books to help out, and may only use 1 coupon, if any.


Coupons are for Females to redeem.
 

Dj2

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"Coupons are for Females to redeem."

Only half true. They are for men too. Smart men that is.

Coupons transfer the costs from one segment of the population to another. What does it mean? it means that if you use coupons, somebody else pays for your purchases, and it's not the market or the manufacturer.

Isn't "food stamps" the same idea?

Isn't "section 8" the same idea?

Isn't "affirmative action" the same thing?

Isn't "government deficit" the same thing?

Don't get me started.
 

DonL

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"Coupons are for Females to redeem."

Only half true. They are for men too. Smart men that is.

Coupons transfer the costs from one segment of the population to another. What does it mean? it means that if you use coupons, somebody else pays for your purchases, and it's not the market or the manufacturer.

Isn't "food stamps" the same idea?

Isn't "section 8" the same idea?

Isn't "affirmative action" the same thing?

Isn't "government deficit" the same thing?

Don't get me started.



I never claimed to be too smart.

I just don't drive out $20.00 worth of gas to save $1.00 like Some Females do. Or drive around in "circus" to get a closer parking spot. Most need the exercises.


But I get your point. More Power to you.
 
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BobL43

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I never claimed to be too smart.

I just don't drive out $20.00 worth of gas to save $1.00 like Some Females do. Or drive around in "circus" to get a closer parking spot. Most need the exercises.


But I get your point. More Power to you.
Don, again, if this was Facebook I'd give you a "like" No, I did not say 'lick" , just a like. If you were Kate Upton, it'd be different though. LOL
 
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