Couponing Without the Extremes: Author Hosts Free Seminar

No doubt, you've probably seen the popular shows like TLC's Extreme Couponing that feature coupon clippers who cram disturbingly large purchases of food and personal grooming supplies in basements, spare rooms, closets and under their kids' beds.

The couponers often spend 40 to 60 hours a week researching deals. They then drag a spouse, child, relative or friend to grocery stores to help fill up multiple shopping carts and push them to the check-out counter for the show's dramatic end that often includes the shopper saying something like, "I don't have enough money to pay for all of this without coupons."

Christi Bassford, who is a budget-wise mom of four, has seen the couponing shows and thinks most people would like to save money on groceries without all the extremes, so she developed what she calls a real couponing system for real people.

"What I'm doing is I can teach people to spend three hours a week to get 70% to 80% savings, and to me that's a real good tradeoff," she said.

Bassford, who is also known as Christi the Coupon Coach, says she buys six to eight of the same items when they are at rock bottom prices, and uses BOGO deals (buy one get one) combined with store coupons and manufacturer coupons to get large discounts on the items. She then stores her purchases in her pantry.

"This really helps the average family, not women who have 40 to 60 hours a week to coupon," she said.

Bassford says her system also includes tips for finding deals using the internet and ways to organize coupons. She does not cut coupons in advance, although she did try it before coming up with her own system.  

"I tried cutting them all and putting them in the little notebook pockets. One time, I was up until 2:30 in the morning, it was insane," she said.

The designer-turned-stay-at-home-mom says she typically saves 70 to 80% at the grocery store. Her thrifty attitude has even rubbed off on her teenage daughters who compare prices on the internet before shopping. The deals the girls score are not always limited to groceries as one recent trip proved.

"They came back with groceries and two pairs of jeans they got on sale for $5 each at Target," she said.

Bassford is the author of "Couponing Made Simple: Simple Steps to Successful Couponing" which is sold for $18 on Amazon.com.

She will be holding a free seminar at 6:30 pm. Thursday, Oct. 27 at the Palm Harbor Community Activity Center. Bassford will also sell and sign copies of her book.

The Palm Harbor Community Activity Center is located at 1500 16th St. (727) 771-6000. 

Bassford also has the following appearances scheduled in November-

• Seminar & Book Signing, Thursday, November 10th 6:30 p.m., Safety Harbor Library, 750 Main Street, Safety Harbor, FL, 727-724-1555
• Author's Holiday Book Fair, Saturday, November 12th, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., East Lake Community Library, 4125 East Lake Road, Palm Harbor, Fl, 727-773-2665

You can find more information about Christi Bassford's couponing method at her website www.ChristiTheCouponCoach.com