SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- You may have heard of "extreme couponing" and how much you can save on groceries, but one instructor is showing families how to save on your bill without being so extreme.
With just a sale paper, grocery list and, of course, coupons, the instructor says it could save you almost half of what you're paying at the grocery store. It's a part of what she calls "smart couponing." Every time Katie Hopkins of Springfield goes to the grocery store, she says she takes those three things with her, but she says it also takes a little preparation.
First she checks online. She say she gets her coupons through product, coupon, and store websites. Then she checks the terms of the coupon and combines them with in-store sales to save even more.
Unlike "extreme couponing," she says this process of "smart couponing" takes her less time, usually about an hour or two a week. She says it's worth it when you head to the checkout stand.
"On my grocery bill, I save about 30 - 40 percent, and that took a lot of practice, but it's a matter of combining coupons you clip with the best sales at the store, and that's how you get such a great savings," said Hopkins.
Hopkins will be giving families more coupon saving pointers in her class on Monday night. It'll be at Habitat for Humanity on Scenic Avenue between Sunshine Street and Battlefield Road. The class starts at 6.
Habitat for Humanity has also set up several other classes to help families financially. Those will be going on later this month.
To RSVP for "Smart Couponing" and to find a list of dates and times for the next class, you can contact Habitat for Humanity of Springfield at (417) 829-4001 ext. 114 or click here
