Extreme Couponing?

You may be aware of a new show, Extreme Couponing, beginning Wednesday on TLC. Some clips from the program show a woman buying 1100 boxes of cereal in one trip or another stockpiling enough toilet paper to last 40 years! Geez! Imho, this is definitely EXTREME!

There are several different types of couponers:

Those who clip coupons from the Sunday newspaper and then head to the grocery store and use their coupons on full-priced items.

Those who clip coupons and save them in a coupon envelope.  When shopping, they pay very little attention to the sales, but use an average of 10-15 coupons each week.

Those (like myself) who buy mulitple newspapers each week, watch the sales so as to match their coupons to the sale for maximum savings.

And apparently there are those who gather over 500 coupons a week and spend 20 hours or more each week planning their shopping deals and have a stockpile of unbelievable proportions.

Can we find some sanity here?  I stockpile.  I am fortunate to have a walk-in pantry where I store items my family uses regularly (canned goods, packaged foods, paper towels, etc.) that I've purchased when those items were on sale using coupons.  I have two shelves in my closet where I store personal use items (body wash, shampoo, razors, skin care products, etc.) also purchased on sale with coupons.  There are 8 to 10 packages of toilet paper always stocked in my bathroom linen closet.

Planning ahead and saving money seem like the natural thing to do.  When does stockpiling go too far?  I guess Extreme Couponing will show us.  I hope this show doesn't give all couponers a bad name!  Many of you know there is a way to save money AND time without going overboard.  And if you don't know, or would like to know how to save more while getting more for your dollar, please call me!  It is possible to coupon shop and stockpile without going to extremes.