zippysgoddess
Senior Member
What is the name of your state?PA
Okay, this was just so embarassing.
I was in a store yesterday shopping with a friend of mine. We are both big coupon users as we need to save as much money as possible on groceries. As we were in the store, we stopped to look at the Sunday papers, she found one that someone had messed up, so the coupons and ads were sitting on the top of the paper, instead of inside it. She proceeded to take the loose coupons and place them into a paper she was buying and put it in the buggy. This store has very large signs all over, regarding the taking of coupons out of papers being theft.
It got worse, throughout the store, there were coupons on some products, the kind that are stuck on with adhesive so you get them if you buy the product. Now, when I see these, such as on 2 liter bottles of pop, I will try to grab a couple bottles with the coupons on them at once, so I can use one with that purchase and have one or two coupons for future use. Not a problem since I am buying the items and that is what the coupons are intended for, purchasers of the items.
However, my friend was very blatantly just digging through the items, in front of everyone, peeling off the coupons and sticking them in her purse to use later, without buying those items. I was so embarassed and didn't know what to say so I just went on with my shopping and tried to pretend I hadn't seen anything.
My concern of course is, that even though I didn't do it, and she got away with it yesterday, if she does this again and we are shopping together, and someone stops her, could I also be in trouble? Even though I didn't do it? Maybe as an accessory or something?
It creates a real dilemma for me, as I hate theft of any kind, many of you already know that, from posts I have made in regards to shoplifting. We are good friends but this has seriously made me reconsider whether or not I should shop with her ever again.
I know some would not consider the taking of coupons as theft, but if they are in a newspaper or on a product that you are supposed to purchase to obtain them, I can't imagine acquiring them in any other way. I do not believe in using coupons for items you don't purchase, or using them in ways for which they aren't intended, really you just screw yourself if you do, because if it happens to much, stores will stop taking them.
Anyway, I am just not sure what to do here, should I speak to someone at the store about it? Should I speak to her about it? Should I just avoid going to stores with her?
I regularly save over 60% or more on my groceries with couponing, I cannot afford to be arrested or banned from a store because of her stupidity.
Any advice?
Thanks!
Okay, this was just so embarassing.
I was in a store yesterday shopping with a friend of mine. We are both big coupon users as we need to save as much money as possible on groceries. As we were in the store, we stopped to look at the Sunday papers, she found one that someone had messed up, so the coupons and ads were sitting on the top of the paper, instead of inside it. She proceeded to take the loose coupons and place them into a paper she was buying and put it in the buggy. This store has very large signs all over, regarding the taking of coupons out of papers being theft.
It got worse, throughout the store, there were coupons on some products, the kind that are stuck on with adhesive so you get them if you buy the product. Now, when I see these, such as on 2 liter bottles of pop, I will try to grab a couple bottles with the coupons on them at once, so I can use one with that purchase and have one or two coupons for future use. Not a problem since I am buying the items and that is what the coupons are intended for, purchasers of the items.
However, my friend was very blatantly just digging through the items, in front of everyone, peeling off the coupons and sticking them in her purse to use later, without buying those items. I was so embarassed and didn't know what to say so I just went on with my shopping and tried to pretend I hadn't seen anything.
My concern of course is, that even though I didn't do it, and she got away with it yesterday, if she does this again and we are shopping together, and someone stops her, could I also be in trouble? Even though I didn't do it? Maybe as an accessory or something?
It creates a real dilemma for me, as I hate theft of any kind, many of you already know that, from posts I have made in regards to shoplifting. We are good friends but this has seriously made me reconsider whether or not I should shop with her ever again.
I know some would not consider the taking of coupons as theft, but if they are in a newspaper or on a product that you are supposed to purchase to obtain them, I can't imagine acquiring them in any other way. I do not believe in using coupons for items you don't purchase, or using them in ways for which they aren't intended, really you just screw yourself if you do, because if it happens to much, stores will stop taking them.
Anyway, I am just not sure what to do here, should I speak to someone at the store about it? Should I speak to her about it? Should I just avoid going to stores with her?
I regularly save over 60% or more on my groceries with couponing, I cannot afford to be arrested or banned from a store because of her stupidity.
Any advice?
Thanks!
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