EXTREME COUPONING ON TLC

Has anybody seen Extreme Couponing on TLC?  Or rather, has anyone NOT seen it?  The premise is buying groceries WAYYY below retail.  In most cases these people pay NOTHING for their loot.  At first I was totally envious.  I mean, who wouldn't want to walk into Ingles or Kroger and walk out with $1,000.00 worth of groceries for $0.19. It seems easy enough.  Get some newspapers, clip some coupons and next thing ya know, you're on easy street.   NOT.

I'm a pretty good couponer. I carry a binder and check the sales papers.  I make lists and check several stores.  I haven't paid for laundry detergent in over 2 years and have enough in my shed to last another year.  However, doing this, takes me several hours a week.  I'm not talking 1 or 2, but at least 6-8 hours a week to get prepared.  Most of the time I do pretty well.  On average I save 50-70%.  Not too shabby.

The folks that are featured on Extreme Couponer; however, spend 30-40 and even 60 hours a week perfecting their couponing skills.  Now, I don't know about you, but I don't have that kind of time.  I work an average of 50 hours a week at my job.  Most of these couponers don't have full time jobs and have plenty of time to obsess. But I wonder, if it weren't for the show, would they really be buying 60 bottles of mustard or 400 bottles of sports drinks? I mean for real..who needs that much.

My thing is this.  If it's free, it doesn't mean you have to buy it.  The show showcases people who sock pile cat food but don't have cats.  Or, buying diapers but don't have kids.  Where is the sense in that?

Space is another issue.  One extremer has a grocery store shelf in her own bedroom and toilet paper stashed under her sons bed.

So, what do you guys think about it?  Tell me your best coupon finds.