When to…

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Alright, so I have an interesting topic to discuss (or at least I think so)! I’m going to title this topic “When to Mind Your Own Business”! Yes, I know… I’m sure you’re thinking what the heck is this topic about and how in the world does it have anything to do with couponing. Well, you see, I receive emails on a regular basis from readers with concerns regarding other Hip2Save readers. They are upset with how another reader is couponing, upset that a reader is NOT following their couponing rules and/or ethics, and upset because a reader is not considerate of others by clearing the shelves (these are just a few of the concerned emails I’ve received).

…So what do I do about these emails, well, nothing really. Now don’t get me wrong, there are times when couponers are doing things that are downright illegal (and maybe don’t know it) and that’s when I take a stand and try to educate others. However, most concerns (like the ones stated above) have nothing to do with illegal activity, but more about what one reader feels is “wrong”.

As you may know, there is a huge gray area when couponing and everyone has to decide on their own what they feel is right. How do you know what is right? You just do! It’s that feeling we all get inside when we’re about to take action. And that’s the feeling that will easily tell you right from wrong. Don’t ignore it!

Nobody wants to be controlled and told what to do. We’re all adults here and can make our own decisions. I know sometimes it’s hard to hear when someone starts bragging about the 50 packages of toilet paper they snagged in the comment section, but remember, it’s best to “Mind Your Own Business”. These people may be wanting a reaction, so don’t give them one! Also, by lecturing them on what you may think is the right amount to purchase… well, that is trying to control them and people HATE being controlled. Usually when someone tells me what to do, I do quite the opposite.

The point I’m trying to make is to motivate you to keep on truckin’ on your own couponing journey! Focus on what you know is right and ignore the people that seem to be barriers in your way. Don’t waist your energy or time on them! I mean… seriously, there is NO point in focusing any sort of energy on something that you cannot CHANGE! People have to change on their own terms– we cannot do it for them! Yikes… I am starting to sound like a therapist!

…AND I love what I’ve learned from my Ma, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all” and of course my favorite line of hers, “If life gives you lemons, Ma says, Squeeze them!” 🙂

Join The Discussion

Comments 303

  1. Amy

    LMAO……Are we adults or in middle school??? People actually emailing Colin with complaints about others and their actions…give me a break….lol

    • andre

      i am new to all this but one of the reasons that colin created this site was for those who are struggling ,not to have to anymore and possibly get ahead using the tips that she has provided as well as any coupons. i for 1 am very thankful that she is providing all this information free of charge .so thank you colin if you are following this email i would like to get more info on a one on one basis if that is at all possible thanks again amartinez45@att.net

  2. Joy

    Just for the record, I was not one of the people that e-mailed Collin. I would never ever think she was the coupon police and could stop people from being unethical.

    As far as the Red Gold tomatoes post, some people were just merely pointing out that the terms of the offer was to PURCHASE a can of tomatoes (not share a UPC code). They were only trying to educate people. After all, isn’t that what this site is about? Then, someone had to be mean and wrote that Pam woke up on the wrong side of the bed. That’s when the drama started. And poor Andrea was unfairly attacked even though she was sharing her personal perspective of how her dh works for this company and how stuff like this could potentially hurt her family, which was very brave of her.

    Now was that fair? The MYOB thing works both ways you know. If someone is trying to
    educate you on the rules, then don’t tear them down either for merely sharing their knowledge and thoughts.

    • Andrea

      Thank you.

    • Anna

      nicely put. i didn’t read any comments on the gold tomatoes deal, but i agree with you about things going both ways. thanks for saying it!

    • Pam

      Well said, Joy! And I also didn’t email Collin, just hoped that she would notice what was going on on her website. I was away yesterday and missed this entire post, so have added my opinions back under Melissa’s on page 1. It surprises me how 90% of the people here think that “emptying the shelves” is the biggest issue and everyone should MYOB and not bother Collin with the pettiness and YET, they have all told their personal stories about “emptying the shelves” and how it does or does not bother them forcing it all on Collin afterall. I think it bothers people far more than they realize or they just feel a need to express their opinions, LOL!

  3. lana2201

    Maybe you should add another tab at the top of the blog called “coupon etiquette” for those who actually have not the common sense to do the right thing. Of course, I’m joking, because that would take too much precious time & we need you focused on getting these great deals!!! 🙂

    • Rebekah

      I actually think that would be helpful

  4. Peggy

    So funny! I am sorry people are bothering you with this silliness! How do they know who is hoarding?!?! Maybe the person is donating to a Food Bank for really needy people to use.

    And I LOVE how the first person to comment COMPLETELY missed the point! Ha ha ha- I don’t think this post is going to help you Collin! Good luck, and thanks for what you do!

  5. Megan

    I appreciate this post. I still want to complain about buy a Sunday paper only to find someone had stolen coupons out of it! 🙂

    • Jennifer

      I actually look in each of the 2 newspapers I buy every Sunday just to make sure the coupons are still inside! I’ve had to go to a different store on more than one occassion but it saved me the frustration of buying newspapers with no coupons! 🙂

      • Elizabeth

        The newspaper in Ennis, Texas now has the coupons and ads sealed in plastic so we don’t have to check our papers anymore. Of course they can afford to seal them since they cost 2.50 each !!! LOL

    • Treva

      That’s why you should always check your paper before you buy.

    • Lorri E.

      please don’t assume people are “stealing” the coupon inserts. I am the first one at my WAGS every sunday. I cut the bundles of newspapers open myself and check each newspaper before buying. There are many, many weeks when I find missing inserts. There have been times when an entire bundle has had no inserts. And, btw, I do this in front of the cashier so that no one assumes I am steeling inserts. HTH

      • Hollie

        I have only the Sunday paper delivered to my house but when I find a good coupon and want to buy another I go to the newspaper office. The lady that works there told me once to look inside before I buy it because they only get a certain # of inserts and when those are gone they’re gone.

        I’ve given lots of coupons away while waiting in line somewhere and the people are always so happy! It makes me feel good that I saved them some money too! I was in front of a college age guy the other day and he was buying a $14 pack of razor blades. I felt bad because I knew I had at least a $4 off coupon but I couldn’t get to it fast enough. I even told my husband about it when I walked out of the store. He was like “why didn’t you give him one of your coupons”?

        • Sara

          I have done the same thing, feeling bad for someone paying full price. I got home the other day after a great shopping trip and felt so bad that my sister isn’t saving the money I am on a weekly basis. I’m trying to convert her. 🙂

        • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

          I think I have a small problem. Sometimes, I want to stand at the checkout & coupon (match their shopping baskets to coupons) the folks as they go through. I don’t partially due to time, part cause they’d ship me to the nut house.

      • Chantel R

        sometimes there are double inserts in the paper! i love those days!

  6. Megan

    I don’t have any problem with this at all. In fact I think that is one way of doing business. Smaller businessmen buy stuff from bigger companies and sell them back to gain profit. You spend your time/money for the coupons, going to the stores, selling them back. The profit you earn is the time you spend for it. People do not know how much time for doing this. I have an infant and I work from 8am to 5pm. I always shop around 11pm because I have to take care of all the housework and the baby. Usually more 50% of my trips to the stores, the shelves are empty. I have no feeling about that at all. I might try to remind myself that I should shop earlier when the next deals come.
    If you want to get the deals, get to the store earlier. If you cannot find at this store, go to another store.

    • catherine

      I completely agree with you. When I see the empty shelves, I don’t have any feeling at all. I would either go to another stores or wait til next truck comes. We all know that CVS and WAGs always have low inventory all the time because that is their business model. I will just tell myself if I really want them, I need to go early and make sure I find them instead of hoping others would leave some for me to buy.

      • Lolo

        Everyone assumes we have low inventory but I can personally tell you that working in one of the busiest 24 stores in our area. I can get in 200 of each of the freebie items and put it out before midnight then come back at 7:00 am and they will be completely gone. OMG the water. Last time the water was on sale it was 1.99 and you received balance reward points as well. I had 10 pallets come in. Each pallet has 72 24pk water = 720 cases of water. We put it out and literally by 12:00 noon on monday it is completely gone. So the new trend of couponing has got retailers stuggling with how to keep enough inventory on hand and being able to keep it stocked. I promise we would rather be able to know what formula to use to determine how much to have on hand and to have the stockroom space to store it for everyone. We do not like having customers call and say you never have the sale items. Exspecially when we know we did and had tons of it and then someone for whatever reason comes in and clears the shelves in one swoop. When we limit the items per person we still get complaints so we never feel we can win in this situation. I promise we really do work hard at trying.

    • Andy Lee

      If everyone did that *very* same thing, it wouldnt matter how many stores you go to no shelf would be stocked and if someone was quicker than you at finding these deals, you’d be SOL too pal. I’m pretty sure when the manufacturer put out these coupons they did it so we could help ourselves and families from a financial crisis. I noticed even a lot of this stuff is trying to get you to buy and try a new product to get word of mouth around. You know, marketing. There’s a reason why there is a limit these days to the number of coupons are allowed to be printed online. Because people take advantage and I personally feel terrible for the people who have large families and low incomes because maybe they did need ten coupons for a box of cereal. Im also pretty sure if the manufacturer figures out what kind of ‘business’ type behavior you were doing, we wont be seeing many coupons. Yeah couponing is a lot of time to save money but its the time you’re paying YOURSELF back to save that money.

  7. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    I am no longer in high school and will not act like I am in hig school. I have better things to do than be petty and catty. Geez! If I don’t get to the store before the shelf clearers and miss a deal… oh well. I’m bummed but life goes on. I thank the Lord that I have a decent job and can afford to go to a different store up the road to purchase said item even if (gasp) it’s not on sale there.

  8. Karen

    My budget for groceries and household items is $120 a month ($20 of that is dog food). I don’t feel guilty clearing shelves for something that I use or eat all the time, or it’s something I really like but can’t afford it unless it’s practically free. I also don’t hover around the stores wringing my hands together just waiting for items to get stocked to I can rush and take everything before you get to it (although it seems to me there are lots of you doing it on Sundays when everyone is in church because Walgreens and CVS are forever about out of things by the time I get there)! I never have more than 4 coupons for anything so it’s rare that I clear anyones shelves, but last year when Publix had the Snuggles Fabric Softener on sale BOGO for $3 and I had four $3 off coupons – I happily took the last 8 bottles I won’t need fabric softener again for months….so now you have one less person to worry about the next time it goes on sale 🙂

    • Amy

      I am waiting for a deal like that again at Publix! My Snuggle coupons are burnin’ a hole in my pocket 🙂

      • Laury Kossoff

        I went to Kmart today and used my $3 off Snuggle with their regular price of $3.19!

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      I agree! I don’t feel guilty about clearing the shelf either! My comment to those people who think it isn’t “FAIR” when one person buys 28 my little ponies or all the snuggle softner is “Life is not Fair, so get over it” Sorry to sound harsh, but these people who complain about being fair, drive me nuts and I just wanted to share that! 🙂

      • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

        not that anyone cares what I think! 🙂 lol!

        • Nicole

          I sooo agree. While I try to leave some on the shelves to be courteous (assuming it’s not something I’m dying to have), I really wouldn’t care if someone took all of them. I’m also on a really limited budget and I think some people need the deals more than others, so it’s fair game!

          • yeah right

            Yeah it isn’t fair when someone is robbed, killed, beaten etc either so I guess we all need to just be ok with that right?

  9. Smitha

    Your ma’s words are true words of wisdom. But sometimes I do get angry when the people brag about the deals they’ve snagged in not so straightforward way. But instead of dwelling on it, I just forget it and go about doing my business. 🙂

    • deenie

      It starts bugging me when they talk about selling their great deals on ebay or at yard sales

      • jamie e

        I was behind a lady @ WAGS today who was buying 16 sticks of Ban deodrant and bragging how she was sellin gthem at her garage sale… Now that infuriates me…..

        • shellbell78

          not sure about you, but I would NEVER buy deodorant from a garage sale. Eww.

  10. OiOi

    ” when someone starts bragging about the 50 packages of toilet paper they snagged in the comment section, but remember, it’s best to “Mind Your Own Business”. These people may be wanting a reaction, ”

    I think it’s good to remember that this is the internet and people say & do anything for a rise (trolls!). We do not know who is really posting in comments and it is easy to leave a different name each time you comment here ( or anon).

    If I see a ,,,=^..^=,,, fight a brewing – the first thing I think of is “Are these comments real? Who’s really saying this? Or is someone just trying to start something?” If you don’t feed the trolls they tend to go away.

    Of course people should have ethics and standards (and I truly believe that most do) but just remember that this IS the internet and people can say anything they want without any real consequences. Make sure you’re not taking the bait before you hit reply. 😉

    With a site like this it is hard to carry on a conversation to truly get to know each other and our life circumstances or why we are couponing. I enjoy seeing familiar names/avatars and reading their comments and I typically look for info in everyone’s posts (ink usage, placement of the coupon, expiration dates, beep-age issues, SS-RP-Bricks-PDF etc.).
    It does bother me however when people say they “clear out the shelves” to donate because a LOT of poor people are the working poor they have to purchase things too. At my local food pantry (which is run by all area churches) or at the tri-county wide help center there is never any of the shampoos or conditioners, razors, deodorants, diaper deals mentioned here ever brought in – you are allowed to choose either 1 bottle of shampoo OR 1 bottle of conditioner per family per month (if this is not enough then items must be purchased by the client). But that’s just me and my 2¢ and I really don’t know when someone says “I cleared out the shelf” if that meant they purchased a bajillion or just two. Internet thing again…I’ll go back to munching on my .46¢ box of Wheatables Nut Crisps I scored yesterday at Wal-Mart now 🙂

    • Latasha

      How do you make the “cents” sign? Enlighten me please! Lol.

      • OiOi

        You press and hold the ALT key, then type in 0162 or 155 from the KEYPAD (not the top row.) and just be sure that NumLock is on.
        Alt + 0162 = ¢
        Alt + 155 = ¢
        🙂

        • Joy

          Now that’s a helpful, cool tip! 🙂

        • megan

          ¢ AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

          Now see, THAT is what the comments on here are for! So I can learn something instead of listening to people b&m. lol

          And you said TROLL!!!!!! lol I never thought of it as trolling, but I guess you’re right. Maybe we should demand pictures! lol

          • Susan Ornelas

            ¢…ahhhh that is a cool tip. I had to try my hand at it…lol…I have to admitt that if I have 4 coupons ( that’s all I ever have) and only 4 items are on the shelf (and I shop on Saturdays) then I take them, but only if my family uses that item on a regular basis. I have 7 kids and laundry stuff and toilet paper I have cleared a shelf or two but only x’s 4 items. I did that (to be honest) before I started couponing because life with 7 kids can be tough but when there is no TP it awful…LOL…and I’m the worst one when we run out of TP hee hee hee. I buy 4 24 roll TP and it last about 3 weks to a month (if I have Kleenex) if we have a cold and no Kleenex well the TP serves 2 purposes and we use it faster.

            I have been alone all day and I seem to be babbling. Have a good one everyone

          • Sara

            ¢ that IS cool! 🙂

          • OiOi

            @ Susan, I don’t want to sound as if I’m steaming mad when people purchase more than 1 item – I grew up in a large family and had friends that came from large families I understand and get it when people shop and purchase 4 gallons of milk at a time or 4 bottles of shampoo and conditioner. I just feel that sometimes people really don’t know what it’s like to be poor, using a food pantry or on financial assistance, those people only get so much and they really do have to purchase items. Lower income people who would benefit greatly from couponing cannot always afford to purchase the newspaper on Sundays for the coupons or have ink for their printers (if they have them) and at my library you cannot print coupons because they will not install the coupon printer. My local library which has around 25 computers for the public are always full and people use them just like you would at home – they’re on facebook, blogs, etc. I just see such negative comments sometimes (especially on FB) about when someone asks politely where a promised coupon is and the replies from others are “OMG eggs are $1.49 just buy them!” “if you’ve got internet access then you’re not hurting for money” and think how those people making those comments really do not know hunger or what it’s like to be truly poor. They would be so surprised to know that people in need are everywhere.

            Okay I’ll get off my Johnny Cash’s ♫ I’m the man in black ♫ soapbox now 😀

            I think if most of us all met in real life we would seem much more reasonable and sensitive to others concerns than what comes across online – Have I rambled on enough? lol

            The musical notes, if anyone is interested are:
            Alt + 14 = ♫
            Alt + 13 = ♪

        • jess

          ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ……………54¢ cooL!!! i’m used to doing $.54…hahaha

          thanks, OiOi… :mrgreen: (now i just gotta remember the code)

          • jess

            ♫♪ :mrgreen:

    • Anna

      another good comment left by someone on here…..thanks for saying this! there are a lot of people who are struggling to make ends meet, but don’t feel like they are “poor enough” to go to a food pantry for items. i have often toyed with the idea of taking quite a few items that i don’t necessarily need at the time, but have decided to hold off and just purchase a few because you never know who might be walking around the corner more in need of something than i am. another deal will come. they always do. there are always the same coupons that rotate around. and thank God we are able to use coupons. and that we aren’t checking Collin’s blog from a homeless shelter. we have a lot to be thankful for, even if we don’t get every last item on the shelf.

      • Anonymous

        ¢¢¢¢¢–LOL YESSSSSSS!

    • Joni

      I don’t know about the food banks by you, but where I’m from many of the people that show at these food banks are foreigners pulling up in fancy cars wearing designer clothing, carrying designer handbags talking and texting on their iphones. They say they have 15 kids to feed and because they have a medical card and link card, they are given bags of food. Many of these people own businesses and are loaded with money. It’s getting so bad out here that many of the food pantries are closing. They know what is going on here and they don’t like, but are powerless to stop it. And it’s a real shame when people of real need show up and are turned away. Yeah, life is not fair.

