In 2009 I did a TV show in Washington DC, with Kris Van Cleave, which was later picked up by CNN. Apparently, Matt Sharp an executive producer at Sharp Entertainment saw the show and came up with the idea for the Extreme Couponing show on TLC.

From the NY Times 12/27/2011 written by Brian Stelter:

“The show’s formation follows the recent timeline of the economy. After the financial collapse in 2008, as American households cut back on spending in the recession, a few television stations and newspapers ran features about fanatical coupon cutters. Some were professionals, like Susan Samtur, who had been writing books and articles about couponing for decades and whose pointers were suddenly back in vogue.

“Her weekly grocery bill you’ll have to see to believe,” said Kris Van Cleave of WJLA, a Washington-area TV station, when he interviewed Ms. Samtur in April 2009. With her coupons and rebates filed by category, she saved $144.11 on a trip with Mr. Van Cleave, paying just $9.43 for a week’s worth of groceries.

CNN picked up the WJLA report, and Mr. Sharp sent the video to a colleague at his production company, Sharp Entertainment. “There’s a show here,” Mr. Sharp wrote in an e-mail. “Something in EXTREME CHEAPLIVING.”

Check out the NY Times Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/27/arts/television/extreme-couponing-all-stars-and-extreme-cheapskates-on-tlc.html?ref=brianstelter

Lately a lot of attention has been given to Extreme Couponing. This is exactly the way it sounds, couponing taken to the extreme.

It’s not like buying 4 boxes of cereal because they’re on sale 4/$6. It’s like buying 40 or 80 boxes because of the sale; or toothpaste on sale for $1.49 and buying 2 tubes, it’s buying 100 tubes. Of course each purchase would also have the additional coupon savings, bringing the cost way down.

The situation is that some folks have 1000 tubes of toothpaste, or 1400 rolls of toilet paper, or enough detergent for 20,000 wash loads of clothes. Where are all of these items stored and is freshness ever compromised?

I live in comfortable-size home and at times I do buy in quantity. For example, 5 cans of tuna for $4. I bought 10 cans, or 4-12 packs of Coke for $10. Combined, in addition, with my coupons naturally. I’m able to store these and use them easily within the printed dates

My feelings are that everything should be in moderation. And perhaps more important is that these sales constantly repeat themselves so there’s no reason to stock up just for the sake of it.

There are always items on sale, and with 350 billion coupons being issued yearly, coupons readily available. My advise, buy what you need on sale and with a coupon, but buy that quantity that fits the size of your home and use.

For over 100 free printable and digital coupons go to my www.couponqueen.com site.