High Tech Ways to Save at the Supermarket

Have you seen the Coupon Mom, Stephanie Nelson, on the Today Show or Oprah or numerous other shows buying over $100 of groceries for less than $5 at checkout? CouponMom.com, her free website, continues to grow as shoppers learn to use web technology to save up to $6000 a year at the grocery store. CouponMom.com is the largest grocery savings website of its kind with over 2.4 million members, up from 200,000 in early 2008.

Consumers are taking advantage of the recession coupon craze, as over $800 million more dollars were saved with coupons in 2009 than in 2008, according to a Valassis marketing survey. Grocery coupon redemption increased by 27% in 2009 and continues to increase in 2010.

“Consumers are focusing more on planning their trips to the grocery store to save money,” said Nelson, “Being able to go to the web to find the best grocery deals at their stores, print coupons, load electronic coupons on their store cards, and even use their cell phone to access their shopping list helps save money without taking a lot of time."

Printable grocery coupons are the fastest-growing source of coupons as busy shoppers seek "on-demand" savings. In 2009, internet distribution of coupons increased by 92% and consumer redemption of these coupons is up over 360%. CouponMom.com members alone printed over $40 million worth of free grocery coupons in 2009. “We will most certainly see an increase in the number of printable coupons available in 2010,” said Nelson.

The website helps shoppers save by teaching "Strategic Shopping." CouponMom.com offers free membership and a tutorial, and the “Grocery Deals by State” section makes saving simple by listing the best grocery deals at thousands of supermarkets across the country. These lists combine sale prices with store promotions and coupons, helping any shopper achieve dramatic savings.

Shoppers can even use their cell phone in the store to find grocery deals and have coupons electronically loaded on their store loyalty card. CouponMom.com has a new mobile version to help shoppers create their shopping lists on the go.

Nelson’s new book, The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half,
(Published by Avery, a member of Penguin Group, USA), on the New York Times Bestseller List for four weeks is more proof that consumers are hungry for new ways to save. It is a relevant and timely resource for families nationwide.

“Saving money doesn’t have to be complicated,” says Nelson. “We outline my Strategic Shopping Method and show consumers how easy it is to save at every type of store, in every department within the grocery store, and for every type of shopper.”

Nelson realizes that not everyone who wants to save has the time to clip coupons before they shop. Her book tailors practical advice to different types of shoppers, and enables even the busiest consumers to save up to 30% by shopping strategically.

A new wave of couponing is taking the nation by storm, and Stephanie Nelson knows all the tricks of the trade. To learn more about new couponing trends and for an online tutorials, go to www.couponmom.com.