Local Parents Save Big Bucks After Couponing Class

Jill Spann insists that she is not an "extreme couponer."

She's not interested in buying a two-year supply of mayonaise or 300 tubes of toothpaste.

But in a given month, the Crofton resident and mother of three will save hundreds of dollars on household products by cutting coupons and looking for sales. And she's set up a business to help others in west Anne Arundel County save a few bucks, too. 

Spann operates "A Jar Half Full," which offers "coupon parties" with advice on how to get the best deals on groceries. She also offers one-on-one shopping sessions for a fee, and has helped residents in Odenton and Severn. 

Her introduction to the couponing craze came when the economy went sour a few years ago and the family needed to tighten its belts. 

"It was 2008 when the economy went belly up and my husband's hours got cut," she said. "This kept us above water." 

Spann now has clients from all over the area, many of them who she met through a local Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) group. And her classes have become increasingly relevant as many area residents deal with potential furlough days and other cuts tied to the government sequestration. 

The goal, Spann said, is to get people to spend 50 percent less on groceries. 

Teri Lingenbach of Severn said she met with Spann last year and now routinely saves $280 to $300 each month. 

"I'm not going to the store nearly as often," Lingenbach said. "I haven't gotten to that 50 percent threshold yet, but I'm in the 40s, which is pretty good."

Spann's advice essentially consists of three steps: finding coupons, organizing them, and timing purchases to ensure the maximum savings. She gets coupons the old-fashioned way, through newspaper circulars. Then, she determines what the family will eat each week based on what offers the best value.

"I'll grocery shop, see what's on sale and then meal plan based on that," she said. 

For non-perishable items, she'll buy them when they are the cheapest and save them for when they are needed.

While Spann said circulars are still the place to go for the best coupons, she advises clients to take advantage of the Internet. Websites like CouponMom, KrazyCouponLady and The Grocery Game offer instant price comparisons and insight into unadvertised deals. 

Spann also offers these tips: 

• Always check Target for sales, because the store allows you to use both a store and manufacturer's coupon on the same item. 
• Cook with what you have. If you stock up on certain basic items, you'll be able to make a meal without needing to make a single, costly run to the store.
• Stock up on holiday gifts throughout the year to save money
• If you're left with expired coupons, consider giving them to members of the military, who are permitted to use them at comissaries. 

Spann insisted that she's not like the people featured on reality shows like "Extreme Couponing," who use coupons to buy large quantities of groceries at low prices. That show, she said, often features deceptive couponing practices, and she questioned the wisdom of buying in enormous quantities. 

"I don't need to have enough toilet paper to last until my grandkids," she said. 

Instead, her advice centers around being organized with your coupons and conscious of where the best deals can be found. She is not loyal to any particular supermarket, only to the savings. 

Spann charges $15 per person for parties and $35 for a one-on-one shopping session. 

Spann recently began offering special sessions for those with dietary restrictions. Amy Allen of Odenton met with Spann to learn how to find gluten-free products after her husband was diagnosed with celiac disease. 

"There were these $4 boxes of Rice Crispies, and I found you could get them for 99 cents, and it worked for the gluten-free kind," Allen said. "So I bought six of them!"

Allen, also a mother of three, said she believes she's saved $250 a month since first meeting Spann in January and has cut her grocery bill by 60 percent. 

Learn more about A Jar Half Full at its Facebook page.