Shocking Trip To The Dollar Tree For Sunday Coupon Inserts

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It has been a while since I have done a rant… but what happened today at my local Dollar Tree was too illogical to pass up.

If you did not already know I am not an extreme couponer…I can snag some amazing sales but I am not going through dumpster nor am I buying 20 newspapers. I tend to buy three Sunday newspapers each week at our local Dollar Tree. $3.00 for my weekly coupons fits my budget well – though I do miss out on some deals that require  4+ of the same coupon… I manage just fine.

Most Dollar Tree have a policy that you can only buy 3 newspapers – which makes sense to me…

So I left the house this morning 15 minutes before the Dollar Tree was suppose to open – drove two blocks and was greeted with a 30 + person line in front of the Dollar Tree. I could not believe it… As I stood there patiently waiting for the store to open – and the line building up behind me – I over heard an interesting conversation taking place in front of me… it was about extreme couponing of course….Many of them stating that they never even used a coupon before the show.

Finally the door is open in a panic there was a rush to the newpapers stand… and what was so shocking is that families were taking three newspapers per person. Now I understand if it is your husband and yourself – then three each is fine… but when you give each one of your kids three newspapers including place three in your baby’s carriage – that is crossing the line a bit. One group in front of me took 21 newspapers.

Many of the people who were standing behind me never got a newspaper and they were waiting 10 minutes before the store opened.The people did not even go into the store – perhaps trying their luck at another Dollar Tree.

Can you believe that?

As I waited for the line to die down – I shopped and picked up $10.00 worth of items. Almost all the people who snagged newspapers were shopping.  As I checked out I noticed that the cashier was the store manager – and I nicely grilled her. I asked how many papers did they receive that week – and she said 120… She said she loved having the Sunday paper because it brought a lot of people in to the shop… As she was telling me all this …. 5 times… count them 5 times… she had to tell potential customers that they were out of Sunday newspapers.

Now there is something that I do not get… If you are allowing everyone in each party to take 3 newspapers are you not limiting how much money you could make? She gets the newspapers but does not make any money off of them – the money is made on all the other purchases that the customers make – by having to turn away customers it is like turning away money. .

This is how I saw it…. do you agree? I would love your opinion about this event ♥

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Comments

  • Jill Van Vlack

    Well I do understand now why they limit the amount. It isn’t right. I don’t dumpster dive, but I do if I can remember to, go to my local gas station and ask them if they have any left over circulars.

    • Lyle

      We have a dollar tree around that does not have a limit because they sell 900 Sunday papers per week. It is only one store though as the others put limits.

  • Jill Van Vlack

    What I meant by “It isn’t right” is that these families are bringing in all of their kids and using babies to buy papers

  • Evie

    I agree with you hun!! I think that behavior was rediculous.The store should h ave done a better job of limiting the amount people took,and I think they lost a lot of potential money/customers because of it!

  • Jessica

    I agree with you 100%. I usually dont get my newspaper until monday as our local sunday newspaper is record and landmark or the charlotte observer. and the record and landmark sells their sunday papers all week long at the printing place. I just found out that I was getting the wrong paper every week so I started going to Food lion to get the charlotte observer since that is the newspaper that has the P&G inserts. We got 1 newspaper it was the last one. I usually only get 2 papers every week. I have a big family of 7 but why should I take from others by trying to do a stockpile so big like on that show extreme couponers? I enjoy reading all of your posts and how you share the deals you find I appreciate it very much.

    Thank You for what you do!!!

    Jess

  • Christy

    That’s just craziness!!! Sadly though I think it is a sign of the times. People are struggling to feed their families but I agree that having each person in a family buy 3 newspapers each is greedy and not fair to others. I’m not sure our Dollar Tree sells the Sunday paper but I have found every gas station and grocery store in our college town sold out before noon.

  • kathy

    I tried our local Dollar tree only to find Missing red plums, smartsourcs exct, tey said sorry nothing they could do. Now i deliver to home & get what i pay for 🙂

  • Kasey

    Wow!?!?! :-/ I’ve been “couponing” for years not “super crazy extreme” but I save quite a bit for my family. Crazy about this Dollar Tree ordeal, they aren’t profiting by selling the papers… Maybe they should limit one per person, or up to three with a purchase… Wild :-/

  • Betty

    I completely agree. What’s really sad is this extreme couponing show has killed all of us long time couponers and I have seen some of the MOST ridiculous practices since that show came about. you cant just jump in head first, and ill bet most of them are broke by the end of the week from over shopping!

