# Extreme Couponing



## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

Just watched on TLC program "Extreme Couponing".... they show that ppl save huge money using coupons..
Anyone using coupons in Canada? Where can I find those coupons?


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## hypo (Aug 11, 2010)

Unless you are super broke, I don't think its really worth your time to do that kind of thing, sure they might save a lot but you never hear about the opportunity cost involved (in terms of time). 

Instead of focusing on the small fry (discounts/coupons/brand names etc.) focus on the big fry (learning new skills, investment, or starting a side business). If you spent 2 hours a week in conversation practice w/someone speaking Spanish or Mandarin instead of coupon cutting, by the end of the year you would probably have enough ability to conduct a conversation at the 2nd or 3rd grade level. You can already imagine how many more doors that opens for you compared to coupon saving.

If you want bargains, the site I use is the RedFlagDeals Canadian forum. People there will have already ferreted out the best deals around so saves you from looking.

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

Note that this is an American show, and coupons in Canada are not (yet) this crazy. Not sure why manufacturers are putting out coupons that involve them paying retailers to give away thousands of dollars of their products for free.


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## financialnoob (Feb 26, 2011)

As andrewf pointed out, it's not quite that crazy in Canada. And I hope it never gets that way. A lot of those deals require separate transactions to be done. So one person might be up there at the counter for 45 minutes processing 78 different transactions to maximize the value of the coupons. I would absolutely snap if I was caught behind that person.


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

hypo said:


> Unless you are super broke, I don't think its really worth your time to do that kind of thing, sure they might save a lot but you never hear about the opportunity cost involved (in terms of time).
> 
> http://forums.redflagdeals.com/


I also was thinking like you... fortunately we're not broken, working and even paid out mortgage 

but when they show real people who buying groceries and stuff on $850 and after coupons pays only $8 ... it becomes interesting


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

andrewf said:


> Note that this is an American show, .


I know, this is why I'm asked if there is something similar in Canada


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## Berubeland (Sep 6, 2009)

In the States they allow stacked coupons (using more than one coupon for the same item) here in Canada that's not allowed. 

Having said that when I was pregnant and sick, I saved at least 10% on each grocery bill. (lots of time...no money) 

Another reason people use coupons is to buy brand name products cheaper. Other than that you can probably save just as much by buying no name products (on which you never get coupons) 

When Loblaws first opened here they would send out good deal coupons too like spend $200 and get a free turkey or chicken breasts.


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

My friend visits Florida for two weeks every year to see her mom.When she gets there her mom has a coupon wallet ready for her ,she said they will go to store load the cart up and only owe a dollar or two on the bill .I think i would be into coupons if we could do that as well.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

My local superstore has plenty of coupons on no name and PC products. Granted, they usually aren't huge values like Buy One Get One (BOGO). Usually around 10% disocunt.


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

marina628 said:


> My friend visits Florida for two weeks every year to see her mom.When she gets there her mom has a coupon wallet ready for her ,she said they will go to store load the cart up and only owe a dollar or two on the bill .I think i would be into coupons if we could do that as well.


This is the point! If you can save several thousand per year using coupons, why not to do so?! Additional free family trip to Cuba 
This is why I was surpised on such huge savings in States...thought there is something similar in Canada....maybe I just don't know where to look for coupons. Because the best saving I found in Canada, it's $1 on Colgate tooth paste


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

andrewf said:


> My local superstore has plenty of coupons on no name and PC products. Granted, they usually aren't huge values like Buy One Get One (BOGO). Usually around 10% disocunt.


I don't think those are coupons, as stores like Superstore or Metro have already those discounts applied in price .... coupons give you aditional discount


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

^Marina, I really don't get why manufacturers allow that sort of thing. It's like the contests. Companies are trying to make it harder for the die-hard contesters to fill out a few thousand entries because they want it as a broad promotional activity. Allowing coupons to grant thousands of dollars of free merchandise (ie, you may never have a profitable relationship with that consumer) means a significant cost is being incurred on a small, unprofitable, disloyal consumer group. Bad business in my books!


