Update: Thursday May 12th at 6:15 a.m.:
Economists say prices are up across the board: prices for dairy, meat, wheat and corn products are all up. Economists say high fuel prices and bad weather for crops are mostly to blame. Plus, they say prices are expected to rise through the summer.
That's why a new trend is emerging so firecely it's spun its own reality TV show. Extreme coupining can save your family hundreds, even thousands. That's why two local experts who run thier own websites say families should get on board with the trend.
Your average trip to the grocery store can cost you hundreds. But not if you're Jamie Picton. The self described coupon extremist saves big bucks every time she walks the grocery store aisles.
Picton said, "I used to spend $100 or $200, now I never spend more than $50, for a family of five."
Jamie says you too can shop on a dime, but you've got to do your homework: cut coupons, make a list and shop the ads.
"That is the key to it. You have to make sure you're shopping the sales, and putting the coupon on top of it."
And when you find a coupon for an item you use, stock up with about a dozen coupons to buy a dozens items on sale. But it's not just about getting these coupons, it's about knowing what to do with them and getting organized.
"I have a coupon binder. What I do, I take my 10-15 ads every week and I sort them out. I staple them together and cut them out; then put them in baseball holders."
Jamie says you'll have to shop around to get the best deals.
"Gerbes and Schnucks double coupons. They both will take anything up to 50 cents and double it to $1."
Jamie says HyVee has good one-day sales and Walgreens allows you to layer a store coupon on a manufactors' coupon. Plus, iif your coupon is worth more than the item, Wal-Mart will give you the amount to put towards the rest of your bill.
As the the price of food soars, coupons are becoming more fashionable. Websites and Facebook pages tout their use and a Climax Springs lady even started a class dedicated to teaching others the tricks of the trade.
Teresa Robertson said, "One time I had more than $400 worth of groceries, more that could even fit in my cart; for only $100."
Robertson spends several days a week traveling the state and teaching others how to use coupons. Her biggest piece of advice....be patient.
"Just because you have a coupon doesn't mean you need to use it. Wait for a sale."
You can get the ad inserts full of coupons from your local paper. Or you can order just the ads from sites like coupon inserts dot com, and get them shipped right to your house. That's what these coupon gurus do, and they get more than a dozen a week.
"Whole coupon inserts.com is where I get mine, shipped right to my house."
And for the final tally for Jamie's grocery trip: her cart filled with boxes of cereal and rice, crackers, pasta and sauce, chips, milk and more rang in at $120 pre-discount, after her Gerbes card savings and dozens of coupons, she got change back from a $20 bill.
"$3.69 is your change."
Original Story:
Are your trips to the grocery store costing more lately? Economists say wheat and corn products, meat and dairy grocery items are all up. Some experts say high fuel prices and poor weather for crops is to blame. But whatever the reason, your cart full of groceries ends up costing you more.
The increase in prices has lead to a big increase in those using coupons, almost a third more shoppers, in recent years.
But there are tricks to making coupons work for your family and your budget. Tonight at 10:00, we'll introduce you to two Mid-Missouri ladies who started their own website and business devoted to coupons and saving you money.
Hear their tricks, ideas and tips tonight at 10:00.
What about you? Do you use coupons? How often and how much do you save? Leave us a comment below.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKRCG