wow, anyone see the show "extreme couponing"

[a kennedy]

I wrote to TLC suggesting the people who do this extreme stuff donate it to their local food pantry. Like that will ever happen. Terrible the food they purchase and will never be able to eat. Another strange behavior show that TLC is known for. Ugh.

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. yep. Didn't watch the whole episode. What they were doing seemed unethical somehow

And they were borderline hoarders. Stocking up on 200 toothpastes that will harden before they are ever used.

That said, I was told that one of these extreme hoarders did donate the stuff to a food pantry or homeless shelter.

[Horse with no Name]

2. That is my take on extreme couponers

They ARE hoarders. Maybe they should do a show about that...oh...wait...

[Dappleganger]

3. One show I watched did have someone who donated to a food bank.

I know several major couponers who do the same, and one of them coupons specifically for stocking their church's food pantry. I say good for them--even if they hoard groceries that's millions of times better than the pondscum bankers, CEO's and corporats who are hoarding the nations wealth instead of investing in people.

[KT2000]

4. Coupons are usually for things

I would never buy.
Costco has some good ones though.

[Dappleganger]

5. I'm getting back into it.

Only doing buy one get one free + coupons for each item, so that makes it worthwhile. We only purchase items we would normally buy anyway.

[GoCubsGo]

6. Actually, a lot of them do donate.

I frequent an extreme couponing web site where it's encouraged to donate if you can get something for free or extremely cheap, and you won't use it. Many of the other who use the site say they give items to the food banks. Also, it's not a bad idea to keep a stockpile of non-perishables. Nobody is immune from natural disasters, lay-offs, or potential economic recession/depression. That being said, a lot of those items people get via this sort of couponing IS often crap, and so processed that it can barely be called "food".

[FormerDittoHead]

7. I checked this out. It's a LOT of work - next to impossible to get the kind of "trips" in real life

I checked out these coupon providers and the sales.

It should be noted that these coupons aren't free. They might walk out of the store not paying anything, but they've paid for that stuff.

Another thing is that when you order coupons from one of these providers, they might not get to you by the end of a week - in other words, you have to buy the coupons in advance, and HOPE the thing goes on sale before the coupon expires.

The number of "jackpot" coupons out there ($4.00 off of 1 tube of toothpaste) are few and far between.

You CAN get some bargains out there, but the idea of being able to fill up 7 shopping carts with free stuff would take a LOT of work.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/the-top-10-grocery-coupon-websites-for-cheapskates/

http://thecouponclippers.com/

[Courtesy Flush]

8. If I could do like the people in the show

I'd take a truckload to the shelter once or twice per month. It'd be a great Robin Hood kind of project. Transfer wealth to those in need.