I get my groceries for free by using easy savings technique

A BUDGET-CONSCIOUS shopper has been paying little to nothing for groceries for over a decade, thanks to her couponing skills.

When Star Smith was fresh out of college and working her first professional job, she noticed her coworker would regularly clip coupons.

Her colleague would check store flyers and websites for deals daily before heading to the grocery store after work.

Smith, 37, was a new single mom and looking for a way to spend less money on diapers.

After spending some time peeking over the cubicle wall, she bought some newspapers and started clipping coupons.

“That Sunday, I did my first ever trip and I had no idea what I was doing. It was such a mess,” she told The U.S. Sun.

“But I saved $70, and my life was changed.”

Now, she helps other people change their lives in the same way by sharing her money-saving skills on YouTube.

Coupon with Star has over 232,000 subscribers, and her full-time job is creating content for the channel.

APP-SOLUTELY SAVING MONEY

The days of clipping paper coupons and lugging a full binder to the store are a thing of the past.

Smith still gets weekly circulars but said most coupons and deals are redeemed through apps.

She looks for matching offers from stores and rebate apps like Ibotta, which she says is now the market leader.

The app partners with different stores including Target, Aldi, and Walmart, to give customers cash back for purchasing certain items.

“Ibotta is really interesting. I think they’re single-handedly transforming how coupons work,” she said.

Smith believes stores will soon start offering coupons solely through rebate apps rather than having their own specials.

SHOPPING SPREE

Smith shops wherever she can find a deal and encourages others to do the same.

“If you know what you’re doing, you can save money anywhere,” she said.

Over the years, she’s found that Kroger has one of the best store apps for helping shoppers save money.

Users can clip digital coupons, plan their shopping trip with the weekly ad, and get personalized deals on things they buy regularly.

The app even has a store mode that tells you exactly where things are on shelves.

“It’s actually one of the best apps in the game. It would be really helpful for a lot of marriages because my husband never has to call me to ask where something is,” she joked.

If you know what you’re doing, you can save money anywhere.

Star Smithextreme couponer

A WAY OF LIFE

Couponing isn’t just a hobby for Smith; it’s a lifestyle.

After years of shopping and getting entire hauls for just a few bucks, or even for free, she says she can’t imagine shopping any other way.

“Sometimes I’ll look back at a picture and be like, ‘I can’t believe I got thousands of dollars of stuff for a few bucks,'” she said.

Smith joked that her garage looks like a Walmart because of everything she has.

She doesn’t hoard the stockpile, though. She shares it with her family to ensure no one has to pay for groceries.

“No one in my family purchases anything. My mom couldn’t even tell you the prices at the store because I just give her things.”

Sometimes if she’s buying items just to make a video for her YouTube, she’ll give the haul to the staff for free.

GETTING STARTED

Consumers who are just starting with couponing should decide what their goal is.

Are they trying to cut back on spending or spend less on specific items?

Sometimes I’ll look back at a picture and be like, ‘I can’t believe I got thousands of dollars of stuff for a few bucks.

Star Smithextreme couponer

Then, they can choose a supermarket or drugstore to start looking for deals.

“Back in the day, I really needed to save money on baby items and groceries. So it was really effective for me to start at a grocery store and a drugstore,” she said.

“For a lot of people, those two places are a sweet spot.”

Shoppers can then start to learn how the store marks down items and what deals it offers to maximize their savings.

“You have to start small because couponing has a lot of layers to it. It’s not as simple as going in like we did ten years ago with your folder of coupons,” she said.

“Now, when you leave the store, it’s just the beginning of the process because you take your receipt and upload it to apps like Ibotta to get more savings.”

Meanwhile, some shoppers have cited the law to avoid showing their receipts.

And a customer questioned why the retail giant uses self-checkout if people have to show their receipts.