Livingston's Deal Finder

Cindy Livesey's kids know what's in the pantry, but they don't have to peek. Livesey's blog "Living Rich With Coupons," which is dedicated to saving money on everyday items, tells the whole story.

"Because I post my shopping trips," said Livesey,  "one of my daughter's friends came up to her and said, 'Nikki, your mom bought you Rice Krispie Treats.' " In fact, said Livesey, both of her college-aged daughters read the site and they "use the deals themselves while at school."

This is the point, of course, according to Livesey, who started her blog in 2009.

A 16-year Livingston resident, Livesey and her husband were taking a hard look hard at their budget, which includes college tuition for two children, with another starting in the fall.

"It got to a point that we said, 'What are we doing? Where is our money going?' I had to find ways to cut back and fast," said Livesey. "The biggest chunk I saw was on groceries. So, I buckled down, researched and learned how to do cut my grocery bill and find all these incredible deals I post everyday."

Indeed, the family saved about $8000 last year, while still eating favorite family meals, celebrating birthdays and holidays, and generally enjoying life. Livesey and her husband have developed an "envelope" strategy for basic budgeting.

"We have started an envelope system where we pay only with cash," she explained.  "Our budget is set-up every month and every single dollar is accounted for.  I use cash in envelopes for things like, groceries, gas, haircuts, restaurant, dry cleaning, clothing and blow money, money that we use for just that ... to blow on whatever we want.  If there is no money in the envelope we have to wait until the next payday."

Since the modern world doesn't always  run on cash, Livesey uses a "virtual" envelope system for items such as house expenses and car repair. Even gifts and hosting parties or family events goes into the budget. 

"Earmarking the money ensures that we will not spend it on something else," explained Livesey.

"Once I started getting the hang of it," recalled Livesey,  "I was amazed at the deals that were out there.  I couldn't believe how much I could save at the grocery