  11. Tracey M

    Well said Collin!!!! You are truly a classy lady 🙂

  12. Tisha in SC

    Collin, I so appreciate you posting this “Mind your own business” topic. I SO AGREE. I understand that it can be frustrating loading up the kids & going to the grocery store & then the items that you went for not being in stock but getting angry or leaving negative comments will not resolve anything. Get a raincheck for next time, see when your store’s truck comes in so that you can get there early but complaining about it is childish to me.

  13. Stephanie

    Very well said!

  14. Lorri E.

    Well said Collin! I have six children – so a family of 8! I am sure there are people who think I get too many deals too. Sometimes we have to remember that households have different needs. I remember when Bloom started having triples coupons. There were some coupon ladies (who, BTW, only have themselves and their husbands to buy for) were trying to dictate to the rest of us “Only one like item per person!” tehe I guess that meant that I got 8 of each item — since I have a family of eight – tehe. It’s just good to remember we all have different needs and are coming from different places. Any hey, rainchecks are a wonderful thing. And if rainchecks don’t work, there is always another deal just around the corner.

  15. Jessica A.

    Never thought about complaining about people wiping out the free & cheap stuff, there are alot of people out there couponing and I realize that, like ya’ll have already remarked, life goes on. Just yesterday when I went grocery shopping at Fry’s (Kroger), the snuggle was on sale for 2.99 and I had 3 $3 off cpns for snuggle making them free (awesome!!). As I was checking out the fabric softener, an elderly man walked up and picked up a box of snuggle dryer sheets, he sighed, put them back and grabbed the cheapest box of dryer sheets. So I gave him 2 of my cpns and told him to get the snuggle, b/c they were free. He was so happy and exclaimed that he was glad he had run into me. I bought one bottle of fabric softener (free and still awesome) for myself and that’s enough for me. Share the wealth ladies, it’s worth it!!! It’s great that we’ve all learned how to spend our hard earned dollars in a responsible manner, but let’s not go overboard and get greedy.

    • Dreya

      Awesome! What a nice thing to do!

    • Pat

      I’m with you Jess and thank you Collin with such posting and thank you for all your hard works. I don’t have much and I thank God that I came across this “Hip2Save” site and learned about coupons. When I see the blessing of couponing filled up my cabinets, I started to donate. Lately I have send 10 boxes and 10 duffle bags filled with all coupons stuffs to Churches they send out donation to the needy. I feel good about it, I was having nothing and now I have a little something from coupons and I want to share it. God bless you all.

    • Megan

      Thats great! I am always looking in other people’s carts to see if I have extra coupons for things they are buying! Also if I make somebody wait behind me because of all my coupons I like to leave a few behind for them! It’s nice to make a stranger smile from something as simple as a coupon!!

    • Jenn

      Jessica,
      That was so sweet of you! You probably made his day =)

    • catherine

      Completely agree. I do that all the time, other shoppers really appreciate it.

    • MommySpendsLess

      Aw, that’s an adorable story! 🙂

  16. Jessica A.

    And thank you Collin for everything you have done to help others save money!! It is truly appreciated 🙂

  17. Dee

    I agree – you can’t control anyone else except yourself.

  18. kelly

    you can now add “counseling” to your job description and resume. 🙂 keep squeezin’. 🙂 🙂

  19. Teri

    I agree with your comments. I don’t like feeling like my couponing has been affected by someone else’s couponing etiquette or lack there of, but I can only be responsible for my own actions. When I teach someone about couponing I try to teach a little etiquette and give the “how would you feel if…” speech but that is all I can do. They have their own decisions to make.

  20. Erin

    Collin, you are so sweet! You save us tons of money with the deals you post AND you put up with some (LOTS of) nonsense. Thanks for all the time you invest in this site….I’M ADDICTED to it. 🙂

  21. Jamie

    Great Post Collin!! I agree, we need to show a little bit of kindness!!

  22. Nicole

    Does anyone else find it really funny that some people on here actually email Collin about this? Is she supposed to be the coupon police? lol

    Even if she cared about your complaints (which quite frankly, I wouldn’t read them if I was her), what do you expect her to do? Track people down and smack their hands for buying too many of one item?

    This seriously cracks me up… lol

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      Oh so funny, Nicole!! And then, if you read the posts, there are people justifying their complaint emails. I love this stuff!! 🙂

  23. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    Wow, I have to admit, I do find alot of the comments very entertaining… including the “fighting”. 🙂 I had no idea people were bothering Collin though. I think we should leave Collin alone. Let her do her work and keep those emails to her deal related!:)

    • Anonymous

      She opened herself up to such e-mails by starting this blog. It is part of her job, so she should accept it.

  24. Gina

    SAD to hear that our fellow couponers take things like this to heart……..with so many issues going on in the world
    Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, whether they are single, married, or have 19 kids and counting, each of us have are needs and every single one of us have cleaned out the entire stock of something at one time or another.
    As long as everyone does it legally, we should not complain (MIND UR OWN BEES WAX)
    AND ONE MORE THING ISN’T THIS WHY WE HAVE RaInChEcKs. =o)

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      I love rain checks!

  25. ~ Jennifer J.

    Love your blog. Love this post.

  26. AHS

    Being a couponing newbie, how do we know what things are ok or not? You said some might be using them illiegally without knowing it, how do I know I’m not? Yikes!

    • MommySpendsLess

      As far as coupon fraud goes, basically you just want to follow the rules, which are printed on the coupons themselves, in the fine print of the sales flyers or in the store’s coupon policy. A few examples:
      – If a coupon says $1/2, don’t try to get away with buying just one of them
      – If a coupon says it’s good on the 16 oz size, don’t try to use it on the 8 oz package
      – If a coupon says no photocopying allowed, don’t copy it, even if it’s a printable
      – If a coupon says it’s valid only on the super duper premium kind, don’t try to use it on the basic variety
      – If a coupon says “Redeamable only at Store X,” don’t cut that part off and try to use it at Store Y
      – Don’t buy something at CVS/Wags that gives back ECB/RR, spend the reward then return the product
      – Don’t use a coupon that you know to be altered or fake
      Figuring out the rules is usually pretty easy because they’re specifically written down by the companies that make them. If you have doubts you can email corporate or talk to a manager for clarification.

