Celebrating frugality - Coupons a key to food storage supply - Latter-day Sentinel - News for the LDS community in the Spokane Temple District

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Celebrating frugality - Coupons a key to food storage supply

By Collette Bise, Staff Writer
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July 13, 2009 —

"Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their supply of food... and were debt-free. Today we find that many have followed this counsel in reverse: they have at least a year's supply of debt and are food-free."

President Thomas S. Monson,
"That Noble Gift-Love at Home,"
Church News, May 12, 2001.

You've heard various stories from friends, neighbors or family members. Someone went to the grocery store with a handful of coupons and paid $32 for bags full of groceries worth well over $100. Another grocery shopper had so many coupons that the grocery store owed her money when the transaction was through. Is this real, you wonder? Is it legal? How do they do that?

An example of a successful coupon shopping experience at Albertson's: all items pictured were purchased for 40¢-50¢ each. Full retail price for all these items, $146.24. Total store savings, $91.24. Total coupon savings, $28.30. Total out of pocket expenses, $26.70. Saved 82%! Photo by Christine West.

Christine West, administrator of www.pennymavins.com, explains it this way. "Coupon shopping has always been out there, we just haven't paid much attention to it. About two years ago, I kept seeing stories about gals at the grocery store using coupons to save money in their shopping. I was intrigued and quickly learned the difference between store coupons and manufacturer coupons. I learned that it's OK to get something for free!"

In February, 2007, the Church outlined a new approach for obtaining your food storage. (This approach can be found in the pamphlet All is Safely Gathered In: Family Home Storage, Feb. 2007 - See also www.providentliving.org ) The pamphlet encourages members of the church to build a small food supply of items used daily, gradually increasing that to a three-month supply of food and toiletry items.

In the pamphlet, The First Presidency said, "We ask that you be wise as you store food and water and build your savings. Do not go to extremes; it is not prudent, for example, to go into debt to establish your food storage all at once. With careful planning, you can, over time, establish a home storage supply and a financial reserve."

Using coupons to shop for items that your family consumes on a regular basis is one way to grow your food storage and be frugal. "Learning to use coupons to your full advantage is an added bonus," West said.

Sister West gave some of the following advice: Learn how to combine coupons. The Sunday paper is full of manufacturers' coupons, along with some store coupons. On Wednesday, the stores publish their sale ads for the week. Those can be found in the Spokesman-Review or the Pinch (a free publication from the Spokesman). Online coupons from manufacturers are also available. The following three websites www.coolsavings.com, www.smartsource.com and www.valupage.com require registration but offer a multitude of printable coupons.

Coupons usually have a two to three month shelf life. You can organize them in a binder using baseball card holders, according to categories; or you can keep them all in a pocket type organizer, uncut until you are ready to use them.

"You have to be vigilant and work with others who are doing the same thing," West said. "It helps to have friends looking for deals and sharing them. It does require at least an hour a week to keep it all organized, but I am buying what my family likes, I am saving money and building my food storage."

Most of the items in the West family storage, shown here, has been purchased using these coupon savings techniques over the last year. Photo by Christine West.

An example of using coupons might go as follows: In a Sunday newspaper, General Mills might have a coupon for $1 off two boxes of cereal. This is a manufacturers' coupon. The store might be having a sale on General Mills cereal, offering boxes at $1.88 each, if you buy five boxes. The store might also have a pull coupon in the aisle for $1.50 off the purchase of three boxes. By combining these coupons and sales, you will pay $1.38 per box of cereal, saving you at least $1.00 per box and often more than that.

For Sister West and her family, using coupon shopping " is a matter of trying to do what we have been asked to do in the Church; build a three month food supply and save money that can then be used to build a cash reserve."

To learn more, contact Sister West at christine@pennymavins.com.

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