Jill Cataldo

Thanks Jill for posting the Bisquick grant info! I passed it along to my father's boyscout troop, and they will be receiving a $250 check! This is their only fund-raiser for the year and that will go a long way toward their costs. I'm going to help them coupon as well to make that money stretch even further. You have definitely taught us 'how to fish'!

tears filling my eyes. Attitude of gratitude shines through and throughout her message which is very inspiring.
I no longer get discouraged when people ask and don't want to try super-couponing. Others do get it and pass it forward. I can't count how many times in the past few months I've shopped at the Jewel in Algonquin on Randall Road (in the evening when it isn't so crowded) seeing two to three carts in tandemn with their lists in hand and the "instructor" walking them through the motions and heading to aisle 16 in Osco under the light of the scanner.

I think you made a terrific choice, Jill. It was inspiring to read many of the stories and though I also entered the give away, it is heartwarming that Nicole won. She is truly an example of giving back to her community and paying it forward. Good job, Nicole, and congrats!! Cast Iron is wonderful, but if you aren't sure on how to take care of it, google it because it was last you forever and remain stick-free as long as you keep it seasoned (never use soap on it and store it with a light coating of oil as well):o)

Way to go - everyone. Jill, great choice, Nicole, great story. Thanks for sharing it and continued wishes for good luck to you!

Thank you so very much for sharing that story! You should put all of those things in a book someday.

I cried when I read this amazing story. I'm sure this was a difficult decision for you Jill, but I think you picked the right winner.

YAY! Great choice Jill! :D

Jill , you rchoice is wonderful.Nicole, awesome story.
Thanks again Jill for all you do.

..bring tears to my eyes, but this story does. As do so many of the ones written.

I too try to teach others how to do this. A Jewel cashier who I helped sign up for the Your Bucks deal was so happy and amazed that she was squeezinq my hand and thanking me in the middle of the self checkout lanes last week. I didn't know how to react! Free food and products are one reward of this, the human connection is an even bigger one.

All I can think to say is Thank You from the bottom of my heart. Everyone in our couponing community is so wonderful and the posts were... wow! My kids and I are going to love using this so much with our 39 cent dozen of eggs and darn cheap oil!

~Nikki

That was amazing. Great choice, Jill.

Thank you for sharing such a personal story with all of us. It is truly remarkable. You are the embodiment of "Paying It Forward".

I too enjoyed this story as well as the others. What a great thread. And Jill, you have huge sums of good karma in the bank.

And thanks to Jill for giving her (and the rest of us) the tools we need to help take care of our families in this difficult economy :-)

Congrats nicoleelaina, it's a wonderful story. It always makes me smile when I hear stories like yours. This program has helped so many people it's amazing.

Jill,

I hope all the stories people sent about how you changed all of our lives (for the better) helped offset the "heck" week the rest put you through when the black belt deals didn't work. We do appreciate all that you do for us!

Congratulations Nicole! What a great choice, I loved her post it was beautiful and a true example of how super couponing can not only change our lives, but the lives of others. Well done Nicole!

Jill,
Thank you for all the knowledge, time and energy that you've shared. Thanks for sharing about Bisquick helping non-profit organizations. I will pass this along to my son's scout troop. You've changed the way I shop. I always cut coupons, but never saved like I have now. The hubs was laid off and things got really tight. I had to put my pride aside and get my boys on the free lunch program. You talk about humbling!! Because of this experience I've given back more, I've helped anyone that will listen. The money saved and the full cupboards and freezer still amaze me. We all have our gifts and talents,but it's what we choose to do with them that can change a life, and that you have done for so many. God is good and he doesn't sleep, he only blesses us more with the more we give to others. You can't outgive God. Thank you for all you've shared.

changed the way I shop, forever. It's heartwarming to see so many of us Super Couponers contributing to those less fortunate in our communitities. I have with much enthusiasm, introduced your work to everyone I know. Some have caught on and they are now also forever changed. Super Couponing has a ripple effect that is reaching far and wide. Thank you Jill, from the bottom of my heart!

