On Sunday we ran a story about the extreme couponing craze.  Melody Page, founder of extremewaystosave.com, was kind enough to let me tag along for a recent shopping trip to Harris Teeter for the story.  I like to prepare most of my meals from scratch, and I am the first to admit that I always figured coupons were mostly for junk food, or prepackaged meals.  Melody was amazing.  She filled her cart with healthy options for her and her husband (plus a couple of fun foods for the grandchildren), and headed to the check out line.  Her purchase initially rang up at $54.62, and with coupons and her MVP card, she brought her total down to $12.75!  I really don't know anyone who isn't on a tight budget these days, and especially with the rise in food costs, I'd like to highlight a few tips Melody gave me (as a now beginning couponer, yep, I've been converted):

1.  Generally speaking, everything goes on sale every 8-10 weeks.  Know to stock up when it's on sale, and to save the coupons for when items are on sale.  She is against hoarding-only stock up on what you really need.  Let's be honest, there is no need for 100 tubes of toothpaste to be in your bathroom closet.

2.  Be organized.  She has a fantastic binder with baseball card sleeves that keep her coupons sorted by section to make sure she doesn't miss a deal.

3.  Share the deals.  If she can get something for cheap or free, she will, and donate the spare.  A fantastic idea and a great way to give back to the community.

4. Don't limit yourself to just food, there are big savings to be had on cleaning supplies, shampoos, electronics, you name it!  Do a little bit of research and the savings add up big time.

5. It doesn't have to dominate your life.  Now that she has a flow, Melody says she spends no more than 3 hours a week couponing, and saves an average of 60-75% off retail price.  Time is money, and that's not a bad trade off in my opinion.

6. Be courteous!  Treat your cashier with respect, realize that manufacturers don't have to give you coupons, and that it adds time at checkout with a line behind you.  Be sure to thank your cashier ahead of time and explain that you have a lot of coupons, but it's all organized and ready to go.

7.  Be prepared before you step in line.  Melody will stop in a slow aisle (she suggests the cat food aisle in Harris Teeter) and make sure she has all of her coupons ready to go and matched up to the correct products.  This prevents confusion and a hold up at the checkout making the process go smoothly for everyone involved.

8. Enjoy you savings!!!

Thank you Melody for sharing your time and your tips!