Are You an Extreme Couponer?
This practice has become widely popular after the introduction of the Extreme Couponing reality show on TLC. Extreme couponing combines coupon clipping and good shopping skills in every-day grocery shopping to save as much money as possible. This practice can go from being a hobby to becoming a life obsession.
Although people have been clipping coupons from Sunday newspapers for decades now, extreme couponing has reached its peak after the 2008 Economic Crisis. The Internet also played an important role in this activity becoming so popular, since there are many websites, message boards and social media pages that deal with this subject.
Where to Find Coupons?
The most popular source of coupons are the local Sunday newspapers, magazines and coupon booklets. Extreme couponers usually have subscription to some of these sources, which bring them a steady influx of coupons every week. Some people like to go further and search for free coupons.
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These can be found online, and on the places where people often read and discard newspapers like McDonald’s or Starbucks. A good couponer doesn’t only use paper slips, there are also flipkart coupons and many others that give you the ability to save money while shopping online.
Good Organization Is the Key
An extreme couponer is usually a great organizer. Coupons need to be organized in a good way, and the same goes for the stockpile of groceries that will pile up eventually.
Most couponers decide to organize their coupons in a binder, old photo or scrapbook album or some other book that gives them the ability to find the desired coupon quickly when needed. Coupons that are more important should be placed separately and they need to be easily accessible.
Finding Good Deals
A couponer is always on the alert for good deals and bargains. Some even carry their binders in their car all the time. Supermarkets that double the coupon value are the best places to find good deals.
Good relations with fellow couponers are also important, because they can give you the tips about the bargains they have found, but of course this needs to be a two way street. Good deals can also be found on many coupon websites, message boards and social media pages.
Stocking Your Supplies
We already talked about the importance of good organization when doing extreme couponing. Buying a year’s supply of peanut butter can be a little tricky to store, and that’s why each extreme couponer has a large storage room to store all the surplus goods.
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The rule of thumb is not to buy more groceries when your storage is full. Groceries in the storage room should be well organized and stacked by the expiration date of each item. Another important thing is to create the right environment in which certain products need to be stored.
Most products require dark, reasonably cold and dry places for storing. Investing some money in an adequate fridge and deep freezer is necessary for storing frozen food, meat or dairy products.
Extreme couponing can stretch the home budget and save money for some bigger and more important projects. It’s very important not to make it a life-time obsession, because nobody likes to socialize with people who stack their groceries in their bedrooms and hallways.