What has super couponing meant for me? Well, I actually learned this from a co-worker. At first I thought it was crazy, how could she have spent so little and received so much food. No way possible. She sat down and taught me, so I stated reading your website religiously. Decided to sign up for the newspaper at the bargain price of 50 cents a week. I figured there had to be at least one coupon a week to justify my spend. my husband thought I was crazy, another silly obsession for his wife. When I started coming home paying only 25 cents a box of cereal and brought home 14, he was sold. He was so proud of how much money I have saved that he built me a storage room in the basement with 5 pantry cabinets and a stand up freezer. I have had so much extra money from not buying groceries that we are able to remodel more. He loves going shopping with me at CVS and Walgreens every week. I have enough air freshener for probably 1-2 years, not to mention candles, free makeup and lots of free toiletries. My friend and I actually shop together on Wednesdays at Jewel and are spreading the news fast around the office about Jill and her awesome website.

There are some weeks when my hubby sees a great coupon, he runs to Dollar Tree and grabs me 6 more :)

thank you Jill

I attended your class last May, it changed the way eat and try things.Thanks to you Jill.My family gets to eat lot of new things which we have never tried in the past.I am from a different country, always hesitant to buy things which are really expensive, but now its a whole different ball game.I really enjoy doing the deals.

Growing up, I had two major examples of couponing. First, there was my mom who meticulously went through every Sunday ad, clipping and filing everything she might possibly use. She also taught me about planning weekly meals around what happened to be the loss-leader sales that week, and the savings that could be found from shopping multiple stores. It wasn't a bad system and certainly kept the family's food budget in check, but it was also pretty time consuming.

Then there was my older brother's mother-in-law. She was what I considered one of those "crazy coupon ladies," getting several papers each week, subscribed to the tightwad-gazette, overstocking the pantry whenever things were cheap to free, etc. I always thought it was funny on the few times I was at her house and saw the laundry room shelves stacked with boxes and boxes of detergent. Too much, I always thought! I would never go that crazy for coupons!

Then this past year our household (voluntarily) went from a comfortable two-incomes down to one with the birth of our first child, and suddenly every penny matters. We initially tried shopping frugally as I had learned from my mom, and we were getting by, but it wasn't until a friend shared the DVD of Jill's class that we really starting saving big time. Now we have an overflowing pantry yet are still keeping under budget INCLUDING all the baby diapers and formula. Thanks to the modern miracle of the Internet and the instant access to all people and resources here, we're able to do so much more than my Mom ever could with so much less time and effort.

A big thank you to not only Jill for maintaining this forum and blog, but also to all the people participating that make it such a success for us all!

I have been using coupons for a couple of years but things started to change since I attended Jill's class. The way I look at coupons are different now. I used to clip the coupons I need and buy the items I need right away. I never thought coupons can bring me "almost free" or "totally free" stuff. I am a stay-at-home mom and I am so grateful that I am able to share this cheap/free stuff with other people I don't know.

What super couponing means to me is being able to feed my family of 6 at a reasonable cost while my husband is out of work! It truly has been a life saver for us. Thanks!

Jill, when I went to your class in Glendale Heights last August, we were bleeding money and in huge amounts of debt. Reading your blog, taking your classes, and utilizing the ways you teach super-couponing have helped our financial situation AND our marriage. We still have a huge amount of debt :), but we haven't added a penny to it, and because we're saving so much money on food and toiletries, we're able to put some money toward the debt. THANK YOU.

The shopping tools I have now are GREAT! Even through this tough economy which has been forced upon My husband and myself....we HAVE managed to provide so much more than we really had to give. Couponing is apart of our lively hoods now. I find myself getting to a point to reach out to other people in need and giving back to the community as well. The adreniline rush alone ( walking away looking ur reciept knowing you got this item for free and ur out of pocket was still a $1.10 ) is just that ...The greatest adreniline rush ever. I have/will advertise your seminars....This has been a life saver! Thank you ever so much! :)

Super couponing to me means that I can sleep at night. I can not express my gratitude enough.

I have been following Jill's website for a number of months after listening to Johnny B! I came home one day with 20 packages of Pillsbury biscuits for $.25. My wife was pissed! "Who is going to eat all these" she asked. Needless to say the 3 boys and I finished the biscuits in a couple of weeks (the kids and I love them).