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

You can't get the same deals in Canada as the US for the coupons. However, many stores will allow stacking in Canada, but they have to be different coupons. I find Superstore is the best for this, as you can use their store coupon, along with manufactuer's coupon (and multiple ones if they are different).

I find that between knowing my prices, sales, stocking up at the right time, using coupons, store coupons, and bonues (like the $25 GC), I save at least 20% on my groceries, but have saved as more than 50%. When I was on mat leave, and my spouse was not working, I would on average save closer to 40-60% on my groceries, but was a fair bit of work. Our monthly bill went from over $1000 to about $400 during this time. We also do alot of other cost saving frugal things. Now, that we're both working full time, I maybe spend less than 30 minutes a week to do my planning, and still can save a pretty good amount. 

From a manufactuers standpoint, coupons is actually great advertising. They have an extremely low redemption rate (under 5%), and often people will try it if they have a coupon. To try and win over the brand recognition it's a rather inexpensive way to advertise. Years ago, we did analysis of coupons vs other ways of marketing.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

andrewf said:


> Note that this is an American show, and coupons in Canada are not (yet) this crazy. Not sure why manufacturers are putting out coupons that involve them paying retailers to give away thousands of dollars of their products for free.


Most discount stores don't accept online coupons, only the instore promotion
ones.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Plugging Along said:


> I would on average save closer to 40-60% on my groceries, but was a fair bit of work. Our monthly bill went from over $1000 to about $400 during this time.


So you are saying that you clipped $600 worth of coupons per month?
What did you do with the rest of the time you had left, not clipping coupons?
At .50c to $1 off per item..that's a lot of coupons. 



> To try and win over the brand recognition it's a rather inexpensive way to advertise. Years ago, we did analysis of coupons vs other ways of marketing.


It's also of way of gaining market share when there is direct competion in a
certain area. Ie: if Kraft peanut butter is .50c to a 1.00 more than another
leading brand of **** peanut butter (and kids eat this stuff by the ton),
then Kraft can stack the deck by having a store coupon or a coupon attached
to the label of their product for the next time you are in buying peanut butter.
And as you say, if you toss the jar without peeling off the coupon..doesn't
cost the manufacturer a penny.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

In that sense, coupons are a good promotional tool for food manufacturers. Allowing people to continuously get free product is stupid, and if anything, devalues the brand.


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## Dana (Nov 17, 2009)

I have seen the show, and I have known Americans who do this. Stores have double coupon days, allow coupon stacking and often, American coupons don't specify product size, so you may get a $1 coupon for shampoo for example and use it on the small size which is $1.99 and if it is a double coupon day the store pays you $.01 to take home the shampoo. It is such a different environment south of the border. Extreme couponers are probably the exception, not the rule. Some of these people spend 30-40 hours a week clipping and organizing their coupons. 

I actually *get* why they do it: I know I get a high from the satisfaction of getting a good deal, they probably feel that high exponentially when they save several hundred dollars on groceries. 

What I don't get is why they hoard their loot. Some of them have entire rooms devoted to their stash while some of them have their loot in every spare nook and cranny of their house. They seem very proud of their hoard. In a country where lots of people can't feed themselves, why don't they keep what they can use and donate the rest?


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

carverman said:


> So you are saying that you clipped $600 worth of coupons per month?
> What did you do with the rest of the time you had left, not clipping coupons?
> At .50c to $1 off per item..that's a lot of coupons.
> 
> ...


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

PA, you don't sound like a very profitable customer (good for you, bad for the company selling). Smart consumer packaged goods firms build relationships with profitable customers, and let their competitors waste money on the unprofitable ones.