  • Tracy Craft

    I absolutely agree! Some of those people have crossed the line. I subscribe to 2 papers and that’s it. I “swap” coupons with my mother and i have a friend who occasionally will give me coupons she doesn’t use. But 2 sets of coupons is fine for me. I am not a “grocery hoarder” – I shop for what I need and “pay it forward” with anything else. We have 8 children (7 are now grown but in their 20’s) – so making goody baskets for them is what I’m learning to do. So if ketchup is on sale (a good sale + coupons) – I’ll happily stock up on 2 or 3 bottles (not 50). I always keep in mind that there will be more coupons and the items will go on sale again………

  • wanda

    Weird story. I did not even know Dollar Tree was selling Sunday papers. I wonder if they do at our local one that just opened here. Extreme couponing reminds me of greed. I do use coupons but it really doesn’t impress me that people have things piled to the ceiling while others do without on a regular basis. I’m all for a good deal and I’m a member of a bunch of groups that extend stories on how to save because it does benefit me on occasion. Thanks for sharing your story. Maybe I will see if I can get my one newspaper for a dollar next time. 🙂

  • jaime

    How do u even know if your dollar tree sells Sunday papers for $1? I only ask bc for 5 weeks now I’ve had to drive 20 miles to get a single paper!! Everyone clears the stands out and then they hit the stores. Its very frustrating!

  • Debbie Plew

    That is so wrong. Limits need to be in place and as consumers we should respect that. I am upset because we were informed today our Dollar Tree will no longer be carring the Sunday paper 🙁

  • Nicole

    I definitely agree! If there is going to be a limit, then they should really enforce it better. It’s fair to the rest of the customers and they would make more money off of all of the extra customers they would be bringing in. Either they need to do that or majorly ramp up the amount of papers they receive.

  • Morgan Norris

    I agree completely! Then you also have to think, if these people can go in there and spend $21+ on newspapers alone, how much do they really need to use all of those coupons? They are taking the opportunity from someone who may go to Dollar Tree to spend the last $3 they have so they can get coupons to feed and bathe themselves or their children because they’re broke. I have seen situations where my entire area is out of newspapers and I’m sorry but I just don’t have the money to spend on gas to drive all over the city looking for a newspaper. I don’t do the extreme couponing and I’ve never watched the show but I do have a small stock of things because my husband and I don’t have a lot of money but we don’t go overboard. Some people are just ridiculous about it.

  • Debbie

    Yes, I totally agree with you. I can’t see the benefit to the store if they allow a family of say, 5, to buy 15 newspapers but are forced to turn away 4 other potential shoppers.

  • Dee

    Some of our local stores, but not all (yet), have resorted to keeping the Sunday paper behind the counter to prevent insert theft. Seems to me that this practice would help prevent people from hording papers as well. If they want that many papers why not just get about a dozen or two subscriptions to the Sunday paper and be done with it.

  • tammie b

    I absolutely HATE what that show extreme couponers is doing! (And I didn’t capitalize the name of the show on purpose.) There are incidents like you had to unpleasantly experience. On top of that, stores are constantly changing their policies and it seems that there are less coupons available-or so it seems to me. People are hoarding so there is nothing left on the shelves for others. Then there are the people that are using the coupons illegally (which the show promotes apparently-why else broadcast it).
    It’s amazing to me that after being a couponer for 25 yrs it is becoming a “craze”.
    As for the newspapers being bought this morning, the manager should have said 3 PER FAMILY. I doubt that would stop them from shopping there and they would have more customers. Personally, I usually one buy one paper and get by just fine.

  • Kim T.

    That is ridiculous! Why have any limit if it’s not enforced? My local Dollar Tree doesn’t sell the papers I need to get the inserts – I buy 4-5 (at least 1 per family member which is 4) but I NEVER clear the rack. I will buy 2 from one store and 2 from another to keep from taking the last papers. I just don’t believe one family needs 21 sets of inserts, only my opinion but that what you asked for! lol Yeah, with this weeks inserts I can get free razors (20 Noxema razors = 5- 4 packs) but even with 3, will be all 4 of us soon, shavers 20 will last a while, at least until I can get them cheap or free again. Greedy people and insert/ paper thieves are ruining things for people like me who are honest and don’t clear shelves. Stupid show!!

  • Tracy

    I fell for you. I started getting the paper delivered because of no coupons in the papers at the grocery store or gas stations and even the news stands. On one Sunday I went to 3 newsstands all empty. 2 Krogers which had papers but the coupons were taken out. A sunoco gas station, a BP gas station and a Certified. Of all of those Certified is the only one that had coupons. In columbus our papers are 2.00, I am by no means a extreme couponer, but I do have 7 people in my house hold, I get 1 paper delivered, if coupons are good I will buy another. Mostly my friends and family give me what is left over that they do not use.

  • teresa harvey

    and those would be the same individuals who clear the shelves as they have their kids buy out the good deals. The Extreme Couponing show has put a very wrong impression of why the majority of us who have couponed for many years. We are not hoarders, we don’t clear shelves, and we follow an unwritten etiquette of trying to save money and save some for others. A few times recently I’ve had to do my shopping at CVS late at night. Not by choice but my son works during the day and also does many church activities so I merely go when its easiest. I’ve learned by pure accident during one of these trips why there is never any sale items on shelves when I go during daylight hours. These new couponers are going at midnight to clear the shelves and the clerks are allowing it. I really wish that show had never came to light. Its really hurt those of us who provide for our family by the savings we can get. Its also why you find more these days stores changing their store policies.

