Extreme Couponing

Homesteading & Country Living Forum

Help Support Homesteading & Country Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

bigadam

Super Friend
Neighbor
Joined
Sep 16, 2013
Messages
33
Location
Taunton, MA
I don't know if this has already been brought up since i haven't been very active over the last few months due to a crazy stage of my life right now. But i was a birthday party tonight and extreme couponing was brought up. What does everyone think about this and when SHTF do you think this will make you more of a target or do you think it will put you in a better situation to barter for different things you may need?
 
I don't know if this has already been brought up since i haven't been very active over the last few months due to a crazy stage of my life right now. But i was a birthday party tonight and extreme couponing was brought up. What does everyone think about this and when SHTF do you think this will make you more of a target or do you think it will put you in a better situation to barter for different things you may need?
Don't think you could use coupons itshtf. I seen a T.V show in the U.K about extreme couponing in the U.S. They don't have it in the U.K...wish they did cause it sound's great and I'd do it for sure, Free prep's are the best one's. Coupon away and don't care what anyone think's.:)
 
yeah it's been talked about.and i believe couponing is a great idea..as for couponing after tshtf.nope,it aint happening.seeing how there wont be any shopping afterwards...i wont barter afterwards..i wont even let others in my area know that i have anything for them.im prepping for me and my mom only..and if things settle down a few months later on .i might barter then.but things gotta be just right if i do..here's a link to that topic...

http://www.doomsdayprepperforums.com/index.php?threads/adventures-in-couponing.3055/#post-37454
 
I can't imagine prepping WITHOUT doing some good couponing, unless you're simply that well off. As for making you a target or not...only if folks KNOW you do this. I think they'll be in a good position post SHTF, but only IF they stocked things folks will want to trade for. The tricky thing about barter post SHTF, is that you'll need the same things your potential traders will need, so you can really only barter with things you have a surplus of, or things you don't need, that others will want (like cigarettes if you don't smoke, for example).
 
I don't know if this has already been brought up since i haven't been very active over the last few months due to a crazy stage of my life right now. But i was a birthday party tonight and extreme couponing was brought up. What does everyone think about this and when SHTF do you think this will make you more of a target or do you think it will put you in a better situation to barter for different things you may need?
Post the shtf folks will try kill you and take it from you, Don't tell anyone anything only trade with folks you really really trust and even that's a risk....Me I've got nout mate;)
 
Personally I think it's dumb my wife tried it for a few weeks after she watched the the first episode of that show. She spent hours clipping and trying to organize coupons into various orders. Granted what she did paid off we saved around 85 dollars but a lot of the stuff she had to but several of just too up needed space for more practical items I thought we needed.
 
I am all for it but it may take you away from prepping. If you do it from time to time like once a month or once every two months then ya I am all for it.
 
my mom is watching extreme couponing right now..and OMG!!! that lady has got loads of stuff..i know where id bugout to if i had her address..lol..

i get emails for printing coupons.i simply go through them and choose which ones i need/want..and then print them up..i do this when ever i get one of the emails.
 
my mom is watching extreme couponing right now..and OMG!!! that lady has got loads of stuff..i know where id bugout to if i had her address..lol..

i get emails for printing coupons.i simply go through them and choose which ones i need/want..and then print them up..i do this when ever i get one of the emails.
I'm mad we don't have couponing over here, 1 coupon per transaction only:(
 
My wife has an accordion style folder she keeps them all in. She puts them all in categories and in date order, so she can toss out those no longer valid. We find that you accumulate quite a few coupons as you go on, and so the prep time isn't nearly as bad... Just the recent Sunday paper and online sources....to add to it. It takes time, but I tend to save anywhere from 40-60% on average.

We also have a Bravo supermarket near us, and their prices on meat are damn good. Often, we'll hit there just for meat and produce (and a few other things they have that are either unique or cheaper) and then hit our regular Publix supermarket. Yes, I know Wal-Mart price-matches, but that is a time-wasting pain in the rear, unless you like taking forever to check out. Besides, better shopping experience at Publix.
 
My wife has an accordion style folder she keeps them all in. She puts them all in categories and in date order, so she can toss out those no longer valid. We find that you accumulate quite a few coupons as you go on, and so the prep time isn't nearly as bad... Just the recent Sunday paper and online sources....to add to it. It takes time, but I tend to save anywhere from 40-60% on average.

We also have a Bravo supermarket near us, and their prices on meat are damn good. Often, we'll hit there just for meat and produce (and a few other things they have that are either unique or cheaper) and then hit our regular Publix supermarket. Yes, I know Wal-Mart price-matches, but that is a time-wasting pain in the rear, unless you like taking forever to check out. Besides, better shopping experience at Publix.
I've abandoned all the big U.K supermarkets after the horse meat scandal...that was the last betrayal for me, Not that I'm against eating horse but the sneaky way they all did it!!!!
 
Extreme couponing is good, however I found out that it wasn't worth my time, our local store never has the good sales like they show on TV, as well as the fact that they do not double coupons. Those were the bigger issues. Then was the fact that half of what I had coupons for wasn't even available in my local stores. So in the end I saved about $50 on stuff we normally wouldn't buy, and the fact that no one liked most of it, so to me it wasn't worth the time.
 
Yeah, if not in an area that does double-coupons, kind of difficult to do some of the things they do. Still, we certainly try and save what we can. Only a couple hours work each Sunday, to save hundreds on groceries, so worth it.
 
One of the biggest factors of couponing is TIME. My wife recently found out about this one site that basically bills you $5 a month, and does the work for you (which is TOTALLY worth it, for the time saved). I'll have to post the info once I get it from my wife. I believe it's only for Publix (which is a southeast US chain). However Publix is excellent for coinciding their sales/deals with manufacturer coupons, etc. (besides being just the best grocery store to shop in).
 
