Lisa Payne doesn’t see herself as an extreme couponer. But she does believe she knows quite a bit about being thrifty, and she’s sharing her expertise with anyone who wants to listen one Sunday morning a month at Congregation Beth Torah.
On top of that, she will present “How to Stretch a Dollar,” at 11 a.m. two consecutive Sundays, Jan. 22 and Jan. 29. A columnist and author of “Once Upon A Garage Sale…,” Payne will discuss ways to spend less money and boost your household’s bottom line. Topics will include garage sales and “extreme couponing.”
Payne came up with this idea to share her couponing expertise, and help others at the same time, as she thought about Schmooze & News, a gathering held every Sunday religious school is in session at Beth Torah. After family services, adults schmooze and catch up with friends, often while reading various Sunday newspapers.
“I was hoping and am working toward this being a ‘mitzvah’ time, a time when people can do a good deed with the ads in the Sunday paper,” Payne said.
How can people do this? Payne gives several examples.
“They can leave the coupons that they do not want for their own use for the use of others in the community,” she explained.
“We can strategically buy things with these coupons, especially when using the coupon will make the item free or 50 percent or more off its usual cost.”
Another way people can do a mitzvah is to leave recently expired coupons — just a month or two out-of-date — at Beth Torah.
“Those will be given to military families through www.operationexpiration.net or other agencies,” Payne said. “The overseas commissaries will allow the use of expired coupons as long as they are between 60 and 90 days old.”
There’s a box in the ulam (foyer) for the donations. It’s helpful if the coupons are already cut and divided into two categories: food and non-food. Payne will cut and separate the coupons if necessary. Then she will package them and send them off to help military families.
Payne, who has only been doing this since October, uses her own money to mail the coupons once a month. But anyone can do it.
She said she has taken on the cause because she figures most people won’t actually send them off themselves. But they may take the time to drop them off if they are going to the synagogue.
“I often send about 300 at one time,” she explained.
But she hopes this cause gains momentum.
“I am not intending this to be a one-man show. I really want to make this a community effort,” she said.
She says she personally uses coupons, along with purchasing and conducting garage sales, because she believes “if you don’t spend money on some things, then you will have money for other things.”
Payne may be more interested in the current coupons than the expired ones. Besides sending these along to the military, they can be used to purchase items right now that are needed by such organizations as Harvesters or battered women’s shelters. She is able to use the expertise she has gleaned to get the good deals like you see on TV shows to help these organizations. Then she donates those items to charitable organizations.
“I think it’s important to buy things for those who don’t have the time, money or resources to do it themselves,” Payne said.
Payne decided to share what she knows with others because of what she had learned attending CCO meetings at Beth Torah. CCO is the acronym for Communities Creating Opportunities, a grassroots community organizing effort to bring together the congregation and make systemic change in what matters most to our congregants. Through these meetings Payne had learned that many people are struggling financially due to the bad economy.
“I thought this was a good opportunity to explain couponing and being thrifty,” she said.
“It’s important when people are having trouble making ends meet that they feel in control. Couponing is a good way to help control expenses,” she continued.
Kelly Somberg, a member of the congregation’s social action and CCO committees, came by to help Payne cut coupons one Sunday morning in December.
“CCO is just a very small part of this,” Somberg said. “But this is a good way to be supportive of others in these hard economic times.”
Payne’s couponing has certainly helped her budget.
“I’ve learned how I can purchase many things for free. By studying the Walgreen’s and CVS advertising circulars, I was able to get two pages of items for free,” she explained.
“I am not an extreme couponer, but it is fun when the cashier says the total will be one penny,” she continued.
She urges people to be knowledgeable before they shop.
“WalMart always matches prices. And there is really only one place in this city that double’s coupons, and that’s Hen House. But you really need to know your prices at the stores to see if the coupon is worth it,” Payne said.
Payne isn’t sure how much time she spends couponing every week. She estimates she spends one to two hours organizing her coupons and another one to two hours shopping. But she points out once again this project is not just about her.
“I’m hoping this develops into something bigger than me. I am hoping for a community of like-minded people to get together and shop and share tips,” she said.
Finally, through her two classes in January Payne said she can help individuals learn how to save money themselves through couponing.
“Saving money is always a smart choice and allows people flexibility and control over how they spend money,” she said.