      The gray area is ethical issues. Do you take peelies if you’re not buying the product but might buy it later? How many coupons should you take from a tear pad/blinkie machine? How many products should you buy if there are 100 left on the shelf? If there’s only 4 left? If it’s Sunday morning? Or Saturday evening? Is it okay to buy more if you have a large family? If you’re donating to charity? How many times can you print/use a .pdf coupon? Is it okay to use a coupon clipping service/eBay to obtain more coupons? If it’s clearly a computer error, should you still take advantage of the deal? Etc..

      • LIsa

        Yes, people definitely have different moral compasses that guide them!

  27. Karen

    AMEN!!! I love all the positive comments and all the deals!!! Thank you!!!!

  28. amy

    i totally agree you dont know what the other persons life is if i go to the store and buy 100 pizzas we are a family of 10 that is only 10 days worth where as a family of 1 will only buy 10 days worth (10 pizza) on the up side if i know i really want to “clear” a shelf i ask the store to order me blank amount of what i need my grocery store gets them in in 2-3 days tops….I take pride cause i can stay home and home school and get all but my produce for free dont judge me when u see a large amount of anything in my cart…..i did notice i get less funny looks if i hale ALL my kids with me lol

    • Tilla

      I rarely clear the shelves of anything, because I don’t have a garage, or storage space. BUt i will say .. I have A LOT of gillette razors (thank goodness they are small) … we are a 1 income family with 4 children, and couponing has saved my butt these past few months.

      I don’t find the problem wtih someone clearing the shelves, I find the problem to be with the store who does not stock properly for the sale. When something is a great deal, and your customers know it, then you should have enough to go around. I am fortunate to live in a city that has numerous of each store, and cities close enough that also have numerous of each store, so if something is amazing…like the razors or post cereal..I am willing to do some driving. But I would really enjoy it if my local stores could just stock properly, and then restock as soon as a shelf is empty and not the next day.

      • Sarah

        Tilla, I work in a grocery store and we don’t have unlimited space. We try and keep as much as we can on hand but we only have so much space on the shelves and in the back. That is the reason that stores give out rainchecks. We want you to be able to get the sale items and we don’t want to inconvenience you that’s why we get as much as we can and when it’s gone we have to wait for the next truck to come in before we can restock. (btw trucks come in about every 2 or 3 days.)

  29. ann

    I think there are a lot of questions regarding coupon etiqutte and maybe people emailed Collin, queen of the deal, for clarification on etiquette.Perhaps it was a compliment to her, that everyone would listen to her advise and establishing some norms for newbies. I would appreciate a post on coupon etiquett for sure. Is it like the internet, where writing in all caps is legal but also considered poor etiquette? Until someone poins that out to new email or texters, they might not know.Far be it for me to judge anyone buying what they need. I think, though, tracking a deal can sometimes seem like tracking a Zhou Zhou pet.I can see where it would be frustrating to find every shelf cleaned out each Sunday morning. It does get a little competitive out there unfortunately. By Tuesday all the Huggies and Special K were gone from Target. Crazy!! Thanks for the great website!!

  30. Amanda Hoff

    Collin for President!

    • Tilla

      if our government used coupons, or purchased their office supplies at staples and got some rebates..maybe we’d be better off..I’ll vote for Collin..haha:)

  31. Linda

    Nicely put Collin….as said above; keep on squeezin’ “)

  32. cheryl

    Collin!!! AMEN you go girl!!

  33. Annmarie

    Being a “victim” of very rude and strong words against myself on another coupon site I can say that everyone really should think before they type. I was accused of major fraud when in all actuality I was new to all this couponing and did not know all the rules yet. I printed off more than one of the Rite Aid video coupons for a baby product since when I hit print the pop up allowed me to select the number I wanted to print. I had no idea that I was doing something wrong. I figured I had hit the jack pot and was so thrilled to be getting a great deal. I now know I should not do that. I would have learned the same thing if nicer less accusing words would have been used. So where others thought I was purposefully trying to scam I actually just did not know what I was doing. Please remember if you do feel compelled to comment do it in a way that you would want someone else to do the same to you.

    • Tilla

      very well said…i rarely mind my own business..a bad habit of mine…but I am always intending to be kind when i butt in, and I try to say everything with tact and a friendly manor…I am a brusque person by nature, so I do have to work hard, to make sure that someone isn’t getting their feelings hurt, or is misunderstanding my intentions. Anyway, my point was your point…you can say things in a kind way while still getting your point across

    • Holly

      Not sure if you are speaking of the J&J baby deal, but when that sale was going on I printed off 10…just for the heck of it. Not knowing if it was “right” or “wrong” I asked the manager, explaining the deal I was going to work, and showing him all of my coupons. He told me to go ahead and that it was awesome. I even clarified that I had printed 10 of the coupon, etc. He said once again that it was perfectly fine to have multiples of the Rite Aid coupon, but of course not the manufacturer coupons. Anyway all that to say the manager was all for what I was doing, and if he would’ve said no then I would’ve still gotten a good deal using my one rite aid q and ten man q’s. You can send me hate mail if you like people, I’ll shove it right back at ya! 🙂

      • MoKeaton

        HaHaHa. Hate mail. I noticed you didn’t supply an email addy. How am I suppose to send you hate mail? LMAO, Joking! It gave me a good laugh today!

      • Annmarie

        Yes, it was the J&J deal. I also figured that if the store took all my coupons that it was fine. But unfortunately I got blasted on a different coupon site. I do have to say I like Collin’s site a lot better. I am glad to hear that someone else did this same thing but got the ok from a store manager. I guess next time I will check with the store manager. Thanks.

