Coupon guru explains the art of free shopping

When budgeting for the monthly basics, the idea that you could get some of the essentials for free sounds too good to be true. This isn’t just a possibility, insists coupon guru Kathy Spencer of Boxford, MA, but a lifestyle she’s maintained for years.

“I started at CVS six years ago with $8 out of pocket and since then I haven’t spent any real dollar bills in the store,’’ Spencer tells the Boston Globe. Through planning, attentiveness and, at times in the checkout line, a strong backbone she has saved her family thousands of dollars.

Spencer keeps an eye on circulars for supermarkets and pharmacies. Frequently coupons can be applied the same time as sales, making many everyday products free or earning the shopper rebates or credit. In these instances you can stock up on an item, cross it off the list and move on to other necessities.

An extension of this Spencer employs is called a “roll,” in which store credit is combined with in-store rewards. Credit used on items will often still earn dollar rewards, and if broken up over multiple purchases on low cost items, this can allow you to walk in with $10 in credit and walk out with $20 worth of household goods.

Ultimately “free,” requires the vigilance of keeping tabs on different stores and their discounts, the organization of knowing what household staples you’ll need over extended periods of time, and the restraint to know the difference between stocking up and hoarding an attic full of toilet paper.

Not everyone has the time or interest in this type of Rubix-cube style of shopping, however Spencer’s successes are based on basic ideas that will help you save regardless of your interest in following her step for step.

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Paper coupons make a clip-and-save comeback

Are paper coupons making a comeback? In response to the economic downturn, consumers from an array of socio-economic groups ranging from the penny-pinching upper crust to the young, tech-savvy masses are whipping out their scissors and doing it the old-fashioned way.

“Coupons were not in vogue during our period of gluttonous consumption,” says San Francisco-based Kit Yarrow, author of “Gen BuY: How Tweens, Teens and Twenty-Somethings Are Revolutionizing Retail.” “But now that it’s once again cool to be cheap, they’re back.”

The clip-and-save renaissance is a throwback to 1992 when coupon redemption reached an all-time of 7.9 billion. By 2006, the number had dropped to 2.6 billion and continued to stagnate until 2008. According to the report in the New York Times, coupon clipping climbed 23 percent last year and is expected to hit the three billion mark by the end of 2009.

While the old-school paper coupons continue to account for the bulk of the deals redeemed, the onslaught of digital coupons pulled from the Web and cellphones coupled with retailers offering more appealing deals have reignited interest from consumers who have long avoided the penny-pinching practice.

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Tips on how to save money at the grocery store

It is easy to get carried away while shopping at the grocery store. Luckily, we've compiled these money saving tips to help you keep your pockets lined, while getting the groceries you need.

The following are top tips for frugal grocery shopping:

Don't shop hungry
Whatever you do, don't head to the grocery store hungry. This will guarantee ridiculous spending on food items you don't need. If you are in a rush, bring a snack with you to eat before you enter the store. If you are already at the store, hit up the samples at the deli counter first.

Stick to the list
Only buy items on your grocery list. If you see things that look really good, keep them in your mind, and add them to your list for next week's shopping. If you begin to buy things that aren't on your list, you will end up over-spending.

Buy generic
There's no reason to buy brand names, especially on packaged items such as chips and ketchup. You will save a lot of money this way.

Clip coupons
Make sure you clip coupons! Coupons can turn a lot of expensive items into deals. You can find coupons in your Sunday newspaper, online, and at specific brand websites. Clip away!