coupon hoarders

[elysee24]

I use coupon to shop and at times I got comments from people, just trying to use coupon to save. Not a coupon hoarder who like to clean shalf and eat not too healthy food.

[sweedly]

I used to be more active with collecting coupons and saving UPC codes for buy one get one free offers. But then when companies wanted the grocery slips showing proof of purchase, as well as, the codes it became a problem keeping track of everything. Also was more fun when stores doubled the coupons, I saved a bundle. Now I am lucky just to find a few coupons on the products I buy on a regular basis.

[LAkathi]

I do not know how these people can get a retailer to accept multiple coupons for the same item.  Also, why do they allow them to split up orders, in order to abide by the one coupon per customer rule.  This does not seem fair to the other customers if you ask me.  I have come to the belief that these "reality" shows,are really just scripted , sitcoms. Too many of them are a distorted version of reality.

[squirrelgirl44]

what do you think about people that spend 40 hours or more getting coupons for stuff they have no place to put? i watch a show where they spend so much time getting coupons they dont have time for their kids unless of course they are clipping coupons with them, then when they get home not only is there no place to put the stuff, it would take them years and years to actually use it all. i think coupons are great, but i also think there is a reasonable use of them. hoarding stuff just because you get it free is only hurting your family, it is taking your time from them, it is taking room and storage they could use in your home, and from what i can tell it is making these people a nervous wreck at the register. i use coupons when i have them, but i do not need five years worth of bar-b-que sauce lol

I think it is ridiculous to spend 40 hours a week clipping coupons. Even a minimum wage job will earn you more than you will save stocking up on junk from the grocery store. I don't understand it.

[lvstephanie]

There is a difference between hoarders and extreme couponers that have a stockpile. If you watch both types of shows you'll see how the hoarders actually have a mental disease almost OCC in their behavior in wanting to save everything. Usually a hoarder's house is stuffed full with piles of random objects all over the place. They hold onto items without the intention of ever using the item (even if that is what they say). They usually have a fear that they will lose their possessions which is why they begin to hoard their items.

Couponer's stockpiles, on the other had, usually only have one room dedicated to their stockpile, and it is neatly organized by products and stacked on shelves. These couponers DO NOT hold on to their purchases indefinitely, as some posters seem to think, but rather are meticulous in purchasing only what they can use within the product's expiration date. Even some products that technically could be stored for longer periods of time (eg canned goods) are usually used within a reasonable period of time. Usually these couponers have studied the store's and manufacturer's specials and have figured out patterns in sales such that they will purchase only enough of a product to last them until the next sale for that product occurs. For example canned soups tend to go on sale during the winter esp. during the holidays. Thus couponers may create a stockpile of canned soups at the end of December to last them until the end of September when the soups go back on sale. You have to remember that couponers are doing this to save money, so there is a limit to how much they will spend on any one trip. Even "free" items usually have some cost associated with them, even if that's the time spent clipping those coupons or making the purchase. Therefore couponers won't make purchases of items they don't plan to use (unless they have decided ahead of time that their purchases are going to be donated to charity). It is a waste of time (and possibly money) to buy a bunch of cake mixes only to have to throw some away because they got old, or never actually used them all ever.

[48nascargirl]

I look through coupons and will use them every once in a while, but I notice that the coupons are usually only for name brand, more expensive items.  If you look at the shelf labels and compare, you can usually save a lot more money by buying a less expensive brand or sometimes the store brand. 

I do prefer some name brand items, like pasta sauce - I'll never switch to the store brand pasta sauce!  But, for some items, like cleaning supplies, there's usually very little difference between the name brand and store brand.  I guess if you're hooked on the name brands, coupons will be very useful, but I think sometimes just being a smart shopper can save you more, or buying in bulk when there's a good sale on something you like.  But I'm just a casual couponer.

[lynnc35]

It can become an addiction. Anything you do too much of can become an addiction.