::UPDATE: The link to the article about Jamie's shopping trip is glitching. Her site is getting SLAMMED with traffic as a result of her research. Keep trying - you don't want to miss this article!
I am going to go out on a limb here and assume that most of you don't spend all day, every day thinking about coupons, writing about coupons, talking to your fellow Deal Bloggers in social media outlets, etc. I am therefore going to assume that many of you haven't heard about the "scandal" that has come out of the Season Premiere of "Extreme Couponing".
If you have read my Coupon Ethics posts, you know that I often talk about a time when people were using Crest Whitestrips coupons (which are usually high-value) on other products to get them free. This is called Coupon Barcode Decoding and is considered Coupon Fraud.
When the names of the people who would be on Extreme Couponing was announced, there was a "ripple" in the Couponing Community as J'aime (AKA "the mustard lady" from the show) was known to have posted videos of herself clearly committing coupon fraud. She had since taken those videos down and many of us were willing to give her the benefit of the doubt....perhaps she made the videos when she was still a newbie, didn't know that what she was doing was wrong, had changed her ways, etc.
And then she went on Extreme Couponing and from all appearances, she is still using coupons unethically...to the point of committing outright coupon fraud on national TV. Please take a moment to read this report that Jill Cataldo put together about Jaime's shopping trip, as well as the comments for a BUNCH of screen shots that clearly expose the truth about her shopping trip.
So why should we care?
Because Coupon Fraud hurts all of us in the form of tighter store policies, more scrutiny and suspicion from cashiers, etc.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out and if TLC has a response to this.
Gina
I'd LOVE to read that report - but I keep getting a "site offline" error.
k
I got this message:
Site off-line
The site is currently not available due to technical problems. Please try again later. Thank you for your understanding.
If you are the maintainer of this site, please check your database settings in the settings.php file and ensure that your hosting provider's database server is running. For more help, see the handbook, or contact your hosting provider.
Cheryl
Just finished reading it. Maybe they have too much traffic on the site right now?
Twinmamateb
You can get the cached webpage here: http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=http%3a%2f%2fwww.jillcataldo.com%2fnode%2f16258&d=138028451339&mkt=en-US&setlang=en-US&w=ffbb30fd,8baafac3
Gina
So since I could only read what you have here, what happened on the show? Is it highlighted and made encouraging others to commit fraud? or would it only be noticeable to other couponers? I did not see the show. If it was blatant fraud that others would take and do themselves, that sucks because with the price of everything going up coupons use is the only saving grace. Even still I have been overspending as of late. I hate when it happens but it happens more often with the prices climbing. Imagine what would happen if a place like Giant tightened their coupon rules... forget it I would have to stop shopping there all together. I hate hearing things like this
amy
ok is it wrong to say that i cleared the shelves of different walmarts to get baby formula. i mean that has to be justified right? its expensive and it was smaller bottles. i only extreme coupon on baby stuff like diapers wipes and d very rare occassion of formula.
Mindi Cherry
Hey - clearing the shelves at Walmart when it is something that you legitimately need (and aren't just doing to get an overage) may seem "bad" to some, but I think I would be ok with it.
Although - for some reason, I think I am MORE ok with the fact that you did it for formula to feed your child than to buy 70 mustards!
Some people may disagree with me...but getting the stuff to feed an infant/baby when that is the ONLY thing they can eat? Not so bad in my book! 😉
celia
You know, it is a terrible shame that TLC is choosing to show these loons that are abusing the couponing system. Showing how normal users shop and save could really help inspire people. But I suppose no one would get excited watching me save 30 bucks a week.
MissyLIz
As both a cvs manager and a coupon user this Jaime woman disgusts me. I have not watched this episode of extreme couponing and since I am already this outraged without having done so, I doubt that I will!
I get so sick of people who try to abuse the system. Yesterday I had a man come in with photocopies of P&G coupons and shick coupons (he claimed the p&g ones were internet, which most ethical couponers know don't exist). Earlier in the week we were barraged with fake coke coupons (IPs for $.99 off a 20oz--we got an email from coke that they weren't legit). It never stops and dealing with the scammers really hurts business. Other customers are forced to wait in line longer and some of them are then scared of trying to use their coupons legitimately. I also really hate the families that have an extracare card for every member of the family, right on down to the dog! Corporate only cares about the sales so they tells us to go ahead and let these people do it. So then I have to try to order extra product and half the time my warehouse doesn't ship it. These people will also come out in early in the week, buy whatever is free after extra bucks and then come back out at the end of the week (once most stores are out of stock) and literally go from store to store collecting rainchecks. Sorry for ranting off topic....
