UNPLUGGED: CPS Energy’s Queen of Coupons
A weekly grocery trip is simply routine for most of us. But Jo Ann Galvan gets a thrill cashing in on coupons. And, for good reason. Her thrifty hobby saved her family more than $8,000 last year! She used the savings to help her sons pay for college expenses. You could say our Operations Transition Manager with the Metering Services team is the Queen of Couponing at CPS Energy.
“I’m always looking for the lowest cost out of my pocket,” she said. “It’s just like a game. It’s so addicting when you realize how much you can save with coupons.”
Jo Ann keeps tabs of upcoming coupon offers through various Facebook groups. When she finds a good deal, she stocks up on coupons to get the best bang for her buck. Her neighbor is kind enough to give her the coupon section from each Sunday’s Express-News. She also gets them from the Southside Reporter, and through various apps and websites. With a stockpile of coupons, she’s ready to shop.
“You don’t have to be a math whiz,” she said. “It’s just a lot of adding and subtracting. The important thing is to look for the best deals.”
One of the most coveted coupons is the $10 Catalina coupon that she earns at HEB for spending $30 on Proctor & Gamble (P&G) products. These special coupons can be earned during a two-week promotion and can be used on HEB items that total at least $30.
“The goal is to find a coupon for every item you’re shopping for,” she said. “That’s how you can keep rolling over the savings.”
During a recent grocery trip, Jo Ann quickly snagged P&G products from the shelves that matched up with her coupons. At check-out, the subtotal came to $34.75. The coupons discounted the items by about $20 for a total of $14.57. Jo Ann achieved her goal by earning the $10 Catalina coupon that she stashed away for a future shopping day.
Jo Ann’s sister, Diana, got her hooked on couponing about a year and a half ago. Now they compete to see who can get the most savings.
“My son calls us the sweeping sisters because we sweep the shelves for good deals,” she said. “We’re always playing a game to see who can save the most.”
Want to start couponing? Jo Ann recommends getting a coupon buddy to help you research savings opportunities. She also suggests joining a Facebook group for couponing to keep track of upcoming offers. You also can follow Jo Ann’s three simple rules when shopping:
- The item has to be on sale
- It must have a coupon, and
- You must get something back (money, points toward future purchases, etc.)
If the offer doesn’t match up with these rules, the Coupon Queen says walk away and find a better deal.
CPS Energy Unplugged highlights what members of our team do beyond the workday – their community and volunteer efforts, unique interests and hobbies, or personal accomplishments.
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That’s Great to see a CPSEnergy employee coupon too! I also coupon…I have a stock pile and donate them to family and friends in need. I love to get paid for shopping by using the Ibotta app. I have $25 dollars so far in my account for shopping.
That’s great, Christina! So glad you’re a fellow couponer. Hope you and Jo Ann can connect some time. I bet both of you could share some good coupon ideas with each other. That sounds like a very generous thing you do for your family and friends.