ALI CASHIER FLOOR_MANAGER HUSBAND IRENE IVAN JOEL JULIE KATHERINE NARRATOR SHOP_ASSISTANT SON STORE_MANAGER TOM

JOEL
Big entrance guys, let’s go.  Whoa, whoa, too fast, too fast, keep it slow, keep it slow.

NARRATOR
For extreme couponers, saving big is the ride of a lifetime.

KATHERINE
It’s free.  Why would you pass it up?

JOEL
Oh!  Free crackers, my favourite.

NARRATOR
Meet a new hampshire mom whose massive stockpile can clean up any mess.

KATHERINE
I have 400 rolls of paper towel.  There is more in the back.

NARRATOR
And our youngest couponer ever, a california 16 year old who’ll grab a deal on nearly anything.

JOEL
Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa!

NARRATOR
Today, these shopping experts are singing their coupon swansongs.

JOEL
This is my last big haul before school starts and i’m really busy again.

KATHERINE
I’m taking a break for six months.  I need to get as many deals as possible.

NARRATOR
But with checkouts this colossal…

JOEL
I am shaking, i am nervous, i need a rest room.

NARRATOR
…nothing is guaranteed.

KATHERINE
Whoa, i’m starting to sweat now.

NARRATOR
This isn’t shopping 101, this is extreme couponing.

JOEL
Whoa!  Ooh! Ooh!  Ooh!


HUSBAND
I think you need to take a break.  I think it’s time.

KATHERINE
What do you think, ali, shall mommy take a break from couponing?

ALI
Huh-huh.

NARRATOR
85% of american consumers make a shopping trip for food at least once each week, but rochester, new hampshire’s extreme couponer, katherine, doesn’t need to go to the grocery Store that often because her savings obsession has already brought the grocery store to her family.

KATHERINE
My name is katherine and i’m the princess of paper products.

KATHERINE
Oh yaye, paper towels.

KATHERINE
If i go into the store and i’m gonna save more than 98%, it’s like a little kid on christmas morning and it’s like, oh my god, i did it.

NARRATOR
Although katherine works full time while raising two young children with her husband, tom, she’s been mastering coupon strategies for the past year and a half.  In that short stretch, Katherine’s amassed a four walled, floor to ceiling stockpile worth over $30,000.

KATHERINE
And this is my stockpile.

KATHERINE
My husband has organised this room completely.  I usually just bring the bags in, pop it on the floor and it magically appears on shelves.

NARRATOR
Despite 200 boxes of pasta, 400 boxes of drier sheets and a freezer full of savings, katherine’s most treasured collection is her massive supply of paper products.

KATHERINE
Up top; napkins, toilet paper, 60 boxes of tissues, and up here, this is my most prized possession is my paper towels.

KATHERINE
I have 400 rolls of paper towels.  They’re double stacked so there’s more in the back.  The only way that they’ll ever get ruined is if, god forbid, we had a water break, and if we do, i’ve got plenty of paper towels to clean up the mess.

NARRATOR
Katherine’s always able to reel in deals because her strategy is to scout before she shops.

KATHERINE
I like to come in ahead of time, cos it gives me a chance to check out what sales are going on, any in-store specials.  This is the reason why i shop at this store, not all stores do this.  They hang the coupons right here, at the product, which makes it much Easier for you to use coupons.

NARRATOR
After scoping out specials and pre-ordering desired items that are in short supply, katherine returns home to fine-tune her game plan.  Combining deals printed from online databases With coupon inserts from ten newspapers she buys every sunday, katherine makes organising her binder a family activity.

ALI
Mommy, am i doing good?

KATHERINE
Yes, you’re doing perfect, honey.

KATHERINE
My daughter will help me cut the coupons.  My son’s a little too young, but he tries and he wants to help put ‘em in the book.

KATHERINE
Ok, close the book.  Say, all done.

SON
All done.

