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How to Shop for Free: Shopping Secrets for Smart Women Who Love to Get Something for Nothing
Kathy Spencer can whittle a 267.22 grocery bill down to one penny. How to Shop for Free is Spencer's smart, sassy, step-by-step savings guide that teaches you how to do just that -- and more. You'll learn how to find the best savings and combine them with store promotions, rewards programs, and store credit to get almost anything for free -- from organic produce to makeup, prescription drugs to clothing. With an eye toward cutting your monthly spending on the basics, Spencer guides you through many popular stores -- including CVS, Kohl's, Safeway, Target, and Walgreens -- and explains how to maximize your savings. Follow Spencer's plan and, by the end of the book, you'll be shopping for free.
256 pages, Paperback
First published November 9, 2010
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238 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
December 2, 2011
This was really disappointing. There was something about the tone that just put my hackles up - I can't say exactly what, other than that standing guard on the shelves and putting your kids to work so you can get every last bag of cheap cat litter isn't something I'd want to brag about. Stripping coupons off of packages you don't plan to buy also doesn't seem right to me.
But more significantly, there's nothing new and exciting here. There's no point in buying this book when you can get the same advice for free on dozens of blogs. And there's no guarantee it will work for you - I rarely have the magical match-ups of coupons and sales that bring prices down to nearly-free numbers, and the wine tags that help with meat and produce aren't there, even if I were willing to take them from bottles I'm not buying. The "clothing for free" trick is the least tricky of all - you sell your old stuff, and any extras you can buy, on e-bay. That's a pretty big gamble.
So maybe this will work for some people. It's worked for the author, and she's more than willing to tell you how well it's worked. But I think I'll stay away from the world of Coupon Queens AND Dirty Coupon Ho's and just be a Shopper Who Uses Coupons When I Can - no need for special lingo there - and get my shopping done without having to body-check any other shoppers out of the way.
But more significantly, there's nothing new and exciting here. There's no point in buying this book when you can get the same advice for free on dozens of blogs. And there's no guarantee it will work for you - I rarely have the magical match-ups of coupons and sales that bring prices down to nearly-free numbers, and the wine tags that help with meat and produce aren't there, even if I were willing to take them from bottles I'm not buying. The "clothing for free" trick is the least tricky of all - you sell your old stuff, and any extras you can buy, on e-bay. That's a pretty big gamble.
So maybe this will work for some people. It's worked for the author, and she's more than willing to tell you how well it's worked. But I think I'll stay away from the world of Coupon Queens AND Dirty Coupon Ho's and just be a Shopper Who Uses Coupons When I Can - no need for special lingo there - and get my shopping done without having to body-check any other shoppers out of the way.
January 26, 2012
I think this book is awesomesauce. I've been reading a lot of books that are similar to it but this one was right on the money! No pun intended.
I've been putting these practices to use and saving money on groceries and drug store purchases. With a little more practice and dedication to this art I'm sure I can score free groceries and more for my household!
This book breaks it down and makes it simple and easy to understand. Covers a wide variety of stores such as Walgreens, Rite Aid, Target, Stop and Shop, Shaws, Market Basket, CVS and many more.
What I liked most about this book is that the author is from my homestate of Massachusetts which means the opportunities included in this book are available to me. In the past I've read "coupon" books that included store scenarios for major food chains that are not in the North East so I couldn't participate.
Kathy is super clever to have come up with all the money making and freebie getting scenarios covered in these pages. She teaches you how to use Ebay and how to score free brand name clothes from places like Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy and more.
I've been putting these practices to use and saving money on groceries and drug store purchases. With a little more practice and dedication to this art I'm sure I can score free groceries and more for my household!
This book breaks it down and makes it simple and easy to understand. Covers a wide variety of stores such as Walgreens, Rite Aid, Target, Stop and Shop, Shaws, Market Basket, CVS and many more.
What I liked most about this book is that the author is from my homestate of Massachusetts which means the opportunities included in this book are available to me. In the past I've read "coupon" books that included store scenarios for major food chains that are not in the North East so I couldn't participate.
