Secrets of superstar grocery shoppers

I spent that Sunday morning printing my list, scanning the circulars, clipping coupons and putting them in a check file to bring to the supermarket. For most people, they claim, this takes about 20 minutes to a half hour. For me, it took over an hour.

Of course, I couldn't help going on some coupon Web sites, like Boodle and SmartSource, to see if I could score any more coupons before I left. Gault told me later that she thinks this is a big time-waster. She thinks the best coupons are in the Sunday paper.

Cleaning up on Aisle 5

I met Gault, a tall, blonde mother of two at the store, and watched as she did her shopping before I launched into my own.

I watched her pile cat food, toilet paper, cereal, canned chicken and Ziploc bags into her cart. Of course, Gault doesn't have a cat (she was buying it for her neighbor), and she threw some things in her cart that I wouldn't touch (like Skittles candy-flavored milk for her 13-year-old son). But all in all, not too bad, I decided. Gault, like many other coupon experts, stockpiles several months' worth of food at a time to last until it goes on sale again.

She advises people to use their initial savings from couponing to buy a deep freezer, so they can really stock up when prices drop.

Does any of the food she has stacked up in her garage and freezer go bad? I asked.

"Yeah, and that makes me really sad," she said wistfully. She tries to donate any excess to a food bank. And when she finds nonperishable items such as deodorant and toothbrushes that can be had for mere pennies, she buys extra to donate to shelters.

In 15 minutes, Gault wrapped up her shopping and passed a fistful of coupons to the clerk, Pat, who seemed nonplussed about the extra inconvenience. How much did she save? Gault bought $148.77 worth of groceries for $35.65.

My payoff?

Emboldened by these savings, I bid her goodbye and turned to do my own shopping, armed with my own coupons and a $10-off coupon the register dispensed when she went through the line. (Gault prefers to do her shopping at another local chain.) Some of my best deals: two large chuck steaks for pot roast at 99 cents a pound, or $5 apiece; a loaf of Orowheat bread for 99 cents; a free can of Swanson chicken broth and a 24-pack of Northern Quilted Ultra toilet paper for $4.49.

As I went through the store, I noticed that in just about every aisle there was at least one woman (no men) clutching an envelope of coupons.

With some trepidation, I wheeled my cart in to the checkout stand and began unloading. Did I score enough deals to make a big difference? Did I buy anything I shouldn't have? As the goods rolled down the conveyor belt, I handed over my coupons, swiped my club card and held my breath.

After a few seconds, the register started spitting out tape faster than I had ever seen, as it ticked off my discounts and the coupons were scanned. I watched as my total went from $178.15 to $85.16, a savings of $92.99. Not bad for one hour's worth of coupon-clipping.

I could have done better, but I caved and bought a value pack of pork chops that were $2.99 a pound, which I saw on sale for less the following week. What can I say? I'm an amateur.

Sure, I grabbed some things I might not have bought otherwise, including a South Beach Diet frozen dinner that came out to $1.49. I also picked up a box of Lean Pockets that were reduced to 59 cents, figuring it would make a quick, cheap lunch when I ran out of luncheon meat.

For me, the savings were worth the effort and would probably get better as I accumulated more coupons and stashed more food in my freezer.

Would I stick to it faithfully? I didn't even make it a week. But would I go through all of this again? You bet.

And finally . . .

10 tips from great grocery shoppers

• Know what you spend the most on. Keep a list of the items you buy regularly and track the prices over a three-month period. Then you can buy when they reach the bottom of the range.

• Be flexible with brands. If you want to save hundreds of dollars a year on an item, buy the brand that's on sale (or has a coupon or both.)

• Don't assume the bigger package is a better deal. Consider the unit price on the shelf tag and buy what goes on sale. Often, a smaller size costs pennies or is free with a coupon.

• Plan some of your meals around what's on sale. Make your shopping list with each week's circular nearby, and stick to your plan.

• Buy enough of a good thing to last several months. Since many deals don't come around again for two or three months, buy enough when it's on sale to last that long.

• Conversely, don't feel compelled to buy four of something just because it is on a four-for-$5 special. That's just a grocery trick to get you to buy more. If you think you'll use only one or two packages, don't buy any more than that. You'll still get the same price.

• You can often use manufacturers' ads from one store at another. Many times grocery chains will accept coupons from another store, or that mention other stores on their face, as long as the manufacturer reimburses them. (They should say "manufacturer's coupon" at the top.)

• Don't think that you can buy it cheaper at a warehouse club. Gault goes there only to buy eggs, butter and non-grocery items. Diapers, she said, are often a great buy there. But most other name-brand merchandise can be had even cheaper on sale at a major grocery chain.

• Consider investing in a couple of copies of the paper if you've got a big family. You'll want more copies of the Sunday coupon supplements, which is where 82% of all coupons are located.

• Know your store's coupon policies and rebate programs. Does your store double coupon? If so, up to how much? Is a nearby rival cheaper? Also, check out the rebate programs your chain has on its Web site. Can you accrue frequent-flier miles, free bottles of wine or money toward your kid's education with your spending?

Updated March 7, 2008

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