Coupon Insanity

[matt_thatsme]

Has anyone else went to the store to grab a pack of batteries, a bundle of paper towels, or the like and gotten stuck behind some clown with a few dozen coupons and thirty tubes of toothpaste? This whole coupon craze fad is getting out of control. Twice in the last couple of weeks this has happened to me, turning a quick in and out trip into a thirty minute lesson in frustration.

 

[buckeyescott11]

Try being a cashier when someone does that..I want to kill myself when that happens.

 

[matt_thatsme]

I feel so bad for the cashiers. This lady at the store tonight literally had a four inch stack of coupons and the register kept messing up because apparently it can only scan so many coupons before an override from the manager is needed. The lady was being a complete bitch, constantly shaking her head and talking down to the cashier.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Go to Aldi they have lower prices and they don't take coupons.

 

[Tonyank]

I do the coupon thing, but would never not tell the person getting behind me. We do it and make money, I can see how it could cause problems.

 

[TooTall]

Go to Aldi they have lower prices and they don't take coupons.

What are you? Some kinda nazi?

 

[scott91575]

What is worse than coupons...food stamps. Chalk up 30 minutes if you get behind someone with food stamps. I really don't understand the process, yet from an outsider this is how it goes...

Ton of groceries are lined up. Clerk starts to check them all in. Persons pulls out stamps. Clerk look at them, and then looks in some book. Person with stamps pulls back random items. Clerk then leaves. 10 minutes later clerk comes back. Clerk and bagger recheck items. More items are pulled back. Child in cart starts to scream. Some items are added from the ones pulled back. Clerk leaves again. Clerk comes back. Some random manager and clerk looks in book. Items are removed. About 30 minutes later items are finally bagged up and person leaves.

I witnessed this a few times. Now when I see the signs, even if I am the next person in line with all my stuff on the conveyor belt I switch lines. Then I watch other people and their frustration.

I understand this doesn't go on in most places. I used to go to the super rich supermarkets. Yet now I need to take care of my dad, and I shop for him. The local Kroger by his house is near a less privileged area. This is not a commentary on the poor. It's a commentary on the system. I have no idea how it works. Yet all I know is if you get in line behind some who uses food stamps, switch lines or prepare to use your groceries for provisions. You will be there for a while.

 

[buckeyebri]

Self checkouts are the way to go. Usually folks with massive coupons want use them. Make them credit or debit card only and they would be even better.

 

[Buckeye Maniac]

What is worse than coupons...food stamps. Chalk up 30 minutes if you get behind someone with food stamps. I really don't understand the process, yet from an outsider this is how it goes...

Ton of groceries are lined up. Clerk starts to check them all in. Persons pulls out stamps. Clerk look at them, and then looks in some book. Person with stamps pulls back random items. Clerk then leaves. 10 minutes later clerk comes back. Clerk and bagger recheck items. More items are pulled back. Child in cart starts to scream. Some items are added from the ones pulled back. Clerk leaves again. Clerk comes back. Some random manager and clerk looks in book. Items are removed. About 30 minutes later items are finally bagged up and person leaves.

I witnessed this a few times. Now when I see the signs, even if I am the next person in line with all my stuff on the conveyor belt I switch lines. Then I watch other people and their frustration.

I understand this doesn't go on in most places. I used to go to the super rich supermarkets. Yet now I need to take care of my dad, and I shop for him. The local Kroger by his house is near a less privileged area. This is not a commentary on the poor. It's a commentary on the system. I have no idea how it works. Yet all I know is if you get in line behind some who uses food stamps, switch lines or prepare to use your groceries for provisions. You will be there for a while.

Food Stamps haven't worked that way in years. Anymore, "food stamps" are a credit card. You swipe it, and it pays for everything that food stamps are able to pay for (i.e. not including alcohol or non food items) After it pays for all that, it leaves a total for everything not paid for by the food stamps. That can be payed for using any normal payment method.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Go to Aldi they have lower prices and they don't take coupons.

Great post. I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[MightbeaBuck]

Food Stamps haven't worked that way in years. Anymore, "food stamps" are a credit card. You swipe it, and it pays for everything that food stamps are able to pay for (i.e. not including alcohol or non food items) After it pays for all that, it leaves a total for everything not paid for by the food stamps. That can be payed for using any normal payment method.

It happens in Bowling Green and Toledo too - as recently as last week. Yes, they use the credit card machine when the payment is ready to be made, but the way Scott describes it is pretty much dead on. Not sure why it takes so long, maybe the store or maybe the customer is making it more complicated than it has to be.

 

[Buckeye Maniac]

It happens in Bowling Green and Toledo too - as recently as last week. Yes, they use the credit card machine when the payment is ready to be made, but the way Scott describes it is pretty much dead on. Not sure why it takes so long, maybe the store or maybe the customer is making it more complicated than it has to be.

Sounds like it's both. I used food stamps for a couple months because I was required to get them for my job. It is literally as easy as using a credit card.

 

[buxfan4life]

Go to Aldi they have lower prices and they don't take coupons.

I do this for canned goods, boxed items they carry, and such. I have been ordering through Omaha Beef for my beef, poultry, pork and fish lately (little more expensive, but comes frozen and individually wrapped, which is big for me since I live alone during the week and only have my son on the weekends). For fruits and vegies, I go to the local farmers market. The only place that takes "coupons" where I grocery shop is Omaha Beef, but since it is online ordering, no wait at the check out. :)

 

[scott91575]

Food Stamps haven't worked that way in years. Anymore, "food stamps" are a credit card. You swipe it, and it pays for everything that food stamps are able to pay for (i.e. not including alcohol or non food items) After it pays for all that, it leaves a total for everything not paid for by the food stamps. That can be payed for using any normal payment method.

OK, they no longer pull out a book, it's a card (yet the card is food stamps, the clerk just doesn't look at them anymore). Yet the rest certainly still happens that way. Just happened the other day to me. I have no idea why, and I really don't plan to find out. All I know is when the clerk get that look on their face and goes for the book, I switch lines.