The truth about extreme couponing...

[Purseval]

Well, I don't know about all of you, but in our Kroger, if you don't buy the EXACT item, the coupon isn't going to work. I think the whole thing was just for show.

We had some coupons for Franks Red Hot Thick wing sauce. Kroger had about 6 different varieties of Franks sauces but not the thick. My wife went to the customer service desk with the coupons and they let her substitute another variety same size bottle.

 

[FergieTCat]

Good point, and I have started to ask for them. In the Extreme Couponing show, that J'aime person cleared the shelves of something and then sent her DH to get rainchecks since the shelves were cleared (by her!). That is just wrong.

People constantly do that in my CVS. I really think they should limit the number per customer and keep track on the person's CVS account.

Did you hear the husband when she was clearing the shelves ?? he said "I don't even LIKE mustard, why are we getting this ?"..... now, that's when you know you've gone WAY over the top! It's a sickness with these people....they try to beat / cheat the system.

We saw an article yesterday on FB where someone broke down her purchases and coupons. it seems as though she was using high $$ coupons for Fiber One cereal on the cheaper cereal, so when they doubled, it made the cereal basically free. Well, I don't know about all of you, but in our Kroger, if you don't buy the EXACT item, the coupon isn't going to work. I think the whole thing was just for show.

I have a feeling that's why the cash register was beeping.

As I've said, the Stop-and-Shop in my neighborhood matches the coupons against the items. I think J'aime got away with it was because they rang up everything first and then used the coupons. The casher probably couldn't remember ever item she bought. But, apparently, she's gotten away with it before at Target with smaller orders; that I can't figure out. When I went to Target this weekend, my cashier carefully read the ONLY coupon I was using for one toothbrush.

From what I've read over the weekend, J'aime Kirlew is not well-liked in the couponing community (which is putting it lightly.)

 

[disneywatcher]

I've been using coupons since I got married 11 (well almost 11 years) ago and the most I have ever saved was 38 dollars for a months worth of groceries. Now I admit I am a military wife and utalize my local on post Commissary which does NOT double coupons. Occasionally I will paruse the ads for local grocery stores though and if they are having a good sale then I will go there for a few items.

I have to say after watching ONE episode of EC, I was a tad frightened . Why on earth would you need that many condiments? An entire storage room full of over 9 years worth of stuff? Shampoo does go bad eventually, I found this out the hard way after buying a bottle of shampoo and conditioner from a local beauty supply store. Now I just buy a bottle to last us a month. It's hard to believe that some of those people on the show are proud of their stock piles especially when they overtake their homes and their sleeping areas!

When your storing toiletpaper under your child's bed or in an extra shower stall you know you've become a hoarder with an over obsessive need to shop.

 

[beansmom]

People constantly do that in my CVS. I really think they should limit the number per customer and keep track on the person's CVS account.


From what I've read over the weekend, J'aime Kirlew is not well-liked in the couponing community (which is putting it lightly.)

I thought CVS did keep track...I know my receipt shows many deals are allowed and how many I've done.

She isn't 'not well-liked'...she is reviled...ostracized...a virtual pariah. And I will tell the truth here...I called the Safeway in Montgomery Village and made sure they were aware of what she had done and how stupid they look on national tv. Yeah, i'm apparently just the kind of busybody that I hate.

 

[LaDonna]

I'm confused why she would do this on tv if it is illegal, will this not be looked into? Doesn't TLC check these things out?

 

[FergieTCat]

I thought CVS did keep track...I know my receipt shows many deals are allowed and how many I've done.

She isn't 'not well-liked'...she is reviled...ostracized...a virtual pariah. And I will tell the truth here...I called the Safeway in Montgomery Village and made sure they were aware of what she had done and how stupid they look on national tv. Yeah, i'm apparently just the kind of busybody that I hate.

Sometimes CVS doesn't limit the amount you can buy (as far as I know).

As for J'aime -- I was trying to be nice! She sounds like the Kate Gosselin of the couponing community.

However, I think Jill Cataldo sounds like a nice person.

 

[disneywatcher]

I thought CVS did keep track...I know my receipt shows many deals are allowed and how many I've done.

She isn't 'not well-liked'...she is reviled...ostracized...a virtual pariah. And I will tell the truth here...I called the Safeway in Montgomery Village and made sure they were aware of what she had done and how stupid they look on national tv. Yeah, i'm apparently just the kind of busybody that I hate.

I had never heard of that woman until reciently and after just WATCHING her on the show I didnt much care for her...."If people think I look rich then I'm fine with that." Umm yeah, she didnt look that rich to me.

And.....Good for you! Someone needs to give them a heads up in case of fraud!

 

[MEM]

I'm confused why she would do this on tv if it is illegal, will this not be looked into? Doesn't TLC check these things out?

I would imagine that TLC has some sort of disclaimer "the following is for entertainment only. please check your local stores for their coupon policies, etc.etc." Call me a pessimist (or a realist?) but with their fondness for "freak of the week" programs, I bet TLC wanted to show an extreme couponer who is not only very strange but dishonest. Not all extreme couponers are as cute as Joanie Demers. You noticed the 24 year old from St. Louis who loaded up on hotdogs for her cheap party? She was quite heavy - is TLC trying to make a point about how unhealthy the extreme couponers diet can be? I don't know - I'm just wondering out loud.