    • Lolo

      I don’t think it is wrong at all to print more than one and I often go to another website where they have them available to print with 6 on a page so I save myself paper and such. I see no harm in doing this. I most often do not use more that 2 or 3 but nevertheless, I do not feel I am wrong if I do.

  34. jen

    Sorry to hear that people are doing this to you and I think you handled in away to make anyone proud of you. Thank you for all you hard work 🙂

  35. debby

    thanks for reminding us that sometimes…it is just not our business what someone else does…you are cool lady & I love your webpage…thanks for all the great deals !!

  36. Me

    wow!!??!! Who comes up with coupon “rules” other then the ones printed on the coupon?? Coupons from a tear off pad?? I will take as many as I want or think that i will use. Printing off a coupon online?? If It is something that I will use I will print off as many as it will let me print and then I will go and use them all and if I take everything on the shelf who cares?? I have never really thought about it. I am not allowed to take the last of something because I am using a coupon but if i am paying full price then I can take whatever. These “rules” make no sense. So Yes I agree with Collin “mind your own business” and do whatever feel right to you. And really we are wifes and mothers and chefs and drivers and referees and who has time to worry about what anyone else is up to anyway???

  37. Dana

    As a Manager of a retail store that is posted on here every day, the only problem I have is when some post about printing the policy and putting it in a cashiers face, or managers face. I dont think it is fair to treat these people wrong when it is coporates fault on policy. They have made changes at my compnay many times and it was posted on the internet long before it reached the store level. I know that in my store I have so many people who come in usually late right before closing to use 20,30 or more coupons they will not hand them over untill you ring every thing up to try to confuse the cashier and get by with using coupons that were not allowed. My store has in the last year gone from only less than $50 dollars a month in coupon loss to well over $500 a month. I am a big coupon user myself and print extra from this site to give to my customers, I love great deals. There is just to many who ruin it for the good people

    • Sara

      Dana, I always like to hear viewpoints from the other side of the register. 🙂 So, when you use coupons as a shopper, when do you hand over the coupons? I hand them over last because I asked a couple cashiers when I first started couponing when they wanted them. No intent on trying to surprise them or get by with something. Those people who come in before close with all the coupons, what do they do that makes you think they’re trying to get by with something? Honest question. I have a friend who is a cashier at Target and the manager has warned all employees about a couple of women who come in apparently regularly with fraudulent coupons or try to use coupons inappropriately. I never want to be one of the “flagged” couponers. Although my Walgreens is beginning to recognize me–hopefully not in a bad way. But I never used to go in there before couponing because their prices are higher than Walmart, Target, Kmart. Now because of coupons they are getting my business–and I’m spreading the word and I know my friends have started shopping there now because of coupons too. Anyway, I’m starting to ramble.

      • Dana

        First I have my employees ask for the coupons to be matched with the product as we ring it up from our customers who have many. this way each coupon can be read with the exact product. the reason I have several ladies who come in close to closing is because they always have coupons for things that do not match always!!! they hand over a big stack after everything is rung up and then start doing this switching out to get the cashier confused, it is their system to do this, and they do make it harder on those who are honest. I am one to have mutliple coupons myself and also give to my customers all the time. But we all know their is always those who make it worse on others by their actions

    • jess

      if the coupon goes through, obviously, we had the item there to match it….i hate when managers and cashiers get bitchy at us couponers because you have to do “one extra step” besides just ring up the items and take the money….SO what?! people use coupons & it’s YOUR JOB to take them no matter is we use one or 100 coupons, as long as we bought the corresponding items, it’s not illegal…..and do me a favor, dana, don’t refer to it as COUPON “LOSS”, because your store WILL get reimbursed for every coupon w/ 8¢ profit for each one….O and by the way, WE WILL BRING IN OUR COUPON POLICY IF WE SHOULD RUN INTO A CASHIER WHO DOESN’T KNOW THE RULES….I think it’s rediculous that we memorize coupon policies as couponers since we use them on a regular basis, and store cashiers/managers don’t KNOW these things…..make it a part of your training…& you’ll avoild feeling stupid when we prove you wrong in front of your employees…. smh,

      Ok….feel better now…

    • MommySpendsLess

      I don’t think anyone is advocating being rude to the cashiers or managers (or at least I hope not!) But as the customer it’s hard when we go in following (what we think are) the rules set forth by the store only to be made to feel that we’re in the wrong or trying to do something fraudulant. It can be frustrating to find/print the coupons, pack the diaper bag/snacks, load the kid(s) up in the car and spend time in the store looking for the products we want to purchase only to walk away empty handed. Having the printed policy on hand is just to show that we’re not trying to cheat the store, not to say “Haha, you stink!”

      I’ve worked in service oriented jobs so I completely understand that the decision makers in the corporate offices aren’t always in touch with what actually happens down in the stores or how their policies affect the lowest level employees who have to enforce them.

      I think clear (and polite) communication of the terms of the transaction between the store employees and the customers would benefit everyone…and that’s going to take effort on the part of the corporation, the customers, the cashiers and the managers.

      As a side note, I always hand my coupons over last because I think it’s easier on me and on the cashier to focus on one thing at a time. When they’re spreading out the coupons and matching them to my items as things are scanned, it’s hard for me to make sure that everything is ringing up at the sale/clearance/correct prices and that none of my coupons are sticking together or getting lost. I understand not wanting to accidentally ring in coupons for items I haven’t purchased so I have no problem if a cashier asks or checks if they don’t remember one of my purchases but I appreciate when they make things as smooth as possible.

      This reply is mostly to Sara’s question, but I personally feel that people who come in right before close with any sort of unusual/difficult/lengthy transaction (or meal in the case of servers) are being a little inconsiderate to the people who work there. Yes, things happen but if Timmy just flushed the last of Sally’s baby formula down the toilet or you just realized that you’re on the last roll of TP, that doesn’t usually involve a conveyor of items and a stack of coupons… and yes we stop ringing up new buffets 30 minutes before close since you’ll probably want fresh food stocked and available for at least an hour after ordering… 🙂

    • Chantel R

      Dana,
      I agree with some of what you said, but so what if people come in close to closing time and use a bunch of coupons? I’m still usually ringing people up after closing time, it is what it is! Just be thankful that we have customers at our stores and we’re not going out of business! 🙂

      • MoKeaton

        I personally shop at night, sometimes close to closing time. I am a SAHM, with 2 little ones,( 4 older ones) who absolutely hate being in the car for any amount of time. It’s easier on me shopping, my kids, and my hubby if I go alone late at night.

  38. Andy Lee

    Wow.. I just read some of these comments and these readers are dicks. Who the hell needs 28 my little ponies!? I stock up too, but damn.. if some distant family member needed something I have, I’d gladly give it to them.

  39. Chantel R

    andy…a little harsh way to put it, but i get your point and agree. i stock up also. Especially on food and cleaning supplies. But I think that buying stuff you don’t really want or need just because it’s free, might be just plain greedy.
    look, people….
    i work as a cashier, at a VERY coupon friendly target.
    i love it when people come in with coupons! i get totally pumped up when people save a ton of money. HOWEVER, you have to look at something from our perspective…if there is a great deal that week, for example…lets say the Monopoly games. $2 per game last week with coupons. This is not an item that we are going to get hundreds of everyday. It’s not like it is potato chips. There is going to be a limited supply. SO, if a couple people come in on Sunday morning at 8am and buy 20 each and wipe us out…guess what happens the rest of the day? 100 people come in and are dissappointed. People point to tough times and stocking up, etc…but what are you stocking up on Monopoly or my little ponies for? I mean seriously. Yes, i’ve heard all the people say they donate to charity and that’s great, but come on that’s not what everyone is doing.
    My point is this…by all means let’s coupon and smart shop our way through these rough times. But when it comes to getting things just because we can get them so cheap, and we’ll figure out what to do with them later…all I can say is, if you saw how upset so many people get that miss out, you might think twice before clearing the shelves.

    i’m not trying to mind anyone’s business, i just want to let you know how i feel. 🙂

    go collin!

    • Joy

      Great perspective Chantel. Thanks for sharing. 🙂 I can’t imagine having to deal with all those angry customers. I could never work retail. I just have to deal with angry parents at my job instead. 🙂

      • Joy

        Oops. That last smiley should have been a sad face. 🙁

    • Andy Lee

      Im not trying to offend anyone Im just a really blunt tell-it-like-it-is type person. I wish you were my cashier!

    • CeeCee

      They might be selling them on eBay????

      • deenie

        I was in Target when the toys after Christmas went down to 75% off. Two moms (one watched kids and one grabbed) filled 4 carts overflwing with items – tossing in very nondiscriminatory. I tried to get 1 item and it was literally grabbed out of my hand. I left the toys while they were there came back later and got a couple things (very little left) and headed to checkout and there they were – bragging with the clerk about selling the items on ebay -that was how they made money as stay at home moms. They bought over 500$ in items and they told the clerk they would probably triple their money in just a couple days – GRRRR – this did upset me – it is not couponing – but grabbing out of others hands – – –

      • Andy Lee

        absolutely or in AZ people actually steal stuff from stores and sell them at swapmarts. I guess im just too use to people stealing. Im pretty tired of this city.

    • Dana

      they are taking it to the flea market, I see our products there all the time…lol… that is why they buy 20 of everything

  40. Tilla

    does anyone know of a good Bounty paper towel deal? I only like bounty…so no other brand deals will help me. if i was on a deserted island, and could only have 1 item, it would be bounty paper towels. I’m nearly out and they are too darned expensive:( stores I have near me are safeway, target, kmart, walgreens, albertsons, rite aid…we don’t have cvs here. we do have bartells..but i’ve never been.

    • Anon

      It’s Viva for me, sorry I can’t help you.

      • MoKeaton

        My Walmart has them on Rollback for $12.50 or something close to that, for the big 16 rolls packs I believe.

    • Dana

      rite aid has them on sale this week

  41. Donna

    WOW………..guess I missed all the drama 🙂 Glad I did LOL…….it is like many things in life… you have to go by what you think is correct. There is someone in my area that the WAGS store cringes to see coming in. They say that he try to do all kinds of crazy things, and clears the store out of stuff. I personally want to be looked at as a kind person, who shares, but some don’t have that mind set, so more power to them 🙂 Like the motto……when life gives you lemons………..Happy couponing 🙂 I’m so blessed to have found Collen’s site 🙂

  42. CeeCee

    Collin…you do soooo much for all of us, and it’s a shame your little famliy of couponers have been actting like a bunch of children.

    All of you that live in the midwest area are extremely lucky for all the great deals you get. I live in Colorado, only Safeway & Kings (Kroger) double up to only $1.00. Albertsons and K-Mart do not match coupons unless they’re having a special sale. All other large grocery stores, Walmart, Sunflower, Sprouts, Whole Foods and Rancho Librio never ever double coupons. Some stores do not let you use more than 3 product coupons at one time, even when there’s a catalina sale. Albertsons doesn’t take any online BOGO coupons, or any online coupon over the amount of $2.00. So I couldn’t even use the BOGO egg coupon that took me over 7 hours to get on Facebook (Albertsons is the closest to my house)–but used it at Walmart. You know the Dove shampoo/conditioner “rolling” RR, it didn’t happen here. And nobody allows coupon stacking. The point I’m trying to make is, you guys get much better deals.

    I’ve been out of work for 12 years due to an accident and I’m single–so there’s no one to bail me out. Until I found couponing, I mainly ate what I got from the food banks. Now at least I have a little discreation over the food I eat now…thanks to learning how to get freebies or low cost item.

    This is why I’m so thankful for everything Collin does. Let’s try to act like adults and not ruin it for her and us!

    Be greatful for the deals YOU get and all the help Collin gives us.

    • Pam

      Albertson’s must be different all over the country. They took my B1G1 coupon for the eggs.