  • Nikkie

    That is why I started a subscription….Every sunday I would go to buy a paper and it would only have red plum in it and /or be sold out before I got there……I now get one paper a day and five sunday papers delivered for $17.00 a month which comes out to .37 cents a paper and it works because my realtor husband can read the daily paper to stay current on the community……..no more missing ads and I dont have to drive all around town to get what I want in a paper!

  • Dedi

    That is just crazy..we do not have limits on our newspapers in my area but we do have limited double Sunday papers for a discounted price.. I usually buy two-three doubles if they have great coupons but other than that I usually just buy 4 papers.. If she is wanting to make sure she doesn’t have to turn people away they need to either hold everyone to the 3 limit policy or up her order of Sunday papers..but that is crazy that people line up for newspapers…I agree the show is bringing out the bad in people…I am my no means an extreme couponers but I normally save 50-70% off my shopping bills..this is something I have done since I was 18 yrs old…this is not something I decided to do because I saw a tv show. I hate the show because of they are sending a bad message about couponers….

  • Kisha

    I totally agree with you. My local Dollar tree (Alabama) has begun handing out newspapers to each customer. Thing is I don’t think there’s a limit. My husband usually make our newspaper run while I finish dressing for work and he’s gotten up to 6 newspapers (I had to instruct him to NEVER purchase 6 again-whew). Now even with him purchasing our normal 3, he mentioned a male customer purchase 21 papers every Sunday. I feel there should be a limit of 2 no more than 3 papers per customer, that way every waiting customer is served. The goal is to save money NOT to hoard products that will probably go bad. Extreme couponers/hoarders are the very reason why stores are changing their coupon policies.*end vent* 🙂

    • Renee

      I agree completely! I am by no means an extreme couponer- a few extra things here and there. I taught a friend of mine how to use coupons more effectively and to save some money- turned out to be one of my biggest mistakes. I’m all for people saving money and providing for their family, but she has taken it to a whole new level. She buys twenty to fourty papers at the local dollar tree every week. It makes me sick because she’s part of the reason it’s gotten harder for the rest of us who have been using coupons since before the craze started. She regularly clears off shelves and loves to tell everyone about it. It’s extremly frustrating for me. She says it’s all about the high she gets from her total coming down at the register. The whole draw for her to couponing is the “game” part of it. Not just saving money. I think it’s people like this that give us all a bad name.

  • Teresa

    I, like you, am not an extreme couponer. I subscribe and get 2 papers Wed-Sun delivered. Sometimes I pick up an extra one or two at half price ($.75) during the week. I have found that I always have to check to make sure the inserts are there before buying. Last week I had to go 4 papers down the stack to find one with inserts. Then today at Walmart I saw a woman on the candy aisle take the inserts out of a newspaper and shove them under a diaper bag in her cart. Then she stuffed the newspaper under the shelf of candy and left it. I was so appalled!

  • whitney

    wow thats crazy lol they really should limit it more but also they should get more papers lol if the’yre running out as soon as the store opens (nad like you said turning customers away) then maybe they should just order more lol

  • Natalie

    Well…. this goes back to the beanie babie craze. I was a Hallmark Manager. I wanted to stab myself in the eye with a fork each and every time I had to deal with those things and the “fairness limits”. I had one lady tell me that since she was pregnant that she could get TWO Princess Diana beanie babie bears (limit one per person). Now, these people were not even buying anything else for the most part. There were also moms with their 3 year olds that I got to play “store” with. 1 per person. I did not have time for that nonsense. I felt horrible for my regular customers. Asking a store to supervise really silly people is ridiculous. This is a bit different since it’s bringing people in that may actually purchase something else… but my point is that for some it’s their job to screw the system. Now, I agree, perhaps they could cut this out by changing the policy to 2 or3 per family, however, you know as well as I know… mommy and daddy will just split up… but I suppose that would get a few more people in their store.

    If they are selling the paper at “cost” and not at a loss, they should just order more papers. I also worked in a drug store… we had ordering control. It’s not like the news agency is going to limit your paper order…

    Hopefully this whole coupon thing will die down a bit. I for one have taken 4 weeks off now. I am burnt out. Between the Target cashiers treating me like a criminal for using 3 coupons and the people in line at Walgreens huffing and puffing because THEIR registers can’t scan my Reg Rewards (that I got at THAT store!!) I can’t take the aggravation for a few almost free razors right now. I have gone for the obvious deals. no clipping or filing or matching for me. Hopefully I will get my enthusiasm back in a week or two.

    I would have taken a look at that line and gone home. At least I have 2 papers at home already. that is good enough 🙂

    If anyone is in Orange County, CA and wants an Orange County Register Sunday subscription only for TWO CENTS (I can front you the two cents LOL…)… let me know. I have 4 offers left (I got 5 as a subscriber) that can be taken advantage of for another 4 weeks or so. I was signed up last year by a friend, so I know there are NO BILLS and NO obligations to keep it after a year… and when that year is up you can re-subscribe for another year for two cents again and they give you 5 offers for friends.

    Cheers!

