Yesterday on the news, they showed people who couponed so much that some doctor said it was a form of hoarding. I have always had a stockpile but not to the point that it took over my life and house. My stockpile has got me through some slim times. What do you think? Did anyone else see the clip?

I didn't see a clip, but tonight there is supposed to be a program on exterme couponing. Another board I read paints it as not positive for couponers with the amounts and ways people use them.

imo, anything to the extreme is a problem. It's the defining of extreme where people will differ. I always have extra of almost anything used in my household. I cannot stand to have to waste a trip to get it, or pay full price when I know I could have had it free or cheaper had I been prepared. That said, I am not a hoarder, I have a normal house as far as contents, just extras of what we use.

I also think (without having seen the show) it's just another show meant to shock people on the "reality" side where they will go extreme and get people to watch. I've watched Wife Swap and it's eqivalent (forget the other name). The common thread is they purposefully select two families with such opposite values, lifestyles, religions, philosophies, work ethics, etc that it is absolutely going to be a disaster. This is what draws viewers.

As to if stockpiling could be considered hoarding, yes. There are people who have to shop the deals or shop with their coupons EVERY single day, which is an obsession. If they bring too much home, it could be hoarding.

dl

While I don't believe it's common, I definitely think it's possible to become a hoarder because of becoming obsessed with couponing.

Yes, I saw that and believe it can be a problem, too. I will pick up a could extras of stuff we use when it's on sale, but when you see pictures of people with shelves full that look like grocery stores in their homes or garages, I believe it's definately a hoarding OCD.

It really makes me mad to see those people cleaning off the shelves of stuff they will never use before expiration when I just want 2 or 3 of the item, but the store is out now because someone took it all. I love it when the store has definate limits.

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

I think it can be a form of hoarding too. I used to buy a lot of extras if I got a good deal on something - not to the point of hoarding, but it was just too much. Sometimes, I'd decide after a while that I didn't really like a product anymore, but I'd have 5 more bottles. I gave them to a charity and decided I'd only buy 1 extra when there are deals like that now. It works out much better.

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

I don't know about it being quite like the hoarding we've all come to know and love, but see how it could become an obsession. Heavy duty couponers seem to have more focus and purpose than hoarders. I don't know that either is healthy, and they may have similar root causes (OCD? Depression?), but couponers seem more mentally engaged in their 'issue' than hoarders.

I try to think in terms of a year when I buy things at deep discounts. For instance, we have spaghetti about once a month. If the brand we like is on sale for fifty cents, I'll buy a dozen of them. Green beans? We seem to have a can every couple of weeks.... so if I see them at 4/$1, I'll spend $6, buy two dozen, and be prepared for the year.

We mostly eat salad and potatoes as our sides, and since they don't freeze/keep that well, I can't stockpile them.

I'm not a focused planner regarding our food purchases. I just do that bit of stockpiling if there is a great sale.

I rarely mess with coupons because we don't have anyplace that doubles, and usually there are good brands at 'regular price' that are cheaper than the brand for which I have a coupon.

I saw a lady on either Oprah or Dr Phil, can't remember which, who had so much food stocked up she was definitely a hoarder. Like some of the posters above I could see it easily becoming a problem. But I certainly don't think stockpiling for a "rainy day" is considered hoarding. My parents and grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc always had enough food put up to get through tough times.

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It is not hoarding if you use it up or give it away. Hoarders can do neither with their stash...but NEED to keep it. Hence, the difference.

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Did you see the clip with the women who expressed the great joy she feels when looking at her 4 year supply of toilet paper? Definitely has issues.

Most of what we buy food-wise don't get coupons. But, I find it difficult to pass up free toothbrushes, toothpaste, soaps, and shampoos. I just can't resist using the coupons! So, we keep some of it but then make a delivery to a shelter every few months.

