CHECKOUT SUCCESS Extreme couponers dish on savings and strategies
WORDS PAIGE ZIDEK
T
hey sneak through grocery aisles with ninjalike stealth, targeting sale items with the accuracy of an expert sniper. They triumphantly leave the store, carts brimming with hundreds of items purchased for a grand total of $30. They’re the extreme couponers, and they’re popping up in stores all over America. Couponing is nothing new. For years, mothers and grandmothers alike have clipped coupons out of the Sunday paper, looking to score deals for their families. But this innocent hobby has recently morphed into a full-fledged lifestyle and created an entirely new breed of consumer. Inject your grandmother’s couponing hobby with a healthy dose of steroids, and you have the life of an extreme couponer. While many view shopping as a means to an end, couponers think differently. For them, it’s a complex ritual that’s carefully planned at least a week in advance.
DRAKEMAGAZINE [FALL 2011] 29