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Coupon clippers bank big bucks

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Samantha S. Crane
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  $104.84

That's how much money Tonya Shorter saved on a recent trip to the Commissary. The cost to her? Only $28.63. That's a savings of 82 percent. How did she do it? She'll tell you for free during her coupon clipping class taught at the Airman and Family Readiness Center.

The class, "Blinkie, Peelie and Catalina," is taught once a month by Ms. Shorter, an Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education Fellow with the A&FRC. The name is derived from three different types of common coupons: a blinkie: a store shelf coupon, a peelie: a coupon attached to a product and a catalina: a coupon printed at the end of a receipt.

"I teach the class because I live it," said Ms. Shorter. "It's fun teaching people how to save money. My friends call me the bargain shopping queen."

Coupons are everywhere--from the old-fashioned way of finding them in newspapers to social media sources such as Facebook and Twitter. While finding coupons is easy, knowing how to use them is a different story, but that's where Ms. Shorter comes in.
In the class, participants learn to find, organize and use coupons.

"This is something you have to stay very proactive with," said Ms. Shorter. "It does take time and you must be organized. Start with one store instead of trying all of them to prevent getting discouraged. Don't feel like you have to clip every coupon."

After taking the class, Jackie Thomas was able to use her new skills to cut her shopping bills in half.

"It's all about the freebies and saving money," she said. "I really enjoyed the class, especially all the websites she showed us."

Ms. Shorter also explains how to use surveys, blogs and mystery shopping companies to save more money.

"It takes time and patience, but it is worth it in the end," said Ms. Shorter.

The next class will be held Dec. 10 from noon to 1:30 p.m. To sign up, call 256-8668.
Other financial management classes offered at the A&FRC include Basic Investing, Identity Theft and Understanding Your Credit Score, 10 Tips for Financial Success and Better than a Budget. A complete list can be found at www.scott.af.mil/news/bulletinboard.asp.