Don't Try This At Home: My Take on Extreme Couponing

TLC's newest hit show comes back for a second season, and I'm sure we're in for even more gratuitous stockpile shots and nail-biting cash register scenes.  In terms of entertainment value, Extreme Couponing definitely has it. If it's reality we're talking about, though, the show comes up woefully short.


One of the best articles that summarizes the holes in the Extreme Couponing argument is this one from Hot Coupon World.  To summarize, one of the stars of season one admitted to using coupons fraudulently -- which is a felony. There are also rumors flying around that store managers relax the rules for this show because it brings so much publicity to their store. 


You might be thinking: It's "reality" TV. So what? How does this affect me?


Many retailers have changed their coupon policy as a result of this show, making the rules stricter for the responsible couponers. Target, CVS, and Kroger are examples of stores who have changed the rules, either by limiting the number of coupons in a transaction, or prohibiting doubling or stacking.


In my view, there is nothing mindful or frugal in breaking the law.  Check out my series on Extreme Couponing Lite. I'll teach you how to use coupons responsibly in a way that makes sense for you and your family.

Part I: Where to find coupons

Part II: How to Use Coupons

Part III: How to Organize your Coupons

Part IV: From Clipping to Checkout

Part V: Even More Places to Find Coupons!

Part VI: Finding Coupons You'll Actually Use

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Extreme Couponing Lite, Part VI: Finding Coupons You'll Actually Use

As I continue on in my Mindfully Frugal couponing journey, I keep finding more ways to acquire coupons for healthy, wholesome products for my family.  I posted a few weeks ago about unusual places to find coupons.  I’m happy to update that I was recently able to swap some baby product coupons for $4.50 credit to Amazon.  For the cost of a stamp, I was able to save some coupons from the recycle bin, help out another mama, and save myself $4.50 at Amazon!

Here are three more places to obtain coupons for items you’ll actually use:

• Coupon Train --  A coupon train is a really fun way to get rid of all the coupons that you won’t use while getting fun and often surprising coupons in return.  Here’s how it works: You decide who will be on the coupon train. A “conductor” starts out by sending an envelope full of coupons to the first person on the train.  That person takes out the coupons they can use, and adds coupons to the envelope that she wants to send along, and on and on. This would be fun with a group of friends, but there are many coupon train sites to be found online as well -- like this one.  I’m happily a member of a new “live” coupon train among some of my mom friends. I made this box (sort of like this other one I made), and every time we meet, we put in the coupons we won’t use and take out coupons that we will.  If you don't get multiple newspapers (I don't), this is an easy and free way to get extra copies of particularly good coupons.

• Vocalpoint -- Vocalpoint is a website that offers coupons and samples for new products, with no obligation on your part. They do ask you for feedback, but it is your choice to give it or not.  I’ll be upfront here: Vocalpoint is owned by P&G, which isn’t one of my favorite companies.  But since you are able to opt-in for the sampling/coupon opportunities, I ignore the ones for products I won’t use.  Don’t discount Vocalpoint though -- last week I got a coupon for a FREE bag of FreshExpress salad.  I’ve also received several coupons and samples of Kashi items from Vocalpoint. You can sign up for Vocalpoint here. 

• Facebook -- Facebook coupons are exploding in popularity lately.  Six months ago, it would never have ocurred to me to print a Facebook coupon. Just this week I printed three coupons from Facebook.  There is a list of current natural and organic Facebook coupons here, and I update it as needed. 

• Company Website -- Do you have a favorite natural or organic grocery item that you LOVE but don't buy because it's expensive?  Silk Soy Milk is a good example of this for my family -- two of us have dairy intolerances, so we drink a lot of alternative milk. I always go to the Silk website before I shop, and I haven't paid full price for milk in months.  Bringing these coupons to a store that doubles and combining the coupons with store sales can make these costlier products less than conventional processed foods!  A few of my favorites are:
• Newman's Own
• Muir Glen Tomato Products
• Cascadian Farms
• Stonyfield Farms

Ok, your turn! What are some ways you save money on healthy foods?

My Real Stockpile: The Linen Closet

You know you do it. You’re in a friend’s house, and you’re using the bathroom, and you just take a little peek in a vanity drawer, or a shower curtain, or the linen closet. 

No? You haven’t? Well, forget I said anything.

Anyways.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I’m offering an all-access view into my. . . .

Health & Beauty Stockpile Closet!!

