Not liking the term: "coupon thieves."

[AmberLab]

IMO "coupons thieves" is not a very nice term to use. We don't pay for coupons. No one is going to chase you if you take a few coupons or a booklet (I would hope not!). I understand, yes, that there are people who do take a whole pad of coupons in some cases and that is who is usually in mind when the term is used. But attaching the tag of "coupon thief" seems aggressive and unnecessary.

Discussion?

(Note: These are is my thoughts, not necessarily SC's. )

[annedougherty]

Not a fan either. Who's to say how or why someone has many multiples of one coupon (I'm talking tear pads though, not save.ca, etc). And to be honest with you if it's a rare coupon that I doubt I'll find, and I see someone has LOTS for trade then GOOD lol. It gives me the chance to trade for a coupon I would never find! And just like many other things in life, they are first come first serve.

[KellyC]

Me neither. Kinda hard to thieve something that is free, no? Unless you are standing there guarding the damn things, how would you ever know who is taking them? Hundreds of people walk past those things every day and it wouldn't take long for each person to take a few and then they'd be gone.

I get my butt to the stores nice and early and guess what....LOTS of coupons! Snooze ya lose!

[hollyhill]

And I have noticed that some stores seem to have the coupon suddenly "missing" when a big sale comes on like the advil. I presumed they had all been used. Then poof they show up again after the sale is over... hmmmm

So perhaps the missing tear pads aren't couponers in some cases anyways.

[kimzcouponz]

Not a big fan of it and when I see it posted I think that someone has had their binder stolen again. Not that someone is taking the tear pad coupons

[Natalka]

Oh, well, it is what it is - same with 'extreme couponing', 'moneymakers', etc. - people define things differently according to circumstances.

[MercuryBlue]

Amen to this! I'm not a big fan of finger-pointing in general. There's a lot of assumptions being made that aren't fair. I think a lot of these people are just bitter because they're not willing to put the work in. I don't just stroll into a store and expect coupons to be available- I take a couple of hours when the coupons first come out and take a couple coupons from each pad. Do I grab 20-30 at a time? No. But I do put a lot of time and energy into my collecting. I might go to three or four different stores, and wind up with a purse full of coupons. I ALWAYS make sure there are lots left when possible... but the fact is, there is sort of a competitive element to couponing. Early bird gets the worm and all that.

I hate the assumption that someone who has multiple coupons must be a 'thief', or doing something wrong. Especially considering the amount of trading that goes on around here. I tend to trade for stamps- and I get a LOT of multiples that way.

I think the only time 'coupon thief' can really be used is if someone is ACTUALLY stealing coupons (like, from someone's binder). I also consider it theft if you're taking coupons out of a product (ie- opening a package of Charmin to get the booklet out), or ripping it off the label. I'd never accuse someone of that without actually seeing it done, though!


I'm finding a lot of 'doom prophets' around here lately, though. They remind me of those old, unwashed men walking around with home-made sandwich boards reading 'the end is near!' A lot of finger waggling and fear-mongering. "If you do THIS, the store won't let you use coupons at all anymore!" Basically, accusing people of something that hasn't happened yet. If anything, I find stores have become BETTER about taking coupons recently- not worse.

There seems to be a lot of back-and-forth about what is 'right' and 'wrong' when couponing. I consider myself to be a very ethical person, and there are some things I would never do.... but that doesn't mean I want to create a thread dedicated to attacking people who don't agree with me. :/

[guccigoo22]

Not a fan either. Who's to say how or why someone has many multiples of one coupon (I'm talking tear pads though, not save.ca, etc). And to be honest with you if it's a rare coupon that I doubt I'll find, and I see someone has LOTS for trade then GOOD lol. It gives me the chance to trade for a coupon I would never find! And just like many other things in life, they are first come first serve.

I totally agree! On Saturday I was a local swap, and my lovely friend showed me a coupon that I had not ever seen, and would definitely use! I took one, and she pointed out that it had a Dec expiry, her exact words were "you'll use these, and you may never see it again!" I took a couple more

On a side note, I remember just a few short months ago, reading everyones trade lists, growing green with envy! How in the world does everyone get soooo many coupons?!?!?

I took a deep breath, did some amazing trades for bundles, waited patiently for in store coupons to come out, and discovered the recycle drop off near my house lol.

