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'Coupon Mom' Saves Cash Without Using Coupons

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Nov 18, 2008 6:40 pm US/Eastern

'Coupon Mom' Saves Cash Without Using Coupons

Reporting
Yvonne Zanos
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― For Coupon Mom Stephanie Nelson, it's all about saving money.

On this particular shopping trip, she cut her cots by 30 percent without using coupons.

How did she do it? She shopped at Aldi – a no-frills grocery store that doesn't accept coupons.  

Aldi carries the 1,300 most-popular items you'd find in a traditional grocery store. What you don't see much of is name brands.

Often the only difference in a name brand and a store brand is the marketing. Aldi doesn't advertise so you won't be familiar with the names. But Stephanie says there's no risk shopping here.

Stephanie says if you're not 100 percent satisfied with the product, they'll give you your money back and you're also able to keep the item.

But it's the cheap prices that keep the customers coming back. Aldi says it compares its store brand prices to other store brand prices. Not the name brands – the cheaper store brands. Aldi says its prices beat everyone else's.

Store officials say their store brands are about 25 percent cheaper than Walmart's store brands and between 40 and 50 percent cheaper than Giant Eagle's store brands.

But, of course, every market basket varies. We decided to shop for savings ourselves. When Stephanie shopped at her Aldi store in Atlanta, she says she spent 32 percent less than she would have at her local grocery store.

We shopped at Aldi in the North Hills. Our total was 25 percent less than Giant Eagle and 42 percent less than Shop N Save.

To get those cheaper prices, customers like Shelley Allen do have to give up some grocery store pampering. At Aldi, you have to pay a quarter for your cart, but when you return it, you get your quarter back.

You even have to buy your grocery bags – six cents for paper and 10 cents for plastic and bag your own groceries.

The only thing Aldi does for you is ring up your total – and leave more money in your pocket.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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