Wife Swap: The Couponing Edition

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Sales in grocery stores follow trends, meaning you see lots of cleaning supplies going on sale in spring, right before summer it's foods and snack kids can make on their own, in fall you can get cheap office supplies and lunchbox foods, and around the holidays, the food staples (baking supplies, canned foods, etc) are going for cheap. Lots of other items are on shorter rotations. Well manufacturer issued coupons follow the same timing and when you look at sale ads, you will see the stores advertising the use of a coupon with their sale price.
Those who maximize their savings will use a coupon with the cheapest sale and buy enough that it will last through the next sale. For instance, the first week of the month, the Sunday paper had a coupon for $2.50 off Electrasol dishwasher detergent tabs. Well Target had them on sale for $3.25 so I bought 10 packages for $7.50 plus sales tax. Even if you include the $1 per newspaper I bought that Sunday, I saved 50% and I won't have to buy any for a year and it won't go bad. Well, guess what, I'll be using many more coupons from that Sunday paper, so that's like free money. A Costco member would have paid more for less, that's why they don't save money. Also, bulk food items go to waste; however, if you have individual boxes of cereal you paid less than $1 each. You can stretch $10 worth of cereal to last 5 months instead of paying $10 on one huge box that will go stale in a week.
There have been coupons in the Sunday paper, for anyone to get, that allow you to purchase Sara Lee Bread, kraft cheese, Kool-Aid, Crackers, Razors, dog and cat food for literally just sales tax. Like you take the coupon and the item to the register and the subtotal is $0.00 and you just pay tax on the pre-coupon amount. Who couldn't use at least one thing off that list
Denise has been gracious enough to answer questions over at Refund Cents, and those who know her have shared that she has 2 grown - up children who are very successful. Her younger boys do participate in sports. They also have college funds put away with the money they have saved. As far as video games, what mom hasn't said, go outside and do something. Who hasn't sat in front of a video game for hours with their brother. In 22 minutes showing their side, there is no way every interaction the kids had could be shown.
I applaud Denise for taking this opportunity to put herself out their to spread the word on how you can save money. Of course Wife Swap is going to highlight the extremes, but in this economic crisis we call life, we can all pick up a few tips from an extreme couponer.

Amanda J, IL of IL 12:02PM January 22, 2009

I, too, am a member of RefundCents.com and LOVE IT!!!!!!
I am a stay at home mom, thanks to couponing! If it weren't for the couponing and stockpiling that I do I would have to be a working mom and someone else would have to be raising my daughters.
Coupons, combined with sales, are the ONLY way I shop and I my family and I NEVER have to pay full retail price for any toiletries or food. I don't even pay retail prices for cat food for my 2 cats!
Today, I will go to the local store and get 6 - 1 pound rolls of ground turkey for FREE, thanks to coupons that I have. Now how can you beat that????? That is just 1 example of MANY that I could give you.
With the economy like it is, many people would not be able to eat tomorrow if they lost their job today. My family would eat for the next 6 months, at LEAST, if my husband was to lose his job today AND we would still be clean, thanks to all the toiletries I have stockpiled.
Couponing and stockpiling is the ONLY way to go!!
Could you eat and stay clean for 6 months if you had no income? Think about that.

Shara of MO 11:58AM January 22, 2009

I am a 32 mother of four 13,12,8 & 2. My husband is the only one who works in our household. I too use coupons like crazy, just like the woman on wife swap. I do this so that I can be a stay at home mom and be invovled with everything my children do. My school age children all play sports and are invoved in school activies. Which with 3 of them invovled... cost alot! We also have every game system wii, playstation 3 & psp. My olderest has his own laptop while the other kids have a desk top. They are able to where some of the name brand clothes. We just bought a house that is less than 10 yrs old. We drive a 2006 Mini Van and a 2005 Ford Truck. My husband and myself are able to buy these things and are able to give our children all these things due to all the money I save by doing my couponing. My kids love that I do my couponing the way I do. They brag about it to their friends and to their teachers. Last yr. the school collected items to send to the troop because of my couponing and all the free stuff I get, my son wast able to bring in over 350 items. He was so proud! I also donate items to my local Salvation Army, Battered Women's Shelter and our local Animal Shelter. My couponing has also helped me and my family to be able to give back to others. We have taught our children to be thankful for what they have and to help others that might not have what they have. My kids have learned vaulable lessons form my couponing. I hope that they will care on what I have tought them through my couponing and will one day teach their childrens the things they have learned from it. I personally can't see our life any differnetly.
I don't want people to get the wrong impression of what couponers do and why they do it. I personaly love doing what I do. It has abled my husband and myself to give our children a better life. We have just scheduled a vacation to Disney! Now a family of 6 going to Disney on one income is just not heard of these days with the way the world is but guess what we are going in May! I like to have the better things in life too. Lets face it we all do in one way or another! By doing my couponing we are able to save in one place just to spend a little more on something else!
I will also add that I am a member of Refund Cents and I LOVE IT! I will tell you that, that site is a blessing! It helps in more ways that you will ever know. Also I can say is if you haven't visited the site www.refundcents.com you are missing out. Let's not judge a book by it's cover, remember it's 2009 and it's the time of CHANGE right. Well give yourself a chance to change and save a little money. You choose how far you want to take it. I don't think there is a family out there that doesn't need to save in one way or another.

