'Extreme couponer' helps the troops

THORNTON - They are called "extreme couponers" - defined as those who go "above-and-beyond" in their couponing activities. Thornton resident Callie Washer has mastered it.

"My grocery bill used to be $200 per week. Now it's $50," Washer said. "There's a lot that goes into it but as you can see, it really pays off."

In the last year, Washer has saved her family of five, thousands of dollars.

"I call it my mom salary. It's time consuming, like a part-time job for me," Washer said.

Washer spends time daily looking in newspapers and online. She also signs up on website newsletters to receive free coupons.

"I go to the library because you can print two coupons per computer," Washer said.

She says if you play the coupons right, you can get free stuff all the time, and even better, sometimes the store will pay to take the item.

"If you're a couponer, you should never pay for razors or toothpaste or conditioner. I never pay for it," Washer said.

Washer recently made an appearance on TLC's Extreme Couponing show. That's where nonprofit founder Lainey Hamrick saw her and decided to reach out for help.

"I started the Colorado Supporting Our Troops Organization. We send boxes to our troops every month," Hamrick said. "I saw [Washer] on TV and thought 'She could train me so [the organization] can spend our money a little better.'"

Washer was instantly on board.

"I said I would love to do something for Christmas. Let me send some care packages," Washer, who also has family serving overseas, said.

And so, in late November, Washer started clipping and clicking in hopes of getting enough stuff for the 60 care packages.

In one month, she "couponed" her way to a table full of things from fruit drinks, to hot cocoa, tuna, candy bars, thermal heat patches, chap-sticks, shavers and so on.

"We certainly didn't expect the table full of things. We are very grateful," Hamrick said.

But the surprises weren't over.

"There's one thing that I could not get coupons for, and that's the shipping. So my husband and I had some extra money to pay for the shipping," Washer said.

So, Washer handed Hamrick a check to cover the shipping for all the care packages to go overseas.

The full TLC: Extreme Couponing episode with Callie Washer will air Jan. 17, 2012.

For more information about extreme couponing go to http://cajuncouponer.com.

For more information about the Colorado Supporting Our Troops organization, go to www.cosupportingourtroops.com.

(KUSA-TV ? 2011 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)

You Might Be Interested In

Source: http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=238897

hazing colton harris moore hurd hurd christopher hitchens ron paul 2012 zynga stock