Are TLC Extreme Couponing Participants Couponing Ethically?

by Briana Carter on April 8, 2011

For those of you who follow my blog, you know that I advocate ethical couponing. After watching the latest episode of TLC Extreme Couponing, many of you are searching for ways to save huge like the participants on the show. I’ve stressed I get 50% grocery savings at the store and this is what I strive for when I shop.

However, these participants are getting 98% savings or even larger. Many of you want to save like this. However, this is NOT realistic and there are questions as to whether the participants on the show are even couponing ethically.

It is suspected that the participant Jamie was decoding coupons in order to misuse the coupons for items she didn’t purchase. For example, this blog could not find an instance where Jamie purchased Fiber One Cereals. However, she was seen using these coupons at the register. This is just one of the many examples.

Apparently, TLC did not do it’s homework as it didn’t take the couponing community long to figure out that Jamie was not a ethical couponer as some of the message boards went about decoding the receipt from the show and the coupons used and have found they aren’t being used properly. My guess is that they don’t care about couponing ethically as long as they have the ratings. Geesh, the show wouldn’t be nearly as fun with someone who just gets 50% savings doing it the right way, right?

If you haven’t read my 10 Commandments of Couponing, here they are again:

Thou Shall Not Used Expired Coupons. Unless it is your stores policy to accept them. Sometimes they will not beep even with expired but that doesn’t mean you should use them!
Thou Shall Use the Coupon for the Item is intended.
Thous Shall understand the requirements & restrictions on the coupon. Read the coupon language carefully. Sometimes there is a certain number you have to purchase or a specific variety is only included on the coupon.
Thou Shall Not Decode the Coupon to misuse the coupon. I won’t explain how you can do this as I don’t encourage this practice at all. Briefly, it is a flaw in the system that allows a coupon to be used on a item it is not intended for without causing issues at the register.
Thou Shall Not Alter Coupons. Self explanatory, right?
Thous Shall Not Make Copies of Printable Coupons. Making copies of printable coupons is a big “no no”.
Thou Shall Not Clear the Shelves. Leave some of the rest of the world! :) Plus, it is highly unlikely, you really need 77 bottles of mustard in your house!
Thou Shall Question Any FREE coupon items for legitimacy. The old adage, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Thou Shall Not Misuse the Self Checkout System. Again, just because the system allows it doesn’t always mean you should do it!
Thou Shall Use Your Couponing Powers for Good Only!

Obviously, TLC Extreme Couponing is not showing every detail on how these couponers are getting their extreme savings. I think a little more details are needed as their savings do not seem realistic.

What are your thoughts on ethical couponing?

Tagged as: Ethical Couponing, Extreme Couponing, Extreme Couponing Blogs

comments { 41 Comments }

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Kim C - April 08, 2011 @ 10:20 am 1

The 77 bottles of mustard example is the one that really upset me. First of all, clearing the shelves is just plain inconsiderate. Her hubby convinced her to leave 3! Arriving at that store and finding the shelves cleared would have really irritated me. Second, WHO NEEDS that much mustard? I might buy 4 or 5 if it was a great deal. Third, 39 cents for mustard isn’t that great, IMO. :)

I don’t know about the “decoding” problem, but that would be REALLY interesting to figure out.

TLC should put complete breakdowns on their website of each shopping trip.
Gina Giraud - April 08, 2011 @ 10:52 am 2

I agree. I think the show should be called coupon hoarders! I don’t think what they are doing is right, and they are only thinking of themselves and not the families that may not be able to eat because they’ve just wiped the shelves clean of the free items…there are many down and out families right now, and I tend to find the ones that need the free items the most won’t or don’t get them because of hoarders. Its really frustrating that TLC is encouraging their behavior…I try not to watch the show because it is just frustrating. Thanks for the post…Its always what I preach when I talk to friends about couponing…do unto others and you’d like them to do for you!
Mary - April 08, 2011 @ 11:05 am 3

WOW. I had no idea! I knew I didn’t like the show pecause it does not depict the reality of practical couponing. But I had no idea te onegal was being so blatently unethical. Just another reason not to watch the show! Thanks for the 411!
Dena - April 08, 2011 @ 11:25 am 4

Yes, I agree there is a difference between coupon hording and ethical couponing. That show really did bother me but I watched hoping to take away something useful for myself. I think stockpiling is ok in moderation, but what about giving some of those items to the food banks and less fortunate. That is quite honestly how I would use it if I could ever figure out how to get some of those big hauls.
bonnie - April 08, 2011 @ 11:25 am 5

umm, I live in the metro houston area which is pulling triple /double coupons in one week.. thanks alot loser coupon hoarders. I really am at a point in my life where I need to cut expenses severly, as are many, and that opportunity is being taken away. not everyone is as unresponsible as they are. I totally echo your guidelines, If I dont skip church and stalk the walgreens / cvs the specials are gone…. sorry I go to church
MomofTwo - April 08, 2011 @ 11:29 am 6

