Do you know anyone who is a "couponer"?

jtvang125

Diamond Member
Nov 10, 2004
5,399
51
91
I have a few friends and friends of friends on FB that are and I can't understand why they all need to tell the whole world what they just saved or what they just got for only this much. Not to mention showing off their stockpile as if everyone cared that they have 30 jars of spaghetti sauce, 10 bags of tortilla chips or other junk that you don't need a years worth of.

It seems that the satisfaction they get in "saving" quickly turns into a hoarding issue too.
 

Platypus

Lifer
Apr 26, 2001
31,046
321
136
Friend of a friend was.. for the most part it's essentially super wasteful and an obsessive behavior, but he would donate most of the stuff he bought using ridiculous coupon tricks. He had a whole formula, etc on when to get certain coupons and which newspapers to get and he would try to get as many as possible from friends, etc.

I think it was the best balance of "I need something to pour all my attention into" and it having a somewhat healthier purpose than just the rush these people usually get from this activity. He would never brag about it luckily.

It's strange... but it's not really all that bothersome to me outside of how wasteful it can be with people who are extreme about it. I've read about people who build entire additions to their house just to hold all their 'winnings,' like scrooge mcduck style shit.
 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
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www.slatebrookfarm.com
Hey, now, nothing wrong with stockpiling a year's worth of stuff like spaghetti sauce. That's something people use. In fact, I usually buy a year or two's worth at a time - without using coupons; just when I see it on sale for a really really good price. Then, I can buy something like frozen gnocchi, toss enough for myself in boiling water, dump some spaghetti sauce on them when they're done, and throw out the rest of the jar without feeling guilty.

What I find annoying are the ones that seem to be hoarders - they stockpile stuff that they'll never use. "Oh look, I got 50 jars of chicken bullion cubes, for only 25 cents each!" "Uh, if you made something with them every single day, that will last you 40 years."
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
58,509
8,781
126
It's a sport, and I can see the appeal, but you have to maintain control. Platypus' acquaintance is doing it right. Pizza's bullion cube collector isn't.
 

Dr. Zaus

Lifer
Oct 16, 2008
11,764
347
126
Choosing the "friends and friends" Facebook plan was a mistake: clearly you are over paying.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
65,218
13,479
146
My wife is an avid couponer...but she's NOT one of those "extreme coupon nuts" like the ones on the TV shows.

She only buys items that we need...and USUALLY, only in reasonable quantities. the exceptions to that are coffee...when there's a GOOD deal on coffee, (usually Folgers since we're not coffee snobs) we'll buy about 6 months worth...and toothpaste. For some reason, when she finds a screaming good deal on toothpaste, she'll buy however many the store sets as a limit...often several times. (in her defense, she sends most of it to our 3 grandkids who live in a very poor household...)

She used to play the "price match game," getting the best buys from stores all over town...then using her coupons (and when available, double/triple coupons) on the discounted price...but since we moved out of CA, we don't have grocery stores who will do that anymore.
 

MongGrel

Lifer
Dec 3, 2013
38,466
3,067
121
My step mother used to do this large scale, she had a large filing cabinet with the coupons all separated into various sections. She didn't hoard things we didn't need, but when someone had a sale she would score things pretty nicely.

The wife does it to a smaller degree, she has a coupon book wallet she keeps things we like in for two for one sales.
 
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WelshBloke

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
32,129
10,148
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Hey, now, nothing wrong with stockpiling a year's worth of stuff like spaghetti sauce.

Then you've got to use the exact same spaghetti sauce for a year. Doesn't that get a bit dull?

I could maybe see it with basic ingredients (like dried pulses, flour, tinned tomatoes; stuff that a lack of variation in doesn't matter.) but they are pretty cheap anyway.
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
58,509
8,781
126
Then you've got to use the exact same spaghetti sauce for a year. Doesn't that get a bit dull?
They all taste about the same. I buy the one that reads best at the time, but it doesn't really matter. I add ingredients to get the taste I want.
 

MongGrel

Lifer
Dec 3, 2013
38,466
3,067
121
They all taste about the same. I buy the one that reads best at the time, but it doesn't really matter. I add ingredients to get the taste I want.

Pretty much this in the house here these days, other than the sister in laws.

http://www.mids.cc/

My sister in law makes a lot of sauce from scratch as far as sauce goes though that I love, and we usually have a couple containers frozen in the freezer for that.

But that is just one item I don't have to worry about much I guess.

Back to the regularly scheduled coupons :)
 
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waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
I used to do it. as someone said its a game. how much could i buy and how for how much?

a few years ago stores started changing how they did coupons. wasn't as much fun then.
 

Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,890
5,001
126
30 years ago, my mom was SUPER into this and absolutely crushed it.

This was back in the days of double coupon Tuesdays, being able to stack store and manufacturer coupons, mail in rebates on everything -- she saved the wrapper of most everything we ate that was name brand. Our entire basement was devoted to it. I remember going grocery shopping with her and she'd have 2 full carts of food -- all the good stuff to that you wanted as a kid in the 80s (poptarts, crazy good cereals, chips, soda)... and the check lady would give HER money back. It blew my mind as a kid -- Sentry was paying HER to take 2 carts of groceries out of the store. not to mention she'd then get rebates on the stuff.
 
Nov 8, 2012
20,842
4,785
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I have a few friends and friends of friends on FB that are and I can't understand why they all need to tell the whole world what they just saved or what they just got for only this much. Not to mention showing off their stockpile as if everyone cared that they have 30 jars of spaghetti sauce, 10 bags of tortilla chips or other junk that you don't need a years worth of.

It seems that the satisfaction they get in "saving" quickly turns into a hoarding issue too.

What do you call a "couponer" ?

I clip coupons from my paper, and I also have a couple places that do "digital" coupons. My local grocery store does digital coupons, also Walgreens does digital coupons (but I never shop at Walgreens).

It's a quick way to save ~20/month. Even if I switch to just digital only, I simply go on to the grocery store website, add ALL the coupons, and shop like normal. If the digital coupons take $ off, cool, if not oh well. Not much time was lost, and I RARELY let the coupons dictate which brand to buy.

I never brag about it, but I have received compliments from the clerks saying "I don't know why other people don't do this."

I don't do crazy coupon extreme lady that gets a 4-pack of TP for 25 cents. I just don't care that much, and I don't let it decide my brands. If it tastes like shit, or if the TP sucks, I won't buy it regardless. Also, they devote WAAAAAAAAAY too much time to managing those coupons that I guarantee if they just worked more hours they could EASILY save more than worrying about couponing.
 

MongGrel

Lifer
Dec 3, 2013
38,466
3,067
121
30 years ago, my mom was SUPER into this and absolutely crushed it.

This was back in the days of double coupon Tuesdays, being able to stack store and manufacturer coupons, mail in rebates on everything -- she saved the wrapper of most everything we ate that was name brand. Our entire basement was devoted to it. I remember going grocery shopping with her and she'd have 2 full carts of food -- all the good stuff to that you wanted as a kid in the 80s (poptarts, crazy good cereals, chips, soda)... and the check lady would give HER money back. It blew my mind as a kid -- Sentry was paying HER to take 2 carts of groceries out of the store. not to mention she'd then get rebates on the stuff.

Yeah, that was about the time my step mom was heavily into it.

Actually even back into the late 70's, you could mega score then if you were doing it right.

Then was even the canning, growing, and freezing fresh stuff, that was just picked.

Farmers do it right that way, used to even go into buying a 2 way cow on a couple relatives farms now and then, just to fill up a freezer later.

Coupons were just an added advantage.
 
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DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
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www.slatebrookfarm.com
Then you've got to use the exact same spaghetti sauce for a year. Doesn't that get a bit dull?

I could maybe see it with basic ingredients (like dried pulses, flour, tinned tomatoes; stuff that a lack of variation in doesn't matter.) but they are pretty cheap anyway.
Uh, usually when a particular brand is on sale, it's for all varieties. Don't you go grocery shopping? So, suppose it's hunts that's on sale for 50 cents a can - there's meat, garden vegetable, regular, etc. And, who uses it straight out of the jar without mixing in some of their own spices?
 

darkewaffle

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2005
8,152
1
81
I have a few friends and friends of friends on FB that are and I can't understand why they all need to tell the whole world what they just saved or what they just got for only this much.

Because that is exactly why Facebook exists. It's a circlejerk of boring, stupid people trying their damnedest to convince each other, and themselves, that they aren't actually boring or stupid by pretending all the pissant nuances of their lives are actually meaningful events.
 

BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,234
1,718
126
Who has 30 jars of spaghetti sauce? I'll buy some, my woman makes awesome sauce with chorizzo in it, but never seems to make enough, a jar of sauce to add to a batch ... might just balance it out perfectly ...

I'll take 20!
 

WelshBloke

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
32,129
10,148
136
Uh, usually when a particular brand is on sale, it's for all varieties. Don't you go grocery shopping?

I do, but I make my own sauce for pasta.


So, suppose it's hunts that's on sale for 50 cents a can - there's meat, garden vegetable, regular, etc.

That's not pasta sauce! That's soup or something.

/ATOTfoodsnob

And, who uses it straight out of the jar without mixing in some of their own spices?

May as well make your own at that point.
 

clamum

Lifer
Feb 13, 2003
26,252
403
126
I just use coupons for the escort and sometimes the stripper I see after work.
I ain't surprised. About the only way to handle seein that busted lookin dude is the thought of using a coupon, and not paying full price.
 

LTC8K6

Lifer
Mar 10, 2004
28,520
1,575
126
It's all fun and games until you end up behind one of those bastards at the checkout counter with 38 coupons plus an argument about one of the 38 coupons...
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,570
10,200
126
I guess you could call me a "couponer", if you count Newegg promo codes. I've savedspent so much money there!
 

bbhaag

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2011
7,013
2,408
146
My wife is an avid couponer...but she's NOT one of those "extreme coupon nuts" like the ones on the TV shows........

My wife is the same way. She goes through the circulars and prints the online coupons but doesn't go crazy with it.