A few weeks later I signed up and attended your "Super Coupon" classes and invited my wife to join me but she refused."I have been shopping for years and don't need a website to tell me where the deals are!" she replies. You see, she WAS the coupon queen before Jill came along. In fact, she now calls Jill my "Internet girlfriend" (sorry Jill).

Since then my wife and I are competing as to who can find the best deals. I sometimes lie about the deals I get, adding cost to my total just to keep my wife happy thinking she won. Last week I found 6 packages of biscuits in the refrigerator, I did not say a word.

I understand that she may not be the coupon queen…. but she is still my queen.

Kevin

I remember before I started doing these deals I would pay no more than $2 on a box of cereal. After all of the super deals I got on cereal, now it seems as if I was getting ripped paying $2 for just one box. Thank you Jill for all of your help. I can not wait until I can get into your super couponing 2 class. Unfortunately I always get turned down when I sign up for I am not a resident of the cities you hold them in.

I've loved coupons since I was a little girl. It was probably about 30 years ago, that I cut my first one (with safety scissors, of course!) My friends and family had always been amazed about my ability to stretch a dollar. About a year ago or so, I stumbled across Jill. I heard her segment on Brandmeier's show. I went to her class, and discovered that my decades of experience, was just the tip of the money MAKING iceberg. If I still worked, I would quit to do this full time! Much like crack, I always need a Jill fix. I think that I have actually lost the ability to make my own shopping list. I just look at deals for this week, and buy whatever Jill puts on the page. She has already spent enough time doing the research and the thinking. I don't see any reason for me do it, too :) If Jill ever retires, I don't think that I would be able to fend for myself. However, I think I have enough cereal, toothpaste and shampoo to get me into 2012! I think I've mentioned before, that I make health and beauty baskets with most of the CVS/Walgreen's booty. Thanks to Jill, I've been able to donate bigger, better and more plentiful baskets to the organizations that raffle them off. The only things I love more than couponing, are sweepstakes. Thank you for putting my two favorite things in the world, in one place!

This was my first week at super couponing. It was a "priceless" moment to watch the cashier's face as one after another $1,$2,$3,$6 then a $10 coupon continued to flow out to a total of $56 which included $14 of free laundry products. I am HOOKED!! And yes the cashier's mouth finally closed as he handed me all my free $$ coupons. This Rocks!!

I have been thinking about this for a few days now and I think I can sum up what Super Couponing has meant to me. I wish I could thank that wonderful lady who came through my check-out lane at Kohls and uttered those life changing four little words "Jill Cataldo Dot Com". I couldn't wait to get home and go on my computer. Although things were tight, I knew I would not be able to make it to a class since I worked on weekends so I bought the DVD. This has changed my life. I always knew that I could cut down the grocery bill, but I did not realize how much or how easy it was.

Super Couponing has done so many things. I am contributing to the household because I am saving money which my husband says is like making money. The more and more I do this, I am getting better and saving more which has really boosted my self-esteem. I know that sounds corny, but think about it. How has this made you feel about yourself? I know that I am good at this when I can come up with a few black belt scenarios. I have met some really great cashiers at Walgreens and Jewel and building good relationships is what it is all about. BTW - they love it if you let them know you have a BOGO coupon where they have to write in the price before they scan the item. Makes it easier/faster for them. I enjoy going to the grocery store now so going once a week is a fun trip out of the house. I am teaching my son some valuable lessons and at 3 1/2 he gets it. Lastly, I am paying it forward. I am not ashamed that I am using coupons and when people see me pull out a stack of coupons, I let them know that I don't spend on average more than $50 to $60 a week. I know all you black belts! I could be doing better. I will get there and will feel even better about myself.

Good luck to everyone!

As my user name would suggest, I am currently saving for big changes in my life. My goal is to generate enough income on my own so that I no longer have to rely on someone else for a paycheck. Learning how to "super coupon" is helping me decrease our outgoing expenses thereby decreasing the amount of money that I need to bring in a month.

This is not just chaging the way we shop forever, it's changing our lives forever! Thank you for all you do, Jill!