Kathy is super clever to have come up with all the money making and freebie getting scenarios covered in these pages. She teaches you how to use Ebay and how to score free brand name clothes from places like Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy and more.
June 3, 2012
I didn't really care for this book. Most of the information doesn't really apply anymore because stores have changed their coupon policies because of shows like Extreme Couponing.
March 24, 2017
If you live in an area with opportunities for double couponing-which I have done and got really good results as this author mentioned- or if you live where you can shop at specific establishments I have never lived by such as Target, eateries like Olive garden, etc., you can put things she recommends into practice. I do no. I also do not care for some of her rather uncouth tactics. Her crass tone was also off putting.I really learned nothing of use from this, though for anyone who has never studied "hacks" as couponing, freebies in the mail and such tactics, this book could be helpful with a lot of ideas. It could really start a "freebie" fire under you. Nothing new for me here though and would not work well in my area in most aspects.
April 14, 2011
Although it offers some good tips, this book is obviously for people who have the inclination to spend a large amount of time devoted to doing nothing but looking for coupons. But as they say, you don't get something for nothing!
If you have free time on your hands to buy coupons off e-Bay, cut coupons out of newspapers and magazines, join a lot of company websites that send you free samples and coupons and then file multiples of these coupons by category, expiration date, etc then go to several stores to compare prices and buy in bulk, this book is for you. Otherwise, not so much.
If you have free time on your hands to buy coupons off e-Bay, cut coupons out of newspapers and magazines, join a lot of company websites that send you free samples and coupons and then file multiples of these coupons by category, expiration date, etc then go to several stores to compare prices and buy in bulk, this book is for you. Otherwise, not so much.
June 1, 2011
I've been on a coupon kick lately, one of the mom's at MOPS recommended I read How to shop for Free.... I grabbed it at the library this week and read it in a little over day. It was a quick read, and I knew the bulk of the principals. I didn't care for the last half of the book -- where she talked about how she buys items on clearance and sells them full price on eBay. To me? that's not getting something for free -- that's purchasing it and then making a profit. But it was never free. (Just my opinion though. )
March 25, 2012
Could not take being talked down to from the beginning, I wanted tips not insults. I have used coupons for quite some time and do well and while she says what she does is legal it is not ethical in any way. I am not raiding the shelf and peeling coupons off this I don't plan to buy right away, that just takes the, away from the next person. I abandoned long before talk of buying things on clearance and selling them on eBay. Maybe I am too nice.
February 9, 2018
This got too intense too fast for me (first couple chapters devoted to dumpster diving for additional coupon inserts and elaborate filing systems to organize them before getting into more advanced techniques). But there is some content there for casual/reluctant shoppers-- I learned how to take better advantage of weekly grocer discount flyers, what month to delay purchases to in order to get deals, and how to make a game out of whittling my spend down in recurring budget categories.
January 31, 2025
Fun easy read. For anyone new to deals and couponing - this is a great read. I love the focus on giving back to your community.
Wish they would release an updated version! It’s a bit outdated for 2025 (for example, many of the stores and monthly deals are no longer in existence)
Wish they would release an updated version! It’s a bit outdated for 2025 (for example, many of the stores and monthly deals are no longer in existence)
December 29, 2022
The book offers some good tips, but I didn't always care for the author's attempts at humor.
April 26, 2024
Outdated and invalid information, as coupons have changed with the modern era.
Plus I just don't shop at stores like CVS & Walmart that do so many store coupons.
Plus I just don't shop at stores like CVS & Walmart that do so many store coupons.
June 1, 2025
outdated
May 18, 2014
This book does have some good information, but I didn't love the stupid marketing appeal to "smart women." Okay, maybe that was her publisher's schtick and not so much Kathy Spencer's idea, but whatever, I found it unnecessary. Everyone loves saving money, and I think this could easily appeal to every cohort of shoppers. Anyway, my personal rant aside, I did like some parts of Spencer's humor, and she seems like a sassy, on-the-ball lady.
She doesn't really sugarcoat the work involved in getting these great deals. She doesn't explicitly say "it took me so and so many hours" per week or whatever, but readers certainly get the sense of effort involved. After all, no matter how many coupons you use, you really can't get something for nothing (first law of thermodynamics, people) - only instead of money, you're paying with time to find and organize your deal combinations. Fair enough.
