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After watching the new TLC show Extreme Couponing I was left feeling a little heavy hearted about some of the things I saw being portrayed on the show.
If you feel anxious while couponing in any way I would say you might want to readjust why you are doing it in the first place. I admit to enjoying the feeling of walking out of a store knowing that I was able to get all kinds of things for my family with very little money. I love that there are times when I can pick up a few extra things to share with someone else.
When I first started to use coupons I admit to easily getting sucked into the stockpiling idea. I love knowing that I don’t have to use our finances on things like toothpaste and deodorant. I would start to gather as much as I could, and before I knew it I was getting much more than we needed just to have it sit in my closet.
Then one day I realized that I had gotten addicted to the feeling I got when the cashier was left dumbfounded by how I was able to walk out of the store with bags and bags of stuff. I like the validation I got from others who wanted to know how I was living off a $200 monthly grocery budget. And I loved knowing I was taking away some of the financial burden off of my husband.
Just like any other addiction, it began to fill every corner of my life until there was no room for what really mattered.
I am not implying that it is wrong to want to save money. I think it is ridiculous to pay full price for anything. But when saving a few dollars becomes the thing that gives me the warm fuzzies, I know I have a problem and need to refocus on where my provision is coming from as well as understand that HE didn’t give me a stockpile so I can store up treasures here on earth but rather so I could share with my neighbors!
I think it is a very human thing to want to store up things to keep us safe. But then we are looking to ourselves for our provision which really comes from the Lord.
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About Kristie Sawicki
Is there a link? Would like to read about your hoarding experience. Thanks.
You can click on the like at the bottom of the post that says “Read more about my experience hoarding here”
I saw part of it and wS thinking almost exactly what you just posted. Thanks for your post
Thanks for sharing!
I used to stockpile a few things when we had a bigger apartment.
Laundry detergent, toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, and soap. No more than 5 of each.
Honestly watching that show makes my stomach turn.
I think it’s nice to save money, but hoarding is a different story. How much of that stuff goes unused, un-needed. Did you see that woman buy over 20 candy bars? How many boxes of pasta can you eat? Really?.. I don’t get it. I liked the one guy at the end of last nights episode, where he stated he would be donating the 1,000 boxes of cereal. Just odd to me.
Courtney´s last [type] ..Saturday shopping – Marshalls
I keep a couple of deodorants, toothpaste, shampoo, things like that on hand. But I know there is always going to be another sale so I don’t need 100 anything! Plus like you my house is small and I have to be selective on what I am willing to store.
The lady they showed dumpster diving was Joanie of the Krazy Coupon Lady website.They did a very poor job in the way they portrayed her. She donates to churches and the food bank in her area several times a year. If she finds out about someone in her area in need she will also help them.She rotates her stockpile and keeps it neat and orderly unlike Amanda who just threw her boxes of pasta on a couch in her husbands man cave.If you read about her on her site,they had to live off her stockpile for several months when her husband lost his job.Although she is only 27,this is someone I look at as a good role model and as a good example of a good steward of what God provides them with
I do believe that they definitely put their spin on the show.
thank you!! this is the best response to that program that I have seen!!! I think it is so easy to want to store up our ‘treasures’ here, but we could stack them to the ceiling and still never feel fulfilled – that can only come from Him (with a capital ‘H’)!!!!
It just made me so sad to see some of the show.
I have to admit that I wasn’t impressed with the idea of extreme couponing. It definitely came across, in the show, as an addiction for most of the couponers.
I just don’t get. I am very frugal, menu plan, shop store brands, etc., but I’m not willing to coupon simply b/c I don’t eat what most coupons are for . . . and I was reminded of that watching the food items that were being “stockpiled” by these couponers. There was SO much junk food, soda, and processed food. I hate that there aren’t coupons for produce, good meat, etc. I could get into couponing then . . . . but not when the majority of what has a coupon isn’t healthy. And that seemed to be the bulk of what those people were buying.
What good is a stockpile or deal if you’re not healthy (physically or mentally) because of it?
I just don’t get it.
Rachel´s last [type] ..The Clock is Ticking
Rachel, I agree that a lot of the couponing stockpile items from the show seem to be junk food. I tend to use coupons to buy what I use for free. I am going to be sharing on different ways to save on good meats and produce as well. For me couponing is more for condiments, cereals, baking supplies, canned/frozen veggies, pet products, and all of my medicines, health & beauty needs. When you can get them free with coupons & sales then I stock up so I never have to pay for them and can then use my money to pay for better for you food.
I don’t necessarily consider myself an Extreme Couponer like the ones on the show. But I do know how to use coupons to pay as little as possible for some things. I like to use coupons to save on the things I already mentioned that way I can use the bulk of my budget on healthier meats & produce.
Congrats, it sounds like you are already using all of the methods I would suggest (being frugal, menu planning, buy store brands, ect.) to bring your bill down as much as possible!
First thought i had with extreme couponing was wow they got all that cheap. but i also saw that they were buying mass quanities. as i do agree you may want to do the deal once or maybe even twice considering the size of your family. the amount of things that were large if not given was a bit crazy to me. asprin does expire. so if you calculate how many single asprins there is no way you would use that many in a year by then the sale and coupon will be back. the giving is what was cool tho. yes they had all this stuff but was willing to let people come and get stuff if they needed it or gave it away to food pantries. I have a large family so we run out quickly but i can’t see me going that large in my shopping. some is always good to have on hand tho when needed. seems im always running out of deoterant and toothpaste. those are some things i will likely get a few of to hold me off till the next sell.
That’s how it should be. You buy what your family needs to get by until the next sale!
I only buy things I use and don’t really stockpile at all.