Shopping Secrets Can Save You Hundreds

POSTED: 7:01 pm EST February 6, 2007

UPDATED: 6:18 pm EST February 8, 2007

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Pamela Key says she cannot remember the last time she paid full price for groceries.

"Once you add it up, I'm probably not spending $20 a week in groceries because of my rebates," said Key, a full-time stay-at-home mom who lives in Lyman.

Key is an avid coupon clipper, who once purchased $1200 worth of groceries for $150. But according to Key, the real secret to savings is combining coupons with rebates.

"You have to use them together," Key told WYFF News 4's Tim Waller. "I like my coupons because I save a lot of money in it. It's an immediate savings, but the rebates make it. That's the icing on the cake for me."

Stores like Walgreens, Eckerd and CVS offer rebates on hundreds of items like toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, toilet paper, cold remedies, paper towels and food. At CVS, rebates are issued within a couple of day on your next receipt. Eckerd and Walgreens both send rebate checks or gift cards in the mail at the end of every month.

Key says Walgreens adds 10 percent to the total rebate if you opt for their in-store gift card.

"The next month, usually all my purchases are off the Walgreen's gift card," Key said.

But what about rebates on grocery store products? Key uses a website called RefundCent.com to see which food products qualify.

"They have rebate forms for just about any product that you can think of. Every time I go to the grocery store, I pull my little receipt out and go to RefundCents.com and see if there's any refund request that can be printed out and sent off for," she said.

Key demonstrated her rebate skills at a Walgreens drugstore in Greenville.

"Right now, they've got Garnier Fructose Shampoo, free after-rebate up to $6.99. Add that with your coupon, I'm getting paid to buy a bottle of shampoo," she said.

Key finds another rebate offer on the next aisle.

"The deodorant is on sale for $2.19 right now and it's got up to a $4.99 rebate, so I'll send this in on my rebate and I've got free deodorant now," Key said.

Key's total at the cash register that day was $30.01, after a coupon savings of $9.20. But when you factor in the rebates of $19.18, her actual cost is $10.83, a nearly two-thirds savings on a shopping cart full of items.

Key begins to dance.

"You need the dance! It's the happy dance. It's the 'I just saved a bunch of money' dance," she laughs.

Resources:

Pamela Key's couponing, refunding and rebates Web site:

sccouponshoppers.com

Walgreens rebate club:

rebateclub

CVS ExtraCare Rewards program:

www.cvs.com

Eckerd's All-In-One rebate program:

www2.eckerd.com

News 4's original story on coupon master Faye Prosser: