Extreme Couponing Hurts All of Us

After watching several episodes of "Extreme Couponing" I was left with a feeling of disgust. If you pay attention to what these hoarders oops avid coupon users really buy - you will notice very little of it is real food. Most of it is cases upon cases of boxed noodles, candy and personal care items. Just how many boxes of noodles can one family eat? How many boxes of toothpaste can a family of four use?

The hyper coupon clippers need to consider that their time has to be worth something. If you are spending 40 hours per week to cut coupons, check internet coupon sites, buy newspapers and match sales; you really are not saving anything. Let's just say they could make minimum wage at 40 hours per week. That would be almost $300. every single week or $1100. per month. I suspect that couponers are not averaging $1100. per month in free food. At least not real food. And what about gas costs to get newspapers and go to several stores. What about the cost of buying the online coupon services? The television series never addresses the cost part of the equation.

While I do respect the people that donate many of the items they get for free; I still have to wonder how many food banks need or want yet more boxes of noodles and toothpaste.

The real tragedy is the grocery store's responses to the newest coupon craze. Before "Extreme Couponing," I would receive special monthly coupons in the mail from our local Kroger. Many of these coupons were for free items or $5. off meat purchases. In the last 60 days I noticed I was no longer receiving my customer coupons in the mail or getting my usual coupons upon checking out.

I asked one of the managers at our local Kroger what happened to our customer coupons. She explained that due to the extreme coupon craze, Kroger has stopped sending most of their coupons in the mail and drastically altered coupons you get upon checking out. Seems that the extreme coupon craze was causing too many issues so to curb it - Kroger has now greatly altered their store coupon program.

I am not even going to address the huge stockpiles these people proudly show off except to say their next reality show appearance will probably be "Hoarders."

Thanks to the rabid coupon clippers, I can no longer get coupons on the real food that my family eats like meat, fresh fruit and vegetables. Apparently the crazy coupon people can feed their family meals of boxed noodles and candy but my family prefers a more a more nutritious and balanced meal.