I have a couple of general questions on couponing: ( If you don't want to post in the forum please pm, because i'd really like to know.)

1. I have seen lots of people who have literally hundreds of the same product coupon. I know they are printables. Is this legal? Do they scan them or do different sites allow for hundreds to be printed? And can you really get into trouble or that is a scare tactic?

2. Has anyone gotten in trouble or been warned by the actual company or heard of a story?

3. Is it okay to TRADE coupons....many of them say 'VOID IF TRADE, SOLD etc", but AFC has a trading forum.

Thanks for the insight....just curious and want to understand a little better...still learning!!!

1. Many different sites put out the same coupon. Therefore, you can go to each site and print out the coupon. Or you can go to another computer and print out the same coupons. Usually sites (for example, Bricks) has a 2-5 limit on how many times a coupon can be printed from that specific computer. Everytime you print a coupon from a site, they track it. So if you printed it out once and copied it 100 times. They will see that you did that and could possibly prosecute you for using them in a fraudulent manner. There is a reason why most coupons say "Do not copy or scan". However, some sites allow you to print unlimited coupons out. It depends on the site.

2. There have been people who have gotten into trouble for using fraudulant coupons.

BTW, welcome to AFC!! It is nice to get questions like this because it is very hard to understand at first but once you get the hang of things, it is quite easy.

I am new at all this also. Thanks for the information I will get the hang of it.

So glad to see a guy who wants to save $$$$ so he and his family can stretch those $$$$ further. You'll learn how it is done here on AFC . I've couponed for years (all 50+ years I've been married ) and it does help. But AFC will show you how it can REALLY stretch those $$$$ beyond your wildest imaginzation.

Remember, you buy it when you have a coupon and get double perks when it is on sale and you have a coupon. You buy it w/ coupon & w/on sale so you can stockpile until you NEED it for your family. In other words, if you don't need cereal this week or next, but it is on sale BOGO and you have coupons, YOU BUY. Go for it and keep us informed as to how you are progressing and saving. We're all pulling for you.
GG

And on AFC's home landing page, there are links of sources for coupons. Services that will clip and mail coupons in multiples as a paid service for you and there are sites where you can select and print the legitimate coupons.

1. It is not legal to COPY coupons even the printables ones that have a barcode on them. These coupons are linked back to their home computer. So if you copy them and the manufacturer sees that they have way more than normal, they may start going through them to find out who first started the copying. You also can NOT copy coupons from the Sunday inserts. It is illegal to do. Some people do have access to several computers at school or at work and can print off a bunch of them. But if they are from a newspaper, then there is no way that they are legal and they can get in trouble for using them.

2. I don't remember if anyone has every gotten into legal trouble, but I personally don't want to chance it at all. Plus, we start copying coupons, then why should the man. put them out. It is also like another site who likes to change dates on coupons...big NO NO! There was a lady who was in front of me in Target who tried to use a $5 off $25 coupon that was a copy. They brought over security and a higher up person. I didn't stick around for what happened, but she had been using them quite frequently and she admitted to doing so.

3. Trading is a fine line. We are trading our time, not the coupons.

Another reason a person should never copy coupons is that stores won't get reimbursed for them. That's why many stores will not accept printables. I guess I am thankful for the stores that still accept them, so it's not worth ruining it for myself and others.

I have a really stupid question....i've done a couple of trades and one of my trades i printed 4 printables for someone...i guess the maxed out their printables. IS THIS A SAFE PRACTICE? Or should i generally never print out coupons for others? I never would know if they scan them in and copy them.

Thanks.

There are more people that are honest and don't go around photo copying off coupons that should of only been printed twice. You have to know your trader if you are going to print off printables. But more than likely they are prob honest.

It's funny. I have always enjoyed spending time with my wife going to the store and finding the deals. We would buy the item on sale and stockpile it. It never occured to me to coupon. I watched a special on the Food Network about the Grocery Game....which is a rip....(paying to save is a little counterproductive) but it lead me to search for forums on coupons. And i found AFC. I know it's a female DOMINATED sport...but hey if I were single the Guy:Girl ratio would be very appealing!! I kid around with my wife alot about it...to the point that she has been 'spying' on my private messages making sure i'm not getting an 'offers' as she puts it. It's all in good fun!! I really like AFC and can't wait to see the Kroger/Meijer insets for next week!! Thanks All

Ya never know when that PM might be there. Hey ladies, should we flood his PM box with "offers".

Believe me, a young guy like that wouldn't want anything this old lady has to 'offer'.

Ya never know Faith. Plus on the internet, we can be 25 even if we are 50.

Though my DH told me I wasn't 20 anymore after the little surfin accident. I told him I wasn't 80 either.

to AFC, imaguy! Once your wife sees your savings, she'll be you to spend more time on AFC!

! It's very nice to see a new guy on here. Yes, we are surely female-dominated, but we try our best to play nicely with the men (but not TOO nicely)!

So help me understand this,is scanning a coupon legal,I know you cant copy a coupon but if you get a coupon off the web can you save it to your computer and then scan it when you need more