Family Matters
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Extreme Couponing.....
This show just annoy the crap out of me. These woman should be on hoarders after they appear on this show. I am sure they are abusing the system, and on some things it could be considered stealing because companies put things like one per customer or do not double on these coupons to prevent taking a loss for their product. And why would you need 96 razors?
Re: Extreme Couponing.....
I don't mind them, I follow a couple of them on facebook and they are always posting links to free stuff, great coupons, and they match this weeks coupons with store deals.
I don't care if they want to have 96 razors sitting around (unless I wanted one and got to the store after them).
They might have a form of OCD, but they are different than hoarders. (although I agree - why have 40 boxes of cheerios, then go and buy more?).
Also, if the rules are "one per transaction," isn't it the merchant's job to enforce that? One of my supermarkets is giving away 3x coupon values, even if the coupon says "do not double," up to $1. If the store wants to eat the extra value of the coupon, that is a choice they make for the business.
I am hoping to learn a thing or two from them, although I do not have any storage space, so no 40 boxes of cheerios for me!!!
My take on it is that they don't want to deal with their feelings of disappointment/depression/sadness, etc. from whatever circumstance (some with their spouse or themselves losing their job, maybe family issues, etc.) so they dive into this couponing thing to keep their mind busy and body physically busy so they don't have to think about how they feel. Couponing as a major distraction, because that's what it is. They spend hours couponing and then hours at the grocery store and hours unloading this "stock" and arranging it so it looks pretty.
I think they definitely have issues that need to be addressed.
This is a problem I have started noticing over the past month or so (I'm guessing since the show started airing). I've used coupons for years now to get mostly bath products at a next-to-nothing cost. Recently when I go to my local stores (I've noticed it mostly at Target), the shelves are empty of any of the 'deals' for the week. I've never bought more than four items at one time, and it is usually just 1 or 2. However, I think more people are watching this show and thinking "I need 35 bottles of body wash, 'cause it's FREEEEEEE!".
I'm inspired by Extreme Couponing! I don't think I'll ever buy $1000 worth of groceries for $10 but DH said that any money I save with coupons can go directly into our travel fund- even if I save only $2/week, that's still $100 bucks to put toward margaritas on our next vacation. DH and I have never used coupons but I've found that most of the items we buy (Viva paper towels, Cascade dishwasher soap, etc) often have really good coupons and we've been missing out on savings for years now.
I recently went outlet shopping- I registered at the Outlet mall website as well as each of the retailer websites that I enjoy- the Gap, Banana, Calvin Klein- and got up to 30% off coupons at most of my fave stores. I saved $175 just using those coupons, not counting what I saved by buying stuff on sale or on clearance. I was pretty stoked and I never would have thought to look for coupons had I not seen this show.
An American Girl's Travels
The facebook people I follow are:
Krazy Coupon Lady
http://www.facebook.com/TheKrazyCouponLady
Gina's Kokopelli
http://www.facebook.com/ginaskokopelli
and Coupon Pro
http://www.facebook.com/couponproblog
Almost forgot Money Saving Mom
http://www.facebook.com/MoneySavingMom
This show is scarier to me than any horror flick.
I care a lot about finances, and grocery shopping kinda upsets me b/c it's a necessary evil - we have to buy food. I understand couponing, especially for SAHMs who have the time/interest. Honestly, with the money they save on food bills it probably equates to them having a part-time job. Especially in those big families! But still.
My personal belief is moderation in everything, and I really can't get behind anything 'extreme.' 30-60 hours a week?! Are you kidding me?!
Sure, be fiscally savy. Money not spent on household goods can go towards college funds, travel, upgrades for your home or vehicle. But a stockpile? C'mon.
My neighbor is in the process of building her stockpile and she's an Army wife - which means moving every few years. Now tell me how that makes sense.
In our household just recently we have focused on using coupons according to the policies for items we use. Due to some major medical issues, I am unable to contribute to the household through a paycheck. So, I had to find ways to contribute when and how I could. In addition to some other changes in our household, coupons have made a big difference.
Let me say this...I refuse to stock pile stuff like crazy. I buy only items we currently use or soon to use. I do not spend hours stalking neighbors for newspapers or steal coupons from people's mail (yes, my neighbor does this). I do take a little more time shopping however a majority of that is do to my medical issues.
I was extremely freaked out at first with the whole big process. I spent time reading policies and learning how to identify the deals. I have made it into about 15 to 30 minute process each week preparing for my grocery shopping. I do not drive all over the whole city for deals because gas is expensive. I shop at two stores. I use paper coupons and electronic coupons. I following Cents' Able Shoppin for my resource.
It has been a great way for us to save. For example, I saved over $500 in a week for shopping which did include toilet paper and laundry soap and such. There is only about one to three weeks of non-perishable food in the pantry. Meat is purchased each week.
If you just even start using electronic coupons you can save a lot more than just want is advertised. The link below is to the Facebook page I follow. I hope it helps.
https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/CentsAble-Shoppin/377531762467
I have to admit I did watch a few of the episodes... I remember the one where the woman had her young son in dumpsters fishing out coupons... I thought.... hummmm.... I bet child services visited her home after that episode aired....
The same woman also boasted about how she was going to leave her "favorite" child her "stash"..... and I thought she cares more about that crap than her child.... that kid is going to throw all of that "sh*t" out when she dies....
Through these episodes... I just kept thinking about their kids.... and while there are some that are super organized and keep up with their buying crap at great discounts.... there will be one day where they just can't physically keep up with it.... and then their kids will have to clean out all that crap out of their parent's house.... just like hoarders....
And I bet some of the kids will hate that "stash"....
To me it looks like a form of addiction.... that will progress into hoarding...
ALTHOUGH.... and I just wanted to add this.... there was a guy who bought a bunch of crap and then donated over half of it to some shelter.... which I think is amazing.
Sara, Friend?
glove slap. I don't take crap.
What I notice with coupons is that people buy what they don't NEED. They are like, "oh, a .50 off for X item that I never use!!!!! So now they are not really saving bc they are using a coupon for something they don't really want.
I cannot understand the show. I am not against coupons, but c'mon.