Extreme Couponer J'aime Admits to Fraud (sort of)

[Marionnette]

...but she shows no remorse.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal dated 5/11/11:
http://blogs.smartmoney.com/paydirt...ing-star-i-was-a-scapegoat/?zone=intromessage

You matched barcodes, as long as they worked, rather than products, right?
Yes.

Do you believe that was the right thing to do?
Yes, I believe that I have done nothing wrong. I’ve even had managers take my purchase and check me out. They’ve told me, “If the coupon goes through at my register, I’m getting reimbursed for it.” I have never been approached by anyone in authority telling me to do something different.

Will you change your methods now that manufacturers are changing the barcode system?
I do not intend to change my shopping habits unless or until the code changes. If it is in fact a problem, the new GS1 barcode should resolve all of these issues.

No wonder I get nasty looks when I hand over a stack of coupons at the register. People like J'aime pollute the pool and leave a stench on all the other couponers who try to do things the right way.

 

[Lehuaann]

Puleeze. She knew she was cheating the system.

I want to stop being the Scapegoat. I used a Buddig Deli cut for a 12/16 ounce packet for a 2 ounce packet because the numbers matched. The coupons went through at the register and I did not have any problem.

I may not be an experienced extreme couponer, yet know customers are required to follow the RULES of the coupon, not the barcode.

 

[chris31997]

People like her make it hard for honest people to do this. I have a friend who gives a "class" on using coupons, and she tells people up front that they need to follow the rules and match the product. Don't cheat the system because you can cause everyone to lose out. J'amie cost the store/manufacture money and they in turn will raise prices. Thank you

 

[disneysnowflake]

Wow. That Jamie has her head in her butt.

So, if we all lived by her way of thinking, we'd be in trouble as a society.

I can be a serial shoplifter, and it's okay because no one ever stopped me.
I can embezzle from my workplace, and that's okay because no one ever told me not to.
I can bill insurance for more expensive treatments and visits because no one ever complained about it.

Is that not the same thing as what coupon frauder Jaime is doing?

Stealing is stealing. It doesn't matter how you try to make it seem like it's right, it isn't. She's a loser (imho, anyway).

 

[beansmom]

Wow. That Jamie has her head in her butt.

So, if we all lived by her way of thinking, we'd be in trouble as a society.

I can be a serial shoplifter, and it's okay because no one ever stopped me.
I can embezzle from my workplace, and that's okay because no one ever told me not to.
I can bill insurance for more expensive treatments and visits because no one ever complained about it.

Is that not the same thing as what coupon frauder Jaime is doing?

Stealing is stealing. It doesn't matter how you try to make it seem like it's right, it isn't. She's a loser (imho, anyway).

worse, ANY crime is not a crime until you get caught by HER ethics.

 

[fakereadhed]

This happens all the time with online coupon codes. People find a way to get stuff free and blame it on the site's IT guy. It's not the code's fault, or the register's fault, or the manager who was being nice to her and/or lazy's fault. She needs to own it.

 

[Lehuaann]

This happens all the time with online coupon codes. People find a way to get stuff free and blame it on the site's IT guy. It's not the code's fault, or the register's fault, or the manager who was being nice to her and/or lazy's fault. She needs to own it.

Right. In her case, it was the DVD's fault for teaching her how to read the barcodes.

 

[Promomx2]

I have a question about all those luncheon meat packages whe bought. Don't they expire? Do any of these extreme couponers donate any of their products to foodbanks or shelters? And how do you get 50'some of the same coupon?

 

[3boymthr]

I have a question about all those luncheon meat packages whe bought. Don't they expire? Do any of these extreme couponers donate any of their products to foodbanks or shelters? And how do you get 50'some of the same coupon?

Yup, the luncheon meat expires. She might be freezing it or donating it. Some do donate it.

There are multiple ways to get 50 of the same coupon. One way is to belong to a coupon exchange another is to buy the coupon from a coupon wholesaler another way is to buy multiple newspapers or what some around here do - go to the store pick up and pay for one newspaper and ostensibly while sorting thru to find the "Perfect" paper take all the inserts out of the all the other papers and put them inside your own paper I find this is particularly common on the day the P&G insert comes out .

 

[Kycha]

J'aime is a moron. Just the fact that the the manufacturer's are changing the barcode system to eliminate the barcode matching that she does should be enough to tell here what she is doing is wrong. I have no sympathy for her at all. She can cry all she wants about being a scapegoat and being villified on the internet. She's lucky she's hasn't had fraud charges brought against her.

Will you change your methods now that manufacturers are changing the barcode system?
I do not intend to change my shopping habits unless or until the code changes. If it is in fact a problem, the new GS1 barcode should resolve all of these issues.

 

[MrsPete]

Hmmm . . . The website says she "cut $14,000 from her food bill last year". She was spending over a thousand a month on food?

 

[vicki_c]

Hmmm . . . The website says she "cut $14,000 from her food bill last year". She was spending over a thousand a month on food?

That just means how much she saved on everything she purchased (like the total savings @ the bottom of your receipt). Our number was thousands in a year (not $14K) as well -- and given the extreme way she does her transactions, $14K is not that surprising.

It doesn't really mean she would have spent the larger figure, just like I'm sure I wouldn't have if I wasn't using coupons.

But yeah, she's pretty much of a low life.

 

[MrsPete]

That just means how much she saved on everything she purchased (like the total savings @ the bottom of your receipt). Our number was thousands in a year (not $14K) as well -- and given the extreme way she does her transactions, $14K is not that surprising.

It doesn't really mean she would have spent the larger figure, just like I'm sure I wouldn't have if I wasn't using coupons.

But yeah, she's pretty much of a low life.

That may well be what she means, but it's not what the article says.

 

[ntink]

I am still dying to know what her plans are for all that mustard. It seems like it would be impossible to use that much in a lifetime and DH & I both love mustard.

 

[tomthebarncat]

Hmmm . . . The website says she "cut $14,000 from her food bill last year". She was spending over a thousand a month on food?

Yes, by stealing, her parents should be so proud and of course her children will learn it is ok to steal to get your way. Total loser!

 

[torinsmom]

Yup, the luncheon meat expires. She might be freezing it or donating it. Some do donate it.

There are multiple ways to get 50 of the same coupon. One way is to belong to a coupon exchange another is to buy the coupon from a coupon wholesaler another way is to buy multiple newspapers or what some around here do - go to the store pick up and pay for one newspaper and ostensibly while sorting thru to find the "Perfect" paper take all the inserts out of the all the other papers and put them inside your own paper I find this is particularly common on the day the P&G insert comes out .

Some people also go "dumpster diving" through the newspaper recycling bin. Ours is usually full one Sundays, so it is easy to find coupon inserts. I used to do this to coupon for CVS, but I haven't done it in quite a while.

 

[Nayan]

I did notice that when TLC re-runs her episode they have heavily edited what they show as far as her lists and how the coupons are rung up. Of course the damage is already done, no matter how much editing they do.

 

[Shmily1]

She has no concept of how much she is screwing up for others around her as long as she gets what she wants. I hope those that really know her give her a hard time for being a low life!

 

[DawnM]

I just got word from our local store corporate headquarters that they are tracking coupons. I don't know if they have always done this or if it is new, but it makes me very glad as I hate it when shelves are completely bare for those of us who truly don't care to hoard, we simply want to help our immediate family (and possibly a few donations).

Dawn

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Well her days of getting good deals may be over now that she has been exposed. So her greed got the better of her.