(picture of my personal stockpile in 2011)
I’ve been hearing more and more complaints lately about people clearing shelves when there are good sales. It leads me to ask, when is enough ENOUGH?
When I started couponing back in late 2008, I learned very quickly that when we match sales with coupons, we will get not only good deals, but sometimes we will get awesome deals. Those first few months of couponing, I would go through the checkout aisle with my hands shaking a little. I think it was a combination of adrenaline from knowing I was getting such awesome deals mixed with nerves from the worry that I would have to pay full price on everything I was buying. (And knowing I didn’t have the money to pay full price.)
When I first started couponing, I was very intentional counting every penny that I spent. My goal was to spend as little as possible each week. (In year 2010, I spent under $1,000 on groceries in one full year mainly because each week, I bought only what was on sale.) I also got so excited over couponing that I purchased 8 Sunday papers each week so that I could have 8 of each coupon and essentially do 8 deals when there were sales. While buying 8 papers isn’t a big deal, looking back, I was buying groceries for just my husband and I and I didn’t need to be buying as much as I did. Within a couple years, I dropped the 8 papers down to 4 Sunday papers per week and while I still stock up on good deals, I no longer buy as many quantities as I did.
Last year I remember reading another blogger’s post about buying over 50 air fresheners in one shopping trip. The air fresheners were free – in fact, if I recall, there was overage so we were actually paid to buy the air fresheners. Seeing this blogger purchase so many air fresheners and then publicize and promote it really made me step back. When is enough enough? Do you really need 50 air fresheners? I wholeheartedly believe that having stockpiles are essential to saving money. I PROMOTE and encourage all of you to stock up on deals so that you do not have to pay full price. You should buy enough of each item to last at least a couple of months. (Or longer if the item is non-perishable or household items.) But do you really need to buy 50 air fresheners just because they are free? Do you really need to buy 30 containers of vitamins just because they give you overage? Perhaps you are donating the items (which I think is awesome). But are you going to multiple stores to get your huge quantities? Or are you clearing the shelves at one store? Are you honoring the verbiage on coupons when coupons say “limit one coupon per customer” or “limit one coupon per transaction”? Or are you using multiples of these coupons just because your cashier is allowing it? Are you using multiple $5 off $30 Winn Dixie coupons in one transaction at Publix even though their coupon policy states “Dollars-off-total-order coupons will be limited to one Publix and one competitor coupon per order.”
Just because stores are coupon friendly now does not mean they will always be coupon friendly. If we abuse their coupon policies and generosity, we are putting each other at risk to have less friendly policies and to no longer save as much money.
If you find yourself shopping and buying more of one item than you would ever use, you are entering the world of hoarding. If you are bragging about your shelf clearing prowess, you are encouraging others to join the world of hoarding. There is a fine line between stockpiling and hoarding and it is a line that I see people cross daily. So I guess my question to you is, when is enough enough? How do you know when you have bought enough items to take care of your families’ needs? Obviously every family has different needs. Please share your thoughts! I would love to hear them!
Thanks for coming to Addicted to Saving! Here’s a little bit about me so you can know who’s behind all these posts!
My name is Liza and I began my money-saving journey in the Spring of 2009 as a way to stretch a limited household income. I had lost my job and my hubby was self-employed. I launched Addicted to Saving in November of 2009 and it has grown by leaps and bounds. Since then, my hubby and I have struggled with the ups and downs of two failed adoptions and are now LOVING being parents to our little man Asher who we brought home from Ethiopia in August of 2013. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to help you save money. My goal is that you will have FUN and become empowered to save more and more money each week..
I try to maintain a list of what my family will use in one years time. I attempt to keep that amount in my stockpile.