I was disgusted by this show. I could not believe how people let their hoarding take over their homes. They talk about how much money they have saved, but are they really saving anything if they are storing many bags of chips & cases of pop & bags of Nerds. At some point their medical bills are going to cost them more if they aren’t already. And what happens to your quality of life and that of your family when you are hoarding so much food, beauty & cleaning products that it takes over your bedroom, kids playroom & kid bedroom. BTW – In neither the kids bedroom or playroom did I see any toys for the kids.
I am disgusted in so many way by the people on this show and for TLC to glamorize the fraudlent ways of some of the shows participants.
Helen C. - April 08, 2011 @ 11:29 am 7

I give the show one more shot. I’ve been couponing for years now. I was hoping to pick up more pointers…not learning how to scam. Also, if I get something for free that I’m not going to use, I donate it to the food collection at church for the local food pantry. I don’t need 60+ bottles of mustard…but I’m sure SOME PLACE could.
Christine H - April 08, 2011 @ 11:33 am 8

I thought it was interesting to see that Hoarder’s was the show that followed Extreme Couponing! Now, I’ll keep recording the show because I think it’s interesting, but it’s definitely not real. My excitement, like most of you is when I can save more than I spent. It’s a goal that I try to hit on most of my trips, although not always obtained. And who wants toilet paper under your kids bed or in you shower? Seriously! Thanks for your blog, I truly enjoy reading it and anyway to save money (ethically)!
Melissa - April 08, 2011 @ 11:37 am 9

That’s a great point about the coupon decoding. I always like to point out that the coupon picture doesn’t have to match but I always read the coupon description to make sure it matches. I love saving lots of money and am on a tight budget, but when you’re getting free wipes because you used a diapers coupon that’s fraud. I try to put it in the perspective of the money you’re actually saving. Is $2.50 in your pocket really worth compromising your morals?
Jamie - April 08, 2011 @ 11:44 am 10

I am so glad you just posted it. I DVR’d the show and finally watched it last night. My husband asked why I can’t do that….so today I have been searching the web trying to find out how people do that, and I just can’t see it! All the free stuff is stuff I don’t need, and obviously dont want, because I dont want a stock pile of stuff I will never use….thats just crazy! I am thankful for your page because you don’t post ways to cheat stores and companies, you are all about truth and thats why I love your web site!
Kyla A - April 08, 2011 @ 11:57 am 11

I was just complaining last night on facebook about the woman and the 77 bottles of mustard!!! You don’t clear the shelves!!! How rude!! I have bought 12 of a good deal but never 77!!!!! I normally get about $200 in groceries for about $35. And have been so stockpiled that I haven’t shopped for 6 months. I need to get back into it my stockpile is gone!!
Rennelda Schumacher - April 08, 2011 @ 11:57 am 12

Yes, that is definitely too much mustard. With my toddler running around, I thought I hear her husband say he didn’t even like it. I hope that the majority of these coupon extremist donate what that cannot use.

I will admit that I do not follow the coupon to the ‘T’. I have used the coupons on packs of soda that are $1/2. I have actually bought 1 pack and it took off $1 for one pack of soda and I ended up paying less than $1 for it.

I work at a drug store and have seen people clear shelves and then ask to look up the items at other stores to see if it is available. When I first started working there, I noticed certain people would cut off the expiration date and we can’t use them. Then we would have to ask a manager if the customer gets upset about it. Sometimes the system allows expired coupons because I have seen the same coupons used and have seen them in the circulars.
Connie - April 08, 2011 @ 12:04 pm 13

This show is not at all what I expected it to be, they are nothing more then hoarders! Very disappointed that TLC would put this show on the air, there is nothting to be learned from watching these women!

They are taking advantage of the store’s coupon policy. There was the women who after finding out the store changed their policy took her husband along to buy exactly the same stuff she had and check out seperately. This women has products stashed all over her house, under her childs bed. They commented that just based on what she already had in her home, her family could survive for 3 years and this was a large family!
Duffy Teague - April 08, 2011 @ 12:06 pm 14

I agree, Brianna! I was sitting there trying to figure out how they can get all that meat and produce included in their shopping trip when there aren’t typically coupons for it! I would love to save that much money, but I couldn’t see how it could happen ethically either! I shop at Meijer and Kroger primarily and their software catches expired coupons, if you haven’t purchased the item or not enough of the items. I also aim for 50% – I am thrilled when I achieve it!
Andrea- Mommy Confessions Blog - April 08, 2011 @ 12:11 pm 15

