# I just discovered a major loophole! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 25, 2015, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475 "2015-09-25T12:47:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/21 "2015-09-25T23:05:32Z")
The store I shop at takes the $2 off coupons for beer even when you don’t buy the chips or whatever else you are supposed to. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/22 "2015-09-25T23:09:34Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > The store I shop at takes the $2 off coupons for beer even when you don’t buy the chips or whatever else you are supposed to. Where I get my groceries, the computerized till keeps track of all this stuff. I regrettably don’t get to do this trick… ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/23 "2015-09-26T00:02:33Z")
> [@Dragwyr](#): > > I pulled ahead to the cashier window, prepared to give the nice lady my coupon, and she DIDN’T ASK FOR IT!!! :eek: The system is breaking down. The center can not hold. Chaos reigns. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/24 "2015-09-26T02:00:58Z")
Most of the food places I go to don’t ask for the coupon. There used to be a grocery store near me that doubled coupons. They had MrPibb 20ounce bottles for 79 cents each. I had a stack of coupons for 55 cents off a 20 ounce of Mr Pibb. Each bottle I bought, the store ended up owing me 31 cents. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/25 "2015-09-26T07:29:17Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > The store I shop at takes the $2 off coupons for beer even when you don’t buy the chips or whatever else you are supposed to. Modern coupons (the ones with the stacked bar codes) have a tremendous amount of terms-and-conditions encoded in those bar codes. More and more, modern computerized cash registers can and do enforce those conditions. The encoded information also includes start and end dates for the promotion. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/26 "2015-09-26T09:07:59Z")
> [@Mudshark](#): > > Most of the food places I go to don’t ask for the coupon. > > There used to be a grocery store near me that doubled coupons. They had MrPibb 20ounce bottles for 79 cents each. I had a stack of coupons for 55 cents off a 20 ounce of Mr Pibb. Each bottle I bought, the store ended up owing me 31 cents. 😕😕😕 Wait, they’d let you use two coupons on each bottle? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/27 "2015-09-26T10:27:21Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > 😕😕😕 > > Wait, they’d let you use two coupons on each bottle? They doubled the coupons. So, one coupon x 2 in savings. They don’t do that around here, but doubling and even tripling is not uncommon, from what I understand. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/28 "2015-09-26T10:38:59Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > They doubled the coupons. So, one coupon x 2 in savings. They don’t do that around here, but doubling and even tripling is not uncommon, from what I understand. It’s becoming less and less common. Those coupon hoarder shows ruined it. When my store stopped doubling coupons, they made it sound like a great deal. Coupons were now going to be accepted at face value! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/29 "2015-09-26T11:09:26Z")
I was at a bar during happy hour (half priced drafts). I ordered a beer that was already that day’s special (half off). When the 'tender gave me both discounts I explained to her that happy hour pricing did not apply to the daily special. She pointed out that I should shut up and drink, so I did. Eventually I time-travelled. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/30 "2015-09-26T11:31:48Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > She pointed out that I should shut up and drink, … I’ve always found that an extremely difficult argument to counter. With regard to coupon doubling at grocery stores, I never used one that wound up giving me a credit. The coupon doubling has always been capped at the value of the item. And yeah, that stupid extreme couponing show has a lot to answer for. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/31 "2015-09-26T11:33:43Z")
How many times have you filled out an application with the line: “Have you applied for a license in another state?” I don’t recall any follow up question whether or not you were declined for said out-of-state license. ---
**Author:** ![ski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@ski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ski)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/32 "2015-09-26T13:24:02Z")
I had a classmate in college that, when ordering pizza for delivery, would make up his own “coupons”. “Yes, I have a coupon here for a large pizza, side of wings, and a 2 liter Coke for (some made up price)”. More often than not, they’d accept it, as long as he made it sound reasonable. When the driver would show with the pizza, of course he didn’t know or care anything about coupons, he just knew to collect whatever was printed on the label. It worked brilliantly. This was 20 years ago, though, I doubt it would work now, with all orders going through the computer. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/33 "2015-09-26T14:52:50Z")
Given that a lot of mom and pop places advertise “We accept all competitor’s coupons”, it’s be practically impossible for anyone there to know in advance what coupons are out there. The beauty of your roommate’s scam is in separating the person making the decision to accept the discount from the person collecting the non-existent coupon. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/34 "2015-09-26T15:01:12Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I was at a bar during happy hour (half priced drafts). I ordered a beer that was already that day’s special (half off). When the 'tender gave me both discounts I explained to her that happy hour pricing did not apply to the daily special. She pointed out that I should shut up and drink, so I did. Eventually I time-travelled. Marry that woman, NOW! ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/35 "2015-09-26T16:39:16Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > The store I shop at takes the $2 off coupons for beer even when you don’t buy the chips or whatever else you are supposed to. I am going to try this. The deals can be good but I don’t like trying to find a coupon for the chips that I refuse to pay full price for. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/36 "2015-09-26T17:36:27Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > 😕😕😕 > > Wait, they’d let you use two coupons on each bottle? > [@pulykamell](#): > > They doubled the coupons. So, one coupon x 2 in savings. They don’t do that around here, but doubling and even tripling is not uncommon, from what I understand. :smack: I plead “It was late; I was tired.” ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/37 "2015-09-26T18:39:16Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Marry that woman, NOW! My gf once pointed out that I have a bartender fetish. I told her she was crazy. She calmly recited a long list of female good friends of mine who all happen to be bartenders. There is just something about someone who fills your glass when it’s empty. /soul searching ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/38 "2015-09-27T05:09:36Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > 😕😕😕 > > Wait, they’d let you use two coupons on each bottle? The double the value of the coupon, so a 55 cent coupon ends up being worth $1.10. Since the drink was only 79 cents, the store ended up owing me money on each bottle I purchased. Yeah, what **pulykamell** said. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/39 "2015-09-27T19:12:28Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I’ve always found that an extremely difficult argument to counter. > > With regard to coupon doubling at grocery stores, I never used one that wound up giving me a credit. The coupon doubling has always been capped at the value of the item. And yeah, that stupid extreme couponing show has a lot to answer for. At our local store you can’t use any coupon that exceeds the amount of the item. So if I’m buying something that cost $0.99. and I have a $1 coupon I’m not allowed to use it. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475/40 "2015-09-28T01:49:44Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > My gf once pointed out that I have a bartender fetish. I told her she was crazy. She calmly recited a long list of female good friends of mine who all happen to be bartenders. > > There is just something about someone who fills your glass when it’s empty. > > /soul searching Im currently supporting 3 or 4 bartenders myself. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-discovered-a-major-loophole/732475.md?page=3)