Pantry Filled On Coupons?

For August and September (and possibly October), the experiment is whether we can fill our pantry with items obtained for free (using coupons). We have watched "Extreme Couponing" and similar TV shows, and find it incredible that couponers can walk out of grocery stores and supermarkets with $500+ worth of stuff, for next to nothing. Is couponing practical for people like us, and what is the payoff in real terms (off television)? What does it really take to pull such feats off?

The plan is to get coupons for the main supermarkets in our area, namely King Soopers, Albertsons, Safeway, Target, and COSTCO. They send some in the mail, and we are told there are plenty offered online and in mobile apps. But we think the majority of coupons will arrive via the Sunday local newspapers (The Gazette or the Denver Post). The goal is to obtain as many non-perishable items as we can for less than $0.20 on the dollar each (80% discount or more). We also know we need to stay tuned to when the big sales are happening, which is when we should get items for free (with coupons).

We are not limiting ourselves to stuff we think we'll use ourselves. If we can get it completely for free, we'll take it anyway and give it to someone that may need it. We are giving ourselves 8 weeks because it will likely take us up to a week/supermarket to figure out how their couponing system works. We will optionally extend it another month depending on their sales cycles (when we can actually use the coupons).

This exercise does not affect our budget; for now it's about how much stuff we can get for free on coupons. Though if it works, we'll consider incorporating it as a money-saving strategy. The maximum we expect to spend on everything (including buying the newspapers and the items) is $50. No clear estimate on how much time will be invested in this exercise. Here's to some fun experimenting ...