Extreme Couponing

[CoffeeCanuck]

Here is a great site for all kinds of freebies and samples. http://www.canadianfreestuff.com/

I scored a super deal for a free box of hair colour a few weeks ago. I received my coupon in the mail today.

~D

[Captain Awesome]

I do look at coupon wall when we go grocery shopping but I noticed they don't feature any essentials and it's mostly useless crap we don't buy anyway. Campbell soup is a prime example - I would never eat that sodium-filled crap, but deals are available. So, to save money you have to buy some crappy items - not interested.

[GoStumpy]

Stockpiling is only possible on items that don't really expire, or don't expire anytime soon... Sodium-filled crap lasts a long time :) Once a week Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese is an easy dinner that literally costs me ~$1 for both of us... (Got Black Diamond Cheese slice coupons a while back and used them @ Superstore when they were on sale 2 for $5... minus two $1 coupons made it two for $3 :) Still working on the first package of those!

Items I like to stockpile:

Toilet Paper
Laundry soap
Dryer sheets
Soup
Jam
Peanut Butter
Coffee
Salsa
Crackers
Spaghetti Sauce
Noodles


That's about what I have a more-than-a-month supply of :)

[DeepEnd]

I only buy items "on sale" and eat/shop accordingly.

Don't worry "that item" will be on sale next week if it isn't this week

Time invested - 0 hours.

Its all a matter of what you do like to do with your free time, if you have free time.

Everyone has to spend time shopping so its not really zero time.

Yes, I agree about the spare time part.

[DeepEnd]

I do look at coupon wall when we go grocery shopping but I noticed they don't feature any essentials and it's mostly useless crap we don't buy anyway. Campbell soup is a prime example - I would never eat that sodium-filled crap, but deals are available. So, to save money you have to buy some crappy items - not interested.

We only get their super sodium reduced ones and only when the they are 50 cents a can. Good for camping or hiking , replaces lost sodium mixed with pasta.

Most of what you see with "extreme" savers is that this is stuff you shouldn't eat anyway. We eat a lot of veg and most of our saving comes from flier matches. Why pay $9 dollars for a 20lb bag of potatoes when you can match those same potatoes and pay $4.49 and only shop at one store.

We don't hit different stores just for sales unless its a basic bulk item. Most coupons are for shampoo, cleaners and processed food which are better for the person on the go, busy, busy.

We buy our basmati brown rice at an Asian market for less than half the price of an non Asian store. We also get a great whole wheat ground in BC there too. Indian grand mothers know a good whole wheat. I was taught by a friends little old granny on how to do nan, pakoras. parathas and such. One she taught me are these round almost english muffin things we use for our own egg mcmuffin and hamburger buns. With basic ingredients 10 minutes to a 4 hot hamburger buns. Cost less than 30 cent for all four.

[hydrapole]

Yes, it would be great if we could "extreme" coupon here in Canada, but we get what we get. Myself and my Fiancé do use coupons, and I know some people are embarrassed to use them.. but seriously, why? I mean, you save money, the grocery store gets reimbursed by the companies for the cost of the savings, and the company gets you to purchase that product. No one loses there. I just look at coupons in the way of, they are products we are going to buy anyways, why not get them for half price?

I spend MAYBE 30-60 minutes a week couponing. Nothing more. I use websites where you click the coupons you want, and they either will print at home, or the companies will send them to you in the mail free of charge (and half of them are perforated so no clipping involved!). Grocery stores often have tear pad style coupons right in store too.

Yes, we price shop to get the best deals without coupons, but most places will allow you to combine a coupon with a sale. For instance, the Amooza Cheese stings at Extra Foods/Superstore, normally $5.99-$6.99 were on sale (limit of 2) for $3.47 each. I also had $1.00 off coupons for these (and they have a long expiry date so you can stock up). Why would I pay $7 for something I can get for $2.50? We aim to spend $400/month in groceries for 2 people, and without sales and coupons we would never hit that mark. On average without sales and coupons we would be spending $600+/month. We are saving to get married next year, and an extra $200+ per month that did not have to come out of our pocket really adds up... heck, with savings alone we will pay for our photographer!

The whole point of coupons, honestly, is not even to get the consumer to save money - it is to get the consumer to try a product that they may have thought, hey that looks great, but it is a bit pricey so I will wait until it is on sale to try. Coupons just mean it is on sale without the store having to change the shelf price haha

[DeepEnd]

Whole roasting chicken - @ 3.25 lb
bought two for 26.10 total
Flyer matched @ .79 lb paid 6.40
Price reduced 75%
--------------
Italian canned tomatoes reg. 2.09 a can.
On sale .1.09
bought 10 cans = 10.90
allowed 4 - 1.00 off when you buy two = -4.00
allowed 2 - 1.00 off per item = -2.00
10 cans paid 4.90
.49 a can
Regular price savings 76%
Priced reduced sale 49%

37.00 worth of groceries for 11.30, saving 70% on just two items. Over all shopping trip was approx. 53% less

Same store, same trip

[Captain Awesome]

Here's some extreme couponing, courtesy of Target:

http://imgur.com/a/EqVeq

[pbear]

We buy our basmati brown rice at an Asian market for less than half the price of an non Asian store. We also get a great whole wheat ground in BC there too. Indian grand mothers know a good whole wheat. I was taught by a friends little old granny on how to do nan, pakoras. parathas and such. One she taught me are these round almost english muffin things we use for our own egg mcmuffin and hamburger buns. With basic ingredients 10 minutes to a 4 hot hamburger buns. Cost less than 30 cent for all four.

There is a recipe thread. Would you be willing to post the instructions for the 'round english muffin things'? I'd love to try them.

[fvkasm2x]

I wouldn't know what to do with that many eggs... lol

[hydrapole]

Angel food cake. Lots and lots of angel food cake. .. some Kartoshnik as well, but you'd also need some potatoes.

[OnTheRoadAgain]

I hate coupons. Every time I use one I feel...embarrassed like its somehow admitting that I can't afford that item normally. I also have contempt for people in line busting out a wad of coupons in front of me...I honestly don't know why they bother me so much...

I love coupons, and use them proudly in order to save money, honestly, I don't know why that would bother you so much either.
I feel good when I get ten dollars off my grocery bill from coupons.

[hydrapole]

I love coupons, and use them proudly in order to save money, honestly, I don't know why that would bother you so much either.
I feel good when I get ten dollars off my grocery bill from coupons.

Exactly. That $10 is $10 you can spend on a) more groceries b) something else entirely! I just don't understand the sigma.. It isn't being cheap or frugal - it is just being smart. Retailers have coupons as an incentive to buy/try products, and they lose absolutely nothing (in fact, quite the opposite) and I don't have to fork over my entire $100/week grocery budget to a store each week. Anything that stays in my pocket is a good thing.