  • Karren

    She was definitely losing customers by not limiting the purchases to so many per family unit. People will leave there and go to another Dollar Tree or convenience store. I usually purchase mine for $1.75 each at my local gas station. They let me look at each one and make sure they have all of the circulars….hate to get home and miss one! I NEVER have a limit and I don’t have to bring my family to purchase it. I will pay the extra money for the fact that it’s 2 blocks from my house! I’m not wasting any gas to get it. I also get points towards saving $$ on my gas fill-ups with their rewards card!!

  • Vanessa Dolby

    When I went to the store today to buy my supply of Sunday papers, they weren’t out. I had to ask for them as they were kept behind the customer service counter. I didn’t ask why but I can only suppose that it is because people were coming in and taking the coupons out of the papers.

    If the policy at Dollar Tree states 3 per person, then those people were within their rights to 3 each in the family but extreme in their stretching of the store policy. If it reads 3 per family then they should enforce their own policy. People will become unhappy and quit coming to the store to get the paper and then the managements whole idea of profiting from selling other items to make up for the loss from selling the papers is in vain.

  • Eryn

    My son was in the paper recently & my MIL watched me buy a paper out of the machine, close it, insert more quarters, get my second paper.

    She said I’m probably the only person in America who actually pays for each copy they pull out of the machine. I know it’s not true, but it was shocking that honest behavior was shocking to her.

    My self-respect is worth the $1.

    Clearly the people in the Dollar Tree today have very cheap self-respect. All for coupons. It IS a sign of the times, but more a sign that people are selfish than a sign that we’re struggling economically.

  • coupon kim

    what on earth is ab baby and the kids going to do with the news paper i mean come on let others get a news paper as well.i mean if u need more coupons there are other ways to get them other than steeling, having babies and kids get them for you.

  • Kristina Brown

    Wow. You know, I watched a few episodes, and probably won’t continue to watch. I have gotten some tips from the show,but it is not like every day life. Not everyone everywhere can attain those levels of savings. It takes time for one to build up your coupons, and learing when a sale is a good sale to use your coupons.
    A lot of people were afraid of what that show would do. I went to our local Fry’s and they were wiped out of the cereal they had on sale, from 2, JUST TWO people. I am like really? I think if people are going to try doing what they do on the show, they need to watch and listen. Some good ones on the show say they will call ahead and pre-order so they don’t wipe out the shelves.

  • Robyn A.

    Just another example of the bad influence that stupid show (“extreme coupon”) has. Don’t people know that those shops were done for the cameras and coupon policies are suspended for that show. ARRRGGGG, it makes soooo mad. I am a hugh couponer, but I do NOT go to those extremes. I refuse to even dumpster dive and I do just fine with my 2-3 papers ever week. I so can’t wait until the couponin hype dies down, an I know it would cause there will be another season of “extreme coupon” pluse there is another couponing show in the making.

  • Lisa

    I don’t understand why stores set limits and then don’t follow them. Just like at Walgreens where people do a large number of transactions getting the money making or cheap deals. The ad says “Limit 1” on RR deals, etc., but cashiers will do transaction after transaction for one person, leaving the shelves bare and other customers angry.

  • Julie

    My Dollar Tree doesn’t limit the amount of papers you can buy. I go every Sunday at 9 a.m. and buy 8 papers, 4 for me and 4 for my daughter who has a hard time getting out to get hers that early with her young children. The clerk at my store goes as far as setting aside 24 papers for one couponer who comes in every Sunday to pick them up. Yes, they go fast, but I guess the early bird gets the worm, at least around here in Michigan anyways.

  • Renee Aldrich

    I live in michigan and our dollar store offers the sunday paper but I go to Walmart and get it because it is only .99 cents

  • Holly

    Those Crazy Couponers have ruined it for the rest of us!I have always used coupons when i go shopping,been over 20 years now.I could never go without them because it’s a habit.I am thankful that the area i live in all the cashiers at all the stores know me and trust me.It’s the customers behind me who give me nasty looks when i hand over my pile of coupons,and then i am forced to say something to them because that’s my nature!I save a lot of money when i go shopping,but i also put in a lot of time.I am in no sense of the word an Extreme Couponer,just a smart shopper.I would have said WTF! to the Nut Jobs with the kids.

  • Keisha

    I went to my local food city a little bit ago and got my Bristol Herald Carrier paper which has both smart source and redplum in them. I have to check to make sure the coupons are in each on of them because there are coupon theives out there you like to go through all of the papers to make sure each one has both coupon inserts. I was told by a friend that she had seen this lady stealing the inserts or otherwise should I say being let take them by a cashier, well I am good friends with one of the managers and needless to say this cashier won’t be thrilled when they look this up on the video and catch her not doing her job. I mean I understand them giving him away after store hours or something but sheesh I should be able to get my newspaper without having to worry about my inserts not being there.

  • Jan

    I think they just shot themselves in the foot. They could have sold much more merchandise if they had limited the amount as they were supposed to. I enjoyed watching the show, but I think that people have just went crazy thinking they can go to the store and shop the way they did on the show. It’s just nuts. I am very fortunate to live in Atlanta proper where there are street vendors selling papers on the corner for $1, so I don’t have to go through lines to get my paper.