6 months 100+ trades, and a buncha trains later, and "woo hoo!!" I have a lovely fat stash of sparkly coupons, that are custom designed to save my family money on items we use!

I guess what i'm saying, is the art of couponing, takes time, effort, planning, and on SC trust (trades, trains ect.) If I see a newly put out coupon pad, with only 1 or 2 left, it doesn't phase me, beacause I know they're out there at least, and with one simple post, I can trade for them, and sometimes people just send them!

[AmberLab]

6 months 100+ trades, and a buncha trains later, and "woo hoo!!" I have a lovely fat stash of sparkly coupons, that are custom designed to save my family money on items we use!

Coupons that sparkle? Have you been trading with vampires?

[KK7]

I think it is carrying a bit over the top. But I have expressed that I am just tired of hearing about coupon tear pads being cleared. As one poster said or less you stand there all day how do you know. I get mine through trades, roaks ect. It isn't easy. My mom who somewhat comes for a visit, which we usually do grocery shopping(how I would love to sit with her) we actually took time out to go to a store we don't normally go to in hopes of finding coupons. Found none I wanted but some I hope others want so I can trade! I guess I just don't see a need for posting about empty tear pads every other day.

[Shwa Girl]

And I have noticed that some stores seem to have the coupon suddenly "missing" when a big sale comes on like the advil. I presumed they had all been used.

You too?
Thought this only happen when I was shopping a great sale.

[fourfurryfeet]

Coupons that sparkle? Have you been trading with vampires?

Can I trade you 5,000,000 bicks pickles for 1 Edward?

[caroman]

I saw a thread on 'coupon thieves' and thought it was about someone's binder getting stolen until I scrolled over and realized what it was about.
I wouldn't use the term but I can understand the frustration of cleared books. It doesn't bother me much because I figure I wasn't qiuck enough to get to the coupons and if I really want them I'll trade somebody for them. What does bug me is when I look at someone's trade list and they have huge amountof many different coupons eg..50 coupon x, 42 coupon y, 56 coupon z so on and so on. Do I think they're taking whole pads of coupons .Maybe they're going around and grabbing them from many stores but why do they need so many? I've noticed this more with people just starting out trading so I know they're not getting all those coupons from trades. It does bother me a bit to see these huge amounts in trade list but who am I to point fingers and judge?

[guccigoo22]

Coupons that sparkle? Have you been trading with vampires?

Maybe!!!!!

All I know is that sometimes I love to lay out all my precious coupies accross the living room floor (I pretend it's to organise, we all know it's purely to admire), and yes, when the light hits them, at just the right angle, they sparkele and shine! Oh man do they shine! Then the heavans part, and far off, you can hear an angelic voice "ahh ahh ahhh!!!!!"

I highly suggest you all do the same! Makes all your "empty tear pad" worries just melt away...

[MercuryBlue]

... What does bug me is when I look at someone's trade list and they have huge amountof many different coupons eg..50 coupon x, 42 coupon y, 56 coupon z so on and so on. Do I think they're taking whole pads of coupons .Maybe they're going around and grabbing them from many stores but why do they need so many? I've noticed this more with people just starting out trading so I know they're not getting all those coupons from trades. It does bother me a bit to see these huge amounts in trade list but who am I to point fingers and judge?

I've only been trading a couple months, and I have dozens of some coupons. Why do I need so many? Because I often buy large amounts. I might use 20+ of one coupon, if it's for something we use a lot. Axe body spray, for example- I'm waiting on a great sale because I'll buy it for my husband and brother in law, and give a bunch out as gifts. I've been hoarding those coupons.

I also tell my friends and family members to give me ANY coupons they don't want. By any, I mean ANY. Why? Because, even if I won't use them... I'm sure there's someone here who will. I can trade those coupons for other coupons I can't find anywhere else.

The $1 off Axe Body Wash coupon is a good example. I've gone absolutely EVERYWHERE, and cannot find it. It's not that the pads have been cleared out- it's that nobody had the pads to begin with. Lucky for me, I can use my surplus coupons and trade with someone else who has surplus coupons... and we're all happy.

It's all just a part of the strategy. Whether I have 5 of one coupon or 50, what difference does it make, as long as I'm not clearing whole pads?? How is it anybody's business?


To answer the question 'why do you need so many coupons?'- the answer is, to either get more (varied) coupons, or to buy a large amount of a product I will use.