With each episode of TLC's Extreme Couponing, my horror slowly turned into excitement. This was my answer. I would save thousands of dollars each month, and my savings account would grow. My Hell's Kitchen apartment cupboards would be bursting with glossy, name brand dry goods. With a twinkle in my eye, I would laugh off my incredulous friends asking how I do it. (While reapplying my lip gloss, of which I have 55 more in a shoebox at home.) The only catch? Could extreme couponing, or any couponing at all, be possible in New York City?
This is not my apartment. Yet. My roommate would love & hate me, with all that TP everywhere.. |
Extreme Couponing turned me into a maniac; I was determined to prove that couponing was possible in Manhattan. My blood coursed with a yen for things I never knew I so desperately needed: cases of dental floss & Oscar Meyer weiners. I gleaned everything I could from all the episodes, and then turned to Youtube for even more homemade(and truly unreal) coupon tutorials. I bought my binder and my baseball card sleeves. When my boyfriend was away for several days in Michigan and asked what I'd like as a little souvenir, I replied with "coupons" in a sharp, monotonous tone. It was my mission to call a large stack of dish washing detergent my own. I don't own a dishwasher.
My "coupon binder". I probably should have just gone with filing the whole coupon inserts, as I am organizationally challenged. And coupons expire in the blink of an eye. Whoops. |
- You can't find huge piles of coupons in NYC like you seemingly can on the TV show locations. I suppose you can order them online, but fortunately I have yet to reach that level of crazy. It's okay though, no grocery stores double them here anyway.
- Food Emporium is the devil. Most grocery stores in NYC are, and ALL of them do not DOUBLE coupons. Doubling is the main part of the coupon game plan, so just forget about the stores that don't. (I think some stores in the boroughs might, and Shop Rite's do as well.)
- Your best bet is CVS. Do a search on youtube for CVS'ing, CVS Extra Bucks. This is an amazing program that can save the diligent shopper 90 percent or more each month. I planned one trip, utilized coupons & Extra Bucks, and literally spent 4.50 on 7 high end hair & makeup products. The cashier gave me props. Garnier Fructis is now my bitch. Anyhow, head to the youtube tutorials, the gals from the middle of the country do a way better job of explaining this than I do.
- Farmer's Market- everyone complains that coupons don't provide savings for healthy foods anyway. Stiles Farmer's Market behind the Port Authority is absolutely amazing, cheap, and beyond coupon worthy.
- Trader Joe's- Is also beyond coupon worthy. Besides being whole and healthy foods, many people don't realize it is cost effective as well. TJ Brand products & name brands alike. (Luna bars cost .99 cents here a piece.) And while they don't double, they DO accept coupons. Just be sure to visit the store early in the day, Monday-Wednesday. The rush hour lines are unbelievable.
xoxo,