Hello couponers! I wanted to take this opportunity to discuss a topic that’s on everyone’s lips in the last few months (in our world anyway), TLC’s “Extreme Couponing”. If you’re not aware, the show follows couponers through their coupon techniques and practices. While the show started off as a very informative guide to frugal living, in the second season the show changed drastically and is causing serious fallout with retailers and couponers alike.

The number one issue that I’ve seen on Extreme Couponing is a general neglect of store coupon policies. A major grocer that was featured on the show has since issued an public apology, stating that excess freight was ordered per TLC’s request, and that store coupon policies were deliberately neglected. I noticed this with the close-ups of the register, as you will regularly see “VENDOR COUPON” on the register display, which usually means the cashier manually entered the coupon.  A manual coupon entry circumvents store coupon policies as the register is programmed to trust that the coupon has been properly reviewed and approved by management. This was allowed by store management, per TLC’s request, to build the entertainment value of the show. While you will occasionally see this on your own receipts, it should not be seen for ALL of your coupons. (stores will generally NOT extend this courtesy to you, the everyday consumer). This is just one of literally dozens of inaccuracies I have seen.

While I could literally write a novel about the discrepancies in the show, here’s the short answer: the show has become more entertainment oriented than informative. In many stores, if you are caught clearing shelves or disrupting store business in general, you will be asked to leave. If you drive around taking people’s newspapers and digging through their garbage, you will probably get arrested.

Bottom line, if you like the show, watch it! It can be entertaining, but please don’t take it as a guide to couponing. In reality, if you are shopping for PRACTICAL items you actually need to get through the month, expect around 50-70% savings, and if you accomplish this you have done extremely well. While $1000 worth of groceries for $.84 sounds amazing, just remember that your family is not going to live through the month on 214 bottles of Vitamin Water, 114 tubes of toothpaste, and 78 bottles of mustard.

As always, feel free to contact me with any questions, and I look forward to assisting you. Happy Couponing!

Matt.

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