Antoinette Peterson doesn’t look like your typical coupon clipper. There are no thick reading glasses or blue-silver pin curls on this shopper … oh, no. Peterson’s alter ego, Sister Save-A-Lot, is a modern sister who appreciates the finer things in life, and never pays full price for them.
Peterson first discovered couponing while in college; she mastered the art of frugal living after her mother lost her job, and Peterson and her daughter moved back home to help out.
“My income now had to cover three people. I started clipping more coupons, but I was not saving as much.”
The first shopping trip as a serious coupon clipper changed her life. “I did a Facebook status where I said, ‘I saved $11 at Target.’ My friend from school was like, ‘I save 80 percent every time I go shopping. So, I said, ‘What do you do that I’m not doing?’ I met her at my house, and my first shopping trip was at Jewel Osco, and the bill went from $95 to $9. After my first shopping trip went like that, I started my blog, and I started telling people, ‘This is how you do it. I’m letting you know it’s a secret out here, so take notes.”
Here, she shares her top shopping secrets:
Get FREE Stuff.
“Coupon plus discount equals free or inexpensive. Also, Dollar Tree stores accept coupons, too, and you get a lot of stuff for free. A lot of people don’t know that.”
STACK your coupons.
“You’re told you can use one coupon per purchase. Let me tell you what a ‘purchase’ is. If I have five items, that’s one purchase, and I can use five different coupons. The majority of the coupons can be stacked [to use the store coupon and the manufacturer coupon]. Doubling a 50-cent coupon equals a dollar. However, if I have a dollar manufacturer’s coupon and a dollar in-store coupon, that’s two dollars.”
Know the coupon schedule.
Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays are coupon insert days for most local newspapers. “If you ever forget to get your coupons on Sunday, check your Dollar Tree on Sunday morning.”
Plan Ahead.
“Around every holiday, there’s always a sale. Some holidays, like back in May, you could have purchased hot dogs, hot dog buns, and a pop for a penny; one penny, all name brand, Oscar Mayer, for one cent. But the difference is planning. For example, my daughter’s birthday is in September. However, I have her goodie bags ready. I’ve been shopping for goodie bags for her party since last September.”
Sister Save-A-Lot warns that couponing can be rewarding … and addictive. “When you’re first starting out, couponing can be addictive once you realize that, all this time, you’ve paid full price. So, you’re about to stock up now.”