NARRATOR
Today, katherine is not planning her usual purchases.  Seeing the stockpile grow out of control, tom has asked her to scale back, meaning tomorrow’s trip will be katherine’s Last haul for six months.

TOM
I think she needs to take a little break, you know, stop and smell the roses, cos at this point, all she smells is the paper from coupon clipping, you know.

TOM
We’re running out of space, honestly.

KATHERINE
I know.  I’m gonna stock up on things that…

TOM
Ok, let me guess, paper towels.

KATHERINE
My goal today is to spend about $750.  After all my coupons, i’m hoping to spend no more than $30 for everything.  I wanna show him what i’m gonna be missing for the next six months.

TOM
Deal?

KATHERINE
Deal.

NARRATOR
Tom and katherine each bring a car to handle the haul as she grabs her coupons for one final trip before giving her binders a rest.

TOM
That’s a game plan…

KATHERINE
Yeah, yeah.

TOM
…you’ve worked on this.

KATHERINE
I have.

KATHERINE
Paper towels.

TOM
Yeah.

KATHERINE
They are regularly 99 cents, i have a dollar off any one.  It’s completely free.

TOM
How many of those are you getting?

KATHERINE
240.

NARRATOR
Katherine then focuses on another bulk item on her list, 100 bottles of water.

KATHERINE
I’m looking to find out if you have any more of the water in cases.

SHOP ASSISTANT
Yes, how many would you like?

KATHERINE
I’m looking for about 80 more.

SHOP ASSISTANT
Hi.

KATHERINE
Hi.

SHOP ASSISTANT
I have 72 bottles; i can get 8 more off the shelf.  Gonna leave these at the registers for you.

KATHERINE
Can you leave ‘em with my paper towels?

SHOP ASSISTANT
Yes, i can.

KATHERINE
Awesome.  

KATHERINE
Look at that, he put it in cases, so it’s gonna be so much easier to carry.

TOM
Yeah, for you.

NARRATOR
After nearly an hour and a half of shopping, katherine heads to the dairy aisle for milk.  Each gallon retails for $3 and 49 cents, but she has two coupons for up to $5 off each gallon, Making each gallon free.

KATHERINE
Milk coupons are rare so when you get ‘em, it’s a great deal.
 
KATHERINE
So we’ve got the water, the paper towels, the tissues, the garlic bread, the wipes, the wonder soap, the milk, so it looks like i just need the gum and we’re done.

KATHERINE
72.  80. 12 more, oops, don’t wanna lose one.  Here’s 12 more.  

KATHERINE
Running out of room.  

KATHERINE
That’s it.  Done.

NARRATOR
Katherine completes her shopping list worth over $700, and rolls into checkout, eager to bring her final haul within her $30 budget.

KATHERINE
Are you ready?

CASHIER
Yeah.

KATHERINE
What’s my total at right now?

CASHIER
Your total is 214.93.

KATHERINE
Awesome.  Not gonna be paying that when i leave here.

KATHERINE
It’s going up, it’s going up.

CASHIER
You’re at 702.06.  Biggest i’ve ever seen.

KATHERINE
As long as we get that number down at the end, i’ll be happy.

CASHIER
Your total before your coupons is $882 and 6 cents.

NARRATOR
Katherine’s total rings up more than $130 higher than she had anticipated, so she’ll need every coupon to scan correctly.

KATHERINE
This is how i’m gonna pay, with coupons, not cash, coupons.  Happy scanning.

CASHIER
Yes.

KATHERINE
(beep) oh!  Was there a problem with that coupon?

CASHIER
Yeah, i’m gonna have to put them through manually.

KATHERINE
Well, the first coupon scanned was already a problem, so i’m hoping that the rest of the coupons are gonna scan, and then my total is gonna just drop, drop, drop.

NARRATOR
After the initial glitch, katherine’s coupons each scan correctly, slowly whittling down the register’s total.

