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TLC’s reality television show “Extreme Couponing” has been blamed as being the driving force behind an increasing number of newspapers being stolen across the country.
“Enter the world of bargain shoppers who have mastered the art of saving!” says TLC’s website on “Extreme Couponing.”
The series has been extremely popular since its debut in April as viewers watch people save hundreds of dollars on groceries by using coupons.
However, now police and supermarkets in Arkansas, Idaho, Texas, Alabama, Florida, and California are blaming the TLC series for thefts of newspapers and weekly inserts.
A 34-year-old woman was charged with a misdemeanor theft last week in Arkansas when she stole 185 unsold copies of the local newspaper. She told police that she was a coupon club member, and felt that she had not committed a crime, reported the Huffington Post.
Her lawyer said “She was just trying to save some money.”
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The Cullman Times in Cullman, Alabama reported an increased number of newspapers missing over the past several months, and Sam Mazzara, Manager of the newspaper, commented. “Over my 31-year career as circulation director, it has never been this bad.”
Coupons, the century-old marketing technique, are enticing even more customers during today’s economic downturn. Americans looking to stretch their dollars can log onto coupon message boards and websites to find hundreds of coupons available.
There are numerous online sources for printable coupons, such as We Use Coupons, Coupon Mom, and Savings Angel, according to a report by ABC.
The report also suggests that consumers should create an organization system for using coupons, where items needed can be cross-checked with what coupons are available, whether online or in newspaper inserts.
According to billshrink.com, 332 billion coupons were distributed throughout the U.S. in 2010, valuing at over $485 billion. The website also reveals that consumers saved about $3.7 billion last year by using coupons, a 5.7 percent and $200 million increase from the prior year.
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