Coupon question

[worm761]

So, I have decided to see if I can reduce my grocery bill with coupons. I needed to run to Publix tonight for some milk and they had those pull tabs all over the store. So I grabbed some. Here are my questions:
1. Is it wrong to take the coupons if I am not using them that day?

2. How many is too many take? I took one of some and two of others. Boyfriend thought taking two was too many but I know that I can use two on a BOGO so I took two. Some were really good and I would have liked more but didn't want to do anything unacceptable.

What are the "rules" with the pull tab things? Also the booklets they have out? Like the back to school one with all the snack coupons. How many is acceptable to take? Can you take more if they are still there when you go back to the store? Thanks for the input!

 

[Bitsmommy]

I usually won't take more than 4.

 

[erincon23]

The companies WANT you to take those, if you're going to use them. If a kid is taking them and throwing them on the floor, not so good. But if you're planning to use the ones you take, I see no reason not to take as many as you think you'll need, whether it's the coupons or the booklets. I'll bet a ton of those get wasted.

 

[here757]

i see nothing wrong with what you did

i will take two or three of the coupon if i used the item.
(i belong to a coupon train..some folks on there will take a bunch so they can mail them off )

just dont take them all

 

[gacompguy]

1) I worked in a grocery store all through high school and college and I'll freely admit that I do this all the time. We used to have a company that would come in every 2-3 days and refill the machines.

2) I only take as many as I know I'm going to use. Our local Publix has those machines on the aisles and the coupons tend to be valid for 45+ days. The machine is usually gone well before the coupons are close to expiring.

As a general rule, unless a coupon states otherwise, it is usually a manufacturer's coupon. When you use the coupon, the store sends it off to a clearing house that redeems the value of the coupon back to the store. When I was still working in the business, some of the manufacturers would even cover the cost of the doubling/tripling of coupons, but that may have changed. When in doubt, go to the Customer Service desk and ask. Odds are, they're going to look at you like you're crazy (I've gotten that look more than once) since since most people don't bother asking and just take what they want.

 

[Shmily1]

It's perfectly fine to take more than you are going to use that day. That's why the expiration dates are so far out. I will take as many as I can use in that time period or if I think my friends will use them, I may get them a couple. They are put there to be used.

 

[delmar411]

So, I have decided to see if I can reduce my grocery bill with coupons. I needed to run to Publix tonight for some milk and they had those pull tabs all over the store. So I grabbed some. Here are my questions:
1. Is it wrong to take the coupons if I am not using them that day?

2. How many is too many take? I took one of some and two of others. Boyfriend thought taking two was too many but I know that I can use two on a BOGO so I took two. Some were really good and I would have liked more but didn't want to do anything unacceptable.

What are the "rules" with the pull tab things? Also the booklets they have out? Like the back to school one with all the snack coupons. How many is acceptable to take? Can you take more if they are still there when you go back to the store? Thanks for the input!

1) I'm assuming you are talking about blinkies? The little black boxes that you take one coupon and another will come out? You can take as many as you like. It's 30sec between the coupons though so you have to really want that coupon to stand and wait for them. LOL If you are lucky, people have just put a bunch on top of the machine or on the shelf by the machine. And it doesn't matter when or where you plan on using the coupon.

2)If there are booklets available, there aren't any real rules but it's simple manners to not take them all, unless of course there is only 1 or 2. If there is a lot, just take what you think you'll need.

Couponers tend to collect up coupons that they think they can use, or they think there will be a good sale before the expiration date or there is already a good sale going for them. Just as a random example, one year Meijer had pasta on sale for .50 each box. Kroger had blinkies for $1/2 boxes of that same pasta brand. So I took the blinkies from Kroger to Meijer and cleaned up on free pasta. That was worth standing there waiting for the blinkies to come out. For those that think time is money...that was $2/min or $120/hr 'earned' by standing there and collecting the coupons.

 

[PaulaSue]

I dont think it is wrong to take a few if not going to use them that day.

I usually take up to 6 coupons. I get 5/6 papers when the coupons are good. We are a family of 5 and I stockpile the deals.

The best piece of advice is know each store's rules and check each coupon's date and size requirements.