KATHERINE
It’s coming off, slowly, slowly.

TOM
[i’m going to diet.]

KATHERINE
There’s still a stack, this is my safety blanket right here, this is like dollar bills right here.

KATHERINE
So the total’s going down, we’re at 90 to 80 to 70, we’re down under $200 and all of a sudden i hear a beep.  (beep)

KATHERINE
And i know it’s a beep that’s not a good beep.

KATHERINE
Uh-oh.  What does that mean?

TOM
[it’s her, she’s voided it.]

KATHERINE
I don’t like that sound.

KATHERINE
Whoa!  Did it get hot in here cos i’m starting to sweat now?

TOM
Yeah, looks like we have a failure in the system.

NARRATOR
Katherine’s order has frozen the cashier’s register and the floor manager is unable to override the computer.

FLOOR MANAGER
It’s reached a limit, i believe, inside the system…

KATHERINE
Ok.

FLOOR MANAGER
…and it’s basically shut it down, so the store manager himself is calling the help desk.

KATHERINE
The manager is walking down, he’s not really smiling at this point; he’s on the phone.

STORE MANAGER
The transaction item limit, must tender.  What happens if you hit ok?

CASHIER
I can’t.  I can hit [example.] 

KATHERINE
I’m kind of nervous that they don’t know if they’re gonna be able to fix this problem.

NARRATOR
With over $170 hanging in the balance, katherine waits for a solution that will allow the use of her remaining coupons, because paying full price on her final haul simply isn’t an option.

STORE MANAGER
We’ve never had a transaction this big probably in the history of our company.  The only way we’re gonna be able to continue doing this transaction is to cash it out as if the customer has paid it, then we can ring in her remaining coupons after and apply it to Deduct it off the 170.35.

NARRATOR
Although check out can now continue, all the remaining coupons must be entered manually, leaving more room for error and keeping katherine on edge.

CASHIER
Your last coupon.

KATHERINE
All right, what’s my total?

CASHIER
Your total before your coupons was $882 and 6 cents.  Your total is £18 and 35 cents.  

KATHERINE
Whoa!  20, whoa!  And i get change back.

KATHERINE
Today went great.  Oh it was almost $900, i paid less than 20.  We had a little bit of drama with the computer, but i’m happy it all worked out for me.

NARRATOR
Katherine’s haul includes 40 loaves of frozen garlic bread, 100 bottles of water, 240 rolls of paper towels and 279 packs of gum.  The retail value of her purchase totals $882. 06 cents. Using coupons, she paid just $18 and 35 cents, a 98% savings that will tame her couponing habit for the future.

KATHERINE
It’s definitely a shopping trip that was worth stopping for the next six months.
 
TOM
Realistically, i don’t give her no more than 30, 40 days.  If she was to stop couponing, all together, life wouldn’t be normal.


JOEL
My coupon tub is so important to me.  It’s my baby.

NARRATOR
This savvy shopper isn’t your average teenager or your average couponer.

JOEL
People think i’m just trying to start trouble but i mean i’m completely serious about my coupons; no one messes with me with my coupons.

IRENE
Oye, joel.

JOEL
What?

IRENE
What is this?

JOEL
Coupons.

IRENE
Clean up or i’m gonna throw them away.

NARRATOR
The average american teenager shops at the mall once a week, spending nearly $50 per visit, but california’s 16 year old extreme couponer, joel, calls the supermarket his favourite store Where he can shop without spending a dime.


JOEL
I’m joel and i’m a teenage coupon addict.

JOEL
Crackers, crackers, crackers.  Oh!  Free crackers, my favourite.

JOEL
Other teenagers like to play football, soccer, do other sports, but no, i like to coupon.

JOEL
I’ve got all that.

JOEL
I call it a hobby, but i guess it’s kinda turned into an obsession.  Love the smell of this.

JOEL
I think about for the last eight months, every single day, sales, ads, everything you can think of having to do with coupons, i’ve been thinking about it.

