Coupon Craze

I’m a sucker for shows on The Learning Channel (TLC), so it’s no surprise I watched the first episodes of their new series, Extreme Couponing.

The program documents the shopping strategies of bargain-savvy families. Their money-saving techniques involve a major investment of time and energy. Cameras followed J’amie, a hard-core couponer who took six hours to prepare for one trip to the grocery store. She used a methodical system to organize her list and 2,500 coupons.

After the meticulous selection of each item in her haul, J’amie steered four carts through the checkout. Her pre-coupon total was a whopping $1,902.63. I watched the register tally plummet in disbelief as the clerk scanned her box of coupons. The final total was $103.72, a savings of 94%. Wads of cash flashed before my eyes as I imagined the money I wasted over the years.

What was her secret? Here's the magic formula: sale priced items + manufacturers’ coupons + store doubled coupons = tremendous savings. The vast majority of her purchases followed this equation. Some of her items were free!

Do you have to take couponing to this extreme level in order to save money? As a coupon novice, I can’t imagine dedicating six hours to plan each visit to the grocery store. I am not interested in stockpiling items, like these families do, but it would be nice to save some money. I decided to conduct some local research.

I am a long-time Acme Fresh Market customer and I appreciate their locally owned stores. Upon visiting their website, I discovered several ways to help plan and save money.

My favorite tool is the printable shopping list. You have the option to compile your grocery list from weekly special products, recipes, printable coupon items, or you can manually enter items. Selected coupons automatically print with your shopping list. The format was quick and easy to use. I tested it and, I promise, it didn’t take six hours. 

Another helpful feature is the downloadable aisle directory. You can organize your list by category with this handy function. I attempt to arrange my handwritten list by aisle, but somehow I still manage to shuffle back and forth to search for products. I am excited to try this feature and put an end to my aimless wandering.

You can also sign up for text messages containing special offers. Acme’s Fuel Rewards program offers an additional way to save money.

I spoke to Acme’s Director of Consumer Marketing, Sue Guthier, about Acme's website. She explained the online shopping list is a newer feature designed to add value to the customer experience. They have already received positive feedback from customers who use the list. “It works well,” said Guthier. She added, "Going forward, we will be updating and adding other features to our site to help people when they are shopping in our stores." 

I may not ever save $1,800 at once, but I am inspired to conserve time and money. I am ready to take my grocery shopping techniques into the 21^st century.

If coupon fever is contagious, then I think I may have caught it.