  43. Andrea

    I find it disheartening that so many of the posts regarding this topic have become not-so-nice comments toward others. It really amazes me how (most) women find it necessary to attack others immediately. The majority of those posts I speak of comment to childish behaviors (as if you imagined grown women acting like children pulling on their mother’s pant legs, seriously?). It appears to my (in my opinion) that the majority of you have missed to message here. I do not imagine that Collin intended this post to come off as approval for poor behavior. The message was simple. Yet, the majority of the replies to it have been lacking etiquette. People never cease to amaze me.

    • Anon

      That’s the problem, the message is too simple, she’s being too nice and people will just continue to do whatever they want as they did in basically most of these posts. Most agreed, MYOB, but then went on and on about their feelings and situations concerning people “emptying the shelves”, It is tooooo funny!!

      • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

        *Rolls eyes at your comment*
        No one can have a discussion about anything unless we all follow only your way of thinking or rules because only you know everything about everything………you’re sooooooooooooooooooooo perfect and smarter than everyone here, why don’t YOU tell us how to think and act anon.
        MYOB and get over yourself princess. And I guess you missed the “too simple message” of : “If you don’t anything nice to say, then don’t say anything”
        Thanks so much for posting a comment on everyone else’s thoughts & feelings when you have nothing to add and waited until this thread has moved on from current discussion. It’s tooooo funny!

        • Anon

          OMG!!! You forgot to MYOB!!!

        • ;-)

          Wow. Take a close look at YOUR WORDS AGAIN:

          And I guess you missed the “too simple message” of : “If you don’t anything nice to say, then don’t say anything”

    • Chantel R

      what’s wrong with having a discussion? i don’t think that there is anything wrong with voicing our opinions. just as long as we can all be nice. it’s dumb to email collin and ask her to intervene though. but as far as i can see, most of the so called “nasty” comments are just people calling each other out for making so called nasty comments. people will write a “nasty” comment about someone else writing a “nasty” comment. too funny.

  44. MoKeaton

    I think you all are missing the point of the whole MYOB post! Regardless of Collin owning the website, she has a family, friends, children, husband, house etc. Why should it be her job to play referee to a bunch of immature, bratty, grown women, who can’t find anything better to do than have a word war on the internet? Yes it is her website, and she is responsible for her website, and the information she posts on it, but she is in no way responsible for the behavior of every person who comes here. I sit and watch you all fight over the dumbest things. Then, when no one is paying attention to the bickering anymore, someone jumps in with “Collin, what do you think about what is happening on YOUR website”. Which is basically like saying to Collin, “Mommy, come and tell Sally that I am right and she is wrong”. The mere fact that you all need Collin to come and justify your behavior in the comments section, is an admission of guilt in it’s own right. You wouldn’t need her to come and tell you what you are saying is okay with her, if you knew what you were saying was right in the first place. Quite calling her out, to have her voice her opinion on what Joe Bloe does with his coupons. This post was not about how many ITEMS each person buys, it was strictly about Collin telling you, that when you all start bickering and fighting, she was keeping her nose out of it. MYOB!

    • Anon

      You need to do the same!!

  45. RJ

    hmmmm…I don’t know what the big deal about the Red Gold grocery bag.
    They are cheaply made bag that you put a half gallon of milk and it rips. It’s not even big enough to fit 3boxes of cereal. It goes in a trash after a couple of uses. They are made by cheap labor overseas.
    Another freebie that’s not sustainable but yet everyone wants it because it’s FREE.
    You really don’t have any bags at home at all?
    I don’t even want it even if it’s free. I just don’t understand all the ranting about the bag thing.
    MYOB, that’s right. but everyone should just stop and think all of those deals. Make use of what you already have. Be thankful for what you own.

  46. Sandy

    Collin, You are doing an AMAZIG job! I reap the benefits because of the information you provide. By far, you are the most accurate of all the sites I frequent AND you have the deals n’ steals listed before anyone else!

    I don’t think there is an easy answer. I do think we should all be respectful of each other and be grateful for those comments which enlighten us to a better understanding or another way to do a deal. As they say, there is more than one way to skin a cat!

    There is another site frequent which has a forum. It generally keeps any commotion off the main page and gives people an opportunity to exchange ideas and post brags so others may learn and see how other great minds work! I do like that format for I have and continue to learn from others.

    Whether you keep it the same or make changes, I do appreciate all you do. Times are tough and for some it seems as though the tough times never end.

    Perhaps we can all pledge to leave Collin out of any altercations, allowing her to spend her time finding more and more fantastic deals we all have the choice to partake in.

  47. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    I am a newer member and still learning the couponing ropes. I was (am) so shocked by some of the bickering/nastiness/rudeness here! It feels a lot like jr. high lol!
    I am just going to continue to try to learn all I can and have fun doing it. THANK YOU COLLIN for this post and all of your hard work!! 🙂

    • Andrea

      Tracy- I highly recommend that you avoid the “message” boards to stay away from the nastiness. It happens here just like it happens on nearly every other forum site with message boards. I enjoy this site for the mere access it gives me to great deals and coupons. That is it. And there will always be women who act out in the way you described…it’s just best for some of us to avoid it. From one couponer to another: Good luck couponing!

  48. Kris

    I just wanted to mention a couponing article in my newspaper recently, This is one of those syndicated colums, i forget the lady’s name, but she was actually talking about couponing ethics and that most coupons say void if transfered, Her take on it was that manufacturers want you to say.. share with a friend, But that actually selling them over the internet in mass quantities crosses the line and probably isn’t such a great idea.
    I have never purchased coupons and don’t think that i will ever try that.
    So i guess that is what would bother me about shelf clearers- I know you can never know some ones motives, but just because you really really really want something doesn’t always make it ok. and i do worry about manufactuers penalizing everyone for some peoples actions. again just my two cents, i wouldn’t have emailed Collin about it but since it has been brought up, i thought i would share.

  49. KATSY

    JUST FYI- I “cleared the shelf” today at CVS- buying 1 box of Stove top for .27¢ – so even unintentionally I took the deal from someone else!? – SORRY!

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