The Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half: The Strategic Shopping Method Proven to Slash Food and Drugstore Costs

by Stephanie Nelson

The creator of couponmom.com, with 1.6 million subscribers and counting, shares her strategic money-saving techniques for saving big while living well

Americans are hungry for bargains these days, but one woman has developed the ultimate strategy for enjoying a feast of savings. Taking the nation by storm, with appearances ranging from The Oprah Winfrey Show Stephanie Nelson has shown countless women and men how to save thousands of dollars by becoming savvy coupon clippers-without sacrificing nutrition or quality. Now, in The Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half, Nelson demonstrates all of the tricks of the trade-beyond coupons and tailor-made for a variety of shopper lifestyles. Whether you're a "busy" shopper and have only a small amount of time each week to devote to finding the best deal; a "rookie" shopper who is ready to put more effort into cutting bills; or a seasoned "varsity" shopper who is looking for new ways to get the deepest discounts possible, this book offers techniques thatw ill make it easy to save money at any level and on any timetable.

Extending her Strategic Shopping protocols to mass merchandisers, wholesale clubs, natural-food stores, drugstores, and other retailers, Nelson proves that value and variety can go hand in hand. With meal- planning tips, recipes, and cost-comparison guides, as well as inspiring real-life stories from the phenomenal Coupon Mom movement, this is a priceless guide to turning the checkout lane into a road of riches.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Money, Reference, How To, Finance, Family

295 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Stephanie Nelson is the founder of the Coupon Mom website, which launched the coupon movement that took America by storm in 2008. As a savings expert, Stephanie has appeared on many national and local television news shows, including Good Morning America, the Today show, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Her entrepreneurial Coupon Mom concept started a national cottage industry of other “coupon moms,” as she inspired women to start profitable websites in their communities. Her book The Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half was a New York Times bestseller. Stephanie currently hosts her podcast, Pivotal People.

Reviews

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book on how to save money on your grocery bill. Even if you are not interested in using coupons, this book can definitely help you lower your food costs.

It's written by the owner of a couponing website, but it isn't overly promotional. She does mention her site but unlike Shop Smart; Save More by Teri Gault, it doesn't feel like an advertisement for the website.

I loved that the book gave real strategies for each type of shopper: Busy, Rookie, and Varsity. Although she definitely recommends using combining coupons with sales, she gives many other strategies that don't involve coupons at all like keeping a price book, shopping at warehouse and discount stores, and making your own items from scratch.

I love that she points out that buying something like a packaged rice mix on sale with a coupon is still not likely to be cheaper than making your own. However, she doesn't make the same leap in all areas like making your own cakes from scratch. She frequently talks about using inexpensive cake mixes. She also discusses making your own cleaning products which is not only cheaper, but better for the environment. Buying organics is discussed and she even touches briefly on buying local produce, but she doesn't mention buying pastured meats directly from small farms. In fact, she doesn't mention purchasing any meat other than conventionally raised meats from the supermarket.

While I didn't agree with everything she suggests, this is by far one of the most practical guides to saving money on groceries I've ever read.

[BxerMom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting stuff but if you ask me a lot of it is just common sense. Anyone can save money you just have to have the desire to do so. If you're like me you've grown so use to convenience that you start forgetting about how much everything costs. Now, with student loans and medical bills coming due I'm having to look at my finances in a whole new way ( I needed to anyway but okay, I'm lazy and like convenience). Do I need to have a $25000 stock pile of food in my garage like some of these extreme shoppers? No but saving $25.00 a week would make me happy :) Worth the read! It's a fast one!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to start by saying I'm really glad I read this book and it was well worth my time. It helped me learn how to maximize the coupon/sale combos, how to plan frugal family meals that stretch our grocery budget, where to buy specific products (like bread at bread outlets, dairy at Cosco, etc.), and how to use the Couponmom website. It also includes some great do-it-yourself recipes and a list of companies that send coupons upon request.
That said, I did have a little beef with some of it. As I read through the produce section, I realized that this lady obviously didn't share the same passion for food as I do. She seems to suggest one should of course stick to the basics-cabbage, carrots, bananas, etc. She points out that (tisk, tisk) eating something exotic like, oh, an apple will cost you about $1,000 a year more. Really?! I know that if I'm in such a financial state that I am becoming a burder to someone else then it may be my obligation to stick to bananas for awhile. But, for now I'm willing to take a hit to my budget to have a gorgeous, shiny red bell pepper or even an occassional portobello adorning my plate. Maybe it's wrong to be such a romantic about my fruits and veggies but it's just important to me.
She also strongly encourages figuring out the cost of each meal to the penny. Maybe I'm not mathmatically minded. Maybe I have other things to do. Maybe I'm just really lazy. But I really feel that a ballpark figure of whether my meal falls in the category of cheap, moderate or expensive is adequate enough knowledge for me. But, to each his own.
Despite these few personal issues, I thought this book was fantastic. It's already inspired me to start saving and giving in creative ways I'd never thought of before. I'm thankful that Stephanie Nelson has a lot more self-discipline and business knowledge than me so that I could glean even a portion of her expertise!

