Do I look like an extreme couponer to you?

I absolutely can't believe I'm blogging about coupons and the art of couponing but given recent events, I find I have no choice. 

A few months ago my sister suggested I take up this "hobby".  Actually, I think I even included it in a blog.  She was worried that after IMTX, I would sign up for another IM and therefore, be unavailable to her.  I remember her telling me there were lots of other hobbies out there and she found one perfect for me....couponing.  I immediately laughed at her and told her she had gone batty but she insisted she needed to explain.  Extreme couponers are very organized, anal retentive and competitive.  Since I also have those characteristics, she figured it was a perfect match.  

I forgot about her crazy idea for a few months but then she brought it up again.  OMG, leave me be!  I reminded Stef I'm single, live alone and have no place to store all my loot.  Well duh, she knew that but reminded me that I could give her and my mom what I bought.  Ahh, it's all becoming clear to me now.  I told Stef again I was not interested in a hobby like this.  Plus, my hands are now full with Pinterest so she needs to get over it. 

As I was channel surfing last night, I came across an episode of Kourtney & Kim Take New York and actually stopped b/c Stef told me Kourtney got really into couponing.  I decided to stop and watch it.  I mean, what else did I have to do?  My coach has me on lock down and is only allowing me to run and stretch.  And last night, my only "workout" was with El Diablo (I'll explain that one later).  I decided to watch the episode and see if it was entertaining.  Oh hells bells it sure was!  One of the characteristics I share with couponers and evidently Kourtney Kardashian is that I'm also a little bit on the obsessive side (past/present obsessions include nail polish, shoes, purses, Star Wars, 3 Musketeers, notebooks...I think you get the picture).  I was laughing my butt off.  Kourtney goes to the store and buys like $180 worth of stuff and saves only $7.  Umm, you suck at this!  I went to Kroger today and saved that much on a $40 bill.  Oh crap, maybe I am a couponer at heart!  The episode ends with an intervention as Kourtney's baby daddy is tired of her spending more time cutting coupons than focusing on him.  They hide her coupon binder (OMG) and tell her she has to stop.  The best part was seeing her stock pile of stuff in their hotel room.  

So tonight I turned on my DVR to find an episode of Extreme Couponing:  All Stars.  I'm not going to lie, I'm impressed by what these ladies did.  The winner of the show got over $500 worth of stuff for like $24.  W T H.  While I appreciate her ability to save, I was horrified that she refers to herself as the Couponator.  I'm single and I can promise you that if I called myself the Couponator, I would remain single long enough to accumulate about 300 cats.  No thanks.  The Couponator was victorious because her "competitor" did not meet the minimum purchase of $500.  Even if she had, she had to pay way more for her carts than the Couponator did.  

As I sit here and reflect I know more than ever that I MUST sign up for another Ironman ASAP so I don't cave and take on couponing.  

A couponer with multiple shopping carts.  Nightmare.

Nearly $700 worth of groceries for $8.27?!? Holy savings Batman!

A couponers home stockpile.  This is nuts.