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

Andrew the way my friend explained it to me and they own a retail store ,let's say there is a couple on cream cheese $1.00 off .They sell 1000 units which means the store can redeem 1000 x $1.00 units back from the supplier.They do not care if they had 1000 customers come in with 1 coupon each or 100 customers come in with 10 coupons each.As long as store sells enough units to redeem coupons it is fine.If they sold 60 units obviously they cannot get credit for 1000 units.
Marina


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

Agreed--the store doesn't care. The manufacturer ought to, since its their money.


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## Financial Cents (Jul 22, 2010)

I like coupons. I use coupons, but not to any extreme. 

For the most part, I try to live my life avoiding as many diminishing returns as possible, based on a "how much is my time worth" assessment-principle.

Excessive coupon clipping and running around at select businesses with those coupons definitely falls into that diminishing return bucket for me.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Financial Cents said:


> ..avoiding as many diminishing returns as possible, based on a "how much is my time worth" assessment-principle.
> 
> Excessive coupon clipping and running around at select businesses with those coupons *definitely falls into that diminishing return bucket for me*.


Well this is my feeling too. I do send in the promotion coupons for "buy 2 get one free" etc...when there (may) be a few bucks coming back in the form of
a check...that sort of thing. But frankly with the price of gas-o-line being
what it is..running around from grocery store A to B to use those coupons
and spending gas money in order to save on food coupons..isn't found anywhere in my "frugality manual."


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

I used to run around to the different stores (the 3 major ones all within 1km of each)

Now, I just bring the flyer to the main one and get them to do a price match. It requires me to be super organized, but it save me time and money, and really only takes me a couple of minutes to do.


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## KaeJS (Sep 28, 2010)

Saw this show for the first time last night.

Its incredible, but its American.

... And NOW look at America.


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## I'm Howard (Oct 13, 2010)

I have met soem amazing people who, if they don't want the coupon, leave it at the appropriate item for some one who does.

I was checking out at Publix in Florida, Lady behind me placed several coupons on items i was buying,

She didn't need them, saved me $5, She was delighted.

Many people make a game of it, How much can I save, it becomes a challenge.

My Dad, 92, and His Lady Friend, both quite well off, use coupons as much as they can, especially in Restaurants, it adds some zing to their going out, they both love to save money, that is why they are cmfortable.(coincidently, that is why their kids will receive a nice inheritance, the longer they live, the more they save, the more their kids will get ).


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

I'm Howard said:


> My Dad, 92, and His Lady Friend, both quite well off, use coupons as much as they can, especially in Restaurants, it adds some zing to their going out, they *both love to save money*, that is why they are cmfortable.


That doesn't quite make perfect sense to me, Howard.

You go to this (fancy?) restaurant and have a nice meal with a bottle of
vino. Then the waiter/waitress comes with the bill. You plunk down a 10%
off yer meal coupon and the plastic. She runs the plastic into her portable
CC reader/point of sale terminal and it comes up total? <press ok>, then
15% tip <press ok>, so all of a sudden that $40 meal with 10% off
($36.00) becomes $42 when you add in the 15% tip...($6)...

but if it makes you feel good...


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

Carve - That's exactly what we do. If the meal was $40 dollars, without the discount would would be $46, now it's $42, I still save the $4 overall.

We try to use coupons all the time for restaurants. We find the higher end ones don't have coupons, so that's fine too. But if there is a coupon, why wouldn't we use it? I find often the coupon off sets our tip, as we do leave a large tip partially based on the fact that we are using a coupon, and partially because my kids can be messy. 

I know on Valentines day, we went out to a restaurant that had a coupon from buy one get one free, so our meal was $40 down to $25 + tip, then we went to the a movie, which I had two coupons I got from cereal, so free, but had to pay to upgrade for IMAX, so I used a gift card I received. Then we brought our own drinks and a chocolate bar from home in my purse. Cost for a nice dinner, movie, and snacks was under $30.