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found so much valuable information in this book. I just became a stay-at-home mom, and while I have no intentions of becoming a mega-coupon shopper, I would like to take advantage of simple ways to save my family money on food and personal products, so that we could be putting it towards more important things like saving for college (probably moving from a "busy shopper" to a "rookie shopper." Stephanie does a great job of educating us on the art of shopping, and I will be referencing it often for names of websites and for other miscellaneous information, such as how to make my own non-toxic (and cheaper) cleaning products.

[==Anne== · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much of the contents is fairly common sense but WOW! It had never occurred to me to just keep the entire packet of coupons from the Sunday circulars instead of the hours upon hours of clipping and filing and emptying expired coupons. Genius for that alone! Also, I had heard about thegrocerygame.com website, but that requires a monthly or bi-monthly fee. Couponmom.com is set up very similarly and is FREE! Plus, Nelson offers many websites and other methods to save.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome book and the fact that her website is free is even more amazing. I also adore that she has an entire section at the back of the book on where to find coupons for organic foods. Also anyone who thinks that coupons are only for junk food and things they wouldn't buy hasn't been looking at coupons lately. Even more important is knowing WHEN and WHERE to buy stuff to save even more money. I definitely recommend this one!

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Coupon Mom would be proud--this was a bargain book at Borders that I got at one of the stores that's closing, so it was 70% off. Such value!

Anyway, I really liked this book, because it was not just about doubling coupons and creating stockpiles. She shows how to get the best value for things, including on fresh produce and organic items. I'm so excited to try her strategies, although I refuse to walk through the grocery store with a clipboard, comparing prices.

[Professor P · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I need to take a break from budgeting books.

This book isn’t bad. It offers great, if dated methods for saving money (especially at the grocery store). Naturally, as the title suggests, most of these tips revolve around coupons. However, there are also great sections on recipes and meal planning.

Not a bad save money how-to book, but I am burnt out on this type of read right now.

[Book Calendar · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half: The Strategic Shopping Method Proven to Slash Food and Drugstore Costs by Stephanie Nelson




This book exists to sell a website http://www.couponmom . The website collects personal information then gives out online coupons. It is a trade off. I saved about $7 from the online printable coupons when I went shopping this week.



It also reminded me to check the grocery circular at my supermarket and my local drugstore while I was there. Money is tight so I tried it. I saved some more money at Walgreens on a few items like toilet paper and hand soap. Another $3.



While I was at the produce store, I got a few things which were cheaper at the produce store than the supermarket; yogurt, hummus, vegetables and fruit are cheaper at the local produce store than the supermarket. The reason it is this way is they don't spend as much on advertising and other things. The Coupon Mom book reminds you to comparison shop. There was probably a difference of another $10.



While I was at the supermarket, I bought a case of diet coke. It is cheaper than buying it from the vending machine at work. This probably saved me another $5 this week. The book reminds you to eat at home more. I have been packing a lunch starting last week. This probably saves me another $10 for the week.



I had a few coupons left over which I will keep in a folder for when I will need them.



There is nothing brilliant or new in this book other than the online printable coupons. I went shopping on Saturday so I did not get a chance to look at the coupons in the Sunday paper. This might have saved me a little bit more money. I saved $35 this week. I won't say it is half of my grocery bill, but I am just starting. It could add up to a decent amount of money over time. This is a solid guide on how to comparison shop and use coupons. There is a lot of hype in it, but it also has some good advice.