Stacie Jones of OH 11:38AM January 22, 2009

With the economy the way it is I wouldn't have food to feed my kids without the coupons. Literally!! We use Refund Cents and coupons and rebates to buy in bulk but we either use all of it or give it to people that need it and also cannot afford to eat without help. How could that possibally be a bad thing? If you have the room, have the time, and have the ability to match you can get almost anything for free! It not only frees my money for my mortgage payments and bills but my kids eat very healthy and takes vitamins I got for free to help keep them grow. Done correctly any family can eat very well and have plenty of food and actually be able to afford it. Don't knock it til you try it.

Caren of FL 11:33AM January 22, 2009

I also subscribe to Refundcents.com and save thousands of dollars a year. The reason to stockpile is to save money. Yes people who shop at Costco do not save, but people who shop regular stores with coupons and sales do save money on stockpiling.
I also agree with Alisa don't judge if you don't know the family or their whole life story.
I am a single mother of 3 and if I didn't coupon I would be in debt so deep it would be crazy, but I have NO debt.

Michole of SC 11:27AM January 22, 2009

Obviously, Wife Swap didn't show the whole story and edited for a shock value. I, too, have huge stockpiles of certain things I got for free or for pennies by combining coupon savings with sales. What do I do with all that stuff? I store some of it to put out at my annual garage sale, I donate some to the food pantry, I give huge baskets of toiletries to my adult children for Christmas, and, with four children at home, we use a lot of it, too. It isn't a "waste" of time or space when it is being put to good use. I know plenty of women who shop my garage sale to save money on air fresheners and toothpaste but who wouldn't bother to take the time clipping the coupons to get even more savings themselves. My 28-year old son says my baskets are one of his favorite gifts, and my family never pays more than a few pennies for toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, shampoo, and other basics. Smart couponing takes time, yes, but not an extrordinary amount of time. I estimate I spend just a couple hours a week saving hundreds of dollars a month. Time wasted? I think not.
Certainly the producers of this show encourage each family to look or act a certain way. Did we really need to see the husband in the spendthrift family shave his chest? Does the coupon mom go without make-up normally? As viewers of these shows, we need to remember that it is the contrast that is encouraged and no doubt there is some exageration. I actually considered applying for the coupon mom side but would not expose my family to that kind of scrutiny for any amount of money. For obvious reasons, the couples had to sign a waiver that doesn't allow them to discuss how and why the producers of this type of show choose certain aspects of the family life to highlight. My guess is that Denise's children don't normally burp and chew their toenails and the spendthrift family doesn't completely ignore their children. Everyone should remember this is Hollywood, not real life! Sadly, for some reason the consumer loves watching a train wreck, not learning smart coupon use.

M. Kenyon of IA 11:25AM January 22, 2009

I also,stockpile!! It IS worth it. I have an excess of health & beauty items & esp. FOOD stockpilled in my house. With the rising costs of groceries, it makes cents to us! You never know when you may need it for us or to give away to others in need. We had major snowstorms a few years ago & couldn't get out of the house for a week. Other people were desparate to get out & get food. We didn't have to worry, we even helped out the neighbors. I love www.refundcents.com!

of CO 11:23AM January 22, 2009

"The McIntyres buy so many household products (like toiletries) when they go on sale that their basement is chock full of them. Instead of storing such excess supplies, they could use the extra space in their house for something enjoyable"
Why not use unusable space to store things you know you will use? Honestly, I would never put up shelves to store my stockpile in my living room, but in an unfinished basement it is quite reasonable. It's wonderful having a stocked pantry and toiletry closet so that when you run out of an item, you're not running off to the store paying full price. I too subscribe to RefundCents.com and have found that the information there is invaluable to saving money each month. Being smart with your money and using coupons is one way to get ahead in these tough financial times.

Dawn G. of IN 11:20AM January 22, 2009

I have "couponed" for more than a year now, and I love it! Not only does it save me TONS, it also helps me give back! I, too, buy much more than I need, sometimes for free with coupons. On my way home from shopping I stop at the local food bank and give them much of the extras. I have also had occasion to give to others in need, during the holidays, or bad times. So, before you think "I" don't want to do that, or "I" wouldn't want to bother, maybe think about someone else who may benefit from your time and generosity. You will encourage and help someone else and in the process feel good about yourself!

Dian of TX 11:16AM January 22, 2009

I can see the reasoning of the spending of both of the wives. I was once the spender without a care, now I use coupons and save 100.00-150.00+ per week on groceries. Yes, we do have the tendancy to stock up when an item is for free or for .25c but please know that we donate our extras to charities or to other people in some need. Also by purcashing at a low price we don't have to buy at the regular high price, that leaves extra money down the road for milk and bread when times are tight.
You also need to remember that each families wants/needs are different and McIntyres have saved dearly for their kids college money, how many people will have that ready for thier children? Most do loans. please also remember you shouldn't judge what you don't know.

Alisa of AR 11:09AM January 22, 2009