Milwaukee Sentinel
THE COUPON QUEEN was in Milwaukee recently shopping at a local chain supermarket. She bought $68 worth of food, nonfood, health and beauty aids and much to the disbelief of the supermarket manager and the checkout clerk, Mrs. Susan Samtur paid the bill with a bundle of coupons and 28 cents. Mrs. Samtur of Yonkers. N.Y., started couponing about six years ago. "I was working then," said the petite mother of two young boys, "and during my lunch hour I clipped coupons." Friends teased her, telling her she was wasting her time, but Susan Samtur didn't think so especially when she received her first $1.50 in the mail for sending the required number of proof of purchase for a product to a food company. "When you get back money and free coupons, it's hard to give up this habit. I'm to the point now that I just can't throw away any wrapper," she said. Today Mrs. Samtur shops twice a month and estimates that for every $100 she spends, she saves $50. And the money she's gotten from food companies for her purchases has paid for a $1,500 heating bill and a vacation to Florida for her family. ABOUT 75% OF all coupons are published in newspapers and their supplements with the rest in magazines, direct mail and inpack offers. And almost 80% of the people in America use food coupons at one time or another. This Is how Mrs. Samtur's system works. First, she clips cents-off coupons from magazines and newspapers and files them alphabetically. She never throws away a package, can or wrapper without first cutting off the box top, label or proof of purchase. These "qualifiers," as she calls them, are filed until a food company makes an offer on them. When it does, Mrs. Samtur sends it the required number of labels. In return, she will receive from the company one of these: a coupon for cents-off or for the acquisition of a free product, a check or cash for the amount specified in the offer or a gift as specified in the offer. ---------------- ping bill goes toward the purchase of fresh dairy, produce and meat products. She buys in quantity, especially nonperishable food, household, health or beauty products that will be used by her family. And where she lives, some of the supermarkets "double coupon," which means that they will double the value of all cents-off coupons brought to their store. FOR INSTANCE, if Mrs. Samtur has a 50 cents off coupon for coffee, a "double coupon" store will give her $1 for that coupon. This is where couponing really pays off, she said. 'But never do I buy anything once or in quantity that I won't use. I will try a new product, but usually I have a cents-off or free coupon for it," she said. And because she's on the mailing list of many food companies, she many times receives free samples. "I haven't paid for paper towels, detergent or spaghetti sauce in two years by using coupons and cash refunds from companies," said Mrs. Samtur. "You might have to pay for a product the first time, but after that you can expect money back if you save labels or proof of purchase to send in for a money back offer. And the offers do come through, she said. "If there currently is no company offering a reduced purchase price with presentation of an old wrapper, one day there will be," Mrs. Samtur said. "Experience has taught me." SHE ADMITS that couponing takes time (about five hours a week) and it demands organization and awareness of coupon or moneyback offers. Although shopping takes her more time than it used to, she figures that with the money she saves, it's worth it. In addition, Mrs. Samtur publishes a monthly newsletter called '"Refundle Bundle." It lists coupon offerings and advertising giveaways. She has 10,000 subscribers and the newsletter provides an income equal to her husband's teaching salary. To subscribe to the newsletter, send your name, address and $9 (for one year) to Refundle Bundle, P.O. Box 141, Centuck Station, Yonkers, N.Y. 10710. It lists companies that have offers for coupon cash ----------------- . FEW OF MRS. Samtur's cents-off coupons are for fresh food. About 33% of them for household items she estimated. Another 25% are for health and beauty aids and the remainder are for food, "but no fresh food." Sometimes, however, a food company send a check good for fresh food items. A spaghetti sauce company sent a check for $2 toward any meat purchase. For barbecue sauce labels, a food company sent her a check for $1.50 toward the purchase of cheese. "Many times they send you money that is good toward fresh food items that are related to their products." she said. She figures that the money she saves on nonfood items usually 50% of her shop ------------ forms at all. The last and most common method is the easiest. Simply enclose the necessary labels, a note stating your request and your name and address. Don't expect to get your refund in a few days. It may take up to 12 weeks, but usually averages three to four weeks. Mrs. Samtur said that couponing has changed her shopping habits. "Before I never cared which products I bought. But now I only buy what is on sale and something for which I have a coupon. I don't bother with store brands because 1 can get more money back on national brands. I save wrappers and proofs of purchase and use them to get an additional refund at a later date.
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