 

[Carlyzmom]

I had never heard of that woman until reciently and after just WATCHING her on the show I didnt much care for her...."If people think I look rich then I'm fine with that." Umm yeah, she didnt look that rich to me.

And.....Good for you! Someone needs to give them a heads up in case of fraud!

MY thoughts exactly!!!

 

[GinnyEmma]

I thought CVS did keep track...I know my receipt shows many deals are allowed and how many I've done.

She isn't 'not well-liked'...she is reviled...ostracized...a virtual pariah. And I will tell the truth here...I called the Safeway in Montgomery Village and made sure they were aware of what she had done and how stupid they look on national tv. Yeah, i'm apparently just the kind of busybody that I hate.

Busy body when It is you, Nazi when it is someone else, lol.

 

[Free4Life11]

Did you hear the husband when she was clearing the shelves ?? he said "I don't even LIKE mustard, why are we getting this ?"..... now, that's when you know you've gone WAY over the top! It's a sickness with these people....they try to beat / cheat the system.

I've enjoyed this show, but you are right. It may not be an bad as substance abuse, but when you are spending so much time, energy, and space...start referring to "the stockpile" as if it were a family member...well to me that indicates a problem. Of course what's bad about "saving money?"

Then again this is TV so they may be more "extreme" than normal, but the whole thing is fascinating in a sick way. It's also ironic when you have a seriously overweight couple bragging about they have so many bags of chips they could "bathe" in them.

The alleged coupon fraud is just the icing on this cake! Are you THAT desperate for a deal??

 

[beansmom]

Busy body when It is you, Nazi when it is someone else, lol.

well, frankly the 'nazi' comment wasn't particularly directed at any one person--it is just my love of alliteration and I couldn't make 'food police' alliterative no matter how I tried...but I agree with you...it is hypocritical of me. Wow...I'm only human. Go figure.

And my choice of diet may not be the approved yuppie yogurt and brown rice plan but my choice of foods is not a crime. Coupon fraud is. If I saw somebody rob a bank, I'd call that in, too.

 

[AshleySeger]

I think what we all have to remember is that this is a reality show. And like every other reality show on TV very little is real.

You said it, reality TV has nothing to do with reality. Actually, if you're a Survivor fan too you may begin to notice that real life is so much more difficult that the so-called trials that occur on that show. Let's have a show done about the work being done at ***ushima, Japan - now that's a reality to contend with.

 

[Free4Life11]

Very in depth article about the alleged fraud (there are pictures in the comments so be sure to scroll down):

http://www.jillcataldo.com/node/16170

It's just unbelievelable to me that someone would do this! On TV no less....from her "shopping list" it's seems pretty clear that this was planned. Why else would someone list the manufacturer name and UPC code?

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/6795/jaimeupc.png

 

[Twinprincesses]

Our area stores are now limiting double coupons to 2 per transaction for the item purchasing. Any other coupons are face value only.

 

[Free4Life11]

LAST but not least, agreat "behind the scenes" look at a RESPONSIBLE couponer who was approached but ultimately NOT on the original "Extreme Couponing" special.

http://www.jillcataldo.com/node/14388

 

[allison443]

LAST but not least, agreat "behind the scenes" look at a RESPONSIBLE couponer who was approached but ultimately NOT on the original "Extreme Couponing" special.

http://www.jillcataldo.com/node/14388

Very interesting! Who knew the world of couponers was filled with such intrigue?

I thought it was interesting that someone posted that Nathan (the guy who was shown on TLC buying 1000 boxes of cereal which he said were donated to a food pantry) has a website where he posted that he made $12K a year reselling his purchases. Apparently that portion of his website has been removed since he's so famous now.

 

[GinnyEmma]

Very interesting! Who knew the world of couponers was filled with such intrigue?

I thought it was interesting that someone posted that Nathan (the guy who was shown on TLC buying 1000 boxes of cereal which he said were donated to a food pantry) has a website where he posted that he made $12K a year reselling his purchases. Apparently that portion of his website has been removed since he's so famous now.

Oh, how sad. At least in that case one could think something positive cane from the questionable behavior.

 

[sydneysmom]

We had some coupons for Franks Red Hot Thick wing sauce. Kroger had about 6 different varieties of Franks sauces but not the thick. My wife went to the customer service desk with the coupons and they let her substitute another variety same size bottle.

I can understand why they'd let her substitute w/ another variety, but it's still "Frank's" that you bought, right ? I don't know..... to use a Fiber One coupon to buy Kix is a little different. it seems like a scam. Especially since the coupons for the lower priced cereals aren't nearly as high as the coupons for Fiber one. You weren't scamming anyone using the Franks coupon for another Franks. (and you even went to customer service first).

I had a Cheerio's coupon for $1.00 off 1 box (which I thought was good) but Kroger would only do it on the yellow box of Cherrio's because it didn't say it was for ALL Cherrio's. ( and that stunk because I'm a big fan of choc cheerio's!!) But okay, it's their store, their rules. Now I tend to read coupons far more carefully than I did to make sure I'm getting the right size / whatever.

It just seems like this woman KNOWINGLY used coupons that weren't for what she purchased.

 

[Falltime]

I am curious how she figured out the UPC coding thing in the first place!