Day 28: Not-So-Extreme Couponing

Heard of that new TLC show Extreme Couponing? I tried my hand at that when I lost my job before I even knew about this show. I've been using coupons found in my in-law's Sunday paper and on several sites online:

• Coupon Mom - Emails you every time coupons are updated and has links to 4 printable coupon sites in those emails (Red Plum, Coupons.com, Smart Source and Coupon Network)
  
• Grocery Coupon Cart - Also emails you every time new coupons are added

A lot of times I find the same coupon in two or more sites and I thought this was a waste. Come to find out it's awesome if you actually use that product and plan to continue to use that product. I found the treats we use for Coco at two or three sites and even two coupons in the paper. We now have a stock of treats for Coco that won't go bad and I was able to get them all at a discount. I also have 5 mascara tubes stockpiled in my bathroom because I was able to get them at $1.00-$2.00 off each. I love that mascara and I don't plan on switching anytime soon!

Adam and I took a trip to a grocery store today that took me about three hours to plan.

How happy am I about our trip?

Not.

The grocery store doubles manufacturer's coupons on Saturdays only and normally limit five coupons to double. Today they allowed ten coupons to double, but the coupon value has to be $1.00 or less. I'm not sure if it was because it was a "Double Double Daze" day or if every Saturday is like this, but it was a madhouse there. I've never been to this grocery store before so I already felt out of place trying to find everything. I am still dizzy (what causes dizziness all day long??) so I didn't feel good. Then throw in the mix with entire families in the middle of isles blocking all traffic and employees in ridiculous Sunday-Best attire taking up the entire next isle trying to restock shelves and have boxes and crates blocking the entire row... I wanted to punch every single human in the face.

Honestly why do people stand in the MIDDLE of an isle? People are trying to get past you going both directions! MOVE! lonsfdgvbiusdefrguihsdrfiujugblbgkjn

On top of that I had Adam with his own cart behind me so we could use 10 more coupons if he used a different checkout counter so they didn't realize we were in the same household. Trying to maneuver two carts and trying to make sure I had the correct items on the coupons and non-coupon items we needed for home and make sure I had the right items in his cart and the right ones in mine. I kept telling Adam to move so others could get by and I'm pretty sure I came off as a mega biotch. I'm blessed with a guy that tends to not take things personally when he knows I'm just stressed. I'm working on that.

I should've read the fine print. I didn't realize until I got to the register that they would only double coupons that were a value of a dollar or less. I could've used more coupons.

So how much did my pain and planning save us?

$57.83

Let me ask myself again how happy I am about our trip.

Very.

I guess I had a certain expectation for our trip to turn out to be less stressful and with less shoppers. I was disappointed that some of my coupons didn't double but I had only myself to blame for that. In the Extreme Couponing show the ladies walk out with hundreds or even thousands of dollars of merchandise and food but only pay 5% or less of the total cost. All because of their coupons.

No other grocery stores in my city double manufacturer coupons. This one we visited only allows 5 coupons to be doubled, today was a special case. How often will I ever find me in the same situation as the women on that show? Probably never. But I still always end up with lots of savings.

Does you have any other couponing or savings tips that I missed?