  • lori

    Yeah. That’s very rude. Since I’ve been couponing, I’ve noticed this behavior. For me, couponing is necessary. It helps me stay home with my kids. I’ve learned price matching as well. Honesty and integrity apparently are not wide spread personality traits among extreme couponers. Personally, as a Bible believing follower of Christ, a few cents isn’t worth the risk of eternal separation from God. Seems easy to me when I think about it in these terms. Stealing is stealing.

  • Emily

    They need to be more specific with their limit then, if a spouse can count then a child can count! They need to state 3 per family. If they don’t state that, then what is wrong with three per person and counting your family members as people (which the obviously are)

    People aren’t going to change what they do so you need to ask the manager to changed the rules!

    It’s the same thing when I go to the Drugstores and the shelves are wiped clean, I know if I don’t get there fast enough I won’t get anything and I ok with that! It’s on a first come first serve basis and it doesn’t matter if 20 people took only one product or one person took them all gone is gone!

    There will be more sales and there are definitely more papers! Stop complaining get over it and be happy with what you have. Everyone lets these sort of things ruin there couponing experience and that’s just silly.

  • Missa

    I can go you 1 better this week. I usually buy 8 papers because I coupon for my mom who’s medicine runs $1300 a month and for my family members in the military to send care packages to them. I have to go out at 3 am to get my papers (even from the store) and this morning when I got back home, I find that the delivery people decided noone but the needed this week’s coupons. When my daughter got off work at 4 am she went to some different places and bought an aditional 8 papers and was given one by a friend who manages a restaurant where they get a free one for having 2 paper boxes. We each spent $16 on papers and we only got 2 RP inserts out of it. I won’t sign up for home delivery because when I had home delivery, they broke 2 of my windows and when confronted laughed because their son had that good of an arm and the paper wouldn’t do anything about it because they are independent delivery contractors. I do have a very small stockpile, but it consists of things my family will use in 2 months or so and not years from now. I had a larger one, but when all of the tornadoes came through our area this spring, I gave everything I could for that. I would rather order my coupons online than buy the paper like this and pay them to keep all of the coupons.

  • Christie

    I agree that this was horrible! I have only watched tht show a couple of time bc the hubby was watching and it appalled me that people had things piled up to the ceiling! I do good to half way fill my cabinets with groceries and that is using coupons when I can get my hands on them. I have a limited ability to get to the store so if they are gone there then I don’t get them. This is getting absolutely ridiculousness!!!

  • DJ

    Honestly I think it is ridiculous to buy newspapers just for the coupons anyway. So even you buying 3 for yourself makes no sense to me. I get there are deals to be had and I have watched extreme couponing BUT is it really worth it after you calculate the time you have spent waiting to the buy the paper, the time you spent driving, the fuel and wear and tear to your vehicle for extra unnecessary miles?
    Also how many of those people waste their coupon savings right there in the store on candy and sodas and other crap they wouldn’t have bought – or go after their trip to buy lunch at a local fast food joint? Things they probably wouldn’t have done had they just stayed home with their families and bought groceries with no coupons.

    • Emily

      You can buy a paper for whatever reason you want to buy a paper. Wow you are way off with couponing and assuming way too much.

      • DJ

        Well if you are buy A paper then yes – but when you are buying 20 papers then that is ridiculous in my opinion.
        I am not sure what exactly I am assuming – Obviously people buy other things while they are there because that is why the Dollar Tree store sells them – because of the business the papers bring in. Sure I am adding the extra trip to other places but I said I WONDERED how many people do that – I bet it is a lot. People waste money in a lot of different ways and getting a “small snack” while they are out is one of them.
        What exactly am i “way off” about with couponing anyway? I am guessing that no one needs 25 boxes of toothpaste. Maybe the Duggars.

  • kkaren

    Between the 1 newspaper i buy for 2.00 and the bloggers like you that point me in the right direction i do just fine i have a family of 4 i just bought a new 1700 sq ft home their is no way in hell i will dedicate a room to stockpiling we use every ft however i do find it interesting that dollar tree has sunday papers i think i shal give it a try next week ty for that info ..

  • Monroe on a Budget

    About the vending machines – Yes, please do pay for each copy you take. It is stealing if you take more than what you paid for. Even before the current coupon craze began, I told people to stay away from vending machines if they were in search of coupons. You don’t know who was messing with the papers before you arrived.

    About the multiple newspapers – Please do contact your newspaper to find out what the home delivery plans are. It may be possible to get multiple newspapers delivered to your house either on a double deal as another poster mentioned; or on some other arrangement. That will save you time and hassle. You might even live in a neighborhood where two or three papers are available – it’s not just the coupon mix you want to look at but the grocery ad mix.

  • Apple

    I buy 10 papers..but I am lucky my Walmart sells them for 50 cents on Sunday. But a few weeks ago I went in to Walmart about 7am and all 300 of their copies were gone, bought by one person. Today I missed going in the morning and went in the afternoon, not expecting to find any papers. They were still there, I guess they ordered more and they also told the guy who bought the 300 to come at the end of the day or talk to the newspaper directly.

