Mom saves big bucks with coupons

WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) - In the past, cutting coupons was often time consuming and, in many cases, not even worth it. However, now it's actually chic to clip and one mother has discovered saving money at the grocery story is as easy as a click of the mouse.

Working mom Nancy Krause is a self proclaimed shop-a-holic.

"It's so bad. I just walk into Target and things just start jumping into my cart," she said.

However with money tight, Krause was determined to cut expenses. She decided to try something called strategic shopping using a website called couponmom.com . With the help of free e-books, the site spells out just how to do it.

First, Krause plans her meals and shopping lists around featured sale items in her grocery store's circular, which many stores also post online. Then, she goes to couponmom.com, which helps her match up coupons with the sale items she plans to buy.

Krause said the process is very different from past coupon experiences, where she would clip a bunch of coupons, file them away and forget about them. Instead, with the help of the website, she only clips what she needs for that week. A process, she said, takes about 45 minutes to one hour for each shopping trip.

Then it's time to shop.

"Strawberries are $1.69 on sale, so that's $1.30 less, plus we have a coupon for $1 off 2."

Krause paid just $1.19 for a package of strawberries - instead of the normal $3.

Some grocery stores double coupons, which can add up to even more savings.

For instance, Betty Crocker frosting was on sale for $1.67 and Krause had a 55-cent off coupon. Her grocery store doubles coupons, meaning that 55-cent coupon is now worth $1.10. So, she got two cans of frosting for just 57-cents each - instead of $2.19 each.

And there's even more savings to be had.

"So, say you buy one, get one free and you have two $1 off coupons, you're getting one free and $2 off the other item," Krause said.

Her total grocery bill at full-price would have been $169. But once she gave the cashier her coupons and store savings card, that total plummeted to just $95.92 - a savings of nearly $73.

Krause has only been doing strategic shopping for a few months now, and still considers herself an amateur. Her eventual goal - to save more money they she spends.

Krause has her own blog about her strategic shopping adventures, where she outlines how she gets some of her best deals.