Tallahassee, FL (WTXL)--We introduced you yesterday to a local "coupon" mom who has been trimming her grocery bill dramatically and is now, wanting to share her secret. Tonight we're taking you inside the store to show you just how to clip your way to savings.
Look familiar? It's the pain staking errand most of us dread grocery shopping, but today we're going to show you how we're getting 160-dollars worth of food, but spending less than half that so how are going to do it? Well for that let's start at the beginning.
It's not a stretch to say that Ashley Nuzzo has mastered the art of couponing. This stay at home mom started couponing with friends after she went on maternity leave, but it quickly turned into her own website that's been recognized by US news and world report, the Dr. Phil Show, even the Washington Post. The recognition has been a whirlwind especially when you consider she's only been blogging since December but she says she just wants to share her secret.
Ashley says she has seen a 70 percent savings in her groceries and in her nature as a school teacher she says anyone can do it. So how does it work?
Instead Ashley takes all the Sunday coupons and files them away in a binder, with the date. Next she researches sales.
That's where the binder comes in. And you're probably thinking what I was, that sounds like a lot of work, well no worries, Ashley has done the work for you. It's all explained on her website, she even gives you a shopping list for the week.
Ashley says the big idea is to let your coupons sit, until there's a sale then you combine the sale with a store coupon, and a manufacturer coupon.
Take for example Crystal Light. So we bought six for 67 cents each when they are regularly 3.99. We did that for diapers, formula, pasta, cheese, it all adds up.
So how'd we do? Well after buying almost (159.76) 160 dollars worth of food we saved 89.88 meaning we only spent 69.88
And it doesn't matter that our cart didn't look very well-balanced. That way there's always a way to make a meal. Ashley says she shops once a week at Publix and spends about 40 dollars which beats her 120-dollar-a-week bill before she started couponing.
Ashley says she prefers shopping at Publix because they take competitors coupons, but says for most of her bath and beauty products she shops at Walgreens and CVS. But check you're your store about taking competitor coupons.
Ashley has great advice and tips on her website, even a glossary to get you informed on the coupon lingo. http://www.frugalcouponliving.com/
