Learn More About Extreme Couponing

How Did Extreme Couponing Start?

According to an Article in the NY Times. The idea behind Extreme Couponing was based off a shopping trip I did with Kris Van Cleave for WJLA in Washington D.C.

Here is a excerpt from the NY Times Article written by Brian Stelter

"The show's formation follows the recent timeline of the economy. After the financial collapse in 2008, as American households cut back on spending in the recession, a few television stations and newspapers ran features about fanatical coupon cutters. Some were professionals, like Susan Samtur, who had been writing books and articles about couponing for decades and whose pointers were suddenly back in vogue.

"Her weekly grocery bill you'll have to see to believe," said Kris Van Cleave of WJLA, a Washington-area TV station, when he interviewed Ms. Samtur in April 2009. With her coupons and rebates filed by category, she saved $144.11 on a trip with Mr. Van Cleave, paying just $9.43 for a week's worth of groceries.

CNN picked up the WJLA report, and Mr. Sharp sent the video to a colleague at his production company, Sharp Entertainment. "There's a show here," Mr. Sharp wrote in an e-mail. "Something in EXTREME CHEAPLIVING.""

What is Extreme Couponing?

Extreme Couponing, a term recently coined by TLC for their recent reality series that depicts consumers using coupons to get large quantities of grocery items for pennies on the dollar. The show WOW's audiences with extreme shopping trips of thousands of dollars worth of groceries for almost nothing. The show is sensational and seems to have strong following. The series takes place mostly inside supermarkets or grocery stores and is filmed throughout the United States.

How to Extreme Coupon

Extreme Couponing means different things to different people. On the TLC show, extreme couponing is like a full time job, which isn't for everyone, but if you are looking to maximize your savings, here are some good tips.

Get the stores flyer, specifically map out the when the sales for your products are going on sale. Sales are cyclical, so by having an idea of the sales in advance, you can better plan your shopping trips
Organize your coupons and keep them in a place that you wont forget before you go to the store.
Learn the layout of your supermarket, even though supermarkets are notorious for changing the items in each aisle, by knowing where everything is will reduce the time spent in the store. Less time equals less spent.
Know your products and what is a good sale price. By really knowing the best prices on your favorite products, you will avoid over buying and feel great when you an item on sale.
Keep an eye on the receipt, supermarkets are always making mistakes, you can easily catch over charges if you know your product prices and keep an eye on the checkout.
Be open to switching brands, many of the brands are made by the same company or are very similar, if you are willing to switch occasionally, that could equal big savings.
Know which stores work best with your shopping style. Sometimes Target and Walmart will outperform your local supermarkets, but trying different stores and keeping a close eye on product prices will help you decide.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Extreme Couponing

Of course we would all love to get our groceries for free, but the for the average to advanced coupon user, 50-70% savings is really great. The advantages of Extreme Couponing are obviously savings, while done in excess could be considered an obsession that might interfere with your life. Shopping smart, and being diligent in savings is really the way to go.

Where to learn more about Extreme Couponing

If you want to learn more about Extreme Couponing, a good place to start is by visiting TLC's website or by watching one of the episodes.

Disclaimer: couponqueen.com has no affiliation with TLC or with the television show Extreme Couponing. We make no claim to the mark "Extreme Couponing".

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