Of course I’m hooked on the new TLC show, Extreme Couponing. Buy $1,000 worth of groceries for a penny. I’m just glad I can save $3 on a $25 order! But, I’m willing to try to coupon again. Yes, I’m inspired by the show, but there’s something that has caught my attention: Shell gas stations now accept Stop & Shop gas points! When I learned about that last week, it literally made me feel like I was floating on air. Amazing how gas points can make my day. It’s now worth my time to leave PriceRite to go back to shopping at Stop & Shop now that I don’t have to lose my gas points because I don’t make it to Milford very often.
There’s something else I learned from that show, by the way. Something called e-coupons that can be loaded onto your store loyalty card. Wow. Amazing. But Stop & Shop doesn’t really participate in that. ShopRite does, however. There’s an e-coupon site, called Cellfire that lets you load up some coupons to your card so you don’t have to print or cut them out. But…a big but…there aren’t that many coupons available for this amazing service. I believe Proctor & Gamble has a similar service, but I have not had luck on the site as of today. I do think this will be the wave of couponing, though–paperless couponing.
So, I’m gonna dive in to couponing again. I know it can work (not to the extent of those crazy couponers, though) because I, too, have somehow managed to “stack” coupons and bought some item or two for a cent or less. I amazed myself when I actually did it, but I do see the strategy. However, it won’t happen until I build up my anemic coupon collection. (I noticed I was hanging on to coupons that expired back in February!)
I will report back in between coupon cutting.
Two Frugal Fairfielders 
I’ve watched this show, too, with a mix of wonder and horror. Sure, it’s a conquest to get $2,000 worth of groceries for a hundred bucks, but to to see the groceries hoarded in the linen closets and the garage and under the kids’ beds of the couponers makes me sad. Why not enjoy the conquest and then give some of the stuff, at least, to places like Operation Hope here in Fairfield, or the various food banks? What’s the goal? The game or the goods? They’ve got both, but too much of the goods, IMHO.
Carol D. of Fairfield
Hi Carol, Thanks for writing in! I believe many of those featured on the show give much of their goods to shelters and the like. I can’t imagine not giving to others in need. I have to admit I love the thrill of walking out of a store with free shampoo! And if I ever get to the point where I’m actually good at this, my goal is to give pet food to the ASPCA shelter in Westport and deoderants, etc. to the Boys and Girls Village in Milford. Wish me luck! ~TFF