Anna Morgan, nicknamed “That Coupon Lady,” gave a presentation on the art of couponing at the Adult Student Center on Oct. 4.
Morgan’s family includes her husband, four children and a dog.
She has a weekly budget of $75 that has to cover groceries, cleaning supplies and health and beauty aids.
“I have a daughter that dyes her hair —that’s in there, too,” Morgan said.
Morgan started couponing seriously a little more than three years ago when an auto accident left her husband unable to work.
Her family’s desperate situation set Morgan on the path of developing her couponing strategies that have evolved into a savings method she teaches to others interested in stretching the household budget.
“I encourage people to start slow with just one store,” Morgan said. “You decide how much time to invest in couponing.”
Morgan pointed out that each store has unique policies regarding coupon redemption, and being familiar with the store’s policies makes using coupons painless for the cashiers customers encounter.
Regina McCarty, office services assistant senior for the Student Development Center, attended the presentation.
“I’m hoping to learn how to organize my coupons a little bit better,” McCarty said.
Morgan provided a binder to those who attended the class.
Morgan showed examples of binders and boxes people use to organize and made recommendations for using each method to its best advantage.
“Everyone picks what works for them, and I encourage them not to spend a lot of money on filing gadgets,” Morgan said.
Morgan used a reference from an article on couponing in the August magazine issue of “Money.”
According to the article, the average yearly offering of coupons is $1,677, and only $10.57 is cashed in.
“Don’t feel guilty about using coupons,” Morgan said. “It actually costs the store more if you use your credit card to make the purchase.”
Morgan will also be teaching a non-credit class at IU Southeast called Secrets of That Coupon Lady.
It will be offered on Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $10.
By SONDRA MORRIS
Staff
sobmorri@ius.edu
