I have written several posts about Extreme Couponing. I disagree with the practice of acquiring products, which are not needed, just because they are free with a coupon. 'Buying' 114 bottles of Tylenol just because one has a coupon making them free is ridiculous. The pills will expire long before any one family can use them. Having a stock pile of 240 laundry detergents because they were free is ludicrous. Each bottle holds enough detergent to wash 44 loads. If a family washes 1.5 loads a day, they will go through one bottle a month. The stock pile will last 2 years. Sales are repeated every 3 months. That means the sale on detergents has been repeated 8 times. So did the person really need to stock up 240 bottles?
Coupons are intended to encourage shoppers to purchase a product, try a new product, or buy extra products. They are not intended to "clear the shelf" leaving other shoppers deprived of the sale. To use coupons effectively and fairly, one should only buy enough of any product to last the family 3 months --until the next sale.
Couponing is a smart way to be wise stewards of the family money. They can cut the grocery bill by 30-40%, a big help in today's economy. I began using coupons a few weeks ago and I do have to confess it is exciting to see the grocery bill start going down when they start scanning those coupons. I am not an expert and certainly not 'extreme', and never will be. But I did cut my grocery bill by 28% last week. It was also the most exciting grocery trip I've ever had. I recommend it--but please use coupons responsibility.
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