[Harlow:] Well, the number of coupons redeemed last year rose 27 percent to a grand total of 3.3 billion, that was the largest jump in two decades. And fueling the increase, heavy coupon users who redeem 104 or more coupons over just six months. That's according to an August report by Nielsen. And these users tend to be women, of course, under the age of 54 with college degrees and household incomes above $70,000. Well, no one knows how to clip a coupon better than the Coupon Mom. So, we asked HLN's Rafer Weigel to tag along with Stephanie Nelson as she hit up her local supermarket.
[Rafer Weigel, Cnn Hln Sports Correspondent:] Hey, Poppy, we're here at the Kroger in Roswell, Georgia, where the Coupon Mom is going to show me and everybody how we can save big bucks on our grocery bill. Hi, Stephanie?
[Stephanie Nelson, The Coupon Mom:] Yes.
[Weigel:] I'm Rafer. Nice to meet you.
[Nelson:] Nice to meet you. Are you ready to save a lot of money?
[Weigel:] I am. I'm excited.
[Nelson:] Good. Let's go. OK. Now, it's all about strategic shopping. Strategic shopping is when you combine promotions with coupons and sales. And this is a good example of understanding how your store works. This says 10 for $10, you don't have to buy 10, you can buy one for $1. What I'm trying to do today is save the most with coupons and I have a coupon for $2 off two, so I can get two absolutely free. So here we are, all at the baby products. If I got the item that is pictured, I get a dollar off I'd pay $2.19.
[Weigel:] Which would seem like a good to deal to most people.
[Nelson:] Yeah, but you know what I like, nine cents.
[Weigel:] You can do better.
[Nelson:] That's what I like. Here's bar soap that is the same brand and it applies. It's usually $1.09, you take the coupon, now I'm getting it for nine cents. Most people wouldn't know you could get that because they're going by the picture, but always go by the words.
[Weigel:] She's like the coupon ninja.
[Nelson:] I buy three copies of the newspaper because if you're a coupon user, if you have three sets of coupons you're going to save a lot more, you're going to get a lot more free stuff.
[Weigel:] Oh, my goodness, a whole $1.19.
[Nelson:] No, I'm looking for free. We're looking for free.
[Weigel:] All right. You've got high standards or low ones, I'm very impressed.
[Nelson:] Here's a great example of what I call stacking the savings. That's when you combine more than one savings program. In this case, there's a special promotion, so this item is instead of $3.79 it's $2.29. I also have a coupon I printed for a dollar so that brings it to $1.29, but I can use that along with an electronic. I'll pay 29 cents instead of $3.79. and I think we've got everything on the list. $130. So, before any savings at all we're at $130.21.
[Weigel:] Which is an average week at the grocery store.
[Nelson:] That's for some people. Not for us. But I start out by doing the store card, which gives us all the sale pricing. That brought us down to $72.87.
[Weigel:] So right now the computer is in disbelief.
[Nelson:] Right. Although you didn't do anything wrong. It's just...
[Weigel:] As am
[I. Nelson:] OK, good. I'm happy. For a varsity shopper, this is kind of number we want to see.
[Weigel:] Look at that 89 cents. That is insane. That's insane. That's crazy.
[Harlow:] And so are we. Truly amazing. I thought I was good at finding deals. Guess I'm not that good. That was very, very impressive. So, for all of you at home, you might be wondering how much the Coupon Mom had saved. Well, she's been at it for 16 years and estimates that she saved a grand total of $80,000. Now, she and her family, of course, they don't need all of that food, so she's a good Samaritan, she donates a lot of it to her local food bank. For more tips and tricks from someone who has clearly earned the title of expert, pick up a copy of her book "The Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting your Grocery Bills in Half." Well maybe even more than in half. We'll be right back here next week for YOUR BOTTOM LINE. Save time for us 9:30 a.m. Eastern. And don't miss Christine Romans and CNN chief business correspondent, Ali Velshi on "YOUR MONEY," today at 1:00 p.m. Eastern and tomorrow at 3:00. But, right now, it's time for a check of the top stories right here in the "CNN NEWSROOM." Have a great weekend.