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Mom Feeds Family For Under $10 A Week

Coupons, Planning Pay Off For Family Of Six

POSTED: 8:44 am EDT August 25, 2009
UPDATED: 8:58 am EDT August 25, 2009

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A Boxford mother has earned the title of "queen of coupons," as she has learned to feed her family of six for less than $10 a week.

Kathy Spencer said the trick is buying in bulk when items are on sale and using coupons to bring down the cost.

"We freeze everything," Spencer said. "If taco shells are on sale, we pull out chicken from the freezer and make tacos."

Spencer gets her coupons from newspapers, grocery stores and manufacturers' Web sites. Her grocery bill for her four children and her husband Brian averages $4 each week.

"A lot of the stuff I get for nothing. I will mail in a rebate and actually make money," Spencer said. "I also have a dog, two cats, and a bunny, and they eat for free, too."

NewsCenter 5's Gail Huff accompanied Spencer on a shopping trip to the Shaws in Seabrook, N.H. Huff watched as Spencer bought $279 in groceries for 39 cents.

"I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it," said Huff.

Spencer has a following of almost 4,000 on Yahoo and thousands more on the Big Tent Web site.

"We've had members go from spending $300 a week on food down to $40 in a matter of weeks," she said.

Spencer spends about one hour a week collecting online coupons and scanning circulars and then four hours a week in grocery stores.

It's a lot of planning, but Spencer said it certainly pays off.

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