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## I'm Howard (Oct 13, 2010)

carverman, I will buy a book when we go to Florida that has all kinds of coupons, including two for one golf, and use as much as possible.

15% Tip Rule does not apply in Florida, Servers get less than minimum wage and rely on Tips as main source of Income, but NO HST.

I remember as a young Man living in London, Joe McManus , who owned half of London, got out of his big Cadillac, bought tons of everything that was on special, and used coupons. 

Remember, savings are after TaX Money, so if you save $5 on a coupon, you would have to earn about $8 to get that $5.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Plugging Along said:


> Carve - That's exactly what we do. If the meal was $40 dollars, without the discount would would be $46, now it's $42, I still save the $4 overall.


For someone who claims to be "frugal" P.A...you seem to be an enigma.
You spend $40 to save $4. 

0 frugality points to P.A. 



> I find often the coupon off sets our tip, as we do leave a large tip partially based on the fact that we are using a coupon, and partially because my kids can be messy.


Oh so now I see. You take your kids to mess up the restaurant table,
scream and shout (isn't that a Bryan Adams song "inside-out"), give the
waiter/waitress a lousy 10% tip and expect that that pays for the huge
cleanup of spilled drinks, food all over the place. Yes, that is probably one
reason, I avoid going to restaurants..especially the family type ones. 



> I know on Valentines day, we went out to a restaurant that had a coupon from buy one get one free, so our meal was $40 down to $25 + tip, then we went to the a movie, which I had two coupons I got from cereal, so free, but had to pay to upgrade for IMAX, so I used a gift card I received. Then we brought our own drinks and a chocolate bar from home in my purse. Cost for a nice dinner, movie, and snacks was under $30.


Well, ok, but this is getting rather complicated even for my technical minded
"melon"...I have to parse your sentences, write down what you saved and
tally up the savings..now..did you include that $250 bottle of wine after
you put the kids to bed?


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

I'm Howard said:


> 15% Tip Rule does not apply in Florida, Servers get less than minimum wage and rely on Tips as main source of Income, but NO HST.


Ok,so it's 20-25% tips in Fla?..otherwise how do the restaurant servers survive
on 10%? I remember those buffets in Orlando near Disney..went a few times
no tipping allowed (I think) and you eat like a pig! Felt uncomfortable once
doing that, next time just went for the shrimp barbies. 



> I remember as a young Man living in London, Joe McManus , who owned half of London, got out of his big Cadillac, bought tons of everything that was on special, and used coupons.


Yup, I remember a jewish entreprenuer/millionare who came into my guitar
shop in the late 60s and asked where he could buy a diamond ring WHOLESALE! 
Heck, I never owned a diamond ring in my life, let alone a big caddy! 



> Remember, savings are after TaX Money, so if you save $5 on a coupon, you would have to earn about $8 to get that $5.


Yes, I know..but you have to buy that item at regular price (usually) to 
use the coupon, so that means that that $50 item really cost you $80 in
pretax income to buy.


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

carverman said:


> For someone who claims to be "frugal" P.A...you seem to be an enigma.
> You spend $40 to save $4.
> 
> 0 frugality points to P.A.


Carve, I've already said that I do spend on things that I enjoy and can afford, but just pay as little as possible. The amount I save couponing in my other ways, well more than offsets what I spend here. I don't think of being frugal as an absolute, but rather spending on brings value (in my perspective). I know eating out is not a frugal thing to do in general, however, I enjoy it, and it also buys me time to relax and enjoy. 



carverman said:


> Oh so now I see. You take your kids to mess up the restaurant table,
> scream and shout (isn't that a Bryan Adams song "inside-out"), give the
> waiter/waitress a lousy 10% tip and expect that that pays for the huge
> cleanup of spilled drinks, food all over the place. Yes, that is probably one
> reason, I avoid going to restaurants..especially the family type ones.


