EXCLUSIVE How couponing has saved my THOUSANDS on groceries... and how you can do it too

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

A woman has revealed how couponing has saved her thousands of dollars on groceries... and how you can do it too.
When Jeanette-Rose Morris, 41, from Las Vegas, Nevada, got laid off last year, she desperately began looking for ways that she could cut down her bills.
While doing research online, she discovered the world of couponing on TikTok.
She previously had the impression that couponing was 'very tedious and time-consuming,' and was in awe of how simple and affective the videos made it seem.
She decided to give it a go herself, and she has now completely mastered it - and it has helped her lower her food costs by 30-35 percent each grocery trip.
Thankfully, she broke down the hobby exclusively with the Daily Mail, and shared her top money-saving tips so others can cut down their grocery bills like her.
'Couponing used to be based mostly on physical coupons. So you had to track down newspapers, clip the coupons, organize and store them,' she explained.
'Also, each store had different couponing rules. Some stores would let you use multiple coupons for the same items, and some wouldn't.
'So you had to memorize the rules for each store. Also, you had to do the math yourself.
'But now you can plan your grocery trips using a store's app and it will add your coupons and sales for you, so you know what your total will be.
'Couponing is mostly digital now so it's much easier. You don't need to track down newspapers, save coupons or do math. It's all done for you in the store's app or website.'
She said her grocery bill on average has gone from $1,000 a month to $700 a month all thanks to coupons, meaning she's saved $300 every month.
So how can you follow in her footsteps and do it too? Well, she recommended you start by 'focusing on one store' and 'learning their system and sales cycle.'
'Make sure you become a rewards member and use their app,' she added.
'Focusing on multiple stores can leave you spending a lot of time and money chasing deals at different stores.'
She also suggested you 'learn what the lowest price is for items you like to buy and stock up when they're at their lowest.'
'If you've noticed that chicken breast is the lowest at $1.50/lb that is when you should stock up as much as you can,' she explained.
In addition, Jeanette-Rose said it's vital to plan your grocery trips in advance and only buy items that you know you will use.
'When it comes to perishable food, make sure you'll be able to use all of it before it goes bad. If not, you wasted money and it wasn't a good deal for you,' she said.
She is also a fan of grocery pickup because she said it stops you from making any last-minute splurges.
'Also, with pickup you can ensure that you added the correct items to your cart and that your coupons are applied,' she dished. 'And you know exactly how much your total will be.
'Even if I am shopping in store I will add my items to my cart, in the store's app, so I can use that as my grocery list, and know how much my total should be.
'If my total doesn't match, I can cross-reference my list in the app.'
According to the couponing expert, it's also important to 'take your time' and 'ensure all items are ringing up at the expected price' and that the coupons are 'applied correctly' during checkout.
She also warned against being fooled by things that seem like good deals - but aren't economical in the long run.
'Not every deal is a good deal. I once bought five pounds of potatoes for $1.99, but half of them went bad before I could eat them,' she revealed.
'So, I prefer to spend more for a smaller bag of potatoes because I know I will eat them all before they spoil.
'Even if it's a good deal, make sure it's something that you know you will use.
'I've also bought brands that I don't normally use, because they were on sale, and hated them. So I returned the item or threw it away.'