Class Cuts Through Mystery of Coupon Savings

Romeo resident Dorrie Soborowski lives and shops by three rules: Buy nothing without a coupon, buy nothing unless it is on sale and piggyback on as many coupons as possible.

For more than 40 years, ‎Soborowski has been developing her expertise in the art and savings of coupon cutting.

Three years ago, she channeled her knowledge into a class designed for, as she says, “Anyone who eats or uses toiletries.”

“I’ve been (using coupons) for so long and throughout the years, people have come up to me and asked me to help them, so I thought of putting a class together,” Soborowski said.

"Creative Coupons and More" will be offered 7-9 p.m. August 4 at the Shelby Township Community Center, located inside of the . The class costs $15 for residents and $22 for nonresidents. Participants must register through the Shelby Township Parks and Recreation Department.

If you can't make the Shelby Township classes, you can join in on the several dates at the  on Sept. 20, Oct. 19 and Nov. 10. The cost of the class is $25 for township residents and $30 for nonresidents. Participants must preregister through the recreation center.

"If you’re on food stamps, it would help to stretch your food dollar," she said. "If you are very wealthy, it will help you keep your money. It’s for everybody, every situation."

While anyone can clip and use coupons, Soborowski said the secret to saving money is not “extreme couponing,” but rather learning to organize your day-to-day and week-to-week use of the money savers.

“I do not believe in extreme couponing and I think it’s a waste of money,” Soborowski said. “I teach people how to save money every week.”

Soborowski herself saves 50-70 percent on her grocery bill every week through coupons.

“There are some coupons out there for everything,” she said. “In the beginning of my class, a lot of people say the coupons are great but it’s never for the products or stores that they want. I show them I have coupons for beer, Long Island iced tea, meat, fish, vegetables and dessert. You can get coupons for everything.”

One of Soborowski’s favorite examples of this is toothpaste.

“With my system, you won’t (pay for) toothpaste or a toothbrush for years,” she said. “I haven’t paid for it in years and you’ll never pay for it again.”

Not only has Soborowski been able to use coupons to purchase toothpaste and toothbrushes at no cost to her, but she has also stocked her two daughters' families for more than a year.

“There are always sales and then you can combine coupons sometimes,” she said. “There are all sorts of things you can get reduced or free. It’s amazing once you get into it.”

Although Soborowski said she finds 85 percent of her coupons in the Sunday paper, she also follows a number of local and national savings websites, including Bargains to Bounty (which brings Patch "Deals to Save Shelby Moola" every Wednesday), Coupon Mom and Be Centsable.

"When you're shopping strategically with coupons, you're turning the traditional shopping list on its ear," said Jolyn Felten, author of Bargains to Bounty. "Instead of focusing on the items you need, you look at the best deals at the store–those on sale that coordinate with coupons. Picking up those items each week when they're at the lowest possible price will save you 50 percent or more."