I am a saver at heart and always looking for a deal! I left my salaried position to stay at home with my three young children and super couponing is the next step in my efforts to financially be able to continue to stay at home with my children. My goal is to get the grocery bill down enough to get a gym membership for the family to enjoy, me for my sanity and to get my kids some activity in the winter. Heck, I'd even be able to eat more pancakes! : )

Jill you are an amazing woman! My brother actually told me to check out your site when I lost my job. Living on unemployment was hard enough but when the thought of buying groceries came to mind, my stress level soared! I couldn't even afford to feed myself. With your help I have been able to not only feed myself but I have also taken my knowledge of couponing and helped so many other people in need. Being able to help others with couponing has really helped bring a smile to my face and theirs also! Thank you for all you do!!!!

Thanks for saving me so much money I actually teared up after my second trip back inside at Jewel today and spent .82 and had $19.50 in catalinas. When we got home my 4 year old was "trying" to help me put freezer items away and looked at me and said "Mom, are we eating ALL this NOW cause there's no where to put it?" What a wonderful blessing you are to so many.

After I win the prize package, I am going to invite Jill over for pancakes!

Jill, we are going to need some free syrup?

Coupons have changed my life drastically. With small children and one income coming in, our family needs to cut costs in all directions. Since being introduced to Jill by a friend, I have saved not only by eliminating my Sam's club membership but at the grocery stores in so many ways. I remember the first time I started my coupon adventure, I could not believe you could use one of the $10 cats incorporation with getting another one at Jewel. It was here that I was deeply bothered but how many cats I let expire and thrown out in the past! I know many people have expressed their appreciation with Jill and how many lives she has touched by helping them save but I truly mean it when I say thanks for all you have done!

I always thought I was too busy. I thought I was getting "good enough" deals. I figured with 3 little girls ages 4 years and 3 year old twins that I wouldn't have the time.

Well, I was wrong.

Couponing is worth it! I get the BEST deals, I get a new variety of food, I save money for other things, my girls have a ball shopping with me and playing with what I bring home. I donate food and products to the needy. But best of all I think couponing might have saved my marriage! It sounds sort of weird to say that...... My husband and I fell into the old trap. We rarely spoke and things felt more like roommates than anything else. The kids were driving us batty and life felt like an exercise in the mundane and an exhausting, noisy, taxing existance. Now we collect the coupons together, we chat about the sales, tease each other about who is going to go "work a deal", flip for "alone time" (yes that's getting in the car and doing a sale ALONE!) It sounds pathetic, but it's bceome a little hobby we SHARE. Now when he watches his hockey games at night, he clips coupons for me LOL! Sure the kids still drive us batty, but the new sales each week, the thrill of the chase, the conversation with each other about it, the long talks about what we might do with the money we save, and the little bits of alone time are helping us turn this household together.......and that is better than the best of coupon deals because it's priceless to me.

Thank you Jill for being a piece to this puzzle!

Coupons have changed the way I shop in every way. I'm not just saving lots of money for my family, I am able to provide many necessary items to those extended family members that are out of a job and/or need help in general. What a blessing! Every time they visit my home, I send them away with a couple bags of groceries. God has blessed me and I'm just passing on that blessing to my loved ones.

Funny story...I'll be couponing for 1 year this April...there are a lot of funny stories but this is the best....my husband is very appreciative of my couponing, but thinks that I need some therapy was in a while. He has established some couponing rules in our house to keep everyone (or me) balance. One rule: I am not "allowed" to leave to go to a store once it hits 10pm :) One night, I was reviewing the deals and realized that I could buy 11 boxes of cereal at Dominick's for 11 cents. My husband was already upstairs watching the news. So, I talked my oldest into going with me so that I wouldn't be alone in this coupon trip violation. It was a weekend night so all is well...we sneaked out...didn't close the garage door because we didn't want to make more noise then necessary....hit the store and came back. We got home, hid the evidence and headed upstairs to get ready for bed. He didn't say anything when we entered the room so we thought we were in the clear. My daughter went to bed and I decided to hit the sack as well. I was almost asleep when my husband said quietly, "so tell me what deal you did tonight" Busted!

Jill, I love your information.I think this could get to be addictive, in a positive way. You are amazing.Keep up the good work
Bonnie

I recently left a full time job to stay home with my daughter who is now seven months old. This caused our income to drop by a little more than half but significantly reduced stress in our family. We redid our budget and knew that things would be tight and weren't sure how we could save on food and other essentials. I started following your deals in January and even though I didn't have the stockpile of past copouns managed to decrease our grocery bill by 45% in both January and February! This has been fantastic for our family and makes my staying home long term even more likely.

