Giles resident offers strategy for being frugal
With our economy in its dismal situation, saving money becomes even more important for consumers, especially with $700 billion of our money being sent to Washington D.C. to fix the crisis. The obvious strategy is to simply cut extra-curricular activities from daily life, such as vacations, but people may not think of just how much money they could be saving within required purchases like food. Wendi Meredith, a Giles County resident, takes clipping coupons to a whole new level.
While some may think that coupons may only save a dollar or two, Wendi managed to purchase “[a] half-gallon of name-brand ice cream, a double pack of name-brand baby food and a pack of baby nail clippers—all for 57 cents.” I can think of gum that costs more than that. The savings sound great, but be prepared to put a fair amount of effort into the process. She “spends about an hour a week comparing sale ads for the best prices…cuts coupons from the Sunday papers, and organizes [them] by function—baking, beverages, breakfast, canned goods and so on—in a large binder using clear plastic baseball card holders so she can see them easily in the store. She also trades coupons with friends and neighbors.”
Personally, I would welcome any help I can get in the shopping department. My only strategy to save money at the grocery store is to get whatever MVP card they offer, and I still end up spending close to $20 for eight bagels, a box of cereal, milk, and some butter.
If you are curious about learning more, Wendi conducts workshops to teach people how to use coupons efficiently, and she is also preparing to put out a book, tentatively titled “The Art of Frugality.”
-Jonathan VanDerveer
http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/3counties/wb/178643
Tags: Giles County