Extreme Couponing or Unrealistic Couponing…

OK…I’ll admit it, I’m hooked on TLC’s “Extreme Couponing” even though it should be called “Unrealistic Couponing”.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t know any store that will allow you to clear out shelves or use 1000 coupons.

People, People…do not watch these episodes and feel bad that you’re not getting 300 toothbrushes for free or 1000 boxes of noodles for a $1.00.  It’s hard to feed a family on noodles and toothbrushes.  And I don’t know about you but my kids get a stomach ache when they eat too many toothbrushes…I joke, I joke!

Seriously though, don’t compare your couponing with these episodes.  I am very good with coupons, and if I can save at least 50% then I’m happy!  My personal best was $150.00 for $20.00, but rarely does that happen.  And this is only done when Harris Teeter has triples or super doubles going on.

I do like the fact that most of them donate their excess stockpile to food banks and churches.  If you’re getting this stuff for free, then by all means share with those less fortunate.  But don’t stockpile your freebies and let them go bad.  That’s just a waste!

You hear all of the “couponers” talk about a “high”..and it’s so true.  But at the same time, you also have a feeling of fear.  Fear that your coupons won’t scan or you’ve picked up the wrong item or heaven forbid, you get a “Coupon Nazi” checking you out!!  And did you see in every episode how happy the employees were to help the “extreme couponers”?  I don’t see that in my stores when I walk around with my binder or as I’m heading to the cash register. There are always those handful of store employees that make snide comments or go through your coupons like you’re trying to steal something.  That’s why taking a copy of the stores coupon policy is so important.  I like to go on my shopping trips prepared!

And don’t get me started on the woman that stores toilet paper and paper towels in her shower.  And how in the heck did she walk around in those stiletto boots while grocery shopping?  My feet hurt just watching her.  And her clearing the shelves of all that mustard??  Come on people!  Yea, yea mustard never goes bad….so what!  Who needs 62 bottles of mustard???  If you’re not sure which “extreme couponer” I’m talking about, her name is Jaime Kirlew. And there is a lot of controversy over her couponing techniques.  She had several YouTube videos on how she got away with using coupons for items that were not for the items she purchased.  This is known as “decoding” the coupon.  Never heard of that?  Take a look at Jill Cataldo’s website here and here.  Jill does a great job of explaining this and breaks down  Jaime’s shopping trip on Extreme Couponing.  TLC should have done their homework on this “extreme couponer” before allowing her to commit fraud on national television.  YES…it’s fraud!  Don’t believe me, then take a look at the fine print on your coupons.  They’re all worded differently but if the correct products were not purchased with the coupons used, it’s coupon fraud.  Plain and Simple!!!

See below- (pic and info. in BOLD from Jill Cataldo’s website)

This list raised a lot of red flags with seasoned coupon shoppers because there are no products listed on it. Instead, the list consists of manufacturers’ names, and in the next column, a list of five-digit family codes — a portion of a product’s UPC bar code. The header row of that column appears to end in a “C” (UPC.)

I’m not saying the others highlighted on Extreme Couponing are doing it the correct or wrong way, but Jaime has blatantly taught classes this way and even posted videos (which have now been taken down) showing herself doing it this way.  That’s why I’m calling her out…

Ok…I’ll get off my soapbox now.  But it’s people like her that make it tougher on those of us that use coupons the correct way.  So bottom line…if you can save $10, $20 or even $30 with coupons when you shop… be happy, you’re doing it the REALISTIC way…not the fraudulent EXTREME way.