You're looking a little low on sandwich bags. I'd be very worried if I were you. What are you doing standing there? Get out there and steal your neighbours' newspapers. Get cutting!!! Now.
I know I'm months, if not years behind in finally getting around to watching Extreme Couponing, but there I was last week, flipping around until I discovered an Extreme Couponing marathon. It's on TLC (The Learning Channel). Didn't they used to show more educational programs back in the day?
Anyway, I watched as much as I could, before feeling dizzy. Canadians, correct me if I'm wrong, but even if we wanted to do some hardcore coupon cutting, we could never walk out of a store with two grand worth of free groceries. It takes me months to clock up a lousy $20 worth of free goods on my PC Financial debit card or Shopper's Drug Mart Optimum card. It's hardly worth it.
There was only one woman profiled on the show who actually gave away groceries to a food bank. Everyone else seemed to have an OCD food bunker ready for the fall of civilization. It was gluttonous and ridiculous all at once. I mean really, if the apocalypse is coming, do you really need 59 Lady Speed Sticks sorted by fragrance in your attic? How much salad dressing can a family go through in a year before it becomes rancid? This must be one of the 7 deadly sins. I just don't get it. There seemed to be a lot of overweight people dumping boxes of candybars into their buggy. I've worked plenty of retail in my life and I'm telling you, I'd be putting up my "closed" sign and taking off for a coffee break if I saw someone with 9 shopping carts and a dossier full of coupons coming my way.
There, I feel better. Thank you.
See the freak show for yourself if you haven't already done so.
I 100% Agree with you! It is crazy and so much of that food will go bad. It's just kinda creepy to me too!
ReplyDeleteYES! I couldn't agree more. Since first seeing the show I've been disturbed by the fact that couponing is a "full-time job" for the participants. While frugality is a virtue and there is an effective method in shopping sales/coupon discounts, this is just too much. This promotes hoarding! And as a grocery clerk employee for over ten years I can tell you that many retailers limit the use of coupons that make the items free of cost after discount. We "reserve the right to limit quantities" and with good reason. If we let all these weirdos get the store for free, there's nothing left for anyone else. It's just so wrong.
ReplyDeleteI also believe it is another form of hoarding and obsessive-compulsive behaviour, except for the woman who gives to a food bank. I think The Learning Channel should rename itself The Lame Circus, because all the shows seem to be about freaky people, the type that used to make up the freak show in a circus. This is like the modern version of it!
ReplyDeleteOh, I agree too. I can't bear to watch more than a few minutes of this train wreck. The hugely overweight people (often with children in tow) who buy boxes of nasty candy is horrifying! Many of the products are of the highly processed, convenience type of thing - something that truly frugal shoppers would never consider........and the thinly disguised hoarding!!! Oh dear! These people are really so sad.
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way the first (and only) time I watched it. I mean, is it really a "deal" if it's a bunch of processed/packaged crap you don't need? It's really quite embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteI think of it as Hoarders but with better organizational skills....
ReplyDeleteWhen I have watched that show all I hope for is for one of the people to think about others as oppossed to themselves. I can name at least a dozen families right now struggling to make ends meet--how these crazy shoppers could do some good if only they thought of others.
ReplyDeleteOnly in America. Is this the modern version of Diogenes syndrome?
ReplyDeleteI too started watching this show but turned the channel after five minutes! I don't understand why anyone would want to have a stockpile of deodorant, toilet tissue, etc. One show had a woman stockpiling diapers and she didn't even have kids! Go figure!
ReplyDeleteI think it's the same in the UK - coupons - really? We have loyalty cards here which are SO creepy - you get 'special offers' based on your 'shopping profile' - eek. Still - gets me money of things occasionally!
ReplyDeleteYour comments are dead on. A small minority of the extreme couponers will donate items/buy for a needy family. But, really- people acquiring diapers and they don't even have kids??? I can't watch those insane people anymore!
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