I have only had the chance to watch TLC's Extreme Couponing show one time. I have a lot of opinions on the show, some good, some bad, but one thing I really like about this show is how much it has opened up the dialogue on what couponers feel is extreme and what is not. It has really made us reflect on our shopping habits.
I pride myself on being a practical person. I don't usually go to an extreme unless the deal is something I know my family or friends will enjoy and use or if its a Moneymaker! When it comes to a deal I can make money on, I will pretty much buy anything! I'm not going to drive miles out of the way and use an hour or more of my free time to do it, but if its on my way and I have the coupons, then there is no harm, no foul to make money on something even if I won't use it. I can almost always find someone who will use it.
I won't, however, buy everything that's FREE. If you really think about it, it's not really FREE. For example, had the toothpaste I purchased here been only a "FREE" transaction and not a Moneymaker, I probably would not have done the transaction. First reason is I don't need toothpaste. I have at least a one year supply of it already. The second reason is I still have to pay sales tax which would have been $1.30, so its really not FREE. Its a great deal if you need it or know you will donate it. If you're thinking what's $1.30, its only pocket change, but minimal transactions like this over and over adds up to more than pocket change. Finally, I know that its highly likely I will be able to find another moneymaking scenario before my current stockpile is depleted, so I don't want to pay even a little money now on something I could make money on later.
I also thinks its very important to value the nonmonetary aspects when determining our purchase limits. Will this result in an unplanned shopping trip and if so, what would you have done with that time? Am I driving out of my way or can I make this happen on a normal route to someplace I already have to go? Also where will you be storing your latest haul? I'm not gonna sacrifice time with my children. use up the gas, or run up the mileage on my car, scoring deals to build up a massive stockpile.
I can tell you right now, there is no way I would ever sacrifice an entire room in my house to a stockpile! A 3 bedroom home cost more than a 2 bedroom home, right? That spare bedroom in your home definately has a value to it, probably at the very least 10% of your purchase price, so if you are making that room unusable space, then you are devoting 10% of your mortgage/rent payment every month to your stockpile. One might justify it by saying they weren't using the space, but why not downsize to a house that fits your needs and save! What could you use that room for? It could be a hobby room, a play room, a peaceful place to find quiet, a guest room that would allow you to spend your time with family and friends from afar. I think its a smart idea to consider how much room in your home you're willing to sacrifice to your stockpile and when that stockpiles starts to grow outside those boundries, its time to reevaluate your spending habits, no matter how minimal they may already be.
What thoughts do you use to keep yourself in control and from going into the extreme?
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