Being military and knowing that we will be moving every couple of years helps us to keep our “stockpile” down…. We keep things on hand that we know we will use within a couple months… just because it’s free does not give people permission to hoard all of the stock. If you are not an older women and already went through menopause… WHY do you need EVERY pack of the “free” pads or pantyliners? Do you REALLY need 20 containers of deotorant or 20 packs of razors… The sales will circle back around (usually the same time every year) and you can buy them for the same price…. I just dont understand why people feel the need to hoard all the good deals and not give others the opportunity to reap some of them…. Especially those who are on a set income and depend on couponing to make ends meet. Sorry to rant… but to answer your questions “When is enough… enough?” I beleive you should only get what you need to last for a couple months. You can watch your stock rotation and determine if you need to buy more or less of an item to ensure you keep an appropriate amount on hand…. that the best way.
Thanks for this post.
I agree with everything Theresa said! My sentiments exactly.
Already manufacturers are limiting the # of coupons per transaction, changing the wording, excluding trial sizes, and it’s all in response to the hoarders and those who ruin the deals for everyone else. Next will be matching competitors coupons – too many are getting too greedy with that and spoiling a good thing.
I’ve been couponing for years and have definitely seen it being amped to the extreme with some wanting to clear shelves, get overage and even resell their stock.
I only get 2 papers per week, I buy what my family can use and donate freebie deals to the local shelter and also the food bank but I try not to take it to the extreme. Besides some of this food especially, you get bugs and pests and it expires quickly so you can’t possibly use it all up. Does the food bank really want that past-the-expiration date food when you realize you stockpiled it too long? Even those vitamin deals, do you really need 20 bottles of vitamins (again close to expiration date by the time you check your cabinet and realize, oops, they’ve been sitting there for over a year or so unopened)? Wish common sense would prevail.
My goodness, I love this post! To find shelves empty/no stock out back by the time I can get to a store on Monday or Tuesday is disappointing, but par for the course now. (With my work schedule, it might not even be until Friday). I do the best I can, but have found myself not couponing as much. I shop sales and always check out the clearance and “bump and dent” sections of any store. If I get lucky and find something we use a lot of (canned beans, tuna, soup, toilet paper, conditioner) I look at how much is on the shelf and gauge how much I have at home. Usually this can mean 2 or 3 for conditioner; maybe 5-8 of canned goods. It really depends.
Most people that buy 50 of something like that are the ones that have garage sales or go to flea markets to sell their stockpile so to them 50 is not “more than they feel they need”
I used to go recycling to get papers to have at least 10 of each insert and I quickly learned that I do not need to buy that much of anything. I do still get 4 papers and I end up donating to a local church food bank every 3 months on things that I got too much of (even with just 4 papers). But even using the excuse of “I am going to donate all 50 items” they are clearing the shelves for others who just want 1 or 2.
I do think in the beginning it is a “high” for people and you get addicted to that high but hopefully over time you realize that there are more important things in life than trying to clear shelves to score the most of any product that you can when you don’t really need it.
I completely agree. When I got into couponing four years ago, it was during the time when air fresheners were always “free” or close to it. My hubby had lost his job and I was trying to seriously coupon because we did not have a lot of money to live on. I would go shopping twice a week and try to stick to only getting the sales. The buzz of getting the air fresheners for free or the ones that were like 49 cents after a coupon stack when they should have been about $7 or $8 was great. I was also one of those because we were living on so little cash that I did not buy multiple papers unless it was a really good insert week so I usually only had enough coupons (due to printables) to buy two or three of the same product. I remember one week I had picked up 5 different air fresheners because 2 were free, one was 29 cents and the other two were 49 cents each. When I got home to show my hubby what I all bought, he was like you bought three air fresheners last week too. I said yes but I only paid $1.27 plus tax for these five. He said but that $1.27 plus tax could have bought a box of pasta or something useful. That made me open my eyes. We were living on so little money yet I was paying for things that we didn’t need (and that we rarely use because I make my own cleaning products with essential oils).
Eleni,
Is there a site that gives instructions on making cleaning products with essential oils? THANKS
Hi DJuana, Check out http://www.iheartorganizing.com. She did a whole post on making cleaning products with essential oils and I have found it very useful.