I have a friend that lived in Florida and she said they had a Publix there and it was great, she used coupons, and said she got tons of free stuff doing it there. However foodlion and IGA are my closest stores. And neither do double coupons.
 
We don't do double coupons in FL either. But if you work it right, you can really clean up still.
 
I use some coupons, but now it's only on what I will normally use on a daily basis. However occasionally I will try something new, if it's on sale and I can add a coupon to it. Between the few coupons that I use and the store discount card. I end up saving about $40 to $50 per trip, which isn't lots but it is something. That $40 to $50 though adds up, and if I put that money in the bank every 2 weeks. I would have plenty at the end of the year.
 
Last time we did a big shopping trip, we spent $400 shopping for a whole month for 5 people, with a savings of about $250 on the receipt (so $650 worth of stuff for $400). Definitely worth the clipping. And that doesn't even really count all the savings, as we noticed while some things rang up right, the savings didn't make it to that tally.
 
I actually bought the "Extreme Couponing: Learn How To Be A Savvy Shopper and Save Money... One Coupon At A Time" book based on the TLC show called Extreme Couponing so I could learn some and save money. I plan to make a few caches of food and supplies for myself and my parents.
 
Sounds good. Let us know how it worked out for you. Im really curious.
My mother in law and her sisters were big into couponing. They sent so much stuff over, we are still using name brand soap that nobody ever paid a dime for. Thats been 5 years now.
Im sure we will get into it once we are back in the states.
 
Interesting thing I learned this weekend. Apparently, you CAN double up coupons at Publix IF you use the digital coupons too. So, potentially, you could have a digital coupon, a store coupon, and a manufacturer's coupon for the same item, and basically triple coupon it. We did this with some Mio drink drops, where we had a digital coupon, manufacturer's coupon, and it was buy one get one free in the store. Woo Hoo!
 
dried pasta and mashed potato flakes store just as long too.
add canned fruits too.
If able, home-canned is best. Keeps longer.

Other things that may not come to mind:
1. Spices (just because it is SHTF is no reason to not be civilized)
2. Salt
3. Flour
4. Sugar
5. Butter Powder (because regular butter won't keep, and making it is hard work)
6. Cheese Powder (same as with butter)
7. Evaporated Milk and Canned Milk
8. Cleaners and household chemicals (hard to make these after)
9. OTC Medications (coupon deals on these all the time, but to be honest, I get the best bang for the buck at Dollar stores. Tons of meds for a buck each (and just as good).
10. Sauces, marinades, condiments, etc.
 
Pretty happy with the other night's grocery trip. We got $218 worth of stuff for $118 between bogo's and coupons. I'll take 54% savings. I know others do better, but this is all stuff we use, no stockpiling.

Sadly, can't ever seem to find any deals on canned cat or dog food. For example, never a coupon or sale that is cheaper than getting a 4pm of 9-Lives cat food. Yep, even buying a 24 or 32 can case is actually more than the 4pm, per oz. Same with canned dog food.
 
I have found the best way to save money is buy stuff at the store when it's onsale only. When I see things on sale I buy up as much as I can. For instance this past week I bought 12 ham steaks that were on sale for $1.49 a pound each one was a little over 1 pound. However when it's not on sale it is $4.99 a pound. 2 months ago I bought 24 Hamburger helpers. This past week I saw the price of them and almost fainted the price is now $1.89 each, I paid 99 cents for the ones I bought. It's a great way to prep and to buy what you need while it is cheap. Also if you have a coupon that helps to.

2 months ago I found a coupon for dishwasher tabs in store, it was $2 off a package, the dishwasher stuff was on close out for $2.99 for a bag of 30 so I paid 99 cents for each package, I bought 5 packages. That buy wont be coming back again, however I have enough to last me for months.
 
I have found the best way to save money is buy stuff at the store when it's onsale only

Yep. You have to gradually work into it, but once you do, eventually, you'll have enough onhand to not need to buy outside of the sales...and that's a good spot to be in.

One other note, shop multiple stores! Different stores have different incentives. They are banking on you coming in for the deals, but buying other items at full price. But, if you just stick to sales, then go to another store and shop their sales, you will cover a lot more ground in getting items on your list, but all for sale prices.

Often, our rule is BOGO (buy one, get one free) only, or better yet, BOGO with a coupon. While our state doesn't double, we can use a manufacturer coupon and a store coupon together. What most folks don't realize, is that even while BOGO, you are still getting TWO items, so you can use a coupon on EACH item.

There are only a few items we get without a BOGO or coupons, but this is because:
1. They are a necessity (like canned cat or dog food, milk, or eggs, store brand bread)
2. Their everyday price is cheaper than other brands, even with coupons/sales, etc.

Main thing though, ALWAYS check the per oz. price, to see if you are really getting a deal (if on sale, you'll have to recalculate this number). Bigger isn't always cheaper.
 
Lucky for us we have 2 stores in our area and then if I drive further which I don't like to do then I have 4 different stores to go to. I usually just buy what they have on sale. This way I can keep our shelves stocked, as well as save some cash. Food lions around here though will not allow 2 coupons on items that are BOGO. I so wish they would but they wont. They will only allow one coupon on the one you are paying for. It sucks but I am still getting a deal.
 
Came in handy this week. Had some big unexpected expenses, which didn't leave much for groceries, but thanks to some stocking up, wasn't a problem, still had meals for 5, all throughout the week, without even going into prep stores.
 
That happened to us last year when my husband was robbed at gun point and lost all of our money along with his phone, and tons of work equipment he had in the van. Luckily we were stocked up big time and we made do for a month. I was more worried about him then the money and stuff that we could replace. However every so often in life something can and will happen, that is when being prepared comes in to help us out.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top