Your Sunday Tulsa World May Be Worth $1,000

[Gaspar]

RM,
I just read your article on Extreme Couponers on TW. 

http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/article.aspx?subjectid=62&articleid=20110612_62_0_Idoapp816163

Good article.  I can't imagine going so far as to scavenge other people's trash and recycling for coupons.  My wife is a coupon nut, and a member of many of the coupon forums.  I am having her post your article.  I may have some insight to offer on the culture.

We used to spend around $600+ a month on groceries (family of 4) and most everything we bought was Always Save, or Best Value crap.  We also burnt around $200 eating out every m,onth.  About two years ago Megan discovered the coupon culture (after an episode of Opra, or Dr. Phil or something like that).  I ridiculed the whole idea because I hate getting in line behind someone with a bag full of coupons.

Here is the result.  We spend less than $50 a month on groceries.  She shops every day with her coupon portfolio and most of her trips result in a car full of groceries for two or three bucks.   Each weekend she gets the Sunday Tulsa World from my parents or her parents or both and clips for an hour or so, but most of the coupons she uses come directly from the companies.  You just have to know how to send for them.  Certain things, like soda, we haven't purchased in years (we have cases of it in the garage).

My wife has never paid for coupons but a huge number of people do.  Here's where your problem lies.

The people who are dumpster diving for coupons are doing it as a business.  They are not the coupon users.  Coupons have become a huge source of income for people.  A typical Sunday Tulsa World is worth hundreds or thousands of dollars, find a dumpster behind a convenience store with a stack of them, and you have several thousand bucks!

The web is now full of forums where you can purchase coupons in bulk from individuals who dumpster dive and spend their days clipping.  These people can make thousands every day by just clipping coupons and selling them online for a fraction of their face value.  To these people coupons represent income, not discounts. 

For example, you can spend $10 to buy a 100 coupons each for $3 off a 12 pack of diet coke.  Take those to Homeland (double coupons) and you have 100 twelve packs of coke for FREE! (bring a large car). 

Or, notice a sale at Target on all Chef Boyardee products for $.75.  Go online and spend $20 for 400 $.72 coupons, and go get 400 cans of ravioli for $12.

You can find these entrepreneurs on almost every forum and they make a ton of money doing this.

[Conan71]

I thought Homeland only doubles up to a face value of $1.00. 

I don't get the Sunday paper, just the unsolicited stack of coupons and sale flyers mid-week and val-pak.  I rarely find coupons of interest to me as most seem to be for canned goods or boxed, prepared meals which I don't use.  I tend more to follow meat and produce sales for my savings.

Since I live by myself during the week, I don't consume much in the way of soap, paper goods or other items a family of four would use more of.

[Gaspar]

I thought Homeland only doubles up to a face value of $1.00. 

They may.  I was just using that as an example.  I am not the coupon nut in the family.  I pay full price for convenience!  Just don't let Megs know that!

[stageidea]

I watched the show but they seemed to mostly rely on Frequent Store Cards and Double Coupons.  Do any Oklahoma grocery stores do either?

[Teatownclown]

I too saw RM's letter to TW and thought that whoever is doing the dumpster diving is turning them for a penitence. But my advice to you Gaspar would be to cut out soda pop completely and can the chef boyardee. You'll not only save some bucks but a little off the midsection and in the arteries.

[Gaspar]

I too saw RM's letter to TW and thought that whoever is doing the dumpster diving is turning them for a penitence. But my advice to you Gaspar would be to cut out soda pop completely and can the chef boyardee. You'll not only save some bucks but a little off the midsection and in the arteries.

I can't argue with that, but it is nice having hundreds of name brand products around the house instead of the nasty cheap stuff. 

I've got enough shampoo, body wash, and deodorant to bathe the homeless of San Francisco!

(we do donate quite a bit of stuff!)

[Townsend]

I'm with Conan.  We rarely have the opportunity to use coupons.

We may get a store coupon for $5 off $50 or something like that but they rarely have coupons on veg/fruit/meats.

We go to Sams and nothing we buy at the grocery, due to healthy eating, has coupons for it.

You have to buy cookies/canned stuff/fatty foods to get coupons to work.

[Teatownclown]

Interesting Gaspar. Ever given thought to buying just what you need for now? Do the coupons lead to stockpiling?
I'm curious because in my next reincarnation I plan to be a life councilor. :

[RecycleMichael]

I did an interview on Channel 6 this morning that will run tonight at 5pm.

It is a weird problem.

[Gaspar]

I did an interview on Channel 6 this morning that will run tonight at 5pm.

It is a weird problem.

I'm amazed that it persists.  You would think that the manufacturers and grocery stores would lose enough money and stop it, but they have just built the discounts into the markup they give to non-coupon users.

[RecycleMichael]

Here is a link to the channel 6 story...

http://www.newson6.com/story/14899576/oklahoma-families-dumpster-diving-for-coupons

[Gaspar]

I'm with Conan.  We rarely have the opportunity to use coupons.

We may get a store coupon for $5 off $50 or something like that but they rarely have coupons on veg/fruit/meats.

We go to Sams and nothing we buy at the grocery, due to healthy eating, has coupons for it.

You have to buy cookies/canned stuff/fatty foods to get coupons to work.

That's not true. I have about 15 boxes of Kashi, tons of fresh vegetables, and meats, as well as lots of fruit and vegtables.  Today she came home with 11 boxes of fresh pasta (not dry) to freeze.  We eat very healthy.

[Gaspar]

Interesting Gaspar. Ever given thought to buying just what you need for now? Do the coupons lead to stockpiling?
I'm curious because in my next reincarnation I plan to be a life councilor. :

They actually do.  We have shelves of TP and other non-perishable items.

We saved $9,227 last year over what we spent on groceries the previous year without them.  The way she looks at it, an hour a week is well worth it. it has become a hobby for her and she loves it.

[RecycleMichael]

Just keep her out of our recycling bins and I have no problem.

[Townsend]

Just keep her out of our recycling bins and I have no problem.

So weird how often I hear that these days.  So weird.