I’m always on the lookout for a good deal. By good deal I mean, getting something for nothing or as close to nothing as I can. It usually involves a coupon that purports to a lesser price with conditions written in small print that is seldom read until the coupon is rejected. When it is finally read, otherwise intelligent people apply their own interpretation that apes a Philadelphia lawyer trying to convince a jury not to believe their eyes and forget about reason … “Don’t you understand, this is me!”
Most of us know there is no free lunch. After all, if the stores giving these coupons lost money, there wouldn’t be a coupon in the first place. So the cost is built in to the “deal.” But, it’s the chase that makes the hunt fun and so getting all you can out of a “deal” is the bragging right to …well, bragging about what you did to get someone to give you whatever you wanted at the price you wanted to pay.
I like to watch people when a store has a coupon out …listen really, because it’s the words that come out of their mouths that make a more lasting impression than actually seeing them say them.
Some of the more memorial rational I’ve heard is: “You mean, I can’t use all of my coupons on one item? I really do have to give you money?”
Or: “It’s not my fault you sold out, I want a rain-check and I don’t care if the sale is for stocked items only.”
My all-time favorite is, “Can I cash these coupons in?”
During harvest time, driving down farm roads up north, I’ve found unmanned tables set up with various vegetables on them and signs that read, “Pay what you think it’s worth.” Most people probably over pay, not wanting to cheat the farmer. Now if they had a coupon, well, that’s a different matter altogether.
TD