Thanks for the link to Jill's article, it is VERY good.
Ruth
I would hate to visit the CVS that you manage because they way you talk about customers is just shameful for a manager. I'm sure CVS corporate would not be very happy about your post.
Jennifer
Ruth, She wasnt talking about customers in general... she was speaking specifically to customers who commit coupon fraud. How would you like her to speak about them? Not only do they make problems for us as couponers they make problems for the store employees as well.
Karen Collins
Jamie committed coupon fraud. It was not talent. Unless the cashier is looking at the sizes/weight of the items she has a coupon for, she can get away with it. Thoses 63 packs of deli ham she bought was for a larger size which was more expensive. She bought the smaller size for .98 and had a $1 coupon for each. She made .02 on each one. How many people go to the store with a shopping list that has manufactuers codes on them? I knew before the show aired that it was only going to hurt the honest folks, and it has. I have been shopping at the same grocery store for years and today when I used my coupons, every coupon was scrutinized carefully. Not to mention all the little coupon holders that are in front of some items on the shelves were all taken down. There was no talent there...only theft. In my opinion, TLC promoted fraud and as usual...the honest folks are going to suffer for it. By now that groery store knows they were taken by her and I bet TLC pays them the $1800.00.
Lori
This show is a complete JOKE!!! Now don't get me wrong, I love love love to shop with coupons and I use tons of them BUT.... I do it the right way. I don't understand why people need to use coupons in ways they are not meant to be used when there are so many items you can get for free using them the right way. I feel sad for the people that were watching this show to learn how to coupon because this show does everything but. If you have couponed for a long time like I have, you know that:
1.) Almost every store will limit you to a certain number of like coupons per order
2.) Most (there are a few and good luck finding them...walmart is one for now) will not allow overage on a product.
3.) They will not allow you to clear the shelves
4.) You will (at least I have never had in the many years of couponing) Never have a manager stand there and clap for you as you take 1000's of dollars worth of product out of their store for free.
5.) You will never have a manager help you load your car and wave buy with a smile on their face as you drive away.
6.) They will not let you use a coupon on a product you didn't buy.
In fact, if you have couponed for some time you will know that the truth of the matter is.
1.) You will be looked at and treated like a criminal by cashiers who think they own stock in the store.
2.) You will get dirty looks and comments from customers in line behind you.
3.) You will spend countless hours trying to explain to these cashiers and managers the difference between 1 per person and 1 per transaction and 1 per order.
4.) You will have to argue that if the coupon does not state the size, you can use it on trial sizes.
...I could go on and on but I think you get the idea.
This show teaches nothing about how to coupon, and I feel sorry for the people who want to learn. They don't tell you how, when or where to get your coupons, and not one person has said this as of yet because they don't want you to know that they may get their product for free but probably spend a pretty penny for their coupons, or get the illegally. They don't tell you that they save up their coupons just to do this show and that they most likely don't do that kind of shopping on a weekly basis. Sorry for the rant, but this show is a complete waste of time. It should be called Extreme Deception Of Couponing.
Thanks :o)
TB
I just watched this show for the first time this weekend and found it to be extremely tasteless, its people like them who are ruining our county as their corrupt morals and ethics are no better than a low life shoplifter, very disappointed in TLC for even considering a show like this.
K Collins
I went to Krogers last week and the shelf was cleared on pork n beans, Frenches mustard, and Oral B toothbrushes. So, any money you save with the coupons... you spend on gas trying to find the product.
Gina
I just read the article and can't believe it. Now I understand how some people are able to consistently get volumes of items for free. I am recent convert to using coupons, so I am still learning how to "stack" coupons and figure out what is the right way to use them to maximize the savings. What she did is flat out fraud.
That being said, I once use a "Suave" lotion coupon for "Suave" Shampoo and didn't realize it until I had gotten home. You'd think that have clued me in that people actually cheated.
K Collins
Today I went to Krogers and the cashier looked at every coupon closely.The baggers have have been re-trained as well. The cashier asks the bagger if he's seen this and that. No big deal to me...except the line behind me was long. It won't be long, there will be a non-coupon line.
I don't stock pile. There is no need to. I buy one or two of each sale item. Everything comes back around again. I just get aggravated at the people who clear the shelves. I am 52 years old and this is the first time in my life that I go to the grocery and the shelves are cleared.