If you've taken your coupons shopping lately, you may have noticed some policy changes. Rite Aid, Target, Publix and Kroger have all placed some limitations on couponing in recent weeks. For example, Rite Aid won't let you get more than 4 of one item with 4 matching coupons. Rite Aid and Target no longer let you use buy one get one free coupons with their buy one get one free promotions, which used to allow you to walk out with 2 free items. Kroger and Publix have tweaked their coupon acceptance policy too. Ann Haney, who teaches the art of effective couponing, says extreme couponers who hoard are to blame.

"I believe we have to balance as couponers, so many times it's like a game we get addicted to," says Haney. "We want more even though we know we don't need 30 boxes of the toothpaste. It is a lot of fun and so we continually stock up, so we need to set ourselves a limit. Say 'Hey this is my limit. It doesn't matter if I have 10 more coupons for this.'"

Haney says 4 is a fair number to stockpile when you see a good deal. Any more than that and you could end up costing us all more money with even more stringent couponing policies. Also, keep in mind, the same cycles come around again every 6-8 weeks, even more reason to limit your stockpiling.Coupon Changes