Thanks to you Jill, my 6 yr old son is now a firm believer in super-couponing. He recently told his Dad that the weekly ritual of making their famous blueberry pancakes had to be cancelled for a few weeks because: "we can't buy syrup, we don't have a coupon and it's not on sale. Don't you know we only buy things when we have BOTH Dad?"! No Aunt Jemima will do, they have to have REAL 100% pure syrup...the ONLY splurge item in our house! Needless to say you have changed our lives and the way we shop! We'd appreciate and love to win the Bisquick contest, because we are OUT of pancake fixins! Thanks for educating us!

The kids had another sleepover this weekend and it was a lot of fun shopping in our pantry to find something everyone would like for breakfast. There was plenty of Bisquick and everyone enjoyed pancakes and cheap juice. Thanks for all of the coupon tips. I still have a lot to learn as I am new to this, but am having a blast saving money.

I am a single working mom who is going back to school. The last few years have been rough, bankruptcy, my husband left, and I am now living with my parents while I work full time and am going back to school. My daughter and I love to cook and enjoy food. Over the past year we have lost our joy for cooking. It's hard to cook in someone else's kitchen and hard to afford many foods.
Couponing has given me some of my culinary joy back. I love saving money and being able to pick up special food items now. I know I am teaching my daughter that saving money and spending some time planning out shopping and cooking are important. I now find myself happy to go to the grocery store, not dreading the trip and the dent in my already small wallet. Thank you so much Jill, for helping me reclaim some of my joy!

i am a stay at home mom of two great little boys. but being at home means that i am not bringing in any money to help our family. by doing the super couponing method, i feel that i am contributing more to our family and making things easier during these bad economic times.

thank you jill!!

SuperCouponing makes all the difference in my family and in my community.

The process of getting the most from my money, living within budget, comparison shopping, and sharing both resources and wisdom -- changes the lives of those around me while teaching valuable lessons to my children.

I became a couponer by the influence of my Great-Grandmother who told us stories of the Depression, and my Grandmother who would clip coupons. She also brought along carrot sticks, dixie cups and large bottles of juice when we went to fast-food places. Frugality, evidently, stuck with me.

In my community, I mentor those who inquire in the stores and I share my skills with friends of friends. Word travels fast that there is a better, more efficient way to be best stewards of our resources.

Our church food pantry, friends with new babies or homes, and non-food toiletry ministries are happy recipents of my great coupon deals. I'm able to give more than I could with cash, and I always share word with those served on how I got my donations so affordably.

SuperCouponing is my "profitable hobby". It has made me many friends, friends who are grateful to be living more affordably. I'm the pride of my husband, who sends his co-workers' wives to my home. SuperCouponing's valuable skills are making the difference to the benefit of more families everyday.

Much credit goes to my DH for helping me write this, and for all of his support in my couponing endeavors :)

My name is Kathy and I’m a coupon-a-holic,
Coupon blogs and store aisles, that’s where I frolic
I lost my job, was feeling rather meek
My financial future looked quite bleak
Two kids, two cats and a husband to feed
I prayed for the guidance to get what I need
Along came a friend who spent her time a ravin’
‘Bout a savior she knew called the Coupon Maven
March of ’09 was the first time we met
Following her guidance seemed a very good bet
Sam’s and Costco? They ain’t so cool
I go to Wags, CVS, and Jewel
Once upon a time, catalina was a dressing
Now day and night with my mind they’ve been messing
How ‘bout this Q, no BOGO just a teaser
DH get up at 4 and get me a freezer
No more, no more, he begs of me
Two freezers full, and now you want three?!
Ah, the rush I first felt, when only tax I paid
The only thing better’s when money is MADE
Peanut butter, cereal, a bunch of toothpaste
Off to the food pantry, leave nothing to waste
Living well on so little, Super- Q’ings a thrill
Thanks to the bloggers, and especially to Jill
After a year, there’s only one thing I lack
That’s a Bisquick Pancake Nation Prize Pack!