Stephanie Nelson, author of “The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half,” acknowledges that not everybody is willing or able to invest the time it takes to become a super-bargain shopper.
She offers these tips for shoppers willing to put forth only minimum time and effort.
• When you get to the store, pick up a sales flier, paying particular attention to front-page offers and in-store coupons. Also get a store loyalty card.
• Be flexible about brands you buy so you can switch to those that are on sale and try store brands, which are generally quite good.
• Use the five-minute rule: If it takes less than that to do it yourself, avoid precooked, prewashed and precut foods. • Buy multiple items when on sale and use multiple coupons to create a stockpile of bargains.