  • Maile

    I agree – it should be limited to 3 papers per household. And I agree that by not limiting it more, that store IS losing business – Lots of business. Sad on both counts that A) people are so greedy and B) that manager hasn’t thought to set better limits to earn her store a better profit and more/loyal customers. All those who were turned away will remember her always being out and immediately go to another store rather than waste time stopping at hers.

  • Brynn

    I too hate when I see this happen, and sadly it is all too many times. During the Krispy Kreme Fathers Day promotion when they were giving a free dozen glazed doughnuts for bringing in an ugly tie, I saw families with 6 kids each bringing in a tie and each getting a free box! I couldn’t believe it! How were they going to finish all those doughnuts! It is just sad about the papers as well. You do not need 25 of each coupon! I get 4 papers for me and my husband each week and it is plenty! We save money and get great deals and 4 of each coupon is more than enough! You know it is people like that that clear shelves at stores so no one else can get anything! So sad!

  • Christine

    I flat out gave up on trying to buy the Sunday paper in the stores. They are so afraid of being left with copies that they never get enough and I like to sleep late on Sunday. 😉

    I have subscribed to 4 copies every Sunday. I find I always save more than they cost me.

  • Nicole

    This is so sad!! I did also start couponing since the show, but I have morals about it. I always make sure to only get what I need for myself or my family. I also share coupons that I don’t need with others. As for papers, I get home delivery for them because I don’t do shopping on Sundays and because I want to leave those other papers for others who need them.

    I think this kind of problem is happening all over. Not just about coupons but about many things. It seems people have lost common courtesy somewhere along the line. I seem people constantly trying to get away with things that end up hurting those around them in one way or another. It is so sad to me.

    I am sorry that is happening in your area. I hope things will calm down with the coupons soon so that everyone can enjoy them in a good way.

    Hugs!!

  • Christina

    ridiculous! I wish I could get home delivery,but I live in a apt and they leave my paper on the community mailbox, it was stolen every time. I usually take the baby for a walk on Sun morning to the conveinence store and check before I pay since people have taken inserts.

  • Sandy

    When people try to twist the rules it just looks greedy in my opinion. 3 per household seems like more than enough. I love couponing, but I will not fight for a paper or dumpster dive.

    I think there are enough deals out there to get reasonable amounts of products without going overboard. Besides…..there will always be another sale and another coupon.

  • Jaime P

    I went in to my local south sacramento doller store today also and i was suprized as well. there was a line in the store i did not get there till 9am or so, well about everyother person had a stack of papers the most i seen was 7 from one customer but the store was stocked on papers. I feel that as long as ur buying the paper and not stealing them and being courtious of other shopers that are in line for papers too then it is fine but come on now having ur kids SMALL ONES get the limit on papers is crazy. I started couponing and did not know anything about the show I just wanted to save money and then i seen that one of my friends was buying more then one paper and i was like wow why have i not thought about that. then she told me to catch the show and i was blown away. now with all the newer more scandolus couponers out there it is making all of us look nasty. NOT OK as my mom would say NOW GET IN UR ROOM LOL>

  • MISTY

    hi
    i agree with you as well, i live in medford OR and what is going on here is people are stealing the inserts out of the papers from the stores and news stands, i have home delivery of 1 paper and ive noticed that my inserts are very slim these day and all the high value coupons are always gone some times the whole two pages are gone some times they cut the page, im thinking its some one who works for the paper taking the high value coupons, and i usually buy a few from the grocery store and the last few times we have bought them there was NO coupons in them! when i contact the new paper they only said the home delivery gets coupons first and the store papers last so if we run out there is nothing we can do! The funny thing about this is every week they advertise on the front page of the paper (save over $100.00 in coupons inside) hmmm sounds fishy to me… not sure what to do about this problem

  • CaySedai

    I work at a newspaper. Our circulation department saves a few of each paper so people can buy extra copies – you know, if a family member is mentioned or something. But it’s likely that other papers do the same thing, so try calling your local paper on Monday morning to check, then you can buy copies at the newspaper itself, and they should have all the inserts.

  • Kim Mozdzen

    I don’t get it. Why are people so upset? Just go to the grocery store and pay full price for as many papers as you want. Who cares whether dollar tree loses business, they don’t take coupons anyhow.

  • Rebecca

    I agree…there SHOULD be a limit! And I think that 3 is a decent limit. And I also agree that a child, who doesn’t have a job, should NOT count as a member of the family who can snag three Sunday papers. Hopefully, with the business they are getting they will up their newspaper count real soon! My local CVS now keeps their Sunday papers behind the counter on the account that people were just taking the coupons out…how sad!! Let’s be coupon ethical here people, please!

  • Luanna

    The problem I ran into is that I have to wait in line to get a paper or two and a friend of the cashier gets her to hold her three papers every week for her. When I asked if they do that for everyone, she couldn’t look me in the eye and tapped danced around my question with the answer of if I don’t hold them she won’t get one. OK that’s fair. I was going to report it, but decided to get my chicago trib delivered for .50 a copy and not go back to the dollar tree here in Laporte, In.