The real question is how much money is your time worth. It takes a little bit of effort to do this.



The book is easy to read. It has an index, basic charts, and lots of testimonials from people who have used her website. The testimonials are not that believable. There are also numerous shopping tips which are much more useful than the testimonials. For example, it is cheaper to buy spices and bulk dry goods from the produce store most of the time than the grocery store.



Stephanie Nelson has appeared on Oprah, CNN, and the Today Show. She comes across as practical and personable. There is something satisfying and practical about an Assistant Professor of Classics at Boston University writing about coupons.

[Ice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Americans are hungry for bargains these days, but one woman has developed the ultimate strategy for enjoying a feast of savings. Stephanie Nelson has shown countless women and men how to save thousands of dollars by becoming savvy coupon clippers-without sacrificing nutrition or quality.

In The Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half, Nelson demonstrates all of the tricks of the trade-beyond coupons and tailor-made for a variety of shopper lifestyles. Whether you're a "busy" shopper and have only a small amount of time each week to devote to finding the best deal; a "rookie" shopper who is ready to put more effort into cutting bills; or a seasoned "varsity" shopper who is looking for new ways to get the deepest discounts possible.

Extending her Strategic Shopping protocols to mass merchandisers, wholesale clubs, natural-food stores, drugstores, and other retailers, Nelson proves that value and variety can go hand in hand. With meal- planning tips, recipes, and cost-comparison guides.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am new to couponing and a bit skeptical as I have a very set routine of doing my menu planning and grocery shopping, so it will majorly change the way I currently do things. I already shop at WinCo, and I hate the Oregonian, but I subscribed to Sunday only for the circulars and will see if I can save the acclaimed $50/week off my grocery bill. Maybe if all we eat is pudding and rice cakes for a month...anyway, book is well written, a lot of the stuff I already know b/c I am a budgeter, meal planner, but still several money saving tips and for sure all new info for me on couponing. I already applied her advice to email your favorite products and have them send you coupons and it worked! I got coupons mailed to my house for some of the things I am already using (Zone bars and mascara) so she has good, practical advice. Ask me in a month if we have saved money on our food budget and I will tell you how good her advice REALLY is. :)

[Susi Mirick · Rating 3 out of 5]

it has a lot of good tips in it but i think she assumes a little much...some of her tips were not applicable to my family's situations and there are two whole chapters i completely skipped one being the recipes...while reading the book i did not expect to have "a cookbook section"...she could do any entire cookbook using her finds and her math skills but i do not see how they actually fit into a book like this...the other chapter i skipped was the last chapter about giving to stamp out hunger...i am FAR from that ability...i have 7 people in my household from newborn to 67 years old and right now and for a while it is not a luxury that i will be able to entertain.

and she promotes her webpage on nearly every page of the book...i think we get the picture Ms. Nelson after the first 20 times you mentioned it....maybe you could have put in a chapter of websites, such as your own, that will help us maximize our coupons

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe it's because I am already a penny pinching, bargain hunting person but I didn't find this book very helpful. I generally beleive that most coupons are for junk food that I don't want myself or family eating or that you can get a store brand item for cheaper even after using a coupon. I already shop at a bare bones grocery store so I am already getting inexpensive food. I already do meal plans and stick to a list so this wasn't anything new to me. I do like her coupon database on her website which helped me to save $19 on stuff I actually do buy but you can only print the coupon 1x maybe 2xs a month if you are lucky the rest of the coupons I found were for crap or for fancy items my type of store doesn't carry. If you shop at a high end grocery store and want to save this is the book for you.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has given me motivation to be more cautious with the money that I spend on food and to take every opportunity to look for good deals in the grocery aisles. I have even started using coupons - which I have NEVER been good about doing before this. I learned many great tips from this book and I am excited to put them to use! (Although with three young kids in tow I don't think that I will be hitting several stores a week just for the sales. Not worth it to me!)

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for ways to trim their grocery budget. I think that there are some great ideas that anyone could use - even if you don't feel like taking the time to go through coupons.