I so agree. I so the show for the 1st time the other night and I have been sick over it. My thoughts are ANY idiot can do what they are doing but it isn’t right. I really think that this show is going to screw over those of us that use our powers for the good. NOT for evil.
While I would LOVE to have 10 YEARS worth of TP in my basement do I need it the answer is NO. Does anybody need 200 boxes of pasta in 1 trip are they ever going to use it before going bad NO NO NO…
The show really makes me ill.
Maria - April 08, 2011 @ 12:15 pm 16

Great post! I coupon ethically as well, and I hate that people who don’t are making stores change coupon policies so that nobody saves.
The other thing I found odd about the show is that they divided their purchases into many transactions. None of my stores would ever let me do this, and I would never expect them to. If I want seperate transactions to get a really great deal, I’ll make multiple trips on different days. I wonder if the stores bent the rules for the sake of filming the show.
Lauren - April 08, 2011 @ 12:22 pm 17

I think it’s ridiculous the amount of things these people get just because it’s cheap or free. We COULD have savings like that if we bought useless crap that we didn’t need. However, I choose to buy the cheap/free items that my family will USE and then use the savings to buy things like produce and meat. I’ve also noticed that most of the cheap/free items are usually very unhealthy items, which is why I limit these.
song - April 08, 2011 @ 2:01 pm 18

i’m amazed how this people can save that much. where i live, we only have Copps that will only double your first five coupons up to a dollars and u also have to spend $25 minimum or above. I’m amazed but at the time i’m thinking sooner or later my stores are going to limit the use of coupons. Don’t these people get stress, sometime i get so stress using coupons and i’m only using 5-10. I can’t imaging using 250 coupons or more….tsk tsk..tsk….but i got to say this, “here in united states, it’s the land of opportunity, and anything is possible.”
Apryl - April 08, 2011 @ 3:18 pm 19

I am so glad you wrote about this. I am new to couponing and after watching this show (in order to get pointers) I was looking at circulars and online forums to try to do what they do and I just couldnt figure it out. I see good deals but cant get the bill to go that low.
now i know why
Kris - April 08, 2011 @ 3:42 pm 20

I have watched the show – actually have it set to record the entire series. After watching the last 2 episodes, I was actually sorting my coupons and placing them in my binder. That show puts me in a bad light and have thought seriously, do they really need that much mustard? And the appalling one was the lady that said that her stockpile of items was just as beautiful as her family. REALLY??? How can someone think that their stock pile of groceries will bring them love and comfort like their family?

Every time I go to the store, I am notorious of bringing my coupon binder with me – even getting compliments of how organized it is from several other customers and cashiers.

For Christmas this last year I gave 2 woman’s gifts from some of my stockpile . It wasn’t extravagant, but it was still usable for the person that I gave it to. It probably was valued at $60 worth of stuff, but I spent maybe $15. We also did this for a man’s gift . I’ll be doing the same thing again this year for Christmas.
Jennifer Kinney - April 08, 2011 @ 3:55 pm 21

I missed the show when it was first on but saw the original plus the new shows Wed. night. If you can really save the much then more power to you but don’t do something illegal to hurt the rest of us. It was almost sickening to see the shelf clearing that was going on and not caring if there was anything left for someone else. The mustard especially! I mean, who really uses that much? If they were giving the extra to a food bank that’s one thing but it was like hoarding they way it was shown. There is already a show on that, too. I watched hoping to learn how to save more for my family but they didn’t really show that much where you actually learn more from them. It is the Learning Channel, after all!
Jill - April 08, 2011 @ 4:22 pm 22

I think all of the ethical couponers should start a writing campaign to TLC letting them know how detrimental this show is to those who coupon right.
Stacie - April 08, 2011 @ 4:36 pm 23

I so agree with you! I just held a coupon class last night — and made sure to talk about coupon ethics. I was excited to see how similar your 10 Commandments are to the things I went over — although there are a few you have I may need to add!!

Thanks!
Diane - April 08, 2011 @ 6:36 pm 24

Thanks to everyone who wrote. I watched the show & wondered. I coupon but I call what those ladies do hoarding also. I did not understand all the stacks of coupon flyers. Coupons do expire. Why keep all the flyers? I clip what I know my family can use then pass them on to a friend. Some things I understand buying 6 of but 77 bottles of mustard! Really??? Also, the show did not tell us how they did it, just that they did it. I did not get a single tip from the show. I was very disappointed. I won’t waste my time watching it again.
Jen Knox @AutomaticMoms - April 08, 2011 @ 7:16 pm 25

This show is just disgraceful….giving people false hope about how much they can save if they coupon but only if you’re unethical and hoard. Doesn’t TLC understand that if they made this a REAL couponing show with attainable successes and some education that all we bloggers would be promoting it to death with our praise? Talk about a dumb move on TLC’s part.

As for the unethical blogger who basically STOLE from the store and all of us who are now going to see stricter coupon guidelines and limits…well, I just hope someone in authority in her area is watching.