I find the idea of clearance buying and reselling a bit repulsive, mostly because I'm lazy and there is considerable risk in that, and for most people with full time jobs, logistically that tactic is just way too time consuming. Also, many of her tips revolve around free samples and sign-up bonuses; these are great, but many of them are one-time deals, and not very useful in the long run. But most of Spencer's other strategies make good sense, and it was nice to have the coupon game explained.
Overall, a decent and quick read. Although most people won't take on all of the methods outlined in the book, it's a good presentation of many ways to save.
She doesn't really sugarcoat the work involved in getting these great deals. She doesn't explicitly say "it took me so and so many hours" per week or whatever, but readers certainly get the sense of effort involved. After all, no matter how many coupons you use, you really can't get something for nothing (first law of thermodynamics, people) - only instead of money, you're paying with time to find and organize your deal combinations. Fair enough.
I find the idea of clearance buying and reselling a bit repulsive, mostly because I'm lazy and there is considerable risk in that, and for most people with full time jobs, logistically that tactic is just way too time consuming. Also, many of her tips revolve around free samples and sign-up bonuses; these are great, but many of them are one-time deals, and not very useful in the long run. But most of Spencer's other strategies make good sense, and it was nice to have the coupon game explained.
Overall, a decent and quick read. Although most people won't take on all of the methods outlined in the book, it's a good presentation of many ways to save.
April 12, 2011
This book had me interested since I love a good bargain! The author takes it to a whole new level; apparently it is not a good deal unless it is free. I enjoyed finding out how she gets away with spending $4/week to feed her family of 6 and spending -0- on brand-name clothing. She must spend a lot of time looking for bargains and going from store to store and selling her clothing bargains on Ebay, so I may just be better off finding a part time job instead????? I'm not sure which I would enjoy more :-) Her grocery-shopping secret is not really a secret - couponing combined with store sales to make items free and stockpiling for a year when you can get an item free. I'm not sure how it would work in my area since a lot of her free deals are from the stores doubling the value of the coupons, and I don't know of any stores doing that here. When I started the book, I looked forward to finding out how she could get milk, produce, and meat for free, and she explains how Catalina-deals can be such good money-makers that they give her the cash to buy those items if she keeps "rolling" the Catalina-deals. We don't have a CVS Pharmacy in my area, but I guess I'll have to watch the Walgreens ads more closely. And I will try to do a better job of finding printable coupons on the internet.
June 16, 2014
Let me state first that I read this for free from the library. I wish there was a way to do extreme couponing to get this book for free, just so I can show Spenser how "great" her advice is- and that she won't get a penny for her work. When she claims that she uses rebates and coupons and actually makes money from that, that is theft- not good coupon use. She teaches the reader how to be an obnoxious customer by bullying the cashier to do separate transactions on multiple products just so she can save a buck and she tells you not to worry about holding up the line. Her idea of saving money on healthy groceries is a joke; nothing she lists is actually organic, although she uses the word. In addition, she tells the reader to take coupons off of products that she does not intend to buy. She is a dishonest shopper who is trying to make customers into dishonest and rude people- stay away! Or as she would say, "Save a buck."
June 15, 2011
Kathy is one of those women that they show on tv going through the grocery store with multiple carts, using a kabillion coupons and getting hundreds of dollars worth of groceries for free.
She has some good tips and a great website - http://www.howtoshopforfree.net/ which includes a coupon databank, which is great.
I think, however that Kathy has some better grocery stores in her area than I have here because I tried the coupon thing today at a store that doubles coupons and I used them with the store coupons. I did buy some other non-coupon items but they were on sale. I saved almost 50% according to their receipt, but their prices are over inflated to start with so I really don't think my savings were that good.
She has some good tips and a great website - http://www.howtoshopforfree.net/ which includes a coupon databank, which is great.
I think, however that Kathy has some better grocery stores in her area than I have here because I tried the coupon thing today at a store that doubles coupons and I used them with the store coupons. I did buy some other non-coupon items but they were on sale. I saved almost 50% according to their receipt, but their prices are over inflated to start with so I really don't think my savings were that good.
