Joni Meyer-Crothers - Extreme Couponing: How to Be a Savvy Shopper and Save Money... One Coupon at a Time

EXTREME

COUPONING

EXTREME

COUPONING

LEARN HOW TO BE A SAVVY SHOPPER AND
SAVE MONEYONE COUPON AT A TIME

Joni Meyer-Crothers
with Beth Adelman

N EW A MERICAN L IBRARY

Published by the Penguin Group

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Published by New American Library,

a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

First New American Library Printing, March 2013

Copyright 2013 Discovery Communications, LLC. Extreme Couponing and the Extreme Couponing logos are trademarks of Discovery Communications, LLC, used under license. All rights reserved.

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REGISTERED TRADEMARKMARCA REGISTRADA

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA:

Meyer-Crothers, Joni.

Extreme couponing: learn how to be a savvy shopper and save money

one coupon at a time/Joni Meyer-Crothers with Beth Adelman.

p. cm.

ISBN: 978-1-101-59523-7

1. Shopping. 2. Coupons (Retail trade). 3. Consumer education.

4. Home economics. I. Adelman, Beth. II. Title.

TX335.M46 2013

640dc23 2012038751

Designed by Alissa Amell

PUBLISHERS NOTE

While the author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers, Internet addresses, and other contact information at the time of publication, neither the publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors, or for changes that occur after publication. Further, publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

W hen I was five years old, a missionary came and preached in our church about how many people in the United States and throughout the world are hungry. I still remember that service so vividly: I was sitting in the third pew, and I had on one of my Sunday church dresses and my little red shoes. He talked about how it was our responsibility to feed those hungry people, and I remember thinking to myself, I will. Im going to help change the world by feeding the hungry. I wasnt sure how I was going to make a difference, especially at the age of five, but it was always something that was in my mind and heavy on my heart.

And then, twenty years ago, my children and I found ourselves among those hungry people, and feeding the hungry became very personal and real to me. I was going through a divorce, I had three young children, and for about six months I could not feed them. There were nights I gave up my food so my kids could have a little bit more. We were hungry and sometimes it was even worse than that. It wasnt like when you dont eat for twelve hours and you have hunger pangswe were starving!

Thinking about that time is still so emotional for me (Im actually tearing up as I write this), because I remember my children going to bed every night saying, Mommy, were hungry. It was devastating. A mom is supposed to take care of her children and provide for them. I just didnt know what I could do. I felt like I was letting my children down and was a failure as a parent.

It was a horrible, horrible time. It got so bad that I found myself having to make choices between toothpaste and feminine products. We couldnt afford to purchase both. I put tissue in my pants when I was on my monthly cycle so my kids could brush their teeth.

But I did keep praying. You know, I was never mad at God; I just didnt understand why I was going through that tough time. But I knew God had a plan for me and my children. I remember praying, God, I dont know why Im going through this, but when I get out of it Im going to make a difference. Im going to help others who are struggling, because nobody should have to make the choices I have to make; nobody should have to hear their children say, Mommy, Im hungry.

After about six months, things got better for us. I got work doing some medical transcription out of my home, and with the extra money I could finally feed my children.

Two years later I met Jamie, and in 1996 we got married. After two miscarriages exactly one year apart, we decided to pursue adoption. We were blessed with four more wonderful children. Things were great for our family.

And then, about five years ago, Jamie lost his job. He worked in an automotive factory, and he got laid off when the economy went bad. The situation was not as desperate as it had been for me as a single mom twenty years ago, but we sure needed a way to stretch our dollars. My friend Rachel showed me two items I could get for free at the store using coupons. It was no big dealjust free Bisquick and Dole fruit cups. But it felt so awesome to know that I could actually walk out of the store with those items and not pay a penny for them by using couponssimple pieces of paper that had never mattered much to me before. And, since I am a major overachiever, I thought, If there are two items I can get for free, there must be a lot more out there. Ive got to figure this out. At that moment, free became one of my favorite words.

Within two weeks, we had more than three thousand dollars worth of food for which we paid only a little over a hundred dollars. When I realized what Id done, I thought, This isnt couponing, this is a ministry! I remembered what had been placed on my heart thirty-five years ago. This was my way to finally make a difference and help feed the hungry, and I was excited!

My husband and I decided to start an open pantry in our garage. We have a commercial freezer filled with meats, frozen vegetables, pizza, breakfast food, frozen dinners, and similar foods. We have a refrigerator filled with milk, butter, eggs, cheese, yogurt, dinner rolls, juicethe normal things you find in a refrigerator but that you typically cant get at a food bank. We also have two very large shelving units stocked with nonperishable food items, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, laundry detergent, and toiletries, including many feminine care products and toothpasteitems that are very close to my heart!