I've been watching snippets of TLC's Extreme Couponing show. It has certainly helped reignite an interest in my coupon usage. Plus, my Mom has a little habit of trolling the local recycling bins looking for unused inserts which is nice since I don't subscribe to the paper anymore.
Other than a few coupons for free items I've gotten for "liking" things on facebook, I don't have any major savings victories to share. My take on couponing will never be what you call extreme or coupon queen. I like to get things we'll actually use for as cheaply as possible without straining myself to do so. When I am a casual coupon user I typically save between $4-8 with coupons.
I think that's because I also tend to buy generics and dent and ding items that do not have coupons.
The Extreme Couponers on the TLC show sometimes have mountains of the same item that they've gotten for pennies on the dollar. But, I don't see victory there. I see waste, compulsion and hoarding. If your family can't use up an item before it expires then please donate your extras to a local charity. It's so much better than having all that stuff end up in the land fill because it expired.
Our family is not large so I see no need to have a basement filled with items that will expire before we can use them. I like to have a back up of two or three extra items. Of course, that's not always been the case. I still have multiple cans of frosting and beans in the basement that are nearing the end of their lives. We've been baking a lot of cake and eating a lot of beans lately. I don't really want to stockpile like that again unless food scarcity (or price) becomes a big issue.
I also really don't want to pay for coupons anymore. If I can't find them free or print them I really don't want to mess with them. Thus, I will never be a reigning coupon queen.
4 comments:
Speaking of expiration dates, I just read this article this morning!
http://persephonemagazine.com/2011/02/food-safety-do-you-use-the-smell-test/
AMEN! I completely agree.
I agree! I have not seen that show (I don't have cable anymore) but have seen snippets here and there and seeing people with shelves of windex, razors or the like looks like a compulsion. If I find some great deal, I buy all that I can and then put aside what my family can use before it expires and donate the rest to the local food pantry. An awesome deal I got on Cheerios and Progresso soups most recently gave me a chance to give to others without a big outlay of cash I don't really have. Win-win!
So true. If using coupons means I am going to end up like those unfortunate folk with 13 year supply of tp
I will never use them. I thought the whole programme was depresssing and off-putting.
I can say that I have never come across a coupon for anything I use. I try to live like Bea Johnson on Zero Waste Home.
Post a Comment