The Home News
Susan Samturs "Supershopping System" works. But it takes time, persistence and organization. Mrs. Samtur is the Yonkers. N. Y. housewife who showed Betty Furness, television consumer commentator, how to purchase $130.18 worth of groceries and pay only $7.07 after presenting and redeeming coupons. She proved to the audience that she could save 95 percent of her bill by using coupons clipped from newspapers, magazines, and manufacturers' mailers. Subsequently, Mrs. Samtur appeared on many other television programs, as well as on radio, and has been the subject of numerous newspaper and magazine articles. Now her experiences have led her to try her hand at writing a book, which her publishers feel may head for the best sellers' list by spring, judging from initial sales. Since Mrs. Samtur is the mother of two children and awaiting the birth of her third, and a former teacher and not a writer, she sought professional assistance. She met a New Brunswick native and resident, Tad Tuleja. who writes a weekly column for The Home News. Of Mrs. Samtur, Tuleja has only the highest praise. Susan really knows the business of couponing," he said. "She thoroughly enjoys it, and that made it fun to work with her on writing the book." The book was published by The Stonesong Press division of Grosset & Dunlap, New York, last week. It is called, "Cashing in at the Checkout." and is retailing for $6.95. Now in its second printing, it is expected to go into a paperback edition. Mrs. Samtur noted. By using her system, Mrs. Samtur guarantees to save conscientious consumers as much as 80 percent of their grocery bill at the supermarket. (It wouldn't take long to save up the price of the book itself at that rate.) "It's hard to believe, but there are still people who don't know about couponing and redemptions,'' she said." Although it is incredible, I come across these people every time I go out on tour. They just don't know what it's all about. Think of all the money they are wasting," she said when interviewed. Mrs. Samtur, despite her homemaking chores, "and they are plenty with two little boys just two and three years old underfoot," is dauntless as she treks across the country to appear on television shows and speak before groups about her book. This zeal is indicative of how mercilessly she squeezes every penny from every dollar of her food budget. "With inflation ever rising, consumers need couponing today more than ever They should use it every time they shop," she said. Mrs. Samtur looks at food shopping as a big game, and she sets out to be the winner every time. She suggests all shoppers make lists to avoid impulse buying. She urges shoppers to forget store loyalty, as well as loyalties to any products. "Buy the products in the stores where they are the most inexpensive," she said. In another era, when friendships and community spirit were part of the shopping experience, it was important to be loyal. However, in this day giant chain stores, supplied by even larger giant enterprises, she feels being loyal is not playing to win the game of shopping. Before embarking on a shopping safari, Mrs. Samtur suggests making a list, and sticking to it; checking the sale items in the Sunday and midweek papers, and clipping coupons; always remember that a bargain is not always a bargain, even if an item is featured in an end-of-aisle display; and compare prices by scanning shelves carefully. For the beginning coupon consumer Mrs. Samtur explains that coupons can be found in the stores, on specially marked packages, in magazines and newspapers, and home mailers. Coupon collectors have various methods for filing the coupons, but she has found a large envelope as the easiest way work. She keeps it in the top drawer of her kitchen cabinet, and files them alphabetically by type of product. Her categories include things like baby products, batteries, breads, cakes candy, canned goods, cheese, coffee, crackers and cookies, dog food, drug items, ice cream, etc. At the end of her coupons, she puts rain checks, which are coupons or certificates that stores give consumers when they are out of advertised specials. These can be purchased when back in stock at the advertised price. Many coupons are dated, and Mrs. Samtur pointed out that the expiration date or EDs are important to note. The date can be circled or highlighted with a yellow marker for easier viewing by consumer and checker Without a doubt, Mrs. Samtur saves money with coupons, but she isn't finished when she brings home her groceries. That's only the beginning. The next stage to her program is refunding. This requires sending in portions of the box, wrapper or label to receive refunds in the mail. Many require special forms, but others ask only for proofs of purchases, or POPs. Refunds, Mrs. Samtur has found, usually are worth a considerable amount of money or merchandise. "Where coupon refunds are worth between 10 and 50 cents, usually, refunds usually begin at 50 cents and go as high as $4 or $5," she said. "This means that, although refunding takes a little more time than coupon clipping, the extra savings make it well worth it." Mrs. Samtur said that although shoppers know about coupons, she usually gets only a "dim appreciation" of what she's talking about when she talks about refunds. She is able to realize about $1,500 annually in tax-free extra income because of taking advantage of refund offers. To be successful as a refunder, Mrs. Samtur says consumers must save everything, organize, and ask for help when necessary. "Since you never know which part of a label or box will qualify for an offer, it is best to save the entire thing," she said. She keeps these labels, boxes and such folded and filed in one or two boxes, and finds she can keep up to 1,000 different qualifiers in her home at one time. She flattens them out, removes liners, and steams them apart to keep them as small as possible. Since she has been so successful, she and her school teacher husband, Steve, have published a newsletter to assist others interested in refunding Called, "Refundable Bundle," they began with 13 friends as interested subscribers, and today have more than 30,000 subscribers. "It's been a word-of-mouth kind of thing, actually, but even I am amazed at how many people are interested in the whole concept," Mrs. Samtur says. The Samturs' publication began in 1973 as a way to ease the mortgage payments after they'd purchased a new home. It now costs $9 a year, and can be ordered by writing to: Refundable Bundle, Post Office Box 141, Centuck Station, Yonkers. N.Y. 10710. "It's amazing how many things in this country can be had for practically nothing," Mrs. Samtur said. ''Last summer, my husband and I took our two sons to the beach a couple of times a month. Stuart, our oldest, would bring along his favorite Raggedy Andy doll and drag it behind him in a little red wagon. One day, as I watched him struggle through the sand, I had a funny revelation. I said to Steve that the only thing on Stuart that we'd paid for was his bathing suit His slippers, beach bag, towel and hat were a special terry cloth swimwear set I had gotten for saving Glad bag qualifiers His tee shirt was from Campbell's. Raggedy Andy was from Crest. And the Red Flyer wagon, which would have cost us $10 in the store, was from Viva paper towels. "I had to laugh, realizing that my child was a walking advertisement for the American supermarket But there was a more serious side to the revelation. It made me see clearly that even a basically cash-oriented refunder like me could almost dress her children head to toe for free, if she played the premiums right.
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