SAN ANTONIO — Brenda Anz has been couponing for more than a decade. It's a skill that’s come in handy with rising costs at the grocery store.
“These regular price: $20,” Anz said. “Today on clearance: $2.49.”
Anz is all about a good deal.
“Hey got some Tide for super inexpensive,” she said talking to her online followers. “You should do the same deal.”
She’s stocked up $15,000 worth of items using coupons.
“Whether or not you have two people, you still want to pay with more coupons and less cash at the register,” she said.
Anz's journey started 13 years ago, leaning on coupons to become a stay-at-home wife and mother.
“The stores allow us to use their coupons, their digital coupons and manufacture coupons,” Anz said. “Why wouldn’t we take advantage of that?”
In her stockpile room, Anz has about a five-year supply of detergent, body wash and cleaning supplies.
“Things like this that’s not going to expire,” she said. “When is this going to expire? It’s not. When is toilet paper going to expire? It’s not.”
She’s made it her mission to teach others how to beat inflation. After taking one of Anz's couponing workshops, Laurie Lerma got a steal: Five body washes for the price of one.
“I saved $22.94 with all of the coupons that I had,” Lerma said. “And I paid only $6.95.”
Anz says many of her online followers never picked up coupons until the pandemic changed their finances. According to the USDA, grocery costs have risen 13% since fall 2021.
“Why would we pass by these coupons that are just like cash money,” Anz said.
But granting her grandmother’s dying wish is the deal that made Anz happy. Buying 600 lipsticks with coupons so grandma could use a new color until her last day
“She says, 'Well I knew you were couponing, but I didn’t know you were extreme couponing,'” Anz said.
Anz prides herself on helping folks keep money in their wallet. Prices aren’t expected to go down, so she says now is the time to dive in.
“World of couponing is there, whenever someone is ready for their journey,” she said.