NARRATOR
Joel is a junior in high school with both a part time job and after school activities filling his days, but he’s doing more than keeping up his grades.  For over nine months, joel’s been Couponing his way to a stockpile that’s rapidly taking over his parents’ garage.
 
JOEL
All right, this is my pride and joy, this is my stock pile.  I’ve got my hundred different laundry detergents, this will last me all the way through college, and i’m barely in high school.  I don’t have to buy deodorant for another 2½ years.  Free, free, free, free, free, Free.  Free.  Free.

NARRATOR
With more than $1200 worth of products already on the shelves, joel is unable to resist a bargain, even if it’s for products he does not use.

JOEL
I got these bikini razors for absolutely nothing.  This is all my baby formula right here.  All of this was absolutely free; i even got paid to take it out of the store.  These feminine products, they have thermal control.  You know what, they were free, that’s all That matters.

NARRATOR
Joel shares the stock pile with his grateful family, but not everyone appreciates his couponing.

JOEL
A lot of the time when i go shopping, people don’t take me seriously.  They usually think i’m just trying to start trouble, but i mean i’m completely serious about my coupons.  No one messes with me with my coupons.  

IRENE
Of course i couldn’t believe that he’s gonna get free stuff with coupons, but now, i see my garage full of stuff and i say, “oh, you’re right.”

NARRATOR
With his cousin julie’s help, joel spends over 25 hours each week matching deals posted to online coupon databases with the savings inserts found in 13 newspapers he gets delivered Sunday morning.  He then cuts and sorts each coupon into his prized, 50 pound storage container.

JOEL
My coupon tub is so important to me.  If anything ever happened to it, i would just die.

JOEL
Most people have maybe $5,000 in their savings account, but i have $5,000 worth of coupons in my coupon tub.  It just keeps getting bigger and bigger every sunday.

JOEL
It’s my baby.

NARRATOR
Joel treats his collection like a child and after a five week family trip kept him from his coupons, joel’s eager to get back to savings.

JOEL
I was on vacation for five weeks at mexico.  Had the worst withdrawal.  They don’t even know what coupons are, i would go to local stores, ask them if they carried any coupons, had any specials, any sales; none of them knew what i was talking about. Not being able to shop for five weeks is like being in jail.  It’s horrible.  I mean i was with family, but i’d rather be couponing.

NARRATOR
Today, joel’s planning his biggest haul to date, more than $600 worth of deals he wants to take home before the school year starts.

JOEL
This is my last big haul before school starts and i’m really busy again, so it has to be a good one.

NARRATOR
Joel heads to the supermarket with his cousin, julie, brother ivan and his massive tub of inserts.

JOEL
Oh!

IVAN
Do you need help?  Do you want me to carry it for you?

JOEL
Sorry.

IRENE
Oh!

NARRATOR
First up on joel’s shopping list, laundry detergent.

JOEL
Right, these are being sold for 8.99.  They’re on sale for 5.99 and i have a coupon, making them all free.  I’m sure my mom will be happy that she’s getting five more of these to add to the hundred.

NARRATOR
Joel continues the bargain hunting with a deal to help his cousin julie stock up on pet supplies.

JOEL
So do you wanna get your cat litter?

JULIE
Yes, i definitely need litter.

JOEL
We need the 14 pounders.  Four, five, six.  

JOEL
These cat litters retail for 8.99.  I have a coupon that goes up to 7.99 and so i’m still gonna pay a dollar but it’s a great deal.  

IVAN
You’re never gonna have to buy this stuff for your cat again.

JULIE
I know, i love it.

JOEL
Big entrance guys, lets go.  Whoa, whoa, too fast, too fast, keep it slow, keep it slow.

NARRATOR
Joel rides into the next aisle…

JOEL
Oh, here it is!

NARRATOR
…eager to reel in his biggest catch of the day, more than 400 rolls of toilet paper.

