I just find it frustrating that we as honest couponers have to suffer the coupon policy changes and the reduced amount of coupons because a TV show thinks it's ok to let their participants use fradulent coupons so they can have a zero total on a two thousand dollar grocery bill. This is not what couponing was meant to be about. Irritated!

hey Sharon, thanks for the link. i didn't even know who that person was or that the site existed. some good info

I did enjoy the one with the college boys. they didnt seem to do anything wrong, and they were more than willing to serve the "candy from the top of the yogurt" as a snack for their toga party which is incredibly inventive :).

i admit i watched a few of these .on one show the couponer was using the coupon for 1.00 off any one pouch of bumble bee  tuna .she bought the canned tuna to make them free+ the register wouldnt take the coupon and the cashier told her she had to buy the pouches. the couponer then took the coupon and said that it says "any" so i want to buy the bumble bee cans (of course you do lady)anyways i felt that the couponer knew exactly what she was doing and that if is says any pouch it means any darn pouch.she bullied the cashier into taking them anyways so she could have the free tuna and overage.wrong ,wrong ,wrong. it made me so mad i will not watch that show.

The $5 coupons were more than likely counterfit, or they were from a bulk-item store (like BJ's, Costco).  Normally grocery stores won't take these coupons because they do not consider the other store a competitor, but there are always extreme exceptions made for the show!  Also, if you listened, the people with free item coupons, the coupon always says 'up to $xx', NORMALLY if you buy a product that is $2.00 that is how much the coupon is worth, BUT my fiance and I noticed that the one woman was counting all the way up to the $xx (I think like $5).  again, exceptions were made for the show.

The grocery store probably doesnt mind eating the money they are not getting back from the manufacturer this once because they are getting so much publicity from the show.

if you're going to watch the show watch it as a form of entertainment, not anything to get tips off of.

~nicole

I have never watched the show, but one thing to keep in mind is that is all for TV.  I wouldn't be surprised if the registers are set to accept certain things and that the coupons may or may not be real.  They want viewers and the stores want the advertising that the show has to offer them.  I am sure that it is determined long before the show what items they will be buying and the registers will be adjusted accordingly.

I could be wrong, but this is my view on the idea of the show.

I watched part of that episode and went to sleep. As a long time couponer, I know I am not going to run across some of those types of coupons--if I do, it will be limited to one or two, not enough to fill a room full of toilet paper and such.

What always strikes me is how energetic some of these people seem but the products they are buying (full of fat, sugar, carbs, processed) are making them unhealthy. It's not often you see someone on the show at a healthy weight.

Luckily it's gotten to the point here that if I open the pantry and see chips, cookies, crackers, etc. I feel as if we have no food--basically this stuff is for entertainment only because it sure won't fill you up or take away your hunger. I generally do not stockpile these items at all and have eliminated entire categories of food from our diet. I still save quite a bit of money.

Sometimes I wonder why so much food that is manufactured has absolutely no nutritional value at all. At least in countries where food is scarce, they are surviving on grains, etc. Maybe not completely nutritious but they are probably getting more nutrients on an all rice diet than we are choosing from a smorgasboard of bad foods.