Girl Scouts coupon for The Shelter

NAPLES DAILY NEWS – Neapolitan Section, January 3, 2015

By Kelly Farrell

A Naples resident found a way to collect coupons for a cause.

Kelley Sartori, 51, turned what some find tedious and time- consuming into an opportunity to give — one that benefitted The Shelter for Abused Women and Children and taught math skills to a group of Girl Scouts.

Sartori’s daughter, Jocelynn Collins, who is a troop leader, and Sartori’s granddaughter, Hailey Collins, 8, were among the first to get together to learn about couponing and potentially earn badges while improving math skills. The troop also learned finance and organizational skills through couponing.

“My granddaughter loves to go couponing with me. She works her own deals,” Sartori said.

The girls and Sartori began gathering their donation — collected and expanded through coupon clipping — in the months before the December holidays. Sartori collected cash donations from colleagues and friends. She then made a small cash contribution totaling just less than $100 in cash. Sartori was able to purchase more than $400 worth of goods for less than $100 because of all the coupons she and the girls gathered, organized and calculated. The donation was delivered just before Christmas to a full shelter.

“This was pretty unique. It’s not something we’ve seen here before. It’s very creative and it shows everyone in our community can make a difference,” said Linda Oberhaus, executive director for The Shelter for Abused Women & Children in Naples.

The donation, made up largely of food gathered through coupons, fit a great need and came at a perfect time, Oberhaus added.

There are about 60 people in the shelter now, including 27 children, all being fed breakfast, lunch and dinner. Adding up to about 180 meals served daily, food is something the shelter goes through, she said.

NO LONGER A NOVICE

Sartori became so good at using coupons that she has actually made money while shopping.

“The largest amount I made was $40. My husband, Tony, he says he doesn’t want to go shopping with me. When I got that $40 back, he said: ‘Now, I get it,’ ” Sartori recalled.

She jokes about the couple’s shopping style challenges.

“I don’t want to walk out of the house without a coupon. If he starts just throwing things into the buggy and it’s something I had the coupon for…,” Sartori trails off.

The savvy shopper has saved thousands each year and became a backup pantry to her nearby adult children when they need quick supplies. However, those couponing skills took time to develop, she said.

“About three to four years ago, I just wanted to know if I could do it. The first couple times at the register were horrifying experiences. I didn’t know the coupon policies. In the beginning, it took hours to do it,” Sartori said.

After gaining experience and saving hundreds each month for her family and extended family, she decided to put together a book, “Coupons Decoded,” and a website so that others can skip the challenges she faced and launch right into savings with coupons.

Andi Boliek, a Naples resident and one of Sartori’s co-workers at a Naples chiropractic office, is eager for the website. Boliek’s daughter, Addison, also a Girl Scout, took to couponing quickly with Sartori. Boliek seeks to gain more skills to make the process more efficient for her family’s savings long-term.

“Addison was excited and thought it was neat. She was excited to do the cutting. Addison says: ‘Let’s go! I want to cut more coupons,'” Boliek said.

Boliek said it’s still too time-consuming for her. She is waiting for Sartori’s website, www.CouponDecoded.Cash, to fully launch, so that she can just copy the deals Sartori has found.

“I’d like to learn how to do the couponing, too. I just don’t think I have the time to sit and get organized, but (Sartori) is great at it. It would help me to figure out how to sort it out,” said Boliek.

GOING PUBLIC

Sartori has partnered with local publisher and marketing firm, GT5, which was recently in a three-day workshop with other businesses across the nation, and, of the group participating, GT5 was voted most likely to become the next million-dollar or multi-million-dollar business.

GT5 is publishing Sartori’s book, “Coupons Decoded: Clipping Your Way to Wealth Through Savings,” which will become available for the first time at an event celebrating GT5’s success. The event is the Celebration for World Champion Millionaire Maker Party, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Jan. 22, at GT5 publishers in VentureX, Mercato, 9128 Strada Place. Sartori will also sell the book through her website.

In the meantime, Sartori offered these quick couponing tips:

• “Stack,” or piggyback, coupons from individual stores with manufacturer coupons.
• Use coupons on trial or travel sizes, when permitted, to get them free or at minimal cost.
• Use price matching from other stores to get the lowest price where you’re shopping, and then apply coupons after the price match.
• Use manufacturer coupons at dollar stores.
• Use coupons on clearance items.
• Stock up on non-perishables.