  • SnowflakeDay (Audra)

    The first night that wretched coupon show came on I was excited…”Oh wee…I’ll get some good tips on using my coupons bettter.” What a joke. That show has ruined everything. I now have to drive 10 minutes farther than usual to get 2 Sunday papers. Reason being, some crazy person is stealing EVERY single paper out of the box after the box is filled up. I guess I could get up at 4am next Sunday and try to catch them doing it, but what would I do…call the police? I’m almost embarrassed to use coupons now. I’ll be glad when the excitement dies down and things go back to somewhat normal. About the Dollar Tree thing…that’s the kind of story that makes you want to laugh and cry from frustration at the same time. That’s what it boils down to…people bending rules to take advantage and ruining it for everyone.

  • Nan Bixby

    What I am finding is that either the carrier or someone else is taking the inserts from the newspapers. They leave the newspaper but there are NEVER any coupons and usually no ads. I have reported this and was told I could get a subscription. We live in a small rural area with no local paper so depend on the Little Rock paper. My husband has been at the truck stop early to buy just one paper (we are not trying to be greedy!) and has seen the carrier there and there were no inserts. Why would I subscribe when if it is the carrier the one delivered to my house would not have them either!

  • Cathy

    Well I agree with you that they should not let each person in the family get 3 papers. But I don’t agree with you saying that you don’t buy 20 papers a week. That might not necessarily work for you, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work for bigger family’s like mine. We do buy 20 papers for our family, but that works for us. We are just trying to save money and make it in this hard economy. I don’t feel that people should keep bashing people that coupon with a large family for buying 20 papers. At least we are not in dumpsters or grabbing papers out of someones driveway. We get into our car and go to the local walmart and purchase 20 papers. I am not bashing you in anyway budget savy diva, I love to read your articles, I have just heard one to many people bashing people who buy large amounts of papers. Thanks for your time

  • Amanda Quintana

    Last week, the Dollar Tree by my house didn’t even have the coupon insert in it! People were complaining like crazy and a girl standing in line said that our Tacoma News Tribune only guarantees the inserts if you have it delivered to your house!

  • Sharon Day

    I only once went to Dollar tree for extra paper because the coupons were so great. I got in on a great deal delivered to my door at .38 a paper. That beats dollar store by a mile.

  • Deborah Rosen

    Isn’t it amazing how greed manifests itself? That a mother would stoop so low to use her own children to fulfill her greed is just disgusting.

    On the other hand, the manager controls how many papers get delivered to the store. A simple phone call, or word to the delivery person, will result in a larger delivery.

  • Donna Bailey

    Our local newspaper ran a front page article about “extreme couponing”. They interviewed two ladies who stockpile big time. I don’t see the efficiency in stockpiling 10 bottles of bar b que sauce as it would seem it would go out of date before you had the chance to use it all.

    Our local chain, Weis Markets, limits the amount of coupons you can use for one product so one could not use 10 coupons for 10 bottles of b b q sauce, they say they need to make sure there is enough for everyone who wants to buy a sale item. Horray for them, as surely there are tons of inconsiderate people out there who only care for themselves.

    Myself, I am happy with a great deal here or there. I watch Target’s clearance areas and from time to time you can stumble on a super low buy, then I’m thrilled. But I don’t need to have 20 tubes of toothpaste on hand and if I have more than I can use before the product would expire I make sure someone else who can use it gets the chance.

    Perhaps you can talk to the store manager about your observations and she will change her policy to 3 per adult, or as one reader suggested 3 with an additional purchase. Although there will always be someone who will look for ways to get around the limit it may allow more people to purchase the paper that want or need it.

  • Crystal Wolfe

    I think you are way off base on many reasons about your “rant”. As the mother of seven and a couponer for years……..I use my children to buy limited quanities all the time. I have never watched “Extreme Couponing”, but I am what you would probably consider to be one. I buy mass amounts of products and I use coupons. I do order by the case at most places and I do not clear their shelves. If a retailer will not allow me to order by the case, then I will clear the shelves……….which is only one of the 14 stores that I shop at. Seems to me that your upset that the store is not getting the benefit of selling the newspapers……………yet, the store can have as many papers delivered as they wish. It is the store managers fault for only ordering 120. As a business owner, I ordered 20 papers during the week and 500 for the Sunday addition, because I knew what my customer base called for and needed. Seems as thought your local store needs to rethink their newspaper order numbers. Please understand that I buy massive amounts of products for my family and for those in need. Presently we are feeding 504 homeless people in our area. It is made possible because of coupons. I would have been one of those people at your store buying three papers as would have all of my children…….it would have benefited over 500 people…………but you assume that people are greedy……………think positive and positive things happen……….think negative and you will get what you expect.

  • Beth H.

    clearing throat. I am shocked. I am not an extreme anything. But I do like my good deals too. I say if someone wants to buy all 200 papers why not let them?