Well, my children are extremely well behaved, they have learned to act appropriately through practice and being in situations with adults. We leave much more than a lousy 10% (we leave more than that by ourselves) There are the occasional spilled drink, and dropped food, but for a two year old, that's life. There is no screaming, shouting or running around. If either child acts up, they are immediately removed from the restaurant, until they can calm down and act appropriately. It actually causes me issues and grief when other kids act up because my kids question why the other kids can do that. We actually go to not only the family restaurants, but we do take our kids to the top fine dinning restaurants around, and have had the managers and the chefs comment on how well behave they are and their good taste. 



carverman said:


> Well, ok, but this is getting rather complicated even for my technical minded
> "melon"...I have to parse your sentences, write down what you saved and
> tally up the savings..now..did you include that $250 bottle of wine after
> you put the kids to bed?


Carve I thought you were a type A engineering type of numbers guy. Savings was $15 dollars for the dinner, $30 movie tickets, and $15 for snacks, total regular cost of the evening $85, we paid $25. So though eating out and a movie is not frugal, the cost to do that at home would have been $20 (groceries and movie rental), so for $5 to have not to worry about cooking or cleaning, and more importantly, quiet from the kidlets, WELL worth it. No need for the wine, we already had our bottle last year.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Plugging Along said:


> Carve, [I've already said that I do spend on things that I enjoy and can afford, but just pay as little as possible. *I don't think of being frugal as an absolute, but rather spending on brings value (in my perspective).*


Well, we all have to live within our lifestyles that we enjoy..otherwise life
would certainly get very boring. 




> Well, my children are extremely well behaved, they have learned to act appropriately through practice and being in situations with adults. We actually go to not only the family restaurants, but we do take our kids to the top fine dinning restaurants around, and have had the managers and the chefs comment on how well behave they are and their good taste.


Glad to hear that. I just can't imagine how some parents drag their kids
to restaurants and the kid(s) don't really want to be there..so they raise a
big fuss and that spoils it for the other patrons. I've seen this kind of behaviour in a couple of chinese food buffets. Made a note to self to bring
industrial ear plugs next time I go..which is not very often. 




> Carve I thought you were a type A engineering type of numbers guy.


Well I USED to be..but brain rot has set in...too much tv watching I guess.

Reciting the powers of 2 tables, was one of my skills, but now, I just barely
remember what I had for lunch 1/2 hour ago..the mind is a precious thing
to waste, as they say. 

ok..now lets see..Carve wets the lead on his pencil and writes down, in
a nice neat row.$15 + $30 + $15 = $60???..but you are saying the total
cost was $85???



> Savings was $15 dollars for the dinner, $30 movie tickets, and $15 for snacks, total regular cost of the evening $85, we paid $25.


Huh?...my feeble brain says that's $60..and you paid $25..so you saved $35
by not eating at home..and by bringing your precious chillun, you didn't have
to pay a babysitter that extra $35 you saved by eating out..which would have been eaten up by buying groceries, cooking and preparing at home..
but..wait!..you forgot the gas cost of driving to the restaurant and theatre..
and that $15 worth of snacks, that you could have saved by staying home..

did I miss something? "Doh!"..as Homer says.."I'm starving!..what's for dinner
Marge>"



> So though eating out and a movie is not frugal, the cost to do that at home would have been $20 (groceries and movie rental), *so for $5 to have not to worry about cooking or cleaning,* and more importantly, quiet from the kidlets, WELL worth it. No need for the wine, we already had our bottle last year.


Carve is now seriously scratching his head, throws away the pencil and admits
defeat..I know this is not rocket science (which some, I am familiar with)
but your logic is certainly "different".


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

*!*



carverman said:


> Glad to hear that. I just can't imagine how some parents drag their kids
> to restaurants and the kid(s) don't really want to be there..so they raise a
> big fuss and that spoils it for the other patrons. I've seen this kind of behaviour in a couple of chinese food buffets. Made a note to self to bring
> industrial ear plugs next time I go..which is not very often.


