TLC cable show "Extreme Couponing" stars Jen Freeman and Shannon Jones are in town explaining how families can save hundreds of dollars each month using multiple Sunday newspaper subscriptions and a specific method of using the coupons therein. Their appearances are sponsored by the Star-Advertiser.
In one episode of "Extreme Couponing," Freeman is shown putting $880.98 worth of groceries in her carts and watching the price rapidly plummet to $88.20 once her coupons were scanned.
In an "All-Stars" episode, Freeman and fellow extreme couponers Jones and Jen Morris competition-shopped and rang up a pre-coupon subtotal of $1,800.29. Coupons deducted savings of $1,799.60, dropping the subtotal to 69 cents, though the total purchase came out to $30.81 "because you still have to pay the tax," Freeman explained.
Freeman and Jones, along with local couponing expert Ashley Dougherty, are making free appearances, explaining the method to their moneysaving madness. No more seats are left for today’s two seminars in Kapolei, though free tickets are available for seminars at the Star-Advertiser plant in Kapolei, featuring Dougherty and "Extreme Couponing" star Kelly Gibbs at noon and 7 p.m. May 22.
Dougherty, doyenne of deal-and-discount directory HawaiiShopaholics.com, also offers classes to groups including military Family Readiness Groups, girlfriend gatherings and more.
Freeman told a packed house at Windward Mall on Tuesday, "I want the top-dollar things, without the top-dollar price." Savings "can be thousands of dollars. It can change your life," she said.
The key, Freeman and Jones emphasized, is multiple Sunday newspapers. "I get five Sunday papers every week," Freeman said, a savings component Jones reiterated.
The cost outlay that makes the savings possible is recouped with the savings, Jones explained.
Around the time of the economic downturn, Jones and her husband found that they were spending about $1,000 a month at grocery stores. The figure is now about $300, meaning $700 in monthly savings.
The technique she teaches involves getting multiple newspapers, holding on to the coupons and using multiple coupons when items she wants go on sale.
"One coupon per purchase means one coupon per product," she said, though she does advise consumers to check stores’ coupon policies online.
She does not recommend store brands, generic brands or warehouse store memberships for cost savings.
She told of getting rare $2.50-off coupons for a brand-name dishwasher product that normally costs $5.99, and waiting for the item to go on sale. Using five $2.50-off coupons, each of the five sale-priced boxes she bought cost 49 cents.
A free extreme couponing tool on the Star-Advertiser website lists sale items, prices and in which circulars or on which websites coupons can be found for those items at Safeway, Foodland, Times, Don Quijote, Longs, Walgreens and Target.
While the Freemans got a free trip to Hawaii for the seminars, the savings lifestyle they preach about enabled them to bring their children with them, she said.
"If you ever stop couponing, if you’re thinking of giving up, send me an email and I will help you," Freeman said.
———
On the Net:
» hawaiismartshopper.com/hawaii/lists/index.php
» hawaiishopaholics.com
» jenfreeman.com