Ok, so why am I airing my clean laundry?  Well, mostly in response to a recent reader question about what my $80/week grocery budget includes. And yes, it does include health, beauty, and cleaning products. This closet it how I do it.

I can’t point to one thing in this closet that I actually paid full price for.  In fact, I would estimate that I saved between 50-100% on every.single.item you see here.

On the top shelf: miscellaneous cleaning supplies, random medicines that we don’t use frequently, and body lotions. I worked at Bath & Body Works during Christmas of 2009 and got so many full-size lotions for less than $4 that I am still going through them.

On the middle shelf (left to right): 

Hair color, soap & body wash, various medications & first aid supplies, contact lens solution, and shampoos & conditioners. 

On the third shelf (left to right):

Travel supplies, razors, deodorant & face wash, toothpaste & toothbrushes, and hair appliances.

I have been “working” on this stockpile for about 2 years off and on. The beauty of having multiple items is that when I run out of something, I never have to make a mad dash to the store and pay full price! I can save time, money, and gas by  just opening up my linen closet. 

How did I create this stockpile? Basically just by combining coupons from coupons.com or newspaper inserts with store deals. Many of the free items I have been able to get at Walgreens or CVS, but there have been quite a few deals on these items at Wegmans’, especially lately with their Heath & Beauty Coupons. 

Why do I do this? Am I one of those crazy “Extreme Couponing” people? Does TLC want to create a show about me? (Uh, no). As I mentioned before, never having to pay full price for products  that my family uses daily means that there is more money in the grocery budget for things like our CSA membership, organic produce, and organic milk.  

Because, to me, living frugally does not mean a life of barren deprivation -- expensive chocolate, cheese, and fresh produce are some of the things that make life worth living! But if I can spend a little time to save money in one place of the budget, it means I can guiltlessly splurge on things that really matter to me and my family. 

(Oh, and at last count, there are 64 bars of soap, 12 bottles of shampoo, and 10 tubes of toothpaste.)

Extreme Couponing Lite, Part V: Coupons, Coupons, and More Coupons!

So I realize that the lag between part IV and part V of my Extreme Couponing Series is about 2 months long, but I’ve been so busy posting amazing deals and recipes that I haven’t had much time to add on to the series! 

I’d love to share with you some new and different ways to find and use coupons.  Warning: some of these tips may be unconventional, a little out there, or even plain old silly.  Here’s the thing, though: I would never endorse something I haven’t tried, and, for better or worse, I’ve tried all of these ideas, with varying levels of success. 

1. Coupon Swap -- Coupon swapping is one of my favorite ways to score deals and find high-value coupons.  The idea is the same as bartering, except you are exchanging coupons, either coupon codes which can be sent by email or actual coupons sent by mail. In the past I’ve done all my swapping on TheBump, which is an online family forum. In the past I’ve swapped formula checks and printable coupons (like this one) for Silk Soy milk coupons, Kashi coupons, and even $5 Amazon gift cards! The best part is, it’s absolutely free to participate, and you are getting coupons and discounts by getting rid of coupons you won’t use! Another swapping site is AFullCup.com, which I have visited but haven’t used yet. 

2. Recyclebank -- Recyclebank is a website that awards user points in exchange for taking quizzes, playing games, and completing different recycling tasks.  When you’ve earned enough points, you turn them in for high-value coupons on various items -- my favorite so far has been the $2/1 Kashi coupon, but you can also qualify for 1 FREE Happy Baby product as well.  It’s super-easy to get points. To sign up for Recyclebank, go here.  

3. All You Magazine -- I just ordered All You Magazine, and I can’t believe I waited so long to subscribe.  As a magazine, it’s fairly typical, with recipes, health and beauty tips, and articles about family.   The best part about All You, though, is the amazing high-value coupons that are in every single issue. All these coupons can, of course, be combined with store coupons and sales to get the lowest prices possible. All You costs $1.66 an issue (or $19.99/year), which is more than I usually spend for a magazine, but the coupon savings in just one issue MORE than make up for the cost.  I got my August All You about 2 weeks ago, and these are a few of the coupons I found inside:

$2 off Nivea Body Wash

$.50 off Nature’s Path Cereal

$1 off Sally Hansen Salon Effects

$1 off Dove Hair Care

$3 off Sally Hansen Beauty Tool purchase of $5 or more

$2 off Neutrogena Cosmetics

4. Write to the Company -- This is a little more time-consuming, but usually extremely effective in obtaining high value coupons and samples of your favorite products.  I’ve posted before how I emailed Dr. Bronner’s and obtained several samples and coupons for their products.