I know my kids aren't perfect, but we're pretty conciencious about people paying alot of money for a nice meal to be disturbed by screaming kids. Heck, I still get annoyned if parents don't do anything and I'm a parent. Mind you, I would scream too if I had to go to a Chinese food buffet. 



carverman said:


> ok..now lets see..Carve wets the lead on his pencil and writes down, in
> a nice neat row.$15 + $30 + $15 = $60???..but you are saying the total
> cost was $85???
> 
> ...


Why can't you follow me... I didn't quote my original post which said my original meal was $40 + $30 for movie + $15 snack = $85, I paid $25 (Coupon for dinner for free entree at $15, free movie coupons from cereal that I got with a coupon, and for the IMAX upgrade, used a gift card I get from FP, and then brought my own snacks which is anohter $15), so total savings is $85$25 = $60 Is that right? If not, I have allergy/cold brain.

Restaurant and Theatre are pretty close to the house and were beside each other, so much less than $10, probably $5, and I don't count the snacks as they maybe cost me $2, because I buy on sale, and COUPON  Though I think that night, we did leave the kids home, as we needed a kid break. We had the nanny watch the kids, but gave her time off another time instead of paying her extra. Normally, we do have to pay her.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Plugging Along said:


> Why can't you follow me... I didn't quote my original post which said my _original meal was $40 + $30 for movie + $15 snack = $85, I paid $25 (Coupon for dinner for free entree at $15, free movie coupons from cereal that I got with a coupon, and for the IMAX upgrade, used a gift card I get from FP, and then brought my own snacks which is anohter $15), so total savings is $85$25 = $60 _ *Is that right?* If not, I have allergy/cold brain.


You're confused???? 

Well, P.A..simple math is beyond me now. I used to crunch scientific and
electronic formulas in my working years..now I can't remember where
I left my glasses most of the time..as they say..the mind is the SECOND
thing to go! 

Well, let's leave this now, shall we? I'm not really a coupon clipper and
I won't spend a penny on lottery tickets..so I'm an engima myself.


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## zoya (Mar 20, 2011)

I have to say that I do a variation of 'extreme couponing' when I shop in US.
I don't clip coupons, just buy them online. The savings are well worth it.


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## LondonHomes (Dec 29, 2010)

We don't get extreme couponing in Canada since there is very little competion between grocery stores.


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## carverman (Nov 8, 2010)

Over here in Ottawa, coupons are perhaps not as popular with the grocery
stores, as head to head price wars through grocery flyers delivered to the homes.

Deals like "twoferone" "three for X "1/2 price", "buy X or more", and get the extra savings
passed on, seem to be the thing hese days. Most stores here have a sign right
at the front door that they do not accept internet coupons. 

Some deals are done through arrangements with suppliers ahead of time,
and may be excess stock production runs, that supplier needs to get rid of 
before the expiring date. 

Some are obvious "loss leaders" to get customers in the door, and the store will make up for it on other regular price items..
you know.."I came in here to get the tooth paste on special and
now I have a shopping bag or two as I was going to do some grocery shopping". 

This seems to be the game the grocery stores are playing, because they
certainly won't be able to stay in business on the specials alone.


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## donaldhumiston (Apr 26, 2011)

I have heard of using coupons to peers. I guess if it can help much why not. I tried them once in a coffee shop, and I sure did get a little discount. That did not really hurt didn't it?


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## groceryalerts (May 5, 2009)

LondonHomes said:


> We don't get extreme couponing in Canada since there is very little competion between grocery stores.


That is not true - depends on the items. 

Each store has its specialties and loss leaders for the week.

Some stores price match (Walmart, FreshCo, NO Frills) and others allow coupon stacking (London Drugs, Giant Tiger).


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

LondonHomes said:


> We don't get extreme couponing in Canada since there is very little competion between grocery stores.


