Tear Pad Etiquette

[Mskittyandbigboy]

Hey all, apologies if this is something that gets asked constantly, but I did do a search for the answer and could not find anything recent. What is the tear pad etiquette? I would like to have spare coupons to trade but how many is too many? Interested to hear advice from all the pros here!

[SassyAshley]

I do not know if there is a rule but in general I usually take 5 coupons if it is something I will use or know someone who can use them. Anytime I have more than 5 of a coupon is it because I found it at multiple places and know it is something me or others I know can use.

Too many for me is when I know I have more than I can use and trade, even if a coupon is popular others will be finding it too. I would hate to have to throw out coupons I know others could use but didn't because I took them.

I know it is tempting to have tons of the same coupon, right after I started couponing one of my mom's friends gave me all of these coupons and I got so excited. It would fill my stash I would have tons to trade but sadly there were more than I could use or trade and ended up throwing a lot of them away.

[newtosave]

Sent hubby to RCSS to buy cat food 2 days ago and get Philly Chocolate coupon for me.He said he could get only 2 because asian woman tried to tear the same coupons and because she had mittens she could not get any.So he asked her if she needed help. She did not know he was behind her,so she grabbed whole tear pad and left.

[cath007]

Sent hubby to RCSS to buy cat food 2 days ago and get Philly Chocolate coupon for me.He said he could get only 2 because asian woman tried to tear the same coupons and because she had mittens she could not get any.So he asked her if she needed help. She did not know he was behind her,so she grabbed whole tear pad and left.

[cath007]

If I know I will use that coupon every week for the same product in my grocery;I take it on consequences. And at variated places.Otherwhise I am more than reasonnable.

[thriftygranny]

My personal rule is 4, when I started couponing I read somewhere that it was reasonable to take the same number that is in your household. Probably doesn't make sense but I guess we all have our own definition of reasonable.

[oscarandme]

I don't know why, I'm just personally offended. It just rubs me the wrong way.

I just envision someone snapping the tearpad off and bringing it/them home to an apartment full of coupons.

That power or having them all. I would rather have the power to be consiensious about leaving some for someone who will use them for themselves in my area and hope that they do the same. If one week I'm short on money, which happens and that 2-3 coupons left on the pad can help feed my family, or buy that toothpaste that is not on sale, ran out of milk, KD, pads or for even that sale...there is a good chance some will be there.

I am new to couponing, I can see how hoarding can be the next step because I do not have any good coupons to trade with. My coupons are the same ones that SC'ers are tying to trade with. So hoarding seems to be one venue other than spending alot on stamps.... I understand but I do not want to get into that either. Thanks for asking.

[Billie75]

Unless it is one that I KNOW for sure I will DEFINITELY use I limit myself to 6 and even if I were to take more of one I was going to use I would never dream of taking whole pads or even remotely close to it.....to me that is just wrong and is the reason we all have trouble finding them most of the time

[Natalka]

I usually just take two, unless it's something I know we use a lot of and the coupon is longer-dated, for example for juice, then I might take four.

[saddlebag]

I take all of them...bahhahahahahaha

no honestly I take between 4-6 depending on our household usage....but lately I've been seeing a lot of snapped off plastic holder where the coupons used to be.....greedy buggers

[KK7]

I think it all depends on the product who I am getting it for ect ect IF IF I actually find a coupon I get pretty excited and know when I go back there next day the whole thing will be gone so I try to take what I need

[amandabananda]

I'll normally take 4, depending on the product and if I know I'll use them.

I've seen entire pads taken before, like really people? You're going to need 350 "$2 off special k breakfast beverages"?

[jasperandchar]

It all depends I normally take 4-6, however, that being said if it's something I use everyday or everyweek I will take as few more everytime I go in for example yop, my family consume 4 a day so I purchase 28 yop each week and 4-6 coupons will not last me long. The coupon expiry does play a factor also but I have never taken a full tare pad or even near that, I think that is crazy and then you see these coupons for sale in various places - it drives me crazy.

[SassyAshley]

I think you would be surprised to see what other people are looking for and that you do not have to hoard or take whole tear pads to have some great trades.

I personally believe when you see someone take the whole tear pad they are selling them on ebay. When someone had 10 x 20 of a specific coupon for sale from a tear pad all I can think is you took the whole tear. Sadly many people are profiting from the fact that coupons are becoming so popular, instead of seeing it as a way or a need to save money they see it as a way to make money.

I do not take more than 5 of a coupon but even if there are only 3 coupons left on a tear I will only take 1 or 2, I hate to clear a tear pad even if it is almost empty when I find it. I think twice I have cleared a tear pad and that was because there was only one coupon left on it and it was something my family uses. Even when they get that low unless I know personally my family will use them, I will not grab them for friends.

[cmartin21]

Yep I agree. I usually take 3-4 unless its something that I know i'm going to use lots of like yogurt. In that case i take maybe 5;. It makes me sad to see the whole tear pad gone..those people are ruining a good thing for us honest folk and soon enough stores are going to stop using them because its just going to start costing too much to replace them.;