Oct 13, 2008 4:11 pm US/Pacific
Money Saver Report: Don't Forget About Coupons
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Using coupons at the supermarket can save money on grocery bills. (File)
AP
From finding holiday bargains to cutting down your local grocery bill, all you need to save a few bucks is a pair of scissors and your local paper. In this period of financial crisis, clipping coupons is back in vogue.
Carol Blanke is on a mission for money. This wife, grandmother, and coupon queen scours the shopping aisles for savings. "If you want the best buys, you can't be brand loyal," she says.
"I have three $1 off coupons. If you buy three of them and they're $1.09 each, I'm getting each one for 9 cents," she explains.
The Parsippany, N.J. price predator has been on the prowl for years and in these tough economic times, it's paying off. "I would say I save at least 70 percent on my grocery bill," she said.
There was a time when clipping coupons wasn't cool, but these days it's on the upswing. Only part of one store's coupon redemption pile after just one day was enough to cover the checkout counter.
Kelli Grant from Smart Money magazine agrees: "Coupons are the best way to save."
Last year alone, 2.6 billion coupons were redeemed by consumers, according to Grant. "Anything they can do to save money, they're willing to do it."
Back at the register, Blanke has $75 dollars in merchandise. "Now the fun comes," she slyly says.
Blanke turns in her coupons and watches her payment take a plunge. "It gives me a charge. Gives me a high. I love it."
When all coupons are counted, Blanke has saved nearly $66 dollars. She pays just nine bucks. "I'm feeling good, very good, made my day," she said.
This former teacher serves up a lesson in financial frugality every time she shops.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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