In this week’s special Money section in TIME Magazine, I went shopping with Shannon Shaffer, who runs the couponing site For the Mommas.
Shaffer is one of thousands of consumers who use coupons to save big bucks. In 2009 alone, Americans redeemed some 3.3 billion coupons for a savings of $3.5 billion. What started out as a way to save money has spiraled into an all-out craze that has seen housewives stealing newspapers and dumpster diving in pursuit of good deals.
To learn the tricks of the trade, I went grocery shopping with Shaffer at her local store near Morgantown, Penn. We spent two and half hours combing the aisles and in the end saved about 90% on nearly $300 worth of groceries and household items.
The story is available for TIME Magazine subscribers here.