JOEL
Whoa!  

JOEL
It was a coupon that the manufacturer was giving out for a free 12 pack of toilet paper.  These retail for 11.99, i have a coupon for $14 off any one 12 pack, so they all came out for free.

NARRATOR
With seven overflowing carts, joel is ready to check out.  

JOEL
Oh, smooth turn.  

JULIE
Oh, that was a good turn.

JOEL
Oh my god.  What have i gotten myself into?

NARRATOR
But the excitement quickly fades and doubt sets in.

JOEL
I am shaking, i am nervous, i need a rest room.

JULIE
We don’t want joel to have a meltdown.

IVAN
My brother’s a little nervous, we’ll see how the checkout goes, you know.

JOEL
Oh!  

NARRATOR
Despite his nerves, joel heads to the register.

JULIE
Are you nervous?  Oh my god.

JOEL
Julie, be quiet.  Shush!

JULIE
Is your heart pounding?

JOEL
Ok, it’s 391.42 cents right now.  400.

JULIE
Oh my god, i cannot believe that.

JOEL
We’re in the 500s.  Ladies and gentlemen, we are in the 500s.

CASHIER
Your grand total would be $652 and 20 cents.

JOEL
$652; more than i expected.  I’m a little bit nervous right now, i kind of wanna pee my pants.
 
JOEL
But i don’t have $652 with me, i do have coupons, but we’ll see how low that takes it.

NARRATOR
Handing over nearly 100 coupons, joel hopes each bar code scans correctly and quickly brings his total down.

CASHIER
There’s something wrong in the coupon, let’s see.

JOEL
Uh-oh!

JOEL
The cashier begins to scan the most important coupon, which was for the toilet paper, and says, “mm, it won’t go through.”

CASHIER
Item not on file, see?

Manager
It’s not letting us.

CASHIER
Well it’s not taking it though.

JOEL
My coupon won’t scan, which is just horrible.  My first coupon, not even my second, not even my third, just my first.

JOEL
It’s just like everyone in the store was like, loser!  Loser!  You fail.

CASHIER
The register doesn’t accept the coupon for 11.99, so i need my manager to put his code right there to acknowledge them.

JOEL
Did it work?

CASHIER
Yeah.

JOEL
Ow!  Oh my god.

NARRATOR
With the store manager’s help, joel’s coupon now scanned properly, and slowly chip away at the register’s total.

JOEL
The coupon wouldn’t scan, so the nicest cashier in the world is gonna manually put them in and the nicest boss in the world is here to help him and has to put in his code every single time.

JULIE
Do you have anxiety, and what if your coupons don’t scan?

JOEL
Back off julie.

JOEL
Oh my god, it’s supposed to be under 100.  When i go home, i’m gonna go in the jacuzzi, drink some apple cider and just relax.

CASHIER
It’s your last coupon, so.

NARRATOR
With just a few coupons remaining, joel’s confidence returns as he awaits the total.

JOEL
One more.

CASHIER
And your total is, $50 and 35 cents.

JOEL
Whoa!  Whoa, whoa, whoa!

JOEL
My coupon high was at a new level.  I feel like when i’m that low in my total that it deserves a dance, so i danced.  

JOEL
There were some moments where i wanted to cry, some moments where i wanted to laugh; some where i just wanted to be like, oh, what the hell is going on?  But in the end, my total was $50 and 35 cents, but i had $43 and 93 cents in tax, so it Was really $7 what i paid for retail.

NARRATOR
Joel’s haul includes 14 boxes of crackers, 84 pounds of cat litter and 408 rolls of toilet paper.  The retail value of his purchases totalled $652 and 20 cents.  Using coupons, he Paid just $50.35 cents, a 93% savings that will carry him into the start of the school year.

JOEL
If you’re interested in couponing, just do the research.  You’ve gotta get started.  Why are you spending your hard earned money when you don’t have to?