  • V

    I can’t imagine a way the store clerk could “police” or enforce a limit on the number of papers people choose to purchase. Rule bending people will always find a way to do so. It is illegal to sell coupons, so if I understand correctly, the only legal means of acquiring newspaper inserts is to purchase the newspaper yourself. This is one of the complaints about the television program: they show people “buying” coupons online. I notice that the last P&G coupons limit the purchase to 4 like coupons per transaction. That might be a start to slowing down some of the shelf clearing, but as I said some people will always find a way to get around whatever policies or restrictions are placed on coupons. If/when the economy turns around perhaps this will improve. Until then, I will probably still use coupons to buy 10 boxes of cereal or Hamburger Helper – it’s better than going hungry!

  • C

    I find it very frustrating that I cannot even buy one paper sometimes and we live far out of town and do not have the delivery option. I don’t care if Dollar Tree loses business as it is up to each company to form their own policy. I find it sad that those people waste all the precious resources and probably just dump a mountain of trees in the dumpster.

  • Chavonne

    Wow that’s crazy. Yeah I try to be careful when buying the sunday paper because I rarely even use 1 coupon per week. Only occasionally will it have a coupon or two that I can use so I try to make sure I don’t just go out and buy it just to buy it because that’s wasting money. I wonder how many coupons do those dollar tree fanatics really use. Imagine they buy 20 papers per family and use no coupons.

  • Eva

    I think your right they should limit the papers to three per family and stick to it. I had no idea that Dollar tree sold newspapers

  • Coupon Bee

    I learned from the SoutherSavers workshop that coupons have no bearing on how much a merchant makes. It can help their business if it brings folks in but they manufacturer has agreed to pay the store the full price of the discounted item. That Manager is not losing anything… except maybe respect for bad behavior.

  • michael

    seems like if the store is still getting the full price and they are not missing out on anything then we are not shorting anyone when using coupons. Everyone wins, the buyer, the store and the manufacturer learns what sells the best or has the best turnover on the shelfs.

  • My 2 cents worth

    I work at a Dollar Tree and we do not limit the amount we sell. We start out with 300 papers @ 9 am and depending on how many inserts there are…are gone by 11. We have a couple of groups that rotate sundays and buy for 3 homes. 4-15 papers are the average that we sell to 1 person. We had 1 that bought 80. They were a coupon group that was using the coupons to purchase supplies for the tornado hit areas last April. Our area Wal=Mart is now matching the $1 price on the papers. So far we have not had any major problems. (Knock on wood…lol).

  • Randy

    I just go to 7/11…haha Never a line and they never run out. Then I hit my local CVS and/or Walgreens later in the day to spend..AND SAVE some money 😛

  • Tong

    Yup I’m right there with you, annoyed. Ours actually had a limit then they stopped. So if you’re not there by 10:00 don’t even bother.

  • LaTonnya

    Absolutely I totally agree but there is always greedy people that just don’t care for nobody but themselves The manager should have managed those papers better than that and sold only too adults and not children

  • Valerie LaBerge

    I just read your Dollar Tree article! I totally agree with you!! I have seen this first hand! I have also learned to check my papers before leaving the store. Hence, someone stole them and left the paper shell of news! I found out from the clerks that people would take papers to the back of the store and grab the inserts, stuff them into another paper and put the “empty” paper back!! I hope these people get scissor cramps! Today, I went twice to the Dollar Tree only to find they had none! The clerks were so busy, I decided to try another store. Four inserts!!

  • Gloria Davis

    I agree. The couponers rule the store. Either dollar Tree needs to get more papers or I will just stop going there to get a paper. I can have it delivered for the gas and time it takes to go to my nearest Dollar Tree. Less aggravation and disapointment

  • The "Hi, How are you today?" copy.

    Hi.
    I work at a dollar tree as a cashier, and was googling the name of the paper we carry to mention a headline to a friend.
    But then I read your article?
    And guess what?

    You grilled the manager? Honey its company policy. The manager does not control our stock. You were an asshole.
    And 3 per person isn’t to decrease or increase sales. It’s to increase the odds of more people being able to get the little that we have.
    Leave minimum wage workers alone, cuz’ trust me, the managers don’t make much more than a cashier. Bother corporate, not the people who serve people like you, with a smile.♥

  • Pamela Boswell

    I really don’t care. I have more important things to worry about. If someone wants to buy 20 papers, oh well. I doubt the Dollar Tree is going out of business because of them. I cannot stand sticklers and find people who lose sleep over something like this so annoying. I was limited to selling 3 doorbusters to any one customer when I worked retail, and I did not get paid enough to hassle people. They store was getting their money, no matter who bought them, so I don’t know why they even care about imposing limits. Just please, volunteer with the unfortunate, you’ll see people with ACTUAL ISSUES. You clearly have too much time on your hands and stick where the sun don’t shine.

  • Sharon Burton

    In my opinion, the store has to limit the number of papers or someone would buy up the whole stack! I do not like extreme couponing, I think these hoarders are ruining couponing for others with their greed. The way your store is doing it, there’s probably a percentage of people in that line who don’t get any papers who stay and shop anyway! Thanks for your blog.

  • Liliana

    None of my dollar stores , or Walmart sells the Sunday newspaper :(.
    So I have to pay the $4.00 and sometimes or most of the time in my area there’s only one small insert. Who’s keeping the coupons ?