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The latest "extreme" activity brought into homes by TV and is a sign of current economic times. It is extreme couponing, or the practice of using coupons to obtain goods for free or next to nothing.
With penny-pinching the new norm and a slow economic recovery keeping budgets tight, the overall use of coupons by consumers has increased. Around 3.3 billion coupons were redeemed in 2010, according to trade marketing company Inmar. That was a 27 percent increase over 2008. But that amount only represents 2 percent of all coupons yearly issued nationwide, said Autumn Thomas, president of Pa. Coupon Redemption Services in Harrisburg.
While the number of extreme couponers isn't tracked, John Morgan, executive director of the Association of Coupon Professionals, based in Havertown, and Thomas say the practice hasn't had a noticeable effect on the issuance or redemption of coupons; rather overall increased use of coupons by the general public is changing the acceptance standards at most stores.
"Consumers overall are using more coupons and challenging the retailers," he said, "and manufacturers are causing enough of an issue that retailers and manufacturers are tightening up their policies in response."
Stricter or constantly changing policies haven't deterred two local couponers who picked up the practice to make their money go further.
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A self-professed "extreme" couponer, Jennifer Guldner of Reading said she was inspired to start using coupons six months ago by the cable show on TLC. Guldner and her husband, Sean, were already operating with a small household budget, but the birth of their second child made finances even tighter.
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