I get my purchases for free using the easy saving technique – a popular app saves me more than any other

A BUDGET-CONSCIOUS shopper has paid little or nothing on groceries for more than a decade thanks to her couponing skills.

When Star Smith was fresh out of college and working her first professional job, she noticed her coworker regularly clipping coupons.

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Her colleague checked store brochures and websites daily for deals before heading to the supermarket after work.

Smith, 37, was a single mother and was looking for a way to spend less money on diapers.

After spending some time peering over the cubicle wall, she bought some newspapers and began clipping coupons.

“That Sunday, I went on my first trip and I had no idea what I was doing. It was a mess,” she told The US Sun.

“But I saved $70 and my life changed.”

Now, she helps others change their lives the same way by sharing her money-saving skills on YouTube.

Coupon with star he has over 232,000 subscribers and his full-time job is creating content for the channel.

APP-SOLUTELY SAVING MONEY

The days of clipping paper coupons and carrying a full binder to the store are a thing of the past.

Smith still receives weekly circulars, but said most coupons and offers are redeemed through apps.

She looks for matching deals at discount stores and apps like Ibotta, which she says is now the market leader.

The app partners with different stores, including Target, Aldi, and Walmart, to give customers cash back for purchasing certain items.

“Ibotta is really interesting. I think they are single-handedly transforming the way coupons work,” she said.

Smith believes stores will soon start offering coupons only through discount apps, rather than having their own special offers.

SHOPPING

Smith shops wherever she finds a deal and encourages others to do the same.

“If you know what you’re doing, you can save money anywhere,” she said.

Over the years, she’s discovered that Kroger has one of the best store apps to help customers save money.

Users can clip digital coupons, plan their shopping trip with the weekly ad, and get personalized offers on items they purchase regularly.

The app even has a store mode that tells you exactly where things are on the shelves.

“In fact, it’s one of the best apps in the game. It would be really useful for a lot of weddings because my husband never has to call me to ask where something is,” she joked.

If you know what you’re doing, you can save money anywhere.

Star Smithextreme coupon

A WAY OF LIFE

Coupons aren’t just a hobby for Smith; It’s a lifestyle.

After years of shopping and getting entire purchases for just a few dollars, or even for free, she says she can’t imagine shopping any other way.

“Sometimes I look at a photo and think, ‘I can’t believe I got thousands of dollars worth of stuff for a few dollars,’” she said.

Smith joked that her garage looks like a Walmart because of everything in it.

She doesn’t accumulate the stock, however. She shares it with her family to ensure no one has to pay for their purchases.

“No one in my family buys anything. My mother couldn’t even tell me the prices in the store because I only give her things.”

Sometimes, if she is purchasing items just to make a video for her YouTube, she will give the amount to the team for free.

STARTING

Consumers who are just starting out with coupons must decide what their goal is.

Are they trying to reduce expenses or spend less on specific items?

Sometimes I look at a photo and think, ‘I can’t believe I got thousands of dollars worth of stuff for a few dollars.

Star Smithextreme coupon

Then, they can choose a supermarket or drugstore to start looking for offers.

“In the past, I really needed to save money on baby items and groceries. So it was very effective for me to start at the supermarket and drug store,” she said.

“For many people, these two places are an ideal location.”

Shoppers can then begin to learn how the store brands items and what deals it offers to maximize their savings.

“You have to start small, because coupons have many layers. It’s not as simple as walking in like we did ten years ago with your coupon folder,” she said.

“Now when you leave the store, it’s just the beginning of the process because you take your receipt and upload it to apps like Ibotta to save more.”

Meanwhile, some shoppers cited the law to avoid showing their receipts.

And one customer questioned why the retail giant uses self-checkout if people need to show their receipts.