Read more: Local, State, Economy, Business, Community, Consumer, Shopping, Linda Sjostrom, Coupons, King Soopers, Manufacturer's, Kellogg's, Morning Show, Colorado Springs, Family, Money Matters
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Meet Linda Sjostrom, a local mother and grandmother will an eye for shopping.
Sjostrom said she has a proven method for saving at the grocery store, so FOX21 News decided to put it to the test.
First, Sjostrom advised to center a shopping list around the coupons picked to use.
"It begins with planning. You need to plan your meals around what is on sale. That is a big saver," Sjostrom said.
With that in mind, she pulled out her shopping list, coupons and store ads.
With meals in mind, FOX21 News reporter Rachel Welte and Sjostrom headed to the produce department for pears, bananas and green peppers, all on sale.
Sjostrom said she planned to have stuffed bell peppers for dinner later in the week.
Next Sjostrom and Welte headed to the meat department for chicken. Fryers happened to be on sale for 99 cents per pound, so they grabbed a few with the thought of dinner that night.
Sjostrom said when shopping it is best to bring someone with you to help keep you accountable.
"I shop with my daughter and she keeps me on track with my list, so if I am in a mood for chocolate then she will say 'Well, mom, is that really on your list?'" Sjostrom said.
The shopping trip continued according to what was on sale and the coupons the pair had.
Along the way they picked up barbeque sauce and marinade for the chicken, cereal and some paper products.
Sjostrom said if you want to save more money, stack your coupons.
"There are two types of coupons. There are the store ones which King Soopers would issue, and there are the manufacturers which Kellogg's would issue, and if you have a store coupon and a manufacturer's coupon, you can use them both on the same product," Sjostrom said.
Then it was time to check out. The pair's original total for 20 items bought was nearly $65. After they scanned a value card, the total dropped to $55. Next came the coupons, which dropped the total to $48.
Last but not least, they saved an additional 15 cents for bringing their own bags. The final savings: 25 percent of the total bill.
Sjostrom said her shopping method has substantially cut her family's grocery bill.
"My daughter and her family live with me now, and when they were living on their own they were spending around $1,000 per month for the four of them, and we spend less than $500 (now)."
To learn more about Linda's shopping method and for a list of coupons click here.
Click on the movie camera/video icon to view the story as it aired on FOX 21 news.
