By Fallan Patterson
Staff Writer

Kelly Shrieves is more than an organized shopper. She scours the weekly grocery store ads, buys multiple copies of the Sunday newspaper for the coupon inserts, which she stashes in a 6-inch thick binder, and checks online blogs that specialize in “coupon match-ups” to ensure she will slash her family’s food bill.

Shrieves is an avid couponer.

No longer for the indigent or part of a 1970s fad, couponing, as the movement is called on blogs and by devotees, has engulfed Osceola County. Items on buy-one-get-one-free, or BOGO, specials are often cleared from local grocery stores’ shelves days before the sale ends and finding copies of the Sunday paper can become a treasure hunt late in the afternoon in certain areas.

“I think a lot of stay-at-home-moms have been doing it for a while but because of the economy, a lot of (other) people have been jumping on

the couponing bandwagon,” Shrieves said.

Lakeland-based Publix has caught on to the movement sweeping the country and last month tweaked its coupon policy to one universally accepted at all stores; previously, store managers made the final decision on coupons.

“There is great value in using coupons and we want our customers to have a consistent coupon experience no matter which Publix they shop at,” Shannon Patten, Publix’s Central Florida District spokeswoman, said.

Additionally, major retailer Target also recently updated its coupon policy, clarifying specifics that can mean the difference between paying pennies or dollars for an item on sale.

With these updates, most grocery stores allow shoppers to pair up one manufacturer coupon with a store coupon on each product, resulting in deep discounts on BOGO sale items.

Studying these policies and applying them to her shopping habits has become routine for Shrieves, who is able to maintain her stay-at-home-mom status comfortably while providing for her four children and husband.

Now, the St. Cloud resident wants to help everyone save money at the grocery store, on outings with the family or on date nights by offering free couponing classes throughout Osceola County.

Her most recent public event, held in May at the St. Cloud Civic Center, was so popular that city employees had to turn people away.

“We weren’t expecting that many people; it was overwhelming,” Stephanie Holtkamp, interim St. Cloud Parks and Recreation manager, said. “I had no idea couponing was that big of a deal.”

Shrieves is planning a larger class at the St. Cloud Senior Center Aug. 13 to accommodate more people and incorporate a community garden presentation. Holtkamp said the city is hoping to provide seeds, pots and soil for attendees.

“There’s coupons for everything except produce and the prices keep going up,” Holtkamp said. “(Gardening) is another way for people to save money and eat healthier.”

While Shrieves only began teaching the classes in December, she has been couponing for 14 years, beginning when she was a single mom “having a rough time financially.”

“Through the years, I just learned little ways to stretch a budget,” Shrieves said. “Now (couponing) is what everyone is talking about. I think a lot of us are raising the next generation of couponers.”

That knowledge is what Shrieves shares in her classes. She points to online websites where bloggers spend hours matching coupons to items in sale circulars. She invests in even-number copies of the Sunday newspaper to use the coupons on BOGO items; most stores allow one coupon for each item, even if the second item is free.

Shrieves estimates she spends two hours the night before her shopping trip organizing her list and coupons.

“It’s dangerous to go into the store without a plan,” Shrieves said. “It’s just about planning and finding those deals.”

Her goal is to save 75 percent off the retail price of groceries, spending an average of $110 each week for a family of six.

“I look at this like a full-time job,” Shrieves said. “It’s important to get the best bottom line possible.”

She compares her receipts each week trying to top the savings of the prior week.

“You get competitive with yourself,” she said.

Shrieves’ husband, Jamie, even gets into the mix, eagerly asking to see his wife’s receipts to determine how much she saved.

“It helps with her being a stay-at-home-mom, which is what we want for our children,” Jamie Shrieves said. “These days, everybody is on a fixed income. Why not save the money and use the tools available?”

Kelly Shrieves, who started publishing the St. Cloud/ Kissimmee Macaroni Kid website and newsletter in September, encourages everyone to start couponing to better their financial future or help out families in need.

Her family is employing a well-known financial technique of taking half the amount of their savings and applying it toward their debt. Within the next three years, the Shrieveses expect to be debt-free.

Additionally, Shrieves often purchases items on extreme discount her family does not use, such as cat food or a brand of cereal. She then takes the items to local food pantries or animal shelters as donations.

Shrieves encourages others to engage in similar acts of charity, taking advantage of the buy-one-get-one-free sales to help the less fortunate.

“So many people decide not to get the free item because they won’t use it before expiration. Take the free item, use your coupons on top of the free item and give to those that need it,” Shrieves said. “It’s all about standing together and helping each other out through these difficult times.”

Residents can also host a free couponing class. Shrieves gives a $25 Publix gift card to every host who registers a minimum of 10 people to attend his or her class, which can be held at home, an office or a restaurant.

The next public couponing classes Shrieves is scheduled to host are:

• Tuesday, July 5, from 6 to 8 p.m., Kissimmee YMCA, 2117 W. Mabbette St. Pre-registration is open; call 407-847-7413. This event can accommodate up to 100 people.

• Saturday, Aug. 13, 9 to 11 a.m., St. Cloud Senior Center, 3101 17th St. Pre-registration begins July 13; call 407-957-7243. This event can hold up to 300 people.