Guilty as charged. LOL

A few years ago, my furnace/AC guy called into a local radio station. I happened to be the guest ~ being interviewed about coupon usage. "Bob" said "I'm calling as a testimony. She has 450 pounds of kitty litter in her storage room."

BTW The kitty litter is long gone. I *stockpile*. I don't hoard. I also do not empty the shelves. The most I buy of anything at one time is 4. (It took me a long time to pile up that much kitty litter!)

I guess I also would be considered guilty as charged I live for coupons and coupon savings. However I only stockpile items that we use alot of like health and beauty and paper products and cleaning supplies and snapple and fiji water, and of course dog and cat food. I especially love a great deal on Detergent. However I would never personally stockpile 50 boxes of cereal or 50 cans of soup , because they will go expired and that is a waste. However I have no problem with having 50 bottles of shampoo or conditioner or toothpaste, we use those items so fast and when it is just pennies then I will definitely stockpile and love every single moment of saving money for my family.. Catherine

That is the clip that I am referring to.

I see couponing as a way to save money. Actually, my father implanted that idea in my head as a child. I came from a large family (8 children) so he always bought in bulk. I look for deals on everything but we don't buy so much that it can't be used. When my daughter was in high school and had to do a service project, we bought items for pennies and then donated them.


I did meet a man that was a couponer and a hoarder. It was a single, older man that shopped at the same store as I did. He started talking to me once he saw all my coupons. He would tell me what was a deal, although I knew them already. Then I did not see him. The clerks said that he had died and that the police found tons of stuff in his house.

Oh this really resonates with me. Back in 1999 (remember Christmas of '99? You guys were talking about it on a recent post), there were coupons for Suave for Kids shampoo, conditioner and de-tangler. I can't remember now where we got the coupons, but I purchased so many I STILL have 15 bottles. At the time, we had five kids in the house (now down to two), so it didn't seem so bad until my oldest ones weren't "kids" anymore and wanted things like Axe and Herbal Essence.

Hubby still talks about the bleach coupons....I had 68 gallon bottles of bleach...we just used them up a year or so ago.

While I won't admit out of fear of sounding dumb how many gift packs of Gilette products I just bought at Walmart, I only paid $.44 a piece for them and at a regular price of $10.xx...I just can't feel guilty. I have guy Christmas gifts stockpiled for years at this rate!

I did think my husband was going to kill me a few weeks ago when I brought home three grocery bags full of Herbal Essence shampoo and conditoner a few weeks ago, though. But heh! Herbal Essence is expensive and I paid next to nothing!

I agree I use to have a neighbor who was a couponer/hoarder, she would love to show me all of her "free" finds, but most of the stuff she bought, she couldn't / would never use. For example I remember one time she showed me her stash of free cat food and cat litter, which was a decent amount, but she didn't have a cat. When a few of us mentioned she should donate stuff, she would tell us that she may need it one day, and wanted to be prepared.

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~~~~**Maryann**~~~~

I just got a firm grip on reality....
Now I can strangle it

It sure isn't a "new" form of hoarding, that's for sure.
People have been using coupons to get massive quantities of stuff for years, its not a new thing.

I think it's fine to have a small stockpile of essentials such as hba items, tp, tissues, laundry soap, non perishable food items, etc but once you get past say a years supply of stuff its a problem.
Or any size stockpile that takes over your living space is a problem even if its only a months supply of stuff. Not having room to live because you have too much stuff is hoarding in my book.

I like to keep a 6 month supply of hba/paper/cleaning supplies on hand as well as a few extra non perishable food items and cat food/litter.

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Jesus SAVES by shopping smartly and using double coupons!

Wow! That's a lot of bleach! Do you drink it? I think I use a gallon of bleach about every 2-3 years.

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

LOL - I own a housecleaning business. We do regular homes as well as vacation turnover homes - we use a LOT of bleach for laundry. I guess that did sound rather odd!

LOL! I wondered the same thing, but didn't want to ask. I use about as much as you! Maybe a gallon every few years!

Lisa

__________________
"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"