I try not to pass judgement on other people, thus answering the question “when is enough enough” is passing judgement IMHO in respects to a blogger who posted about buying 50. What works well for a family of 2, does not work well for a family of 10. Perhaps the person buying multiples is a caregiver for 2 or 3 different families.
We don’t know each other’s situations and this question just opens that door all over again, unless everyone who posts can answer like the above – what works for them personally. However, statements such as “people who buy 50 of anything are the people who sell at flea markets, etc.” is a judgement.
What I think is a more important question is where have “consideration, etiquette, manners, etc.” gone?
As for me, personally, I buy 10 papers, thus I can do 10-20 of a “deal”. I do not buy 10-20 in one shot. I go 3-4 times during the sale and go to 2-3 different Publix to do so. Personally, I support my household, my grandparents household and my father’s household (that’s 3 different households). Does that mean I am any more deserving than a family of 10? Does that mean I am any less deserving than a family of 2? No. That’s judgemental.
This year our budget is even more tight but with my couponing skills I know I we can get through this tough time. My stockpile has given me a false sense of security. I say that tongue in check. I have a very good stock pile in personal products like toothpaste and toilet paper and shampoo but not in food. My goal this year is to be much more selective on the bargains in front of me. I’ve learned I don’t need another 4 bottles of lotion. While I have a large family, they don’t use lotion that much and I happen to know lotion will spoil, so I will not be buying any more lotion because the food banks don’t need any. Now when it comes to can vegetables or fruits, I might be eager to clear a shelf but typically the most I can gather are about 6 cans on any deal.
I have been known to go to two or three different stores to get the stock pile I need. I feel that is fair; after all, I did spend my time, fuel and money getting there and buying those products at each location. It doesn’t make sense to do extreme hording. Most stuff will go bad after a while anyway. In fact, I was just thinking: My goal should be that everything I purchased in 2013 will be used in 2014. Anything I stockpile now in 2014 should be stored differently or in a different location so I use the older stuff first. This really is time consuming or a labor of love. Thank you.
Whenever I buy BOGOs and take advantage of really great deals, purchasing several quantities, those “extras” often go to our church’s “food bank”. Always, ALWAYS donate your “extras” and remember that while you are blessed with the ability to purchase and use coupons, there are so many others who don’t even have the extra money (nor even a job) to buy the paper or much in the way of groceries and/or “luxury items” or the health and beauty items they use on a daily basis. My step-daughter lost her job a year ago due to company downsizing. She’s being frugal and lives on unemployment benefits as she diligently and aggressively looks for another job. She is the recipient often of my deals, BOGOS and freebies, and is most grateful. Just a thought. “Share your wealth” of bargains with others.
I don’t feel it is honorable at all when people say they buy up good deals and “donate” some of it. That just shows you didn’t need it – yes, you gave it to someone in need, but you helped clear the shelf in doing so and the couponers behind you showed up and the shelf was empty, so couldn’t get the deal. So in effect, you did your coupon ing work, got your freebie, donated the extra, but robbed another couponer who did the same work as you from getting the deal.
I try to follow the idea that I need enough of any item so that I can wait to buy it again when it goes back on sale. I do not have an excess of storage space in my house, so I can’t have a hoarding-style stockpile. I only have two sets of newspaper coupons max. I only use one computer to print coupons as well. So the number of deals I get is limited by that. I can see the temptation to do more, but we really don’t need to do so.
Shelf clearing is not a big problem at my store. It typically only happens on items that have lower stock to begin with, but on those few items, I get a rain check. The items are usually in stock the next week.
I don’t get angry that others get excessive amounts. Annoyed, yes, but not angry. I have also noticed a lot of frustration about it lately. Perhaps I would be bothered more if I encountered it more? I can’t get angry about my perception of other’s “greed”, since I don’t know their circumstances. However, I fully understand your point that a few bad apples can cause negative changes in stores’ policies. That is something that we should all remember as we proceed. I know people will also try to scam in the wrong higher-value coupons for things as well. Or people buy things on sale with coupons then return the items for full price. If we make it a problem for the store, they will make it a problem for us.
Amen.
