coupon train waiting list

[flash]

Originally Posted by Amorphous02

Dear Dr.F,
I dont meant to speak out of turn. Now that i know that you dont mind all this hard work, I am backing off!!
(I read about your family, the odds you faced and learnt about your hypothesis that everyone can save as much as you do: Its bound to rouse feelings of gratitude and protectiveness.
I merely want to see if every one feels this way. Guess what: People will walk that xtra mile for you!
Thanks again for "$330.00 worth groceries for $27.00")
A

Well...I *DO* mind people running off with all my coupons! And I appreciate all your support! I'm talking to Jeffrey, the site owner, about how we can revamp the trains to keep "freebie trolls" off, as I'm just learning about. But, when someone steals a train, they steal from ALL of us, not just me! It's a team!

[Amorphous02]

SASE should go a long way.
The coupons are for things other members dont need. Face val: 10 cents.
Yes, everyone suffers but not as much as one would if she spends money.
When i was 10 yrs old, i often went to a mom and pop store. The son was not very scrupulous. He once gave me candy instead of a quarter. Wrong girl to mess with. Next time, I handed him 75 cents and the candy *He* gave me. He said he could not accept it. I said: I know why. You know the real value of that candy, a mere 15 cents. You *SELL* it for 25 cents to make profit. Face value: 15 cents. He charged me 75 cents. He had used candy instead of change *For the last time*. My mum still cant get over how I tackled a 300 lb 6' surly mean guy.
Postage : face value = absolute value.
Simple math,
SASE
My best regards and warmest wishes to you both.

[kyrie]

To get back to the original subject.... are we all still on waiting lists? I haven't heard from anyone so I assume that's all that's going on. Just want to be sure. Been saving a lot of coupons & they're taking up room here! :-)

[wodaking]

Flash, just a suggestion on the freebie miners... could we have some kind of initiation before people are added to trains, such as recieveing, then sorting out, and adding to, and returning a welcome packet before being added?
Just my 2cents -L

[Amorphous02]

I agree.
People who run away with trains have $200 worth of coupons!

[howdihi]

I think that is unfair. It's basically assuming that a "newbie" is going to run with the coupons all the time. I have been trading coupons for years. Just because I am a newbie here, doesn't mean I am going to steal or don't know "what" I am doing or "how" to put coupons together.

[Amorphous02]

No one is accusing all newcommers. All we seek is an insurance. If you have spent three hours and $6.00 sending coupons, would you not seek to insure against the *rare* scammer?

[wodaking]

also, I might add it is not rare. I've had at least 4 trains go through my hands that I invested a lot of coupons in and NOT ONE of them actually ever made it back to Flash. I know there were people on that train who had put in coupons I needed that never got back around to me. We're talking $100's of coupons, and even a gift card worth cash! So, yes, I _do_ suspect all newbies... I think it's only fair. I don't think a one time initiation is too much to ask for. Another option could be start making people put up a membership fee or deposit to get on the list. -L

[howdihi]

Can you explain what is so special about a train? If people are expecting coupons from another member (via a train), then why not just send them to the person that they were intended for directly? It seems like it would be much quicker. Why bother with trains in the first place?

[flash]

Originally Posted by kyrie

To get back to the original subject.... are we all still on waiting lists? I haven't heard from anyone so I assume that's all that's going on. Just want to be sure. Been saving a lot of coupons & they're taking up room here! :-)

Yes, the waiting list is still active.

[flash]

Originally Posted by howdihi

Can you explain what is so special about a train? If people are expecting coupons from another member (via a train), then why not just send them to the person that they were intended for directly? It seems like it would be much quicker. Why bother with trains in the first place?

We have a full thread in this forum explaining how the trains work. Basically, around 200 - 500 coupons go around, 4 - 6 people in a route, they each take out what they can use and replace with their own can't use. We try to coordinate so that people who have cats are on a train with people who don't, and don't need the cat coupons they receive. Same with babies, organic, etc. I also coordinate between trains, so trains with no babies send baby coupons, which are shuttled to other trains that need them.

Manufacturers target promotions, and coupons, to specific regions. Even though there are many databases of current coupons out there, it's not so easy to find all the ones you want, match them up with ones you have and negotiate a trade. It's much easier, and cheaper, to send out one mailing knowing that four other people will receive and replace.

We have had initiation, via the welcome packets, which on their own are around 100 coupons going to each person, who has to respond, etc. We've tightened the rules as several seemingly VERY nice people WERE very nice...until they ran away with all the coupons in the train.

I literally have thousands of coupons, and it takes hours to sort, organize, and share. Once started, it takes hours to keep track of the train during the first time around, making sure it hasn't "stalled" with someone. Once running, they go smoothly.

Wodaking, I think both trains you are on now are solid. Boo tells me this one has flown. One bad player spoiled it, and that person is no longer invited to participate. However, it IS on it's way to me, finally, and I'll sort and combine it with the speedy little train that is flying through.

Because our trains have high value coupons, free product coupons, and are basically loaded with everything in my "have" list plus things specific to people's wish lists, they are not "freebies". And, they do take time. As trains get established, new trains are formed, but when a train goes off track, it slows the whole process as we have to divert resouces.

[flash]

Originally Posted by howdihi

I think that is unfair. It's basically assuming that a "newbie" is going to run with the coupons all the time. I have been trading coupons for years. Just because I am a newbie here, doesn't mean I am going to steal or don't know "what" I am doing or "how" to put coupons together.

Actually I tend to assume the best about people. The site owner has initiated guidelines for train participation to ensure our trains offer the best benefits for members.

[wodaking]

Originally Posted by flash

Wodaking, I think both trains you are on now are solid. Boo tells me this one has flown. One bad player spoiled it, and that person is no longer invited to participate. However, it IS on it's way to me, finally, and I'll sort and combine it with the speedy little train that is flying through.

Flash, Thanks for repsonding to all that. I apologize if it seemed like I was complaining. I know you get just as frustrated (and probably more so) when someone runs off with a train. I sure appreciate all you do to get thie stuff running. -L

[kyrie]

Thanks Flash. I appreciate you getting back to me too, amidst all that other stuff.

[jeffrey]

Coupon trains are now closed to all new members unless you are part of the 100 post club or have a savingadvice blog that has 100 posts. If you meet these criteria and would like to be on a coupon train, please email me (not flash). This is an executive decision on my part and any complaints about it should be directed to me.

We are a personal finance / money saving site and not primarily a coupon site. We are here to help all the members here, but those that take the time to contribute by posting and sharing their finances with others also deserve rewards for their time and effort. I am turning the coupon trains into one of those rewards.

Anyone that has spent even a short amount of time on this site knows the time and effort Flash has put into helping others with learning how to reduce their grocery bills and the coupon trains. If you have ever seen one of her coupon trains, you know tha they are loaded with wonderful coupons that most would keep for themselves. Since these trains have become so popular and there are far more people wanting to get on them than there are available spaces, we needed to find a way to limit them. My decision is to limit them to those that actively participate on the site.

I realize that this decision will upset some people, but it was either limit the coupon trains or abolish them completely due to the time they were taking and of those two choices, this was the best option. With the limiting of the trains, we will start of offer more contests and fun activities where people can win coupon packs...these are ideas that we are still developing, but we hope will give many others who don't want the responsibility of a coupon train the opportunity to get quality money saving coupons in other ways.

Feel free to comment here or email me if you have opinions you'd like to express. We hope that these changes will continue to provide the best coupon trains on the Internet while also giving other options for people to get valuable coupons.

Jeffrey Strain

[SOAPPRO]

I am a little discourged since I dont have the time to post as much as some of the members. But I understand, and some day in the distant future when I get my 100 post I will be able to get on the train.

[Amorphous02]

SOAPPRO, Please dont feel discouraged. This is a great forum. We are lucky to have it. Five posts a day and you are there! One liners are helpful! It merely counts the number of posts, not how much you have typed /not how many points you have earned etc.

[flash]

Soapro, you've started a blog...which is also one of Jeffrey's criteria.

The new rules aren't a punishment, just an added reward for people who are seriously working on saving, and sharing, asking questions, giving advice, or just blogging their successes and failures.

Finances have enough discouragements in them already! Pick up encouagement from the site and the fellow bloggers; my opinion, the coupons are just an added bonus to the incredible support you will find here.

[wodaking]

I'm working on it too! -L

[Amorphous02]

Hey L,
You are on a train already!
You dont have to work on new posts. Pulling detergent coupons for you, besides SAUVE.