Extreme couponing is something that takes a lot of organization and skill; it’s more than just cutting out a few extra coupons from flyers and leaflets. However, for those who commit their time to searching out the best deals possible it can pay off in a big way.
While this practice has taken off in the United States, it is something that it still relatively new in Canada. TLC’s show Extreme Couponing shows American families devoting hours and hours to finding coupons and deals before heading off to the grocery store where they miraculously turn thousands of dollars of goods into a bill under $100.
Stats for Canada will not be available until next month, but surprisingly below the border the practice appears to be dwindling. According to Nielsen there were 3.3 billion redemptions in 2010 down from 4.4 billion in 2000, but the percentage of consumers who are enthusiasts is on the rise, growing to 13 per cent of all households in 2010, which is up from 11 per cent in 2009.
But different rules in Canada mean this kind of extreme saving is not quite possible here.
Even in the States some of the bigger retailers such as Walgreens and Target have all decided to restrict or change the rules surrounding couponing so as to prevent possible abuse.
One of the most common practices is “˜stacking’ where coupons are combined to pay for a single item, but only a few Canadian retailers actually allow it, including London Drugs and some Save-On-Foods locations.
It’s popular in the U.S. but few stores will accept that practice here.
– With files from The Province
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