Extreme Couponing-
I watched the show Extreme Couponing last night. As I've been losing weight, mostly from eating more whole foods and working with a nutritionist (free thru my job) I look at this kind of thing from a different angle. While I love a great deal, I also looked at what are these people actually buying to eat? The woman last night wanted to save $600.00 for a home repair, a great idea. She spent a huge amount of time, with her 2 daughters, clipping coupons. Short version- end of episode she walked out with $600.00 of sports drinks, candy and paper towels. She was ecstatic. She was also prettty overweight. She spent all this time and money for non-food items and is teaching her kids this "skill". Unless you're a professional athlete, who will drink all those drinks? Who needs all the candy? Neither of those are food items in my opinion. Sure we all need a treat once in a while, but a huge stockpile? I read the article below that showed how most of the foods "bought" with coupons are over processed, high fat/salt/sugar/calorie items. Things like boxed/frozen foods, and other forms of junk food. We all probably use some kind of paper products (you can use cloth napkins)- toilet paper, and things like plastic bags, but really, what is a normal amount to stockpile? You can't eat it in the long run. This is REALLY scary- Junk Food Diet Linked to Lower IQs In Toddlers but not a big surprise.Usually eating healthier will save you money and heartache in the long run. It may not be hoarding, but more like being OCD, doing gambling or any other addictive behavior. If something "free or cheap" isn't good for you what's the point? It's the "high" of getting it free. Many of these poverty family's time would be better spent doing some basic financial planning education (free at the library/bank), family planning (if you're in poverty why are you having more children?) and using the time to learn about basic nutrition. Reading library books is free. Make some things from scratch, use your couponing time to get a part time job or volunteer- go help out someone else. Barter and learn to use your simplicity/thrift skills- grow your own food (we do on our little city lot), preserve it and learn what's important...
I won't be watching this show again, it makes me want to get them some free counseling!
Fascinating look-
Extreme Couponing Processed Food Hoarding
Everparent- Is Extreme Couponing Hoarding Processed Junk?
I think it's just the idea that they are "saving" money. I honestly tried coupon clipping, but there wasn't really ANYthing that I'd use from those coupons that I couldn't make on my own cheaper and healthier or buy a generic version for less. Flour, beans, rice, eggs and veggies will always be cheaper, but nobody wants to do the research or take the time to cook.
ReplyDeleteYes! I buy bulk, grocery outlet, etc. and make more from scratch...
ReplyDeleteMy MIL was a fanatical coupon clipper who never quite understood why I rarely bother. It's just that I find that few things that we actually buy and eat come with coupons. Usually the coupons I use will be store coupons for things like flour or sugar. We don't usually buy the processed stuff so what's the point of clipping the coupons.
ReplyDeleteJudy
Amen!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, it's interesting all right...
ReplyDeleteYes, the coupon craze caused a lot of strange eating behaviors. I tried to explain the hazards of feeding leftover processed foods to a friend, and they didn't really want to hear it. I am really working hard and eliminating processed foods.
ReplyDeleteIt will pay off in the long run, with better health, for sure...
ReplyDeleteI'm with the other girls here, about the only thing I would buy with a coupon would be canned tomatoes and toilet paper. I don't think I've ever seen a coupon for King Arthur Flour or dried beans but they are probably out there somewhere! :)
ReplyDeleteYou spoke my mind!
ReplyDeleteCouponing is a manufacturers way of controlling your/our spending to benifit their pockets!
It encourages customers to buy products they might not normally buy, or to buy more than they need!
I would rather grow a couple of tomato plants in pots on my patio then buy pesticide laden, more than I need, tomatoes from 'Bulk wharehouse' type stores.
As for cupons, there isn't anything that I need that bad that I have to beg my neighbors for their newspapers and then spend hours cutting, sorting & shopping for... well, 'cept maybe a 'certain type' of chocolate bar! lololol!
>^..^<