WATCH: You Can Save A Full Year's Salary With These Tips

When Kathy Spencer's husband ended up in the hospital a few years ago, his absence from work and the mounting medical bills got Kathy thinking very seriously about ways to save money. And it was a simple purchase of a carton of juice with a coupon that led Kathy to the realization that with a well-planned strategy, she might actually be able to shop for free, all the time.

Today, she feeds her family of six - and their pets too – for an average of just $4 a week. By stockpiling and carefully organizing coupons from drug stores, local newspapers, web sites, Facebook and even Twitter, she estimates her annual savings are roughly $60,000. When she sat down for an interview on "Mondays With Marlo," Kathy shared some of her best advice on saving money and shopping for free. Among her tips:

• Start stockpiling coupons from a variety of sources.
• Make a list. Don’t go to the store blind, just grabbing things.
• Make a budget. Do the math beforehand so you know how much you will owe, and take only that amount of cash.
• Go to the stores that know you, so they are used to you using coupons.
• Call ahead if you are going to have a huge amount of coupons or are planning to buy extreme amounts.
• Carry the store’s coupon policy in case the cashier is unfamiliar with it.
• If it’s free and you don’t need it, get it anyway and donate it to a charity or a shelter.
• Remember that manufacturers refund the store for your coupons, so coupons are cash to them.

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• Don't Buy In Bulk

  Don't buy items in bulk. It's not cheaper! That's a myth.

• Cut Coupons When You Need Them

  Don't cut coupons until you need them. Use the coupon database on <a href="http://www.howtoshopforfree.net" target="_hplink">howtoshopforfree.net</a> to organize them!

• Donate Your Items

  There is a fine line between stockpiling and hoarding. If you're stockpiling items under your kids' desk, then donate them!

• Look For Coupons Everywhere!

  Look online, on Facebook, <a href="http://howtoshopforfree.net" target="_hplink">howtoshopforfree.net</a>, in your free local newspaper, and, um, even by dumpster diving!

• Start Out Small

  Lower your weekly amount you spend week by week, making your goal to eventually get your items for free.

• Be A Disciplined Shopper

  Be disciplined when out shopping. Keep just enough cash in your pocket for what you need and have your list. Don't grab spontaneous items. Know when to walk away!

• Give Your Grocery Store A Heads Up

  If you're going to be getting a lot of items for free with coupons, call the store ahead of time and let them know so that they're prepared.

• Carry The Store Coupon Policy

  Carry your store's policy on coupons with you when you shop, in case your cashier doesn't know it.

• Donate Free Items You Can't Use

  If you can get something you don't need for free, get it anyway and donate it!

• Buy Kids' Clothes At The End Of The Year

  Buy kids' clothes at the end of the year, when they're on sale. Stores like Abercrombie & Fitch never go out of style.

• Call The Manufacturer

  If you love a product but can't find a coupon for it, call the manufacturer and ask them to send you coupons. Most times, they will.

• Get Your Coupons For Healthy Food

  Eating healthy on coupons is definitely possible! Whole Foods has coupons that can be combined with manufacturer coupons. A dollar off here, a dollar off there -- and soon your yogurt is free!

See 12 Money-Saving Tips From Kathy Spencer Here

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Comments

[kiralind]

08:37 AM on 05/01/2012

My best friend does this. The only problem I see is the amount of TIME she spends doing it. Yes, it saves a ton of money, but I don't have 6 hours a day to devote to clipping and organizing coupons. She is a stay at home mom and has a lot of free time. She can also go during the day when the stores are less crowded. It's worth it, but a huge hassle at the same time.

[redanthony1]

02:15 PM on 05/01/2012

where i live there are no double or triple coupons. the stores only let us use 3 coupons .

[kiralind]

03:28 PM on 05/01/2012

YUCK! that stinks! Sometimes the stores will make her check out 5 seperate times (check out...go to the end of the line...check out again...etc...) if she is buying 5 of the same item and using 5 coupons. they really hate it sometimes.

[ChickEpoo]

06:41 AM on 05/01/2012

Why didn't Marlo just "call it' as it is.....this is a thinly veiled article for "extreme
couponing"........seriously.

I watched with interest the first few episodes of TLC's Extreme Couponing......
but still couldn't figure out for the life of me HOW they actually did this.....
as MOST coupons I have ever used.....have a "one coupon per product purchase"
limit and "good for XYZ product only"....and it has been this way forever......

THEN....I ran across this article re: TLC's "Extreme Couponing".......
and haven't watched it SINCE.......as this article gives WAY too much
information for "EC" to even begin to appear "legit"......

http://www.jillcataldo.com/node/16258

[PEHW]

08:11 AM on 05/01/2012

Interesting observation. Thank you. However, the one recommendation, that if it's free to donate it to a charity, is of value. Hadn't thought of that. This could be a way groups and individuals could do some real good.

[nastynorm]

05:56 AM on 05/01/2012

Ever try to use coupons at Wal Mart? You'll get alot of resistance.This story is hard to believe.

