You’ve probably watched a few episodes of TLC’s “Extreme Couponing” series, and if so, you’re probably amazed by the money people can save by using printed discounts that they find in different magazines, newspapers, and online. However, you should know that there are so many things that you cannot see on camera.
This is why you might be wondering – are there some things that I should know about extreme couponing? To put it simply, there are, and those things are exactly what we’ll discuss in this article today. So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at the 8 things you might not know about the entire process of collecting and using these useful printed papers:
1. It Takes a Lot of Time
One of the first things that you should know about collecting vouchers and using them is that it’ll be extremely time-consuming – but, it’ll pay off in the end. Hence, if you’re thinking about trying it, you should know that it won’t be easy at the beginning, mostly because you’ll have to learn how to organize everything.
Some experienced individuals spend five to seven hours every week researching their options, making different lists of the stores they can use them in, as well as ensuring that they have a plan on going from one shop to the next. This means that you’ll need some time for figuring out the strategy that works best for you.
2. The Cashiers Aren’t Happy With a Bunch of Vouchers
If you ever used them before, you know that the store clerk needed some time to process it during the checkout, which also means that other patrons had to wait for a longer time. This is something that could create some issues for you, and it could also be uncomfortable at times, especially if you have more than 10 printed papers that have to be processed.
This is one of the reasons why most professionals recommend that you head to the stores during less busy hours and you should always inform the people behind you that you have tokens that needed to be processed, all of which can help you with making the experience more comfortable for everyone involved.
3. You Won’t Be Able to Get a Deal on All Brands
A lot of people think that they can get vouchers for every single brand out there, however, this isn’t entirely true. Some of the best discounts and deals that you could get will come from lesser-known companies, which means that you might not be able to buy the products that you usually buy and use.
There is also a wide range of online platforms such as www.grabatt.de that offer different discounts and deals, which is why you need to do some digging online and see what vouchers you could use, and more importantly for which brands. Online resources are some of the best things that you could opt for, especially since there are free options as well.
4. You’ll Need a Lot of Space For Storing The Items
Unless you have an entire building where you can stock the goods you purchase by using coupons, you should know that people are most commonly limited by the space they have for storing the products they purchase. Hence, if you’re planning on using some bulk discounts, you should also plan on where you’ll place all the items.
A lot of people that enjoy this process have transformed their garages and basements into huge pantries, which they mostly use for storing products that have an unlimited shelf life. This is also where the organizational skills come in, mostly because you’ll have to determine what you can purchase and when.
5. There Are Restrictions
We mentioned at the beginning of this article the well-known TV show, however, you should know that these are sometimes set up. How is that possible? Well, there are actually restrictions on how many tokens you could use during one purchase in one store, which means that you’ll need to visit several stores in order to use the ones that you gathered.
This is one of the reasons why you have to improve your organizational and planning skills. By knowing what restrictions different shops have and by learning more about the number of tokens they accept, you’ll be able to create a strategy that’ll enable you to save hundreds of dollars.
6. There is a Wide Range of Voucher Resources
People that love couponing most commonly use different resources for gathering them. Some of the most common ways for finding vouchers is by cutting them from different newspapers and magazines, however, there is an increase in the popularity of online vouchers, most of which you can get for free.
Now, you should know, even though there is an increase in the popularity of online and smartphone vouchers, printed options are still the most commonly used discounts. In fact, there is over 70% of people prefer using printed options that those that come from online websites.
7. Individuals do it For Charity as Well
Not all extreme couponers use different vouchers for creating huge stocks of goods, instead, they use them for donating to different charity organizations. After all, they are capable of getting some really good deals on things that they actually don’t need, hence, they opt for giving it away.
For example, you wouldn’t need 10 boxes of toothpaste and another 5 boxes of toothbrushes, so, if you ever start gathering printed tokens, you could choose to donate some of the things you purchase. This will allow you to save more storage space and you could save some of the things you need for yourself.
8. You Can Get Them For Free By Abandoning Your Cart
Last on the list, but still worth mentioning is the fact that you could gain new coupons by subscribing to a website’s newsletter, choosing some things that you want to purchase, and then simply abandoning your cart. By doing so, the company will probably send you a voucher via email, which you can then use for purchasing the goods for a discounted price.
Conclusion
Although a lot of people think that extreme couponing is simply cutting out vouchers from newspapers and taking them to a specific store, this isn’t entirely true. In fact, people that love doing this need to possess strong organizational and planning skills, which is why it isn’t really for everyone.
So, now that you’ve learned some important things about this entire process, you might not want to lose any more of your time. Instead, if you’re thinking about saving money by using different vouchers, open up your browser, and start searching for different tips and tricks that’ll help you throughout the entire process.
