Extreme Couponing Vent...Etiquette

I use coupons but I don't use them at small stores. My coupons are organized and ready to go when I go shopping. Since it's just me - it's pretty easy.

I'm sorry that happened. Some people can be VERY rude.

Funny you should post this today some coworkers and I were just talking about this. We think they should have a separate register for people with lets say more than 10 coupons? .....

I couldn't agree with you more.

I think your complaint is in the same category as we used to have if we were behind someone writing a check for a cartload of groceries, and waiting til the last second to 1.) dig the checkbook out of her purse, 2.) Fill in the store name, etc. 3. Note the amount in her checkbook register, 4. Riiiiiiiiip it slowly out of the checkbook....etc.

I don't think you are complaining about the using of coupons, but about clueless people unaware of the world around them...and there's a mother load of them out there!

Many people lack a real sense of "hurry the hell up!" in SO many instances.
Drives me batty!

Agreed.

Dear Super Saver,
I think the polite thing to do would be to do your couponing before 4 pm on weekdays. I'm glad you have the time and organization skills required to coupon. I, however, do not! Since you have so much time on your hands, please redeem these coupons during off peak hopurs when there isn't a line backed up to the meat dept waiting behind you.
Thank You,
The lady with 2 impatient hungry kids waiting in line bhind you.

I don't know - I use coupons a lot (pretty much every Sunday when I buy groceries) but I always tell the cashier I have coupons - and if anyone gets in line behind me - I tell them too. Sometimes they move - sometimes they stay put - but it takes a lot of pressure off me and the cashier - I call it common courtesy. :-)

I'm with you. I understand using them, but please try to be considerate of the others who might be waiting to make purchases also. And if there is a dispute about whether or not you can use the coupon, set those items aside and take it up with management if you want to pursue it. Don't continue to hold up the line.

I agree with you, but as an avid couponer I also get so frusturated at the other side. I spend a lot of time organizing my coupons and getting my list and everything ready before I get to the store. I also spend a lot of time checking and double checking everything while I am there (not in line, in the store :)) And I HATE when I know the coupon policy better than the store does. It is embarassing when the cashier asks like I am taking money out of her pocket by using a coupon. I have everything organzied so well I put my items up on the belt and my coupons with that product, so there is no searching around or checking to make sure I had what I said I have. Stores get PAID to turn in manufactor coupons, the stores don't loose that money. I only buy things my family and I will eat. We don't eat junk (much, mostly organic but I will buy chips or snacks occasionally) I will rarely, but sometimes buy things I don't need "money makers" and I donate it to church, or if its something that I know someone I know uses it I'll pass it on.

There are people that ruin both sides for everyone. :)

I agree about this and a bunch of other parts of it. I think there should be some rules about couponing.

1. Why get things you don't use just because you can get them for free.

2. Why get 56 mustards. Think about it....how many mustards does the average family use in a year? Congratulations, you now have 25 years worth of mustard.

3. Why clear out the shelves. If you know you are going to get 120 of something, call ahead and order 120 of it. Just like times are hard for you and you are trying to save a buck, so are other people and they might not have the time you have to get to the store the minute it opens to ensure there is one bag of chips left on the shelves for them to buy.

I coupon. I am saving money doing it. But it kills me to see people think they need ALL of anything. That's not being money conscious, that's just being greedy.

If the store only hand one cashier it is because that is all we can afford, both me and my hubby have worked retail for years, and they have to budget hours just like every other buisness. I know what you mean about people over couponing. People use to get mad at me when I ran register because I would not give them $1 off on an item clearanced to 50 cents. Well the coupon clearly said on a regularly priced item.

There is a serious lack of common courtesy in this world. My husband and I are often commenting on how people are in their own world and oblivious to anyone or anything else around them. THEY are the most important thing in the universe.

I think that can be the case with some of these extreme couponers. I don't have a problem with people who do this, although for the life of me I can't figure out why someone would need to stockpile 257 jar of pickles or what have you, but to each his own. BUT....they should have common courtesy to do it at a time when lines would tend to be shorter and not cause a fuss. I don't blame you for being frustrated.

I did see one episode on Extreme Couponing where a guy was doing this, but his sole purpose was to buy food for basically nothing and then donate it to a food bank. He wasn't stockpiling aimlessly, he did it in order help those less fortunate. I thought that was a great reason to do it!!

I agree completely. As a matter of fact the kroger I go to here in north Texas has stopped doubling and tripling coupons. I asked why and she said basically because of misuse. Like if briskets are on sale people will get all of them in the meat case and check out, go around and get back in line. I hope all the other major grocery stores do the same!

yeah it can be painful I am sure, I know I hate it as well when I get stuck behind one and I have had to drag my 3 poor children along as well. I just sit back and let em wail, that gets that couponer going and it forces those cashiers to call on the loudspeakers for help in a wavering voice, I just sit there pickin my nails and shruggin like "whhhhatttt". I used coupons too but I am a organized mo-fo (sorry lol) I have all my ducks in a row before I get to the counter and if its that situation that I see others with small amounts behind me, I let em go first. Just last night I was doing my grocery shopping at 11 at cub. I had a CART full of stuff and coupons. They had one register open and nobody else. so I am JUST about to start throwing some stuff on when I noticed a very jittery, antsy, bald, half doped man waiting with a 24 can box of Bud Light. I sure as heck was not about to hold up HIS night. I very nicely said to the cashier "mam please help this gentleman first" He thanked me profusely, and even gave me a wink (YUCKY). Needless to say, 20 mins later I was leaving and getting my stuff in my van when a fight broke out in the parking lot. Two men are battling at it, moving across the lot like a tornado and getting too close for comfort to me. When the one stops suddenly and looks up from a bloody lip. "hey this lady is nice lets move it over here" It was Bud LIGHT man, yeah thats what I am talking about... whew felt like Robin Hood at the time.

ick i use coupons myself mainly when i remember the extreme stuff drives me nuts.. the closest i came was gaterade was 10 for 10 and 2 of them had coupons for 1 off on them ..

I haven't read responses yet but I TOTALLY AGREE there should be special lanes for express (__ items or less) AND ones for more than 1-2 coupons!! I thought I would blow a fuse when I once waited about 15-20 minutes extra because of someone in front of me who had every grocery add in the city and this retailer would match their sale price. TRUST me, I love to save money also but feel this system needs to be redone. Had I not had things in my huge buggy full that I really needed for that night and the weekend, I would have grabbed my child and her friend and walked out. It was CRAZY rude and the stores have got to fix this. If they can do this as a convenience for the Couponing Crowd then they can accomodate my need to avoid the lines too!

Your so right....i agree...

I think that if you are using coupons, you should know which ones you are using before you reach the register and that the required items are actually in your cart. As long as those two things are happening, it shouldn't matter if the person has 100 coupons. They are entitled to use coupons to help save them money.

They shouldn't have to be rude to get double coupons if the store has that policy, the cashier shouldn't be annoyed that coupons are being used, and those behind her should wait their turns.

I don't mind folks using coupons within reason, but really what average sized family actually needs 73 bottles of ketchup? It would irritate me if I needed 1 or 2 bottles and the shelves were cleared because 1 person decided to be that greedy. I can somewhat understand things like paper towels, laundry detergent etc...that do not have expiration dates. But really, the extreme on this show is crazy. And the price matching drives me crazy too. I really do NOT want to wait and extra 10-15 minutes at the register because someone is showing a cashier all of the other store's sales ads. Since all of the stores are pretty close together, if someone else has a better price on something, just get it there!