Crazy Coupon Chicks

I just watched two episodes of the new show from TLC called Grocery Hoarders - er - I mean Extreme Couponing, and I'm not sure what to think of these ladies. Part of me is envious that they can get $1000 of groceries for $10. But not envious enough when I hear that they had to spend 6 hours in the grocery store, then spend most of the rest of their waking life figuring out the system in order to do so.

The show itself is pretty formulaic. I liken it to my husband's new favorite addiction, a non-drama called Wardens. The two shows have nothing alike, except that every episode tries to build suspense in what could possibly be the most boring subject ever (grocery shopping and game wardens in Montana, respectively, who never do anything more than issue a $30 ticket to someone who forgot their fishing license), then nothing actually happens. Oh my, a last minute change in the store's coupon policy? Duh duh dun! What? She can't get $10 off each $50 purchase after breaking up 3 cartfuls of food into 27 transaction unless she has 26 other people with her! Call in the re-enforcement troops!

Ok, so there was a recession. People learned how to pinch pennies. Great. I'm all for saving money and using coupons. But when you have 1400 rolls of toilet paper stocked underneath the 2 year olds bed, and the shower stall is stacked up to the ceiling with cereal that costs you $.02 a box, that's creepy. In one episode the woman was visibly flustered and nervous because of her habit. If she didn't get the best deal it would keep her up at night, and she worried constantly over her coupons. Another lady, who did not have a tv personality you'd fall in love with anyway, cleared the shelf of 70 bottles of mustard, pretty much because she could. No one will use that in a lifetime!

You don't find out in these first 2 episodes much about how they are doing it. The show gives a tip or two, but  really, where did the lady get 500 newspaper coupon insert circulars anyway? It's obvious that the extreme couponers are obsessive to say the least. If you go to the TLC website and watch some of the ladies audition reels you'll see a little more personality. More than one of them mentioned in their reels that they regularly donate at least half of what they get with their coupons to local churches and food banks. That's admirable. The show doesn't show that part. But it does show the store clerks and managers standing around applauding  when the customer gets over $2000 worth of food for less than what it would cost to put half a tank of gas in my Expedition.

I personally know people who would aspire to be one of these ladies. My Facebook news feed was a flutter after the show aired last week with all the talk about how these coupon divas did their thing. I know lots of people will differ with me about this show, but it didn't really put these ladies in a good light. There is a little air of greed about the show.

I understand moms with families using this system  to make their budget go as far as they can, especially if they only have one income and have to feed lots of kids. I think people in general should be the best stewards of what they've been given. But these gals about make my head explode. I've tried it on a pretty limited scale, and sometimes I get so frustrated with the time it takes and the complications of it that I go on strike, and I buy whatever I want at retail price just because I feel like a coupon failure. It can get a little stressful.

I don't get the buzz from it the Extremers do. My time is more valuable these days especially now that I work full time again. I do what I can with coupons and try to get the best deals I can without spending too much time obsessing over it. My brain doesn't think that way. But I'm gonna keep doing what I can, and I have seen a difference. It also makes me feel better knowing that I'm trying to save some of my money so that I can spend it on other things that I want. I will never be a coupon diva but I may keep watching this show even though it makes me feel a little inadequate.

At least the Wardens camera crew gets to hang out filming in the great wild. Those poor saps at TLC are spending hours in the grocery store following people around. Not where I want to be either.