[David Warner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is interesting and has some good points, but I found myself skimming through the last third of the book. A lot of the book just reminded me to keep with (or return to) basic practices--setting out a meal plan before the week begins, writing out a grocery list based on that plan, and only buying what's on the grocery list. This type of basic planning may only take 1 hour a week (or is done automatically through eMealz), but we have been neglecting it. So, in the end, it was helpful to read this book, if for no other reason than to remind me of what we should be doing each week.

[Alisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a coupon shopper, and read this book since I remember hearing about this woman quite a few months ago when I was just starting out couponing. I didn't really learn anything drastically new, but overall good start to couponing. I am going to try a couple of the recipes, and some of the ideas she has in looking at meat prices, organic foods, and overall just ways to save are good. I liked how she reminded me to look for the unit price.

[Romie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Better than I thought. I have been on and off a couponer and felt like I knew most of what she had to say, but it was motivating to get me going again. She has some recipes that I liked, the only thing I've started doing differently after reading this is buying whole carrots and peeling them, and buying head lettuce instead of the prewashed Costco mix. I borrowed this from a friend who is starting to coupon and I do think its a great help for a newcomer to couponing.

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big coupon shopper and really hoped to find some additional secrets to what I am already doing to teach me how to save more. Although, I really did not find any extra tips, but it was great to catch coupon mom's vision of using couponing to feed the hungry. I realized I could do a lot better on donating and being mindful of others when I have more than I need it was a good reminder.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned how to use coupons to get things free or pretty darn close. I've already put some of the practices to work and "bought" 2 free Degree deodorants and a free Nivea body wash, along with another deodorant for .88 and another Nivea body wash for $1.24. This book will pay for itself in no time at this rate!

[Sheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been couponing for many years,but quickly found new tips in this book. I especially liked that hints were geared towards three groups: those with very little time to spend saving, those just starting out and those who were veteran couponers. Definitely a worthwhile read for anyone who wants to stretch their budget.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a big coupon shopper, so I picked up this book to see if I could get some additional tips. While many of the topics this author covered were things I did, there was somethings that I plan to incorporate into my future purchases. If you are on a tight budget and don't use coupons this book will give you some great tips.

[Shanelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't like to buy a lot of junk/prepared foods and have always thought that is what you had to buy with coupons. I liked her philosophy on preparing and planning meals with the weekly sales and using coupons. I also thought her marketing background was insightful on how and what to look for when shopping to help save money. I'm willing to try it and see.

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a minimal coupon user. I am really interested in the process of how to make these little pieces of paper work for me. Stephanie Nelson explains it all so simply. I found myself taking notes for websites to explore and recipes to try. I really enjoyed reading this book. I feel I've learned a tremendous amount. I am now on my way to saving money on my grocery bills and local pharmacy as well!

[Carissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was some valuable advice in this book, but I was surprised at how much of it I already knew. I'll try out the newspaper insert system since that's her biggest strategy. One thing that was kind of annoying was how much she repeated herself--why do these self-help/how-to books use so much repetition? I was paying attention the first three times, thanks...

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephanie Nelson is a true expert in helping you save money at shopping and cooking. She has REAL advice, that really works-- and any shopper can learn new tricks to save, even if you don't want to become as expert as her.

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I learned some useful tips, but a lot of things were kinda obvious to me. The amount of time and planning involved in clipping coupons to save 50% off groceries makes me tired, and I don't really want 40 tubes of toothpaste in my garage anyway.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good information. A lot of her tips were things I already do or knew about, but still, it was a good read. Very light reading, and it does open your eyes to the many different ways to save money.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are just learning how to meal plan/grocery shop this is a great resource. Lots of store specific information, and lots of appendices in the back with good lists and more resources.
Not much new information for me though. A lot of it is available at her website too.

[Mallory · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first third of the book is interesting. Bargain hunters and meal planners will find some useful websites and tips. The last 2/3 is her going into detail on various categories of food, which is already covered in the first portion.

[El · Rating 1 out of 5]

"America's Cheapest Family" does a better job of explaining coupons. This mom isn't really giving away her secrets...and that is where exactly she gets her coupons and how exactly they all add up. This book didn't really have any substance or good advice.