May 20, 2011
I'm on page 146 of 256 of How to Shop for Free: This is by far, the best of the couponing books I've read this month. Honestly, it's probably the best How To book I've ever read. Why?The author is informative (which is key for a noob like me) and hilarious. She's like the sassy snarky friend you never pass up an opportunity to hang out with. I love her tips and have filled 3 pages in a notebook with great tips she's given. I don't say this lightly: This book is AMAZING.
Even if you have no desire to cut coupons and want to get stuff for free, I strongly suggest you get this book. It's practical, doable and a fun read.
Even if you have no desire to cut coupons and want to get stuff for free, I strongly suggest you get this book. It's practical, doable and a fun read.
Read
January 23, 2011With the help of my sister and her friend, I've recently become a savvy coupon shopper. I'm saving tons of money, and that helps to save for other more important stuff. I learned of this book from Kathy's "How to shop for Free" website. (http://www.howtoshopforfree.net/) I'm really glad I purchased this ebook for my nook. It was a really informative read. A lot of stuff I already knew, but there was so much information in this book, I'm still processing it. If you want to save a buck, this book will definitely help you with the process.
August 15, 2015
This is the best book of all the couponing, frugal, money saving books out there. Kathy Spencer is one smart cookie. I have read this over 3 times, and referred to it many many times. Some of the info is common sense, but all of it is put together in a simply explained manner. I learned so much and I have been couponing for several years. I hope she will write another book on using the smartphone for saving. I can't say enough about her smart style of writing, which feels like talking to your best friend. Great book for beginners and experts.
January 8, 2012
I picked up this book to prep for a workshop I want to conduct for my college students. I knew 95% of the tips in it, but it was still a really good refresher. Some stores' policies have likely changed since this was published, so if you're new to all this, check out some good couponing websites/blogs before you try any of its strategies.
July 6, 2012
I was the proofreader for this book and was able to correspond with the author who is very talented and a true asset to her community! It was interesting and fun to read, and I even tried it myself and was able to get some free stuff an save some money, but it's too much of a time demand for my life!
January 15, 2016
I got this book out of the library on audio. loved it so much and found such great practical tips for saving money that I bought a hard copy for easy reference. Excited to try these techniques. well worth the money (pardon the pun). i found the lady's voice a little annoying after a while but the content is excellent.
July 10, 2014
I thought this book was really informative & for the most part, it's a roadmap to how to get stuff for free. Only way it would have been easier is if she gave you a list every week of everything you can get for free. I'll have to try slowly implementing some of her techniques. It seems a bit hard to get everything for free or a few dollars. Maybe her stores have better deals...?
February 17, 2011
Awesome!!! Read this and you won't believe what you have been missing out on. Bring your food bill down to at least half when you read the strategies in this book!!! The first week out, I got about 20.00 of free food from Rite Aid and CVS!!
April 24, 2012
I wasn't sure what I was going to learn from this book that I hadn't already heard elsewhere, but I was pleasantly surprised and found myself taking notes. I look forward to putting some ideas into practice and saving some more money!
September 27, 2011
I love saving money and don't mind having to put in some effort to do so. This book was right up my alley. However, most of the advice is stuff already passed down to me by another frugal consumer. Either way, I highly recommend this.
July 15, 2013
Is a 'must read' for any bargain hunter. Although I was doing some of these techniques already, Spencer inspired me to a new level. Honest straight and a little competitive, this is one shopper/author I would like to meet.
April 19, 2012
This book really does help you to save money! I've already started implementing her strategies and am saving money, stocking up on the essentials, and am building a stockpile of items to donate to charities throughout the year for free or really darn close to it!
December 15, 2012
I have never been much of a couponer. A friend encouraged me to check the book out. Man it has already saved me and I just read it last week. For example, I can't believe that I've been throwing away CVS receipts. I highly recommend this book!
March 28, 2014
if you are just starting out with couponing, this will provide a good base. Some principles (such as doubling) do not apply in certain states, like Florida for example. The bit about ebaying is abit much, but it is an idea.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews