How Can I Save More Money Using Coupons?

Question: I have clipped coupons from the Sunday paper for years and always save 30-40 percent on my grocery bill. I read about people who buy $500 worth of groceries for $13.29.

How do I take "couponing" to the next level? How can I save more than I already do? What am I overlooking?

Answer: We save about 40-60 percent using coupons. If you want to save more than that, you've got to devote more time, and we don't think it's worth it. The people who go to the grocery store and get hundreds of dollars of groceries for only pennies spend enormous amounts of time managing coupons and rebates. They are getting good deals, but they aren't buying a complete menu for their family. Most or the foods they purchase with coupons are prepackaged, highly processed, high in sugar and fatty. You won't see them buying good cuts of meat, poultry, fish or produce.

We went to a garage sale once where a lady had an entire room of her house devoted to couponing. Shelves full of stuff she wouldn’t use and didn’t need, just because she could get it for free. She bought a dozen Sunday papers each week and went to the store daily.

Keeping life's priorities in balance is critical. We must have time for family, friends, fun and rest. Extreme couponing just doesn't fit.

The bottom line is this: Are you staying within your predetermined budget for food? If not, then look for ways to save. Only buy fruit that is in season and inexpensive, for instance. And buy a freezer so you can stock up on sale items. Other tips: Buy bread at bread outlet stores; ad-match at WalMart; limit your trips to the stores.

There are hundreds of ways to save — applying a few at a time will make the savings really add up.

If you want to learn more of the many strategies we use to cut our grocery bill, check out our Stretching Grocery Dollars Without Becoming A Coupon Queen audio CD