It's not true! Just around 1km radius of my house: 2 Metros, Superstore and Wal Mart competing every day.


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## Addy (Mar 12, 2010)

Dana said:


> What I don't get is why they hoard their loot. Some of them have entire rooms devoted to their stash while some of them have their loot in every spare nook and cranny of their house. They seem very proud of their hoard.


As much as I like a good deal, I find the show (Extreme Couponing or whatever it's called) shows clear signs of addiction in many of the guests. Many of the guests on the show did exactly like Dana mentions, they hoard their items. For instance, who needs 10,000 bottles of hand sanitizer for a two-person household!

I did see one guy who donated most of the cereal he got for free to a food bank at his church, so some do good things with it.

Coupon stacking you can do at London Drugs, at least you were able to last year. I've heard they are stopping it but I'm not sure how true that is. You can't use the same coupon on the same item, but if you have say three coupons for diapers (three different coupons, not just three of the same coupon) you can use all three.


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## Young&Ambitious (Aug 11, 2010)

^ Bump. If you "like" Zellers and Safeway on facebook they post some coupons. This week Safeway has a 2 for 1 lettuce 

Are there any other good vendors that can be liked on Facebook??


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## Pigzfly (Dec 2, 2010)

A good website for this is freebiesdealsandrewards.com
I find it less overwhelming than red flag
There are a million sites which give deals for "likes" and/or contests. Some are better than others, or have one-offs to encourage sign up.


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## umpatan (Nov 26, 2011)

gibor said:


> Just watched on TLC program "Extreme Couponing".... they show that ppl save huge money using coupons..
> Anyone using coupons in Canada? Where can I find those coupons?


You can also eat free food at various Sikh Temples called Gurudwaras and you need not be Sikh or even religious to eat their free vegetarian food called Langar. With the price of food increasing, I eat for free there on a daily basis to get by on 12.00 an hour.


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## umpatan (Nov 26, 2011)

gibor said:


> I also was thinking like you... fortunately we're not broken, working and even paid out mortgage
> 
> but when they show real people who buying groceries and stuff on $850 and after coupons pays only $8 ... it becomes interesting


There are lots of people every day living on extreme frugality even in Canada with some new immigrants I know from developing countries that take free tissue and toilet paper from McDonalds and Starbucks, get hot water from McDonalds, dump it out, put yesterday's coffee in it, swish it up and down, and ask for a refill. Starbucks is a bit more clever and has a registered card system but you can register your card and get constant refills also. Also, you can get free cream from Starbucks by putting it in your second cup and take it home. Want free pens? Banking with Coast Captial savings, you can always grab their free pens a few at a time. If you are not savvy with preserving yesterday's coffee and doing that with Mcdonalds, you can just drink free coffee at the bank also. Go deposit 1.00 each day the cost of what you would for buying a coffee and take both a pen and the coffee and your dollar is still yours. (You will waste time lining up, yes, but when jobs are not that easy to come by and you have had your hours slashed on your almost minimum wage job, then it might be worthwhile for such a person).


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## umpatan (Nov 26, 2011)

marina628 said:


> My friend visits Florida for two weeks every year to see her mom.When she gets there her mom has a coupon wallet ready for her ,she said they will go to store load the cart up and only owe a dollar or two on the bill .I think i would be into coupons if we could do that as well.


Yeah, and there is a show about how this might be a waste of time, but what if you did this working as a night security guard part time and got paid $10 an hour or so just to clip your own coupons? Sleep on the job at the construction site, and man, you save on rent too, and you don't even have to own equity to get passive income. Play videogames and surf the net while on the job and still get paid. Got a telecommuting job? Go take a security guard job at the same time and get paid from both sources. The pay in security is crap, but if you turned around and banked every penny of what you earned from that side job and lived on your other, then even $12,000 saved a year is decent (I am factoring in that you will pay a higher tax owing for having 2 jobs).


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