To save on groceries, you gotta bust out the coupons. And before you do that, you gotta bust these four coupon myths that might otherwise discourage you from getting all the deals you deserve, Susan Samtur, the original "Coupon Queen," told Savannah Guthrie this morning on TODAY.
Myth 1: "A one-dollar coupon is always more valuable than a 75-cent coupon."
Busted! It's not just about the face value of the coupon. Check the fine print. If the store is offering double coupons on the 75-cent coupon, now it's worth $1.50, beating out the dollar coupon.
Myth 2: "The generic brand is always cheaper than the national brand."
Busted! Samtur snagged a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and used a dollar coupon to get it for 88 cents, versus $3.79 for a generic box of "Cinnamon Toasters."
Myth 3: " There are never coupons for fresh foods."
Busted! This one is tricky because it didn't used to be a myth. "Manufacturers have come to learn people aren't looking for coupons just for processed items, they're looking for fresh stuff," said Samtur." You can get fresh fruits, vegetables and eggs with brands from big companies, and the coupons to go along with them.
Samtur showed off how she got two cases of "Egg-land's Best Eggs," for "cheep." Retail price: $6.98. After coupons? 98 cents, 49 cents per dozen. "We bow down!" said Guthrie, pretending to genuflect before the 4"9.5' tall "coupon queen."
Myth 4: "If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is."
Busted! Samtur saw a jar of Mt. Olive pickles in the circular on sale for $1.98. Then, when she went into the store, there was a tag on it offering $1 off if you bought two. Combining the two deals, she got two jars of pickles that regularly go for $6.98 for the low price of $2.98. Now that's a deal worth bending your knee for.
To catch more of Susan Samtur, check out her appearance on TLC's Extreme Couponing tonight.