People are frequently inspired and influenced by things they see on television, but it’s not often that they will be inspired to make significant financial savings. But, that is exactly what happened for at least two local ladies who, after watching TLC’s Extreme Couponing, sprung into action.
Therese Poitras smiles at the idea of being refereed to as the “crazy coupon lady,” and admits that when she goes to certain stores in St. Paul and Elk Point, “they see me coming.” In less than a year, Poitras estimates saving between $10,000 and $15,000 by using coupons, enough to renovate part of her home and purchase an additional freezer to keep her stockpiled items.
“I don’t need to do drugs, I get my coupon high,” says Poitras, with a laugh, adding, “I’m enjoying this.”
Through her experience, she has realized that shoppers in Canada can’t benefit to the same extent as couponers in the U.S. due to different rules surrounding the use of coupons at most stores. She says it is still worthwhile and instead of calling it extreme couponing, Poitras refers to it as “extreme savings.”
Locally, only one grocery store has a double coupon day, and different cashiers at different stores interpret the rules on a coupon differently, says Poitras.
Less than a year after she started couponing, Poitras now as a small grocery store in her basement, made up of stockpiled items she purchased for ridiculously low prices.
“I really don’t need more toothbrushes,” she says. “But, if it can be free, then why not?”
Poitras often donates some of the products she acquires to low-income families or to the Edmonton women’s shelter. At Christmas she put together six hampers for friends, family and anonymous people, spending maybe $100 on nearly $400 worth of product.
Poitras also holds on to many of her receipts to prove to people this type of saving can be achieved. One receipt shows a huge list of items and next to the total owing, which was $4.57, a note showing a 93 per cent savings was achieved.
Being a couponer requires some time and effort before going to the grocery store. Poitras must find her coupons, which she often discovers in recycling bins in the city, or by ordering online. Then, she organizes the coupons in two zip-up binders, which she also purchased with coupons.
Organization is important, but anyone can do it, she says. Poitras compares couponing to crafting. When she gets bored and needs to keep her hands busy, she takes out her coupons.
Poitras says she has always loved to shop and loves it more knowing she can save money doing it. She also finds pleasure in helping other people save.
“I’m the coupon fairy,” says Poitras, who is also a self-professed cart snooper. If she sees a fellow shopper with an item in their cart that she has a coupon for, she won’t hesitate to pass the savings on. She also leaves coupons on shelves near products she doesn’t purchase.
Poitras says people “don’t have to do what I do,” but using coupons casually can also have a big impact on a person’s grocery bill.
“I’m cheap, I am,” says Poitras, who now mostly refuses to buy items not on sale, although, some items simply do not go on sale, such as meats and some pet products. She realizes she has “to pay a little,” since companies do have to make money.
Poitras has learnt that she doesn’t even have to sacrifice quality for a good deal. One of the amazing things about her stockpile is that almost all the items are brand name products.
Another local shopper, Jessica Vanbrabant’s story begins much the same as Poitras’. After watching Extreme Couponing on TLC, Vanbrabant was convinced she too could save money with coupons.
Vanbrabant shops almost strictly in St. Paul and in six months she has saved about $5,000. She searches the Internet for many of her coupons, and often purchases coupons for just a few cents off eBay. Then, she makes sure to coordinate her shopping trips with double coupon days.
She too has run into varying rules at different stores in town, but has nonetheless saved thousands of dollars. One day, a lady waited for Vanbrabant outside the grocery store, simply to ask how much money she saved.
People are interested in learning about couponing, says Vanbrabant, who works at a local school. Her couponing was the topic of conversation for a whole week once co-workers discovered what she was doing.
“It’s fun,” says Vanbrabant of her shopping habits. But, she does have a few rules, such as only buying products she and her husband, or extended family, will use, unless she can get it for free. And if she can get a really good deal on an item she doesn’t see a use for, she will bring it to school and give it away.
Couponing is pretty straightforward, says Vanbrabant, but organization is important. She too has a binder full of coupons and also enjoys going shopping. Even if she only has to grab a couple items at the grocery store, she will go down every aisle, just in case something happens to be on sale that she has a coupon for.
“If you go in there with a handful of coupons, you’re going to get frustrated,” says Vanbrabant, who also has a room set aside in her home for her stockpiled items, which includes Christmas and birthday gifts for her nieces and nephews, along with grocery, health and beauty, and cleaning products.
“(My stockpile) is manageable and we’re going to use it all,” she says, adding, it’s easy to remember what she’s bought because of the organization. Most of the time she goes shopping she leaves with a cart full of stuff, but pays only about $50 to $75, which can translate into a $300 savings sometimes.
Both Vanbrabant and Poitras note that often the checkout process can take as long as the shopping process. Although they don’t know each other personally, the ladies offer many of the same experiences and the same tips for people interested in getting into extreme couponing.
“For me, this is what I’m into, and I’m into it,” says Poitras, further adding, “I try to do it the best I can.”
