Tonight on TLC, “Extreme Couponing” will be making its first of a 12-episode debut to audiences nationwide. If you happened to catch the pilot episode you would have seen the show following self-proclaimed "extreme couponers" who made a 40 hour work week pale in comparison to the time they spent clipping, organizing, shopping and building their stockpile.
The program was clearly designed to show the extremes of couponing – mostly for shock and awe factor. Let's face it, it makes good tv! For example, One couponer was shown loading up several shopping carts with items such as 150 candy bars, 250 boxes of pasta, and 40 bottles sports drinks. Another featured couponer is shown to keep $50,000-$75,000 worth of products in his garage including 1500 sticks of deodorant – enough to last him 150 years. These are not realistic portrayals of couponers in general. There are some "Mega" Extreme Couponers out there, but most of us are just trying to save money and we do stockpile, but not more than we really need!!!
Yes -- I have built my own small and manageable stockpiles of items my family uses on a regular basis. I have never, ever cleared the shelves to obtain more product than I would be able to use within the product expiration time-frame. Typically I can purchase the amount of what I need and will use and it lasts me until the next sale of the same or similar product. Or I enjoy being able to scratch items off the "things to buy list" for like a year or so!
If you want to start enjoying some of the rewards of couponing without giving up your personal space, family time, and sanity, here are some helpful tips to get started:
1. Save the coupon inserts from the Sunday edition of the Las Vegas Review Journal. We also receive some inserts in our Tuesday mailer.
Every year, over $300 Million in coupons are thrown away. Look at each coupon you receive as if it were money. You wouldn't just throw $1.00 into the trash would you?
2. Make sure you have a printer and an ink supply. Many retailers are finding that through the assistance of Social Media sites that not only can they communicate better with the consumer but that they can offer up FREE samples and high value printable coupons. Almost all of these coupons have a print limit and when reached, the coupon is no longer available.
TIP: I only purchase Black Ink and print all my coupons in black and white because its cheaper than using color!
3. Setup a separate email account. When you are first getting set up with couponing, you might want to create an email address specifically for all of the advertisements that companies will send you regarding their product. Many of the companies require you set up an account with them prior to downloading and printing money saving offers. It is understandable why people shy away from these offers, not wanting "spam" or junk emails in their personal email accounts. Consider setting up a free email account specifically for this purpose, so you don't have to miss out. Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail are all great options.
5. Follow My Vegas Mommy on Facebook and on Twitter to keep up with freebies and reals in real-time. Also consider subscribing to the daily email where all of the days posts are sent in one message.
Here at My Vegas Mommy I highlight what I believe to be the best deals in the area and try my best to simplify the information so that anyone from a novice couponer to an expert can easily accomplish the same goal -- saving money! You don't have to go to the extreme to be an "extreme couponer".
If you are still looking to get started and want further instruction, attend one of my FREE open to the public workshops! I have one this Saturday from 2-4PM at Enterprise Library. For more information click on the flyer at the top left!
Happy Saving!!!
My Vegas Mommy
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