Jill Cataldo is one of the premier coupon experts in the country. She is:
- a coupon workshop instructor and founder of Super-Couponing® live and DVD workshops
- author of the nationally-syndicated newspaper column, “Super-Couponing Tips,” read by over 20 million people each week
- a noted coupon authority, featured regularly on local and national media outlets, including ABC News, NBC News, CBS News, Fox News, WGN News, and many more.
- former Chicago radio personality with her savings segment, “Deals of the Week“
- a blogger devoted to reporting Chicagoland’s best grocery deals and coupon savings to over 40,000 readers each week
Here’s her story, in her own words:
Where to begin..! I became a serious coupon user almost five years ago when we found out we were going to have another baby. I started using the Internet to track store sales and learned the best time to use coupons from the newspaper and internet in conjunction with those sales.
This system completely changed the way I shopped. I had been a “typical” coupon user that would look at coupons each week, cut out the ones I thought I’d use, and then throw the rest away. It quickly became clear why that was a bad idea.
I learned that grocery stores have a 12-week cycle in which everything in the store is at its lowest price point. When that happens, that’s the best time to swoop in and buy that item for an even bigger discount using the coupons and store discounts that are available.
I also learned that most stores will let you combine a store coupon with a manufacturer’s coupon — this is called “stacking,” and it’s a big component in bringing your total grocery bill down.
Fast-forward nearly five years… I have saved thousands of dollars on groceries. I am astounded at how many items you can get free by matching high-value coupons to low-priced sales. And I love spreading the word about how easy and fun it is to save money with coupons. With the economy worsening and prices rising, many people are looking for ways to cut costs and trim budgets.
In June 2008, the Chicago Sun-Times asked readers for tips on how to save money on groceries. I wrote a short email explaining that I used a couponing website to track sales and match them to the coupons in the newspaper — a system that is easy for anyone to follow. That turned into a feature piece on me, which resulted in six (!) follow-up pieces in the Sun-Times, appearances on numerous Chicago radio stations, a recurring segment on the Jonathon Brandmeier radio show in Chicago, and numerous television news features, including ABC’s Nightline, the CBS Early Show, ABC News, NBC News, CBS News, Fox News and WGN News. Many media outlets continue to share my story, as what I’m doing seems to resonate with a lot of people looking to save money in this current economic state.
I decided to teach a coupon class through my local library in August, 2008. The library anticipated 20-30 people would attend. However, the local buzz for the class rapidly grew… 162 people registered, breaking the library’s record for the most participants for an adult program! Many more classes have followed, and even more are in the works. And www.supercouponing.com was born!
As the demand for coupon knowledge increased, I was approached about writing a syndicated newspaper column on couponing. My column, “Super-Couponing Tips,” is currently read by over 20 million people each week around the nation.
It reached a point where it seemed almost everyone I spoke with insisted I start a blog. Initially, I wasn’t sure I needed a blog, but now it’s taken on a life of its own with weekly deals, a regular base of readers, and a place for me to post my thoughts on couponing in general. So come along with me, enjoy this crazy coupon ride… and learn to save lots of money too!
Inquiries? Contact me at jill@supercouponing.com or via postal mail at:
Jill Cataldo
Super-Couponing, LLC
P.O. Box 866
Huntley, IL 60142
If you are a manufacturer interested in distributing coupons, product samples, or products to consumers: Jill Cataldo teaches live Super-Couponing® workshops to hundreds of people each week, and she loves giving coupons and products away both to her live attendees and blog readers! This is an opportunity to promote your products directly to a coupon-enthusiastic audience. Please contact Jill at jill@supercouponing.com for more information.
