OMG - did I just steal?

[Arie]

Okay this may sound silly but, I don't know if I technically just stole something or not.

I was in Price Chopper (Grocery store) getting my double coupon deals for the week. As I was walking away (two Digorno over load pizzas, 6 pack of pop, 3 pack of spring water, 2 bags purina cat food, 2 Oral B electric tooth brushes and a gallon of milk for 13.00 for those of you who were wondering) I dropped one of my Catalinas.

I practically did a nose dive for the floor to pick it up. As I bent over to get it, I noticed a trash can by the coin machine with 10 catalinas balled up on top.

I picked them out of the trash.

Okay - I know I'm now a garbage picker. And that people probably think I'm nuts. BUT - is this stealing? Do I need to bring it back to the store? Who would I even give it to, if I did bring it back?

(Can you imagine my conversation with loss prevention? "I'm sorry for stealing the catalinas out of the garbage. I'm just on a really tight budget!")

Thoughts, opinions, suggestions? (Though no meanness please).

Thanks:sad:

[raesana]

I don't think so. They have no intrinsic value and it was in the garbage. Is it stealing when we take extra blinkies or tearpads? They usually say: "this has no cash value" or cash value: 1/100cent". Seriously I will give them the penny if they ever complained.

[zansammommy]

my thought are NO, One person's trash is another person's treasure. :wink7:

I think it is the same idea of finding coupons in carts or on the shelves.

I think this goes along the lines of finding changes on the ground.

Hope you found some good ones.

[bunnynugget305]

Out of curiosity, did you get any good catalina's??

P.S.- I wouldn't take them back. someone did not want them and you merely prevented them from going to waste and going to the dump

[mom2lucas]

Nope! I'd have picked them up too. I picked up some coupons from a cart at Walmart today that was in the cart return. I'd have picked catalinas out of the trash too. ;)

[thorrocks1]

No Way!! Congrats on the great find!!! What did you get???

[stylerkh]

Definetly not! At my Kroger I ask the attendant at the u-scan if I can take them. They always say sure because they just ahve to throw them away. They tell me that soemone ought to get use from them. Enjoy the savings and realize the paper they are printed on is not a total waste!:smile:

[Arie]

Phew! I'm glad the thoughts so far are "No!" I love jewelry but don't want a pair of matching silver bracelets if you catch my drift.

Okay just looked...

(2) junk advertisements with no coupon or value or coupon code
(1) 1.50/1 tresemme product (any)
(1) 2.00/4 scott mega rolls
(1) FREE bag of personalized M&Ms (I think this is by far the coolest cat I've ever seen!)
(1) 1.00/1 sudafed or sudafed pe (any)
(2) 1.50/1 dr. oetker ristorante pizza any variety (I don't even think I've ever seen this?)
(1) 1.50/1 on any 64 oz simply smart milk (from my purchase)
(1) B1G1 free (up to 2.99 value) pounce cat treats (from my purchase)
(2) 2.00/2 kikkoman soy sauce 10 oz or larger
(4) 10.00 off any 25.00 purchase at fashion bug or fashionbug.com


:BigHand: I'm so happy I can keep these!

[Arie]

So I found 12, not 10 like I thought. Woohoo!

[manders13]

lol, you would be surprised on what people do to get coupons,

i know someone who went into the TRASH to find snuggle coupons!

[Arie]

How many Snuggle coupons are we talkin here? If it was more than 5, I'd totally help them get the coupons out. I'd hold their feet, give them a shovel, even spray them with lysol when it was all done. Heh.

[manders13]

it was the dumpster and it wasnt a pretty one LOL


yea she netted about 60 of them

[Arie]

I just got some coupons off ebay when these first came out and the coupons smelled like greasy food. Were these from her?

LMAO

[vickilmp]

I go throught the old folks home recycling bins down the road from me every tuesday..those folks through away a ton of inserts..trouble is, recycel truck keeps changing pick up days lately, so no tbig scores like at first,lol...and i even got a full rp and ss insert last week out of the trash by self scan at albertsons..someone had thrown away a sunday paper, or parts of it, i asked first, they said, if in trash..go ahead, but loked at me funny..i was happy..2 full inserts!!

[motherofmolly]

nope not stealing....

i have been known to take things out of the trash before...if it is good...

[mainelycoupons]

60 would be worth it...lol

I remember a promotion when I was little to get a computer for the school if you turned in so many coupons from Vons. My dad dumpster dove for fun. We earned two school wide. One just with what my dad brought in. Totally worth it.

[Simply_Me]

Nope, you weren't stealing. The coupons were in the trash if someone wanted them all that bad they would have kept them . At least that's my opinion on the matter.

[jillynoodle]

yay for4 finding them!! definetly not stealing!!! i love the self checkouts just to see what people throw out...i dont actually search the garbage but i scan the top of it to look for goodies lol

[jolly321]

Of course you didn't steal. I check buggy's in stores that have Catalina’s to see if people left them. A great place that I find them at is Wags with RR in them.

BTW...Great Find!!!!

[4littlemonkeys]

A little funny, I learned that what ever is in trash cans/bin is public property! When my dh and I first moved into our house, my dh had a collection of "his entertainment stuff" (if you know what I mean) Well I threw it in the trash, the trash men came, the truck was infront of my house for a while so I looked out the window and saw the men looking at my trash and then picked the "stuff" out of the trash-I called the trash co (rather embarrassed) and told them that the men had taken things out of my trash when they put it into the truck-their responce was "Once something is put into the trash it becomes public property and they were allowed to!"
I wanted to curl up and die!!!
So anyway, no you did not steal anything! :)

[Arie]

I'm so glad to find out that I didn't steal them. I sort of remembered hearing that once it's in the bin it's anyone's game - but I wasn't sure if that included when it was in a store or not.

So let me get this straight - people leave wag's RR in the carts? And x.xx/1 cats in the cart? My goodness, I almost had a freak out when a cat fell to the ground! lol

[TonyBreandthe4]

A little funny, I learned that what ever is in trash cans/bin is public property! When my dh and I first moved into our house, my dh had a collection of "his entertainment stuff" (if you know what I mean) Well I threw it in the trash, the trash men came, the truck was infront of my house for a while so I looked out the window and saw the men looking at my trash and then picked the "stuff" out of the trash-I called the trash co (rather embarrassed) and told them that the men had taken things out of my trash when they put it into the truck-their responce was "Once something is put into the trash it becomes public property and they were allowed to!"
I wanted to curl up and die!!!
So anyway, no you did not steal anything! :):hysterical:

:hysterical:OMG... I had tears in my eyes reading this.. so FUNNY!!!
I can imagine your horror---men. seriously- ridiculous.

And I bet those garbage guys thought they hit the J A C K P O T!!

:hysterical:omg.. too funny.

And for OP.. you are too sweet to think you stole something. You did the world a favor by reducing landfill waste. Good for you-

[mrsjschultz]

my thought are NO, One person's trash is another person's treasure. :wink7:

I think it is the same idea of finding coupons in carts or on the shelves.

I think this goes along the lines of finding changes on the ground.

Hope you found some good ones.

This. I too, have been known to grab and run if I see something sitting on top. They threw it away. It was obviously not wanted :biggrin:

[beth119]

:enviro2: I call it recycling. :enviro2:

[katiegirl]

no you def didn't steal. Whenever I go to the self-checkout I always choose the register that has cats sticking out from the previous customer :whistle67:

[Sweet_Southern_Mama]

No, no, no! I would totally do it if I saw them! Actually I'm glad you posted this because most of the time I never think of looking. I'll be looking now!

[AJS6726]

A little funny, I learned that what ever is in trash cans/bin is public property! When my dh and I first moved into our house, my dh had a collection of "his entertainment stuff" (if you know what I mean) Well I threw it in the trash, the trash men came, the truck was infront of my house for a while so I looked out the window and saw the men looking at my trash and then picked the "stuff" out of the trash-I called the trash co (rather embarrassed) and told them that the men had taken things out of my trash when they put it into the truck-their responce was "Once something is put into the trash it becomes public property and they were allowed to!"
I wanted to curl up and die!!!
So anyway, no you did not steal anything! :)


Ok - so how about when the person taking that kind of stuff is your other half??? Before I found my most recent source for coupons, we used to go hit the recycling centers in the area. One time, I hopped in the truck to go along and noticed some paper grocery bags in the back. Next time we go, the bags are still there, so I look in them & find they are full of girly magazines....he must have really thought he found gold when he found those..no wonder he used to be the one bugging me to go to the centers to search for 'coupons' :giggle2:

[Arie]

Okay - so wait... You can *legally* go to the recycling centers and pick out coupons?

[mommytaylor]

lol, you would be surprised on what people do to get coupons,

i know someone who went into the TRASH to find snuggle coupons!


:whistle67:There is nothing wrong sorting through a freezing cold recycling bin in the middle of Iowa, pre-sunrise by flashlight looking for an extra Snuggle coupon or too! I mean, it's not like I can wait till sunrise, then I'd have a 2 year old and a hubby trying to help :giggle2:

[434Teresa]

no you did NOT steal..one mans trash is another mans gold....

we have so much trash thats not really waste these days so more people need to pick a few things out of the trash and people need to take things to goodwill or give it to the needy in some way,but most think I dont wont it so no one else will either.


I look in the paper recycle bin here to...I just asked the man and he said he did not care as long as I dont make a mess..

[newbiecouponmom72]

no way its not stealing.. when i go shopping i am always picking up receipts that are on the ground, in the trash (on top of course) and in carts .. that people leave..i send them in with the rebate forms I trade for.. that way its really not costing me anything to do the rebates.... i let someone else that threw their receipt out pay for the items needed for the rebate and i cash in on the rebate money... i have scored quite a bit doing rebates that way.. enough to pay for christmas shopping this year already.. i say hoo haaaa keep tossing those receipts out!! i have about 10 grocery stores along with a superwalmart all within a short distance around me and i go out every once in awhile to get some peace and quiet and collect receipts lol... Its great extra cash for me since i had to stay home to take care of my twins...

[ladywaterwind]

Okay - so wait... You can *legally* go to the recycling centers and pick out coupons?

It depends, actually. You'd need to contact people in your area and see if it's 1. legal and 2. if that company minds. Some places don't care, others it's completely illegal, all depends on your community.

[Alleynn]

Meijers is well known for giving away $1, $2, $4 and even $5 off your next shopping order. I always look in the carts and parking lots for these coupons. people throw coupons down and dont even look at them. yes sir I will take them. Keeps the landfills from filling up and my pockets from emptying out.

[VivaciousJewelz]

lol, you would be surprised on what people do to get coupons,

i know someone who went into the TRASH to find snuggle coupons!

I, too, have been known to dig through the trash for coupons. I frequently dig through the trash can next to the mailboxes in order to dig out all the inserts that normally get thrown away. Sometimes I can get 15 or 20 copies of the inserts, though lately, I think people have been catching on b/c now I can *only* get 5-6 copies, lol.

Arie- someone else through them away. It's not like you picked them up out of someone's bag or something. I take coupons I find left over in carts all the time.