Robert Friedmeyer knows how to save money on groceries. Not only do he and his wife, Tammy, clip coupons every Sunday, they look for discounts, sales and comparison shop for everything from flour to toothpaste.

The economy is forcing shoppers to save in every way they can, including using an old technique that has been updated for the digital age — coupons.

Traffic to Web sites that compile coupons from a variety of stores has increased sharply over the past year, as consumers try to pinch pennies on everything from groceries to laptop computers to rugs.

“Shoppers are in a bargain mindset and anything that they can do to stretch their dollars helps,” said Lauren Freedman, president of the e-tailing Group, an e-commerce consulting firm in Chicago.

Despite the malaise, coupon sites like Coupons.com, EverSave.com, CoolSavings.com, RetailMeNot.com, RedPlum.com and CouponMom.com are benefiting. As food prices increased and the economy got worse, their traffic picked up.

Although they are getting a lot of attention this year, coupon Web sites are a small part of the overall coupon industry. In 2007, coupons printed from the Internet represented only 0.2 percent of all those redeemed, according to CMS Inc., a company that processes coupons. Coupons redeemed online probably accounted for a similar percentage, according to Matthew Tilley, marketing director for CMS.

Stacie Wolfe, of Memphis, Ind., said she used to feed her family of four at a cost of $120 to $150 week until she discovered an online option.

“It was getting ridiculous,” said Wolfe. “I started playing The Grocery Game and now I spend about $80 per week. We also stopped eating out as much, so altogether, we’re saving about $200 to $300 per month on groceries.”

TheGroceryGame.com is a Web site that Wolfe discovered in mid-2008. For a $10 subscription every eight weeks, Wolfe is able to log into the site and check what’s on sale at Meijer and Kroger, her stores of choice.

According to Wolfe, the week’s grocery items are posted each Tuesday on the Web site, and she plans her weekly meals around what she’s going to buy. “It takes a little work, but it’s worth it.”

However, the coupon clippers heaven is still the printed Sunday newspaper. Nearly 90 percent of all manufacturer’s coupons issued in the United States are delivered in the nation’s Sunday newspapers, according to Coupon Council, an industry trade group.



SAVING EVEN MORE

The Wolfe family’s decision to cut back on take out is a good step in their efforts to save money, said Anna Smith, a nutrition counselor at Clark Memorial Hospital, who cites eating out as the number one budget buster for most people.

“That ritual morning latte at Starbucks adds up. If you’re paying $4 a day for a cup of coffee, that adds up really quickly.”

Smith said that shoppers don’t have to sacrifice nutrition when trying to save money on food. She offered several tips to help save money in the shopping cart.

• Buy in bulk. A five-pound bag of flour costs about $3, but a 25-pound bag only costs about $8. Dry goods, like toilet paper and paper towels should definitely be purchased in bulk. Smith said shoppers pay more for individually packaged items. “You’re paying for convenience,” she said. “And ‘instant’ is costing you.”

• Buy in-season produce. Purchasing items in-season is often an excellent way to save money on fruits and vegetables. It’s all about supply and demand — out of season produce is harder to find and is generally shipped from further away. Apples, pears and bananas are in season and though prices have gone up, they’re still a good value, Smith said.

• Avoid junk food and shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Junk food is not only bad for your waistline, it’s bad for your wallet. Prepackaged food and processed items like macaroni and cheese and sugar cereals are expensive and unnecessary. Nearly everything you need is in the perimeter of the store — produce, meat and dairy.

• Eat less meat. Meat is a high ticket item at the grocery store and there are cheaper ways to get needed protein. Smith suggests beans as an alternative. “Beans are one of the most economical and most nutritious ways to get protein,” she said. Eggs, peanut butter and cheese also are good alternatives, according to Smith.

• Plan menus ahead and make a list. This is one of the best ways to avoid impulse purchases, which are generally unhealthy and unnecessary anyway. If you plan menus ahead of time, you can use one item for multiple meals. A whole chicken can be roasted one night, used for chicken tacos the next night, used in soup on the third might, and the bones can even be used to make homemade chicken stock.

• Buy store brands. There is often little to no difference in the taste of the store brands versus names brands.

There are countless ways to save money on groceries, an inexhaustible list from clipping coupons to using store discount cards. But Smith advises one main thing — “get back in the kitchen.”

Cooking at home, making big batches and freezing leftovers and planning ahead are easy ways to significantly lighten the load of what you put in your grocery cart on the inside of your wallet.

— Scripps Howard News Service, Staff Writer Melissa Moody and freelance journalist Leslea Harmon contributed to this report.



RANDOM FACTS

• 89 percent of the U.S. population uses coupons.

• Shoppers saved approximately $2.6 billion last year by using coupons.

• The typical coupon was worth $1.25 savings in 2007

• Coupon users report an average of 7 percent savings on their grocery bill with coupons.

• The typical family saves between $5.20 and $9.60 per week using coupons.

• Manufacturers offered more than approximately $350 billion in coupon savings in 2007.

SOURCE: Coupon Council





WHO USES COUPONS?

Age % using coupons

18-24 86%

25-34 91%

35-44 86%

45-54 86%

55-64 91%

65+ 93%



WHERE TO FIND THEM

• In your local Sunday newspaper. Inside you’ll find inserts loaded with coupons — nearly 90 percent of all manufacturer’s coupons issued in the United States are delivered in your Sunday paper, including The Evening News and The Tribune.

• Look in the store. You’ll find coupons in the retailer’s advertising flier, on the shelf, at kiosks and even at the check-out. Turn your register receipt over — sometimes there will be coupons there, too. Try samples offered in the store and you’ll often be offered a coupon to take home a package of the newest products.

• Check the product package. Brands want you to keep buying their product, so you’ll find coupons on the package, or inside, for the next purchase.

• Look on the Internet. There are coupon sites where you can print coupons and find providers who will e-mail you coupons. A product manufacturer’s Web site may also offer coupons.

Check the newspaper’s site www.newsandtribune.com and click the Coupons link for printable versions.

• Magazines are another great source for coupons. You’ll find them right on the advertising page, or sometimes inserted between the magazine pages.

• Buy a local coupon book —many are sold by schools and community groups to raise funds for good causes.

SOURCE: Coupon Council



TIPS TO SAVE

• Look for BOGO (buy one, get one) deals and couple them with two manufacturer coupons.

• Don’t be embarrassed to ask your friends for their extra coupons. They are like money.

• Price shop. Wal-Mart will match any price if you bring in a competitor’s ad.

• Stick to your shopping list so you aren’t tempted to buy full-priced items.

• Check out supermarkets for discounted meat. Stores usually cut prices in the mornings on meat about to expire.

• Leave the kids at home when you shop. They often sneak non-coupon items into the cart.

• Give your two cents about a product by calling the manufacturer. They’ll often send you coupons or free stuff.

• If a store is out of a sale item, ask for a raincheck.

• Never try to pass an expired coupon. That’s cheating.

— Scripps Howard News Service