Even though I love couponing I try not to stockpile. I opened a new container of body wash yesterday. I must have had it on the shelf too long because inside it was no longer white. It might still be good but the color and consistency had changed. So even though it didn’t have a date on it, it clearly has a shelf life.
Thank you so much for sharing this! I have read my mind! The first time I saw that extreme couponing show on tv I was shocked! I remember clipping coupons with my mom as a teenager and maybe it was growing up in a military family, I never would have thought to buy so many papers and clean out the store’s inventory on anything. Too many years overseas where we couldn’t always find those things we really liked, no one wanted to do that to others. Even after that, when dealing with non-perishable items, how long it would like me to use the items was always considered. Items go on sale ever so many weeks and the coupons for products does the same thing and this makes me wonder why anyone would need so much at one time. I once got concerned because I had over 20 boxes of cereal in my pantry, but that wasn’t because I went in cleared out the store…each time I was in the store, if there was a really good deal I would pick up a few. And with 2 teenage boys in the house, we go through cereal (and other food for that matter) like crazy. I think there is a difference between going into a store and clearing out all of it and picking up a few items of this or that when you are at the store. Of course I love the feeling of walking out of the store having saved a large amount but that comes from planning and maximizing the items I need along with that week’s sale items and my coupons.
Thanks for writing this. I see more and more of it in my area. I see more and more bloggers bragging about it, as well. I also see multiple couponers in my area selling their stuff at yard sales and online sales. Makes me VERY irritated. Especially when I know that to get that deal it took a competitor coupon and they can not have access to 25 or 30 computers… Can we say fraud???)
in the south we see the same sales roll around every 6-8 weeks. You are going to see rock bottom pricing on about everything time and time again.
I shop the sales. I use coupons (2-4 only). I have a sufficient stockpile of about everything we use. BUT, I don’t hoard. I don’t shelf clear. I don’t have a converted garage/mini Sam’s club. :-/
I keep enough health & beauty supplies for 6 months, as that is what fits on my bathroom shelves. Anything else I bring home is donated to family or a local homeless shelter. As for food items, it varies whether I have 2 or 10 of an item- how much do we use it, how often, etc…
I do bring home more than I need, but we donate a lot throughout the year.
I posted something about this on another website. The person that writes the site was bragging about getting 80 of the glades from publix a few months back. At the time they had a coupon to match a manufacturer coupon making them free with a little overage. He then went on to write another post the next day about getting 30 more. I posted that because of people like him other were not able to even get one or two of these. Since him and others like him hoarded all the sale papers. Well of, course my post was deleted. These people who write this site encourage this hoarding and now the stores in my area check every coupon and look for a reason not to take them. Especially if it is a great deal. So thanks for writing this hopefully others will listen and make it where others can also get these deals.
Where I live on the east coast it is almost a waste of time to coupon. It’s as if the stores are aware of the coupons out there and specifically don’t make sales match up with coupons, ever. When there is a high value coupon you’ll go to multiple stores to find it and it will always be sold out. Or, strangely they will just not stock that item at that time. Or the price is so inflated it’s not really worth it. Also I have never seen one person up here giving a cashier coupons, when its a regular occurrence in fl.
So I write this to say that there is a lot stores can do to combat couponing if they don’t want to deal with it, or feel its being abused and becoming a problem.
I love that Patti used the word “share”….. single moms, by choice or not, and unemployeed people genuinely looking for and wanting to work, can always use some help if not being given “Free” items such as shampoo, soap, tp, toothpaste and deoderent…. and then teaching them how to coupon to get the best deals, and i have decided I would rather pay a little than pay nothing just for the sake of the win!!!! Extreme couponing can be hoarding (if you buy 100 of an item that is going to expire b4 u can use it!!!!), the only persons I saw on there that are doing it right were a couple that donates EVERYTHING and a woman who supports her whole family and her disabled brother….. now Extreme Cheapskates, everyone can learn a thing or two from that show!!!!!
Here’s a tip, install a demand hot water heater, our electric bill is now only 15$ a month…… a regular hot water heater costs 50-80% of your electric bill or turn it off and turn it on 20 minutes b4 ur shower…..that last one I never tried, it was on extreme cheapskates…. show….
I also wrote a post on this bloggers website stating that it is really irritating to go into the store and find the shelves cleared of sale items almost weekly. The blogger responded that a friend and the blogger visited several stores and each bought 10 items at each store and there were over a hundred of the glades at each store. I don’t know what store they went to, but no Publix in my area carries 100 of the glade items they had bought. If 20 had been bought at each store, there would only be a few left. I think we should always ask ourselves how many of an item do we actually need before we go overboard with our purchases. I am paying close attention to my purchases this year and am trying to buy smarter. I am no longer going to try to get every deal and spend nights out trying to make sure I get every deal before a sale ends. I’d rather be spending time with my family even if it means missing a great deal. There will be more great deals around the corner. My mantra for 2014 is to ask myself “Do I really need this and will I use it in the near future?” Hopefully, this will keep me from making unnecessary purchases and overspending.
I Agree. And, thanks for the post. (As I prepare to go shopping today, I know that I will be frustrated by empty shelves; rain checks limited to 1 deal; and other issues exacerbated by people who don’t seem to know when enough is enough.)
I wholeheartedly agree with everything noted! I invariably go into my store and another close to work to find a deal and buy 2 or 4 to find the shelves always cleared the first day of the sale. In some cases where it’s a non-perishable item, I could always use to stock up, but have consideration for other shoppers, couponers & my community by taking just a few. I was raised in a family with 11 children and we NEVER needed 50 air fresheners for a year! I supply both my household of 4 along with another household of 2 and using up to 4 deals is plenty for both households. In my opinion- there is no excuse for being selfish and inconsiderate of others.
Thank You for this blog and I hope that more ppl that use your site read this! I buy two papers per week and even if I did have a big family – clearing the shelf in my opinion is selfish! Even if you want to stockpile for a year- these great deals come around again at some point! Leave some for everyone!
Couponing takes time( it’s like a part-time job). Please please think of others!
We are all a community of ppl that should be looking out for one another and trying to let everyone save some money per week/month.
Thank you so much for writing this. I am new to couponing and stockpiling….Like 2 weeks new, and today was a very sad day for me because of shelf clearing. Every item I had planned on buying was cleared out. I spent time clipping my coupons, planning my route and which stores I would go to for the best deal. My plan was to only get 2 of each item on my list….I am starting small and it is just me and my husband. I was saddened to find out that after all my hard work, I was beaten by hoarders 🙁 Sadly, I am not sure people will actually follow your advise of leaving some for the rest of us, which also means I think I will have to try different locations next time and hope for the best.
Thanks again for your post 🙂 It brings me some hope that I may become a successful couponer and grow my stockpile little by little 🙂
It is very frustrating to go into a store expecting to find an awesome deal and find them all gone, but honestly it’s not always because of other couponers hoarding items. I know that there have been times that I have purchased just a couple of something and it “cleared out” the shelves because management didn’t order enough. Just this week I “cleared out” the shelves at Walgreens by buying 4 packs of Capri Sun because they didn’t know there was a coupon out that matched up with their deal. I know this isn’t always the case, but making a judgement that someone must have hoarded all of the deal is unfair. It’s not my business if someone buys 100 of something to hoard, to donate or to resell (and in all fairness – some people support their families by working hard to do the couponing work and selling some of the items). Yes, it stinks to do the work and go into a store with empty shelves and yes it would be wonderful if everyone that wanted 100 of something would call and preorder it, but maybe it wasn’t one person who bought 100… maybe it was 20 people who each got 5… Like other people said… it’s not our place to judge people why they buy as many as they buy… and as a side note… if there’s something I want REALLY bad on sale… if you are a regular at a store and you build a good relationship with them, sometimes you can call and they will hold back 2 or 3 of an item that’s on sale for you… having a good relationship with the stores you shop at is vital to be successful at couponing in my opinion…