10/21/08 | Coupon Poll Results
[ Currently Eating: Kashi Cookie ]
OK, OK yes it is time for a new poll. In my blog drafts, I have one labeled “DO A NEW DANG POLL ALREADY!” so I wouldn’t forget. It just keeps slipping my mind.
So here are the results for the “Coupon Clipping” poll. I just want to say that it’s gratifying to see major news outlets posting more about coupon clipping. I had our poll running way before the current economic downturn.
I think the results were pretty much in line with what I expected. A gradual increase between “Always” to “Frequently” to “Sometimes” as far as how often most people use food coupons. I think it just takes a certain type of person to do it always - I guess it helps if you’re the “shopper” in the family, and you cook quite a bit.
I guess I fall into the category of folks who won this particular poll. I occasionally clip coupons out of the mailers that come in - but I don’t keep a book of coupons like some folks. I do use a “grocery card” when possible.
However, I guess I was a little surprised at how many people NEVER clip coupons. I thought especially with the current economic climate that there wouldn’t be as many. I think perhaps if I had started the poll now, maybe the results might be a little different…
Anyhow, there is a new poll up. This one, I have actually been thinking of writing about for three years. I originally thought it was maybe too “controversial”. First off, I need to stay that I personally DO NOT condone any stealing of any kind. I don’t want people to get the wrong idea.
The poll question is: Have you ever stolen food? I have actually received from 5-6 emails from folks over the past 4 years, about them having to resort to stealing food in order to survive. I’ve never re-printed the emails - I just didn’t want to get involved with talking about the issue. I have to say that I felt really bad about what these people were forced to do. And it sort of shocked me that these were all people living in the U.S.
I think there are a lot of “gray” areas when it comes to that. I mean, if you walk in to an El Pollo Loco and go up to the salsa bar, fill up several containers, and leave - I guess that seems like stealing to me. However, if you buy a 99 cent side salad and then fill up 25 containers of salsa - is that technically “stealing”? If I jump into the dumpster at the Big Lots and pick out packaged food items past the date they’ve thrown away, is that technically “stealing”? I have heard (ex) friends justify stealing candy from the 7-11 saying that it’s not hurting anyone except the greedy corporations. I respectfully disagreed with them and tried not to hang out with them any more…
I dunno - I’m sort of conflicted about this whole thing. There have actually been featured stories lately about people from the Depression who had to steal chickens in order to survive (the articles are somewhat romanticized if you ask me). I hesitated to post about the topic because I know there are going to be some pretty strong opinions out there. After all, didn’t they used to cut off your hand in certain countries if you were caught stealing?
In any case, I decided to make a poll of it first - just to see what people’s experience with it was. I realize that the poll doesn’t really address the question of “what exactly is stealing?” and skirts the whole moral issue of stealing in order to survive. But I can’t really do a complicated poll, so this will have to do for now.
October 21st, 2008 at 4:41 pm
I think you can ask the question without diving into the ethical issues. I’ve never stolen food, but I’ve read that recently it’s become a big issue with senior citizens in Japan so much that crimes among the elderly have increased four-fold in the last decade. It’s not even that some of them don’t have the money, but rather that they don’t want to use it. They think it’s not such a serious crime.
October 21st, 2008 at 8:27 pm
I forage for wild edibles (mulberries, hickory nuts, etc.) in small quantities several times throughout the year and I’m know I’m not supposed to. So I guess I steal frequently though I never pilfer stuff from stores.
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:04 am
The big difference between today’s situation and that of the Great Depression is the existence of social services. Back in the 20’s, you might have had a better argument for “stealing to survive,” but you can get food stamps if your financial situation is dire. So, to me, there’s no excuse for stealing food.
Your “friends” who steal candy drive the prices up for the rest of us, and if they don’t want to support a “greedy corporation,” they can learn to live without it. I remember seeing a movie where a guy was given too much change and the Devil said, “Cheapest soul I ever got.”
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:53 am
orchid - I had no idea it was an issue in Japan! I think it’s not so much the diving into ethical issues that’s a problem. I’ve been on the moderating end of questions like these, and it is not fun. You end up trying to play peacemaker, and inevitably get attacked for having any sort of opinion at all.
kirk - are the wild edibles in other people’s gardens and/or property?
adam - As I said, they are no longer “friends” - that was high school. I don’t condone any stealing of any kind.
October 22nd, 2008 at 7:52 pm
The wild edibles are mostly from parks and often the small cemetery next door but NEVER from others’ homes and gardens. I’m not like raiding suburbia in a ninja costume or something
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:16 am
Here’s my reason for not clipping coupons:
I never buy processed or pre-packaged food (except for canned goods), and there aren’t that many coupons for things like bag of rice or a head of lettuce. So my way to get around this problem is to just buy everything at ethnic stores.
October 23rd, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Well done on dropping those “friends.” Anyone who uses the weak argument they use can’t see past their own nose. Consequences to actions don’t just end with one person or group. Unfortunately, there are thousands who think they way they do and don’t realize that their actions affect not only the corporations but other consumers like Adam mentioned above.
I would say buying a $.99 salad and then taking more condiments than is necessary for that item is stealing. Your payment goes towards the cost of the food plus “reasonable” extras such as salsa and napkins. Unless you’re gonna put all that salsa on the little salad, there’s no need to go taking that much. Only reason anyone would take that much condiments is so they don’t hafta pay for it to be used in another situation where they would normally have to pay for it.
Like buying a gallon of milk then wrapping it up in 50 paper bags.
October 24th, 2008 at 6:56 am
Though I’m a big coupon clipper and have saved quite a bit by doing so, lately I’m re-thinking the whole thing. Like Harry, I’ve taken a good look at my coupon stash and notice that tons of the items are boxed/processed and I’m trying to cut down on such things in my life. I’m experimenting right now, using what I have in my pantry & freezer and buying “closer to nature” in the future. We’ll see how that goes.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
[quote]”I mean, if you walk in to an El Pollo Loco and go up to the salsa bar, fill up several containers, and leave - I guess that seems like stealing to me. However, if you buy a 99 cent side salad and then fill up 25 containers of salsa - is that technically “stealing”? If I jump into the dumpster at the Big Lots and pick out packaged food items past the date they’ve thrown away, is that technically “stealing”?”[/quote]
Taking thrown away food? I wouldn’t consider it stealing, I mean if it’s in the dumpster, it’s considered something a person doesn’t want so if someone else wants it, it’s free to take(usually) so I wouldn’t consider it stealing.
El Pollo Loco - Well, it depends if they have any rules in the restaurant. I never really go to El Pollo Loco, so I don’t know if they have any rules on that.
I guess you could ask one of the employees at the place “Can I take 25 containers of salsa?”, probably best to ask the manager or something.
On an unrelated note - Is a Little Caesars near where you live? They have $5 large pizzas which could be a good review for cheapeats.
October 26th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Just want to tell you that I love your site! You are a great writer and your posts are very informative! I especially like when you write 3 dollars or less recipes….keep it up!
October 27th, 2008 at 6:41 am
Wild edibles and dumpster diving aren’t stealing. If no one is using them, how is it stealing? Stealing is taking something from someone that they value, that costs them something. Dumpster diving might be illegal in some areas, that’s different. However, as an experienced dumpster diver, there’s lots of good stuff that people throw away. The Black walnuts that fall on the roadway from the tree on the church property are being driven over by cars. Might as well pick them up and use them (leave some for the squirrels. they like the ones that have turned black anyway and those are not much good for humans at that point). Find the nut trees in your neighborhood (walnuts are easy, no leaves, big round green fruit hanging from branches) and offer to clean up the nuts from the homeowner’s yard. Many people who have black walnut or other nuts in their yard will thank you for it! (ever hit one with a lawn mower? deadly). I know lots of people who never use the fruits/nuts that grow in their yard and they are amenable to someone asking if they can pick them.
I don’t condone stealing, either, but like I stated, picking up stuff that is thrown away or not being utilized before it rots is not stealing!
October 28th, 2008 at 7:51 am
Like Harry, I generally don’t buy anything pre-packaged or pre-made either. The only exceptions tend to be cereal, soy milk, pasta, and condiments (dijon, sriracha sauce, etc). Everything else we make ourselves including bread and pasta sauces.. the majority of our purchased food is produce or raw ingredients.
We used coupons much more when we did buy processed foods, but now it’s just the occasional coupon for General Mills cereal, or $1 off a certain brand of pasta. Whole Foods has these great coupon books now though, and we use those much more frequently than the coupons that come in the Sunday paper.
November 3rd, 2008 at 8:52 am
I don’t clip coupons but I do pay attention to club cards and store specials. As a result, I may buy a bunch of frozen spinach all at once when its BOGOF. Canned beans, legumes, pasta, frozen veggies frequently and often go on sale. While I don’t eat heavily processed foods much at all, I do need basics. For me, coupon clipping, shopping and whether or not to buy a convenience food is all about balancing the cost of time. I’m exceptionally blessed to be able to choose to be frugal - its not a necessity - but I do need to make sure I’m not spending oodles of time to save $1.50 at the store when I could have spent that hour on something comparatively more productive.
November 4th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Seconded that getting wild edibles isn’t stealing. In fact, even if you get it off someone else’s lot, depending on what it is they will probably consider you as doing them a favor. For instance, although she generally doesn’t eat them, I let my little girl pick dandelion flowers out of people’s yards, especially the yellow ones, because that cuts back on that person’s “weeds.” Other folks consider mulberries a nuisance because they make messes all over the driveway or on people’s cars. Nutty, since they’re edible (and my little girl loves them!), but there you go.
As for hands cut off for stealing, that’s actually a requirement in Islam, BUT, Islamic scholars generally agree that with every requirement in Islam there is an accompanying right, and the reason most Muslim countries don’t actually cut off hands now is that they recognize they are not providing for all the people’s basic survival needs. They reason that only in a society in which all those survival needs are met can you honestly punish someone for stealing, say, a loaf of bread. FWIW.
November 24th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I see stealing daily. I work in a grocery store. I want to add my 2 cents, if I may…..
I rarely see food items stolen that one would think are just for people “struggling”. Almost daily we see steaks stolen. Steaks are the most expensive meat in our store (and most others) People either steal it to sell or are poor (personal responsibility anyone?) and/or greedy. The truly poor starve. the “poor” who are so by their own choices steal stuff that is the most expensive and/or name brand. Does that tell you anything?
With the holidays approaching I see spices etc. (all name brand) pinched.
Its easy to say or think that the big fat cat corporations arent effected….thats sort ot true. THEY arent…The stores themselves are. Theft makes each individual stores inventory bad. Bad inventory = individual store cuts. Be it supplies, raises or hours scheduled per week. So by stealing people are hurting people that are sturgling just as hard as they are (maybe) to survive.
The truly poor have avenues to get food and supplies. There really is no excuse or justification to grocery stealing.