“Extreme Couponing” is a show on TLC that follows the exploits of self-proclaimed “extreme couponers” and the over-the-top tactics they use to gather as many coupons as possible so they can add to their stockpiles of food and household items.
They will often leave a store with multiple carts filled with hundreds or even thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise procured for just pennies on the dollar.
What the show fails to address are the hidden costs of extreme couponing tactics. Plus, consumers who practice extreme couponing will often clear entire shelves of merchandise in one shopping trip, leaving nothing for the next shopper simply looking for the paper towels they saw on sale in this week’s circular.
Most of us don’t have the time, patience or sense of entitlement it takes to engage in extreme couponing (and do you really want to fill a room with 1,000 bottles of mouthwash?). But that doesn’t mean you can’t learn to maximize your savings by using coupons in a respectful, reasonable way – what the Coupon Information Center refers to as “Considerate Couponing.”
Here are some helpful dos and don’ts that can help you maximize coupon savings without going to the extreme.
DO:
Stack the Savings
A great way to get the most bang for your buck when couponing is to stack your savings. Use a manufacturer’s coupon in addition to a store coupon, sale price and/or loyalty discount.
Stay Organized
Keep track of coupon expiration dates. Have your coupons ready when you get to the cashier and hand them over at the beginning of the transaction. After all, do you want to be stuck behind someone fumbling with a stack of coupons at the register?
Know Your Sources
There’s more to coupons than what comes in the Sunday paper. Search online, go to manufacturer’s websites and sign up for store loyalty programs to receive coupons via mail and email. Remember to look for on-package coupons and don’t forget to redeem them at check-out. If you’re a Target shopper, be sure to download their Cartwheel app to get stackable coupons you can redeem directly from your phone.
Pay it Forward
Use your expired coupons to help others. Troopons® is a program that sends all coupons – active and expired – to military families overseas to help them stretch their buying power at on-base stores.
DON’T:
Photocopy Coupons
Doing so is actually a form of counterfeiting and a punishable criminal offense. Any potential savings simply aren’t worth the risk.
Use Expired Coupons
Extreme couponers may cut off or obscure an expiration date just to use a coupon. While not illegal, it’s a practice that costs everyone in the long run. Manufacturers will not reimburse stores for expired coupons and these losses get passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices.
Buy Coupons
All coupons printed in the U.S. have a non-transferability clause, which makes the coupon void if sold for a profit. Plus, many coupon sellers offer stolen or counterfeit coupons, leaving you liable to potential litigation if caught. Again, it’s simply not worth the risk.
Clear the Shelves
Shelf clearing is another extreme couponing tactic to avoid. Think of how frustrating it is when you need a staple item like toilet paper or toothpaste and it’s completely sold out. If you don’t like that feeling, don’t inflict it on others.
FAQs
The show has come under fire by consumer bloggers and experts such as Jill Cataldo about potential coupon misuse on the show. Actions such as the use of coupons for incorrect items, using counterfeit coupons, and encouraging compulsive hoarding have been cited as reasons to question the show's authenticity.
Is extreme couponing illegal now? ›
Doing so is actually a form of counterfeiting and a punishable criminal offense. Any potential savings simply aren't worth the risk.
Why do extreme couponers buy so much? ›
That's because buying in bulk usually goes hand-in-hand with extreme coupon use, so you can stock up when deals align to make products super cheap. Items don't go on sale every day, after all; you have to get products while the getting's good.
Do stores lose money from extreme couponers? ›
Is extreme couponing stealing? No, extreme couponing is not stealing, but it's not uncommon for stores to resent it if a shopper brings in a stack of coupons and spends very little money in the end.
Which Extreme couponer went to jail? ›
Talens, who is considered the mastermind of the scheme, would create fake coupons with discounts “near or even over” an item's retail value. During a search of Lori Ann Talens' home, agents found thousands of counterfeit coupons, rolls of coupon paper, and coupon designs for more than 13,000 products on her computer.
Is extreme couponing still possible in 2024? ›
So, while you can try out extreme couponing to get certain items at no cost, you can't count on it to be a consistent, effective way to lower your grocery bill in 2024.
Is extreme couponing selfish? ›
It's self-centered. Extreme couponers, in their quest to get everything for nothing, do not think twice about anyone else's time as we stand in line behind them. Consideration for others disappears when the extreme couponers is focused on the adrenaline rush of beating the system.
How is couponing illegal? ›
It involves deliberately modifying and/or using a coupon in a way not allowed by its terms and conditions for undue financial or material gain. This is almost always a violation of federal and regional laws in the US and other countries and can result in charges such as theft, larceny, and counterfeiting.
What is the trick to extreme couponing? ›
The smart move is to get multiple copies of the same coupon so you can maximize your savings if you come across a deal. You can also collect various types of coupons, like percent-off coupons, cash rebates, and manufacturer coupons. Then you can mix and match them when shopping to maximize savings.
Is extreme couponing worth it? ›
Extreme couponing involves combining multiple coupons and store sales. You may be able to get some items for free or for pennies on the dollar. Extreme couponing isn't always worth it, because it takes time to find deals and visit multiple stores -- plus, you have to find space to keep the items you buy.
So yes, in a sense they are hoarders. Do the people that spend hours searching for and organizing coupons for free stuff have an obsessive compulsion disorder or is it just a time consuming hobby? The organizing part is either just a personal preference to be neat or it can be OCD.
How does extreme couponing get things for free? ›
Combining deals to score items for free or for pennies on the dollar. The key to extreme couponing is not to take advantage of just one deal but to take advantage of multiple deals at the same time. By stacking the deals available to you, you can get great prices on items.
Did the coupon ladies go to jail? ›
– A Virginia Beach woman has been sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined $31.8 million for her role in a coupon fraud scheme. The Coupon Information Corporation, which is an association of manufacturers that track coupon fraud, was able to link more than $125,000 in fake coupons to 41-year-old Lori Ann Talens.
How much did Lori Ann Talens make? ›
On Tuesday, a judge sentenced Lori Ann Talens to 12 years in prison for running what prosecutors called one of the largest coupon scams in history after she pleaded guilty earlier this year to multiple counts of fraud. The Talenses made nearly $400,000 selling the fakes to more than 2,000 customers across the country.
Can you go to jail for couponing? ›
Additionally, coupon fraud can actually lead to some pretty significant fines and even jail time, depending on how extreme it is.