[ectullis]

05:54 AM on 05/01/2012

Last week I saved $400,000, I went to the Ferrari dealer and didn't buy anything.

[lifehub]

05:39 AM on 05/01/2012

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do in this tanked economy---even get scammed by 'coupons' and 'discount deals.'

[Maggiekins]

04:27 AM on 05/01/2012

What a crock.

[Denise Ellis Hooks]

03:25 AM on 05/01/2012

I think we can all see how misleading this woman is. There is no way she could feed a family that large and pets on $4 a week. She didn't really talk much about the stockpile she has had to have built up over time. But even with a big stockpile, the food in it is most likely mostly unhealthy pre packaged high sodium low nutrition foods. I have watched the tv show Extreme Couponing, and I would never buy what these people buy. It's so unhealthy. I have my two teens and myself to buy for, and I choose to buy lots of fresh produce and high quality meats and dairy for us to eat. My goodness a gallon of milk alone costs almost $4 ! Most of the coupons I have seen are for things I don't choose to buy. I used to be a big coupon shopper years ago, but the coupons are not very good these days. As someone else posted, who buys $60,000.00 worth of food a year? Isn't that $5,000.00 a month???? This story is completely unbelievable. Marlo, you should do your research first before putting this kind of ridiculous story on.

[lex19999]

05:42 AM on 05/01/2012

Marlo is a barking, arffer.

[ahetty2000]

03:17 AM on 05/01/2012

I'm still trying to figure out HOW this extreme couponing trend BEGAN. When I was a kid (back in the 80's) MOST supermarkets wouldn't accept more than ONE coupon PER item. Many supermarkets had (usually once a month) a double coupon day where you were allowed TWO coupons for any given item! When did supermarkets start allowing UNLIMITED use of coupons??

[starblaziin]

05:27 AM on 05/01/2012

i honestly don't think they did unless its some kind of special, but maybe she does separate transactions. I've seen people with stacks of coupons in stores before. One couple I particularly remember had so many coupons it wasn't even funny. They saved hundreds of dollars. Their receipt was the longest receipt I have ever seen in my life. They had a few carts full of stuff packed to the max. The original bill without the coupons was over 1000 dollars. After the coupons they only spent 200 dollars. I saw it for myself. It was insane and I will never forget that. Call me nosey but I was extremely curious about that one.

[RadicalAmerica]

02:58 AM on 05/01/2012

How much does she pay for all the newspapers that have coupons?
Does the family eat any meat? Chicken? Fish? Or do they just eat packaged box sides?

[lex19999]

05:44 AM on 05/01/2012

Do no there kirly, ma b u shoud hire a privat dikk if u wanna no.

[Carol Chessin]

02:43 AM on 05/01/2012

Extreme couponers are a pain in the butt. I work retail and these people come in with notebooks full of them. Ughhh....Do you know that most companies send their cashed in coupons to Mexico and have the "warehouses" separate them. Those poor folks are working for pennies on the dollar and we are outsourcing good american jobs once again outside of our states. You say why would you think this is a good job??? Well it may not be ideal for you or me but maybe for some disabled people or physically challenged person it would make them feel useful.Let's keep our jobs here in the USA and help our own economy and not someone elses.

[tjamman]

02:18 AM on 05/01/2012

Does anyone really believe she spends nearly $200 PER DAY on groceries??

[lex19999]

05:45 AM on 05/01/2012

marlo does.

[FreeSpeech4All]

02:13 AM on 05/01/2012

Most of this extreme couponing involves buying things people don't need. I coupon as much as I can, but there's no way I could spend $4 a week. Besides, who spends $60K on groceries, anyway?

[UseYourGodGivenBrain]

03:10 AM on 05/01/2012

She said what she purchases includes toiletries and personal care items.

[lex19999]

05:46 AM on 05/01/2012

dont no, dont care.

[dotsiem]

02:11 AM on 05/01/2012

bogus - yes you can save a lot of money using coupons. But you also need to spend to get some of the sales. I worked in a supermarket for over 30 years and the products that don't usually have coupons are the produce aisle. No way she bought fresh vegetables and fruit for her family for only 4 dollars including the pets and have fresh vegetables and fruits. I buy fresh vegetables and only a few staple items and my bill is 20%- 30% savings. Yes I do buy items that are buy one get one and donate to the church.

[UseYourGodGivenBrain]

03:11 AM on 05/01/2012

Maybe she grows her produce.

[Norman Clegg]

02:11 AM on 05/01/2012

If this is true and really works, then why don't the government make coupons mandatory for link card/food stamp programs? Wouldnt this then save millions or am I missing something....

[tjamman]

02:19 AM on 05/01/2012

Cheap food, expensive health crisis...

[tjamman]

02:06 AM on 05/01/2012

Coupons are GOOD, for BAD food!

[starblaziin]

05:31 AM on 05/01/2012

There are coupons for good food too! At least for stores around where I live anyway.