Coupon Expert Shares Advice

Would you like to save 50 to 90 per cent on your weekly grocery bill? That’s what coupon expert Cindy Livesey asked her audience last week at a presentation sponsored by Mothers & More, a networking organization of local moms.

Livesey started couponing 5 years ago.  “I used to spend $275 a week on groceries for a family of five.”  Now she spends $50 a week.  “My total grocery savings last year was $11,700,” she said, drawing gasps. “When you change the way you shop, it can change your life.” 

A New Jersey mom, Livesey turned to couponing after the economy tanked and her husband lost his job twice in one year. By couponing, simplifying their lifestyle and paying cash only, the family was able to pay off credit card debt, slash living expenses, and save toward college for her two daughters and son.

“I only wish I had started when my kids were little, like yours,” Livesey told the 40 young women in the audience. Today, she maintains a website LivingRichWithCoupons.com and spreads the message of how to live on less and still enjoy life’s luxuries through smart shopping.

Livesey focused on grocery shopping in her presentation, explaining types of coupons, where to find them and how to use them. “My favorites are Catalinas,” she said, referring to the coupons printed out at supermarket checkout stations. Catalinas offer product deals and cash rebates that multiply savings for savvy users. 

Livesey outlined shopping strategies to combine coupons with price cuts, rebates, and store rewards programs to get products at rock bottom prices, or even for free. “Sign up for loyalty programs at different stores,” she said. “Don’t be brand loyal. Be willing to switch brands if you can get an item for less or for free.” 

Livesey also recommends stockpiling, buying a three-month supply of products you frequently use when they’re on sale. “Most items go on sale every 12 weeks, so your stockpile should last until the next sale,” she said.

There were a few cautions.  “Never copy coupons,” Livesey warned. “That’s against the law.” She advised shoppers to read the coupon carefully and become familiar with the coupon policies of the stores they shop.  “An educated couponer has a smoother transaction,” she said.

All Livesey’s tips, plus daily deals, store coupon policies and even a guide for beginner couponers are are available on her website. “What’s your secret?” asked one woman who wondered how Livesey discovers the discounts she promotes. “I get them from all of you,” she replied. “Shoppers tell me about deals they find, and I share them on the site.”

Surprisingly, Livesey says she spends only three hours a week on couponing and shopping. “It’s like having a part-time job that pays $75 an hour,” she told the audience.

For  Livesey, these techniques have become not only a way to save but a way of life. “You start to become more mindful of how you spend your money and what you really want and need,” she explained.

Livesey said the kind of savings she has achieved are not uncommon for experienced couponers, but even those who favor a less intense approach see results.  “I get e-mails all the time from people who are thrilled with how much they’re saving.”

One woman was so strapped she couldn’t put food on the table. “Now she is able to feed her family and buy extra to donate to food banks to help others,” said Livesey.  “It’s a great feeling to see others changing their lives this way.”

Livesey’s presentation was one of the best attended of the Mothers & More programs, according to Lisa Valladares, public relations director. “Everyone was very excited and looking forward to saving some money on their next grocery bill.”

Mothers & More meets every third Wednesday of the month at 7:30 pm at the , 100 W. Ridgewood Ave. Paramus. For information, visit www.mothersandmore.org