Madame Deals has been working hard to provide tips for Extreme Couponing the “normal” way.  We are not all as extreme as some of the participating couponers on the new TLC series.  I thought this article was particuraly important, so Aimee was kind enough to let me share it with you all.  My biggest challenge is balancing coupons and my family.  My family will ALWAYS come first.  They may have to come shopping with me sometimes and watch me clip coupons, but I don’t miss sporting events or dinners just to shop.  I *gasp* sometimes skip great deals and freebies.

Enjoy…

Welcome to Couponing for the Extremely Normal! Have you watched the new TLC series “Extreme Couponing“? If so, you must realize how extreme these couponers can be.

Here at Madame Deals, we believe in saving by using coupons but not to the extreme extent which the TLC series portrays. We prefer to take a realistic approach to saving and stockpiling.

In order help you extreme coupon in a realistic way, we will be bringing you several tips each week. Here’s tip #5: My tip: is Time is Money and everything cost something!

Okay, so my take on tonight’s show is simple. It is buy what you need. If you do not have a baby do not buy diapers. It cost money to store things. It takes up space. The most important thing that it takes is time to plan trips, cut coupons, find the items, buy the items, take the items out of the car, bring them inside, and place them on shelves.

I went to the doctors with my son this week. I realized he will soon be 1 years old. I looked at him and wonder when he got so big. What day did he go from a little preemie to this 21lb baby? I guess I think this way time is money. I believe that you can’t get time back. I believe it is important to live in your budget. It is important to use coupons to help you do so. It is NOT important to plan trips to buy things you do not need. It is not important to run to the store to get the next best deal if it means missing the best deals which are those found at home.

* * * Let us know how we can help you on your Extremely Normal Coupon journey! * * *

 Check out Madame Deals for more tips

My blogging buddy Lauren over at Luxury Living Frugal Style has written a series of posts regarding the latest episode of Extreme Couponing on TLC.  While I think the show makes for good TV, I do wish they would add a disclaimer that results are not typical & stores have coupon policies and limits that were waived for the show (if applicable). 

I’m not trying to start a heated debate, but I do feel that I should post one of her articles to make sure couponers (especially those who are new to the game) know that is important to use the coupons as intended and specified by the manufacture.  We all make mistakes but national television is not the place to use coupons incorrectly.  It is the stores prerogative to allow coupon limits to be exceeded, but I doubt the manufacturers agreed to have there coupons used outside of the written manner. 

I work hard to share with you matchups within manufacture guidelines.  I have written an article on ethical couponing.  I feel strongly about this subject, so here is an unfortunate example of how coupons should not be used:

You can see more of my posts on this issue, at Luxury Living Frugal Style at www.midgetmomma.com here, here and here

I am sure all of you feel the same way I do about shopping, planning it important! We write lists and put what coupons we have to use next to the NAME of what we are buying…..well J’Aime doesn’t….look at this list!

Who the heck makes a list that looks like this??? NO PRODUCT NAMES just manufacturer names and codes, well there is only one conclusion to come from this….SHE IS USING COUPONS ON THE WRONG PRODUCTS! I am not going to get into coupon decoding, it is illegal and wrong and NOT the way couponers should use coupons. This is NOT the way REAL couponers USE coupons!

On her shopping trip, there were multiple times that she used coupons for items that SHE DID NOT EVEN BUY!

One example is Buddig lunch meat—I buy this lunch meat, I have NEVER seen a $1 off coupon that can be used on the SMALL packages! I have seen both insert ones ($1/4 2oz and $1 off 12-16oz) and the one that is $1 off a 16oz package that comes on the label of the package.

Here is what she bought

Here is the coupon used

This coupon is for $1 off of 1 12-16 ounce package! The ones she bought are 2 oz packages (the size difference in the packaging alone should be obvious)

I am not going to go in to all the fraud she committed while on the show, there is no reason to, FRAUD is FRAUD! And STEALING is STEALING, no matter how much or how little!

I know I personally have had issues when using the RIGHT coupons on the RIGHT products!

Feel free to share your thoughts. Please remember to use your “big girl” words.  Unnecessarily mean/rude comments will be deleted.

Thank you to Jillcataldo.com for the images.

This post is a reprint with permission