How To Save Hundreds On Groceries By Extreme Couponing: Is This Hoarding? Ethical? Can You Save?
Posted: Thursday, January 13, 2011
by Fran Larson
http://www.franniesquotes.com/
I watched with interest as TLC presented one of their new programs, “Extreme Couponing.” It seemed like a reasonable way to spend an hour. Maybe I would get some good tips on saving coupons. How could I not benefit?
A few minutes into the program, I realized Nathan Engels was indeed extreme. The program conveniently did not say how long he had been collecting coupons. They stated that he began clipping coupons shortly after being married and realizing they had a combined credit card debt of $15,000. The program went on to say that they now spend in a month what they used to spend in a week on groceries. The show also talked about double coupons.
- Foodway
- Food World (some locations)
- Hitchcocks
- Harris Tetters
Mr. Engel said that you could eat healthy, even if you collect coupons. He also commented that he follows a weight loss program and buys produce at full price, since coupons for those items are rare. "It's expensive to eat healthy, but it's possible," he says.
On Extreme Couponing, Engels buy $5,743 worth of items -- including 1,100 boxes of cereal, 300 toothbrushes and 60 bottles of hand soap -- for just $241.00, a 95% savings. Welch estimates she saves 30% to 50% each time she shops. "I usually don't do any better than 50%," she says. "But I do the happy dance when I do."
Another person on the show was Joanie Demer (I didn’t see this show). She began clipping coupons a few short years ago with a college roommate, thanks to advice of a family member. The two got $700 worth of groceries for just $100 that first week and there was no turning back. Now she's known as the Krazy Coupon Lady. "We thought we'd died and gone to heaven," recalls Demer. She's since written a book and runs a Web site. (walletpop.com).
My philosophy is that anything done in extreme is not health. As a matter of fact, in the case of Mr. Engels, I think it borderlines on hoarding. Did I mention they showed his garage, which looked like a mini market? He stated that he had enough supplies to last for a couple of years. Is that really saving money or hoarding? Why does he need 300 toothbrushes and 1,100 boxes of cereal? Would the cereal stay fresh? The program showed (as an afterthought) that Mr. Engels would be giving some of the cereal to charities, but I don’t recall it saying what kind of charity.
Although it wasn’t mentioned on the show, my research revealed that many of these extreme people “dumpster dive” to get these coupons.
Then there is the ethical part. The program showed all the cashiers helping Mr. Engels with his many grocery carts and watching as he cleaned the store out ($5,743.00 worth of groceries for $242.00)
To be fair, my research also shows that the Manufacturers reimburse the stores. Remember that the Manufacturers budgeted for coupons, made them, and put them into the grocery shopping world (southernsavers.com).
Is Saving Coupons Really Worth It?
My opinion, is by the time you go from store to store (and pay over $3.00 a gallon for gas) and are forced to buy name brands (instead of house brands), I don’t know that it is worth it. Do I want my garage to look like a mini market? Do I want to devote my whole life to clipping coupons and even diving into a dumpster? (Mr. Engel probably had been saving for years; I understand, from my research, you have to have thousands of coupons available at all times. I am not sure the program mentioned that fact.)
Having said that, balance, again is the key. If I can save a couple of bucks on items I really need, why not? I am not against being frugal and saving money.
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)This guy does sound awfully obsessed, Fran. I'm surprised he hasn't started a shop of his own! I'm sure it won't be long. Yes, balance in everything. People can go kind of beserk on the concept of saving money, but it can be as neurotic as over-spending!
Hi Fran.
I don't really clip coupons. First off, we don't take a daily paper and so we don't get those "circulars" with the coupons. We do shop at Costco a lot and they put out coupon booklets from time to time. But I only buy the things we always use.
Sometimes it means "stocking up," as in facial tissue or plastic zipper bags. But there is no worry of them "going bad" before they can be used up.
I don't believe you can eat healthfully if the only food you buy is what you have coupons for. And like you, I think that anything taken to extremes is not healthy; either for the mind or the body.
Well written, but somewhat disturbing article ... the information in it that is.
Hugs,
Dianne
.................e
Balance is the key to so much, isn't it? I agree with you that this sounds like hoarding in the clinical sense. Do these people deduct a reasonable hourly rate from their savings? Not so much of a savings then...To me, my time is worth more than the dollars :D
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