Myths of Television Couponing — before you pay

How Did We Get Here?

The first coupon was distributed by Coca-Cola in 1887 for a free glass of Coke. It was the idea of an Atlanta businessman named Asa Candler, and this move helped to position Coca-Cola as a dominant force in the marketplace. During an almost 20-year span, an estimated 1 in 9 people in the United States redeemed a coupon for a free glass of Coke. Following Coke's lead, other promoters and retailers began to offer their own discounts in the form of coupons, including a one-cent-off coupon for Grape Nuts cereal in 1895. U.S. shoppers struggling during the Great Depression turned to coupons to help put food on their tables, making them even more popular. As time went on, couponing became a hobby for many but an obsession for some.

The dawn of the Internet added new tools to a couponer's arsenal. Some stores and manufacturers offer printable coupons or online coupon codes on their websites or in their apps, and communities have sprung up for couponers to share coupons, news about sales, and tips on ways to maximize their savings.

TV vs. Reality

Today, reality television shows feature real people doing extraordinary things, including applying coupons to purchase cartloads of items for pennies on the dollar or even for free. But as with any TV show meant to entertain us, what we see on these programs isn't always an accurate portrayal of reality. For instance, shows like "Extreme Couponing" don't always fully delve into the time commitment involved in this level of coupon use. A 30-minute episode can't accurately depict the time it takes to gather, clip, and organize the coupons, research sales, compile shopping lists, and go from store to store to get the best deals.

Also, some of the things that happen on couponing television shows are concocted just for the show. For instance, many of the best deals come from the doubling or tripling of a coupon, but some viewers have tried to pull off their own couponing feats only to learn that the store featured doesn't actually double coupons: The store only allowed it for the TV show. And not every couponer brings home a massive haul on every trip. The types of orders seen on these shows require a perfect alignment of offered coupons and sale offers, which doesn't happen every day.

Be Smart and Be Nice

Another thing to remember is that on TV, extreme couponers only have to worry about making a good TV show, not about following good etiquette or abiding by the store's rules for coupon use. Both of these things are key to adhere to for real people trying their hand at couponing. For instance, on TV, cashiers seem to have no problem with inputting hundreds of coupons, overriding error messages on their registers, or splitting up large orders into numerous transactions. But in reality, stores often have limits on the number of coupons that can be used at one time and how they can be combined with each other or with special promotions. Also, tying up a checkout line for ages with one person's transactions is generally frowned upon: Remember that other shoppers are there to shop, too, and they'd like to check out and get home in a timely manner.

It's also key to remember that couponers need to invest plenty of time in this practice, along with gas and printer ink needed to print out coupons and go from store to store to get the best deals. This investment needs to be worthwhile, and that's not true if you wind up building a stockpile of things that you won't use just because you got a good deal on them. Be sure to keep on top of expiration dates, and don't buy something you won't use unless you have a plan to donate it to someone who will.

Learn More, Save More

Thanks to the media attention garnered by extreme couponing, more people are clipping and saving. They are also sharing what they've learned as couponers with the online community. There are some great tips and tricks out there to help couponers get started and to help seasoned savers maximize their haul. Learn more and save more with these couponing resources.

• Ways to Start Couponing
• Ethical Couponing 101
• Are the Cash-saving Strategies of TV Couponers Bogus?
• Ways to Become an Extreme Couponer
• Ways to Play Nice in the Coupon Sandbox
• Five Secret Strategies of Aggressive Couponers
• Couponing Secrets
• "Extreme Couponing": What You Don't See on TV
• History of Coupons
• The Myths of Extreme Couponing: How Couponing Really Works
• Tips for Scoring Great Deals
• Clever Strategies for Saving Big With Coupons
• Secrets of Hard-Core Couponers
• Extreme Couponing: Fact or Fiction?
• Couponing to Decrease Student Loan Debt

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