Coupon Queen
From one of the local news stations...
More Than a 'Coupon Queen'
Forget the title "coupon queen." Tamara Oliverio is a coupon commando. She's so hard core, she even turns the word "coupon" into a verb.
"I know, I do," she says, "It's 'couponing.'"
Olivario attacks a Kroger in Westland armed not only with a stack of coupons, but also some easy to come by research from the Web site cutouthunger.org.
"It's already done for you online," Oliverio says. "All you have to do is find the coupons she has pointed out for you."
The site highlights which coupons to use right now and where to find them. Kroger is the only local store on the site at the moment, but others might be coming depending on demand.
Oliverio actually lives coupons — she works at Livonia-based Valassas, the marketing company behind a lot of the coupons people cut every day. So she has no guilt when she uses four free coupons for otherwise pricey razor kits. She's quick to remind us that "Schick covers the cost because they want people to try their products."
Tamara's genius and the power of coupons become clear at the checkout line:
The price for all of her stuff comes to about $143.
But with the Kroger Plus Card, it's down to $100.
Then come the coupons, often doubled from face value; several even give Tamara items for free.
Now catch out this bottom line: $35.53.
Checking the tale of the tape, you see Tamara saved more than $106, or an unbelieveable 76 percent off her entire bill. She bought 44 items for less than a buck apiece.
But here's the really remarkable part: Tamara won't use any of what she bought guided by the cutouthunger.org Web site. It's going to Gleaner's Food Bank on Detroit's East Side. That's because the site organizer wants everyone who uses her free information to give something back, whether it's in the form of food or money.
It's a heck of a system. Feed yourself for less, and feed others, too!
Now all we need is a coupon system to save us a dollar a gallon at the gas pump.
If you want more information, head to cutouthunger.org.
