Does anyone here do "extreme couponing"?

It seems like it's just another form of hoarding

Yep.  And on top of their lost time, they make their family members help them, including kids.

I did the extreme couponing for about a year. I got a nice stockpile of Health and Beauty Aids and gave TONS of it away. I haven't couponed in years now. I plan on starting again when the weather gets nice but at nowhere the extreme I was doing it before.

I will use a coupon if it's for something that I already will buy. I am not opposed to switching brands though, if I can another brand for half off. But that's just being thrifty.
When there is a sale on for things like toiletpaper or papertowels, shampoo and othe bathroom necessities I will stock up real good, but I don't have a stockpile of things just because they were cheap.

To me, part of being thrifty is also buying only what you need or have a use for. I don't have pets, but if I see a wicked good deal on dog treats, I will get some for my sister's dog.

I think it's admirable that some of the people on this show donates so much food to people who need it. Or do a big shop for friends struggeling with finances and can get them lots of stuff for $6.
But having a stockpile of things with an experation date is just wasteful. You only have one husband and two children, your family cannot possibly consume 300 boxes of cereal within the next five months.

But hey... I hoard scrapbooking supplies and is almost afraid to touch it, because it is just so pretty sitting on display So who am I to judge ?

I usually only use coupons if it is something I already buy. The only exception for that is diapers. I will get "extreme" over diapers because I have so many friends with babies and toddlers. I was able to make a stockpile of all different sizes for my niece before she was born, she will be one year old next month and the stockpile is just about empty now.

I also coupon for dog and cat treats to donate to our local humane society.

I think all people need some sort of challenge or goals in their lives.  For these extreme couponers it's the challenge of how much product they can get for as little money as possible. 

But it is it any worse than the 2 guys who spent a couple of weeks hanging on the side of a sheer mountain in Yosemite?

i don't do any couponing and I'm certainly not going to hang from the side of a mountain for a couple of but neither am I going say these folks have a sickness.  

As as far as a form of hoarding.  I would say yes if they didn't use the products.  But they use the products in their own homes as well give the stuff away and I guess sell some of it.  So I'm not sure how that can be considered hoarding.  Hoarding is when stuff comes in and never goes out until you die.

I was watching this morning and one of the ladies was showing off her stock pile and pointed out tons of boxes of Hamburger Helper. She made the comment that her family hates the stuff, but it looks good in her stockpile! That's insanity!

I literally had my hand smacked by some man at the store one day because he had coupons for the Pillsbury biscuits and I tried to buy a can. He told me I can't have one, he's buying them ALL because he had "coupons" for them. There were like 10 cans in the refrigerator. He was a crazy person. I still took a can anyway...as a matter of fact, I took 2 because he ticked me off...LOL

couponing - yes, extreme - no.

I never ever pay anything like full price for toiletries/cereal/paper products.

We don't have couponing in Australia like you guys do. Some businesses put discounts on the back of supermarket cash register dockets, but that's about it. I wish we did have it here - from what I've seen watching that show on cable, people can do their weekly shopping free or almost free. That would be fabulous and I would sit for an hour a week clipping coupons to shop for nothing. But no way would I give up my whole life for it like some of these people do.

I agree with you Lauren, why do they need 100 boxes of cereal for goodness sake! To spend 70 hours a week clipping coupons - it's either become an obsession with them, or it's just plain greed. But I do like that some of them do give to charity as well.

I can imagine them at 80 years old - "What did you do when you were young grandma?" "Well Johnny, I spent 10 hours a day cutting up newspapers. I didn't have time to go out and live life or have fun." Quite sad, but hey - if that's their way of enjoying themselves, go for it.

Maybe shops or coupon promoters should put limits on the 'purchases', like 3 per customer per day. Them at least others might have a fighting chance before the extremers empty the shelves.

We don't have couponing like that in New Zealand, but I am thrifty. Like say the juice we get might normally be $5.99 and goes on special for $3.49 I'm going to stock up. I live in a small town and all the supermarkets are close together, so I get certain items from each one, depending on whats on special that week. We get junk mail for all three of them on a Sunday night. Can save a considerable amount doing it that way, rather than being loyal to one store.

Does it count that I am extremely lazy about coupling? Most of the food products I buy rarely have coupons, cleaning supplies I buy on sale and health and beauty I leave to the kids to exploit. The only items that I hoard are toilet paper and dental floss.

Insofar as the people on TV, I really think it is staged. What CVS has that many deodorants on hand when there is a sale?

Many states have started cracking down on coupon use. I'm guessing this is largely due to the show. I wouldn't have the energy or time to extreme coupon, but I do like to use coupons for items that I do buy and buy maybe 2-4 if I have a coupon. I really appreciate people who leave a coupon near a product that I use. I've been known to hand people a coupon at a store when I'm not going to use it. However, extreme couponing is a mystery. Read your toothpaste tubes people. Toothpaste expires. I brush 3 times per day and often times so does my husband and we still couldn't go through that much toothpaste before it expires. Also, I would love to see coupons for healthier foods like fresh produce, organic foods, etc.