Personal Narrative: Extreme Couponing

I have a secret that I don’t often tell people. I have an unusual hobby for a teenager: couponing. It all started from watching a TV show called Extreme Couponing on TLC. I was about 14 years old, just entering high school. Unlike many kids my age, I never had an allowance. What I did have was the $500 that I get every year on Chinese New Year; so, it was up to me to ration out the money evenly and to make sure that I wouldn’t go penniless days before the next Chinese New Year. As the months slowly approached the beginning of a new year, the money in the bank also progressively dwindled. I needed to find a way to buy after school snacks and have money left over for occasional outings. I was getting desperate and was about to ask my mom for

Compared to the number of items that were purchased on the show, my haul was miniscule. Yet, that did not discourage me, in fact, it encouraged me to continue and try to match the cast’s level of shopping and saving. Couponing opened up an entirely new door to the capitalist world that we live in. I started noticing tactics that companies use to promote new products and I realized that it was more effective than I had previously thought. For instance, when new products are introduced into the market, one of the first things that companies do is issue coupons for specific items so that consumers can have the chance to try it out at a discount; those that buy the product and like it often become loyal customers.

Four years later, I am still an avid couponer. Over the years, I’ve accumulated tens, maybe even hundreds, of receipts recording how much money was saved on each trip. I often look back at these receipts and feel good about all the money that I had managed to save and deposit into a savings account for college. It gives me a sense of responsibility that not many people my age can say that they have experienced. It has taught me the real value of money, and how patience is essential to living