It’s likely we’ll have a few new visitors today thanks to the article in the Contra Costa Times (and many other local papers). I wanted to take a minute to welcome you to The Frugal Find and give you all some tools that will help you dive into the couponing community.
First things first, my goal is to help you Save more so you can Give more so you can Live more. Teaching you how to be as armed as you possibly can with a few Sunday Coupon inserts and some trusty scissors. I teach everything in moderation, including your time spent. This Online Coupon Class is a FREE resource for your family, you can click on the links below to watch the various videos I’ve filmed for the Frugal Find Online Coupon Class.
Coupon Class Videos
Introduction | Where to get coupons | Couponing tips | CVS | Rite Aid | Walgreens
Target | Safeway | How to stockpile | Organizing your coupons | Closing
Part 2: Bringing you some hope today…
Part 1: How TFF started and where we are at today…
Part 2: How TFF started and where we are at today…
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We’re right in the middle of new series here on TFF, it’s titled “Work From Home”…
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My Work At Home Jobs (Part 1 of 2)
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Nichole Walker via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:01 pm
I watched it. I love saving money too but what does 1 family need 240 boxes of pasta? I would be worried half of the food would go bad before I could use it. I wonder how much is donated to food pantries? They also didn’t add in the cost for the clipping companies.
via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:05 pm
Interesting, and WOW 240 boxes? Was she a blogger or did they say anything about them?
Nichole Walker via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:07 pm
Most of them used online services that clipped and sent them coupons, but they didn’t give the names. Most of them did go on sites that had deals spelled out for them. The one woman actually had the local paper deliver the extra coupons to her home. I would like that!!
Linda Hahn via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:07 pm
I do plan on watching it in a minute (it’s sitting on the DVR) and I know it will probably raise my blood pressure because I’ll be screaming at my tv. I saw that the second episode said the lady did 18 transactions!!! Seriously?!?? How rude to those behind you!
via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:11 pm
Well interestingly enough, my Coupon Database page is on FIRE tonight. Someone must have mentioned Coupon Database during the show. Hundreds of people are viewing it right now, all at once.
Nidia Zavala via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:14 pm
Who really needs all that stuff? The savings are great $640.xx for only 6 bucks is great. Awesome, Im really hoping that this show does not affect couponers in any way. stores might start limits.
Audrey Wall via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:18 pm
first of all this was a repeat from the first time and to the extreme they go to the (1st) is just not called for and to have more insurance on the food then the house give me a break, her hubsand should put a stop to this and when you think about this she spend 70.00 on getting the coupons and then spends a total of 57.00 (?) she really is not coming ahead, because she is loosing her husband taking time away from the family (when this is to help the family )and she really needs help for her addiction, those are just my thoughts
via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:19 pm
Oh it’s a repeat? I thought it was a new segment…
Nidia Zavala via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:21 pm
I have dish so I watched it already its (2) 30 minute episodes. They have the ru-run before the new episodes.
Ashlie Downing via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:21 pm
Agreed! Get only what your family needs! Its so insane how these people use and abuse. It will in the end affect all of us that use coupons to help our cost of raising a family. It just makes me sick they even put this on tv!
Nichole Walker via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:22 pm
Ok the 3rd episode just mentioned the database. I am watching it on the dvr.
Cheryl Woods via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:22 pm
It’s. On my dvr and im so excited to watch it when I get home!
Audrey Wall via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:22 pm
no this is from the 1st show if this on TLC, I think all of us couponer’s should contact TLC and start to complain what there are going do to all of us that are really trying to make a true living with our familys and being fair.
Tamara Brown via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:24 pm
Two episodes are new they did the repeat first.
Audrey Wall via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:24 pm
Buy showing this extreme couponing the stores are going to be very limited on how we use the coupons or not take them at all and that truley is not fair to the right people who coupon
Tamara Brown via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:25 pm
But how can a family of 9 eat up to 90 packages of cold cuts before they go bad??? That’s a lot of processed meats!!
via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:29 pm
90 packages of lunchmeat?! If I buy 2, its likely 1 will go bad before we eat it all. Wow.
Audrey Wall via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:29 pm
They can not unless that is the only thing they are eating or she has a big freezer but still at that rate she would need a huge freezer at that because you know that would not be the only thing she would put in there
via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:30 pm
This is all making me so sad. I know many families that coupon to survive, this show isn’t going to help at all.
Tamara Brown via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:31 pm
62 bottles of mustard too. That’s a lot of sandwiches!
Nidia Zavala via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:40 pm
Their getting good savings but they are buying the same product over and over (50 or more at a time). with the same coupon making it almost free/low OOP in tons of transactions. In my eyes a good transaction is buying different items at a time and saving a lot.
Karen Pennington via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:43 pm
If you need that much Maloxx that says something about the rest of the food in the grocery cart.
via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 7:47 pm
lol Karen, good point!
Kim Dauer via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 8:23 pm
The mustard was ridiculous.
Marlene April 7, 2011 at 5:55 am
and didn’t her husband say they don’t even eat mustard!!!
Brenda June 21, 2011 at 4:12 pm
If you all , who criticize dont see they give alot away . And if you keep watching you must be looking for good info to help you , or your no better then what you say, stupid gossipers..
Nidia Zavala via Facebook April 6, 2011 at 8:27 pm
Wiping out the shelves, is not fair to other
Jennifer April 7, 2011 at 6:40 am
I loved the shows, but I am a reality tv junkie, and I think they did alot of things for the shock value, I mean it wouldnt be that interesting, if they saved a normal coupon shop savings of 50% or so that we all get excited about. I do worry though that it will give a bad name to the rest of us. I couldnt imagine sitting and doing 18 transactions at my grocery store lol! But I think she was the most realistic shopper, because I have 5 teenage boys in my house, a hungry husband, and a daughter I shop for who lives on her own. I am pretty new at all the couponing, but I have saved alot of money, and gotten a lot of good deals, enough so that I can stockpile a little bit, and help out my parents . My dad has cancer, and chemo is a hour away, with gas prices at almost 4.00 and there limited budget, being able to help them with the basics , has been a blessing. I would though feel totally embarassed if I bought 240 boxes of pasta , I want to have 3 months of items on hand, and with 8 of us in this household I would possibly use maybe 90 or so. I love this site, and all of your opinions, have to say I agree with all of you! I just love shock value tv, LOL!!!
Sham April 7, 2011 at 8:15 am
I watched it last night and it was very interesting. I picked up a few couponing strategies (mostly coupon organization and stockpiling organization tips). However, I don’t think I approve of the buying 32 or 50 of the same items at once and hoarding a whole warehouse of stuff just because you can. If I was to stockpile then I think I would just do a 6-8 months worth. I think it’s selfish and inconsiderate to the other shoppers behind you to take almost everything off the shelves. The sin of gluttony comes to mind. But that’s just my personal opinion. To be fair, seeing that it is a “reality” show, I think they did all that transactions on TV just to show how much savings you can get when you do “extreme” couponing. I don’t think every person on the show does that kind of shopping everytime in their “real” life. I think the show just did those for shock value. With that being said, I also think that by doing that the show paints a distorted picture of couponers in general. Not all couponers are that extreme. And I’m just concerned at what it may do with regards to stores and their couponing policy. They may start revising their coupon policy and put up a lot of restrictions and limitations to deter couponers like that but in the process affect us, average couponers, from getting a good deal too. Another thing I learned from the show last night was that some stores double or even triple coupons. Now what I would like to know is how come I’ve never heard of any store here in NorCal that even double your coupons? Are there stores in NorCal that do that? I wish they would.
Endcapps April 7, 2011 at 8:40 am
Save more, live more, give more ~ isn’t that your mantra? I watched the show & reflected on your mantra. The male couponer actually donated 1,000 boxes of Total Cereal to the Food Bank (thumbs up!). And the Philadelphia couponer spends time in the store aisles giving free advice to fellow shoppers about deals to help them along and educate … she also gets daily exercise by walking around her neighborhood picking-up inserts which people save for her (it’s her work-out, with benefits! Love that)~ Just a few Positive Notes about the show.
Krisi (Shelf Reliance Consultant) April 7, 2011 at 11:26 am
I think an Extreme Donation show is in order! Let’s see what everyone is donating!
If you are looking for the shelving from the show last night from Shelf Reliance – I can help! I am a Shelf Reliance consultant and can get you better pricing than online!
Endcapps April 7, 2011 at 3:53 pm
I was inspired today to donate some of my stockpile to a local church that operates a health products pantry for the needy. I gave them two diabetic blood monitors, Natures Bounty vitamins, Ducolax and Polident — all my free after rebate stuff from Rite Aid. There are a lot of people with health issues and no insurance who need all the things we get from the drugstore as moneymakers or fillers. So the tv show inspired me!
Jennifer April 7, 2011 at 10:10 pm
It really inspired me also to donate!!!
Jocelyn June 7, 2011 at 9:16 pm
I’m so blessed to have run into your site last week. I’m completely new to couponing and haven’t seen any of the reality shows since we’ve been without cable for quite some time in order to make room in our budget. I’ve mainly shopped at Sam’s Club, Walmart, Target and Lucky since they’re close to home. I used to shop at FoodMaxx but the drive seemed too far. I’m finding great deals at Rite Aid thanks to TFF, and I love that the store is close by. Our goal is to free up more of our grocery budget so that we can get out of debt and give more freely. I started a grocery price sheet using a template I found online with a few tweaks of my own. I thought it might help a little for those of us who don’t know our buy it now prices. I’d love to update it with prices from other stores if anyone would like to share that info. The link is below… it’s a google doc that’s accessible to anyone with the link. Anyone can save it as their own doc and make their own changes as well. Thanks so much, TFF, for your ministry!
https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aq3md9YKqozhdFgxNUQ2QklITG01RnIzdXRPWW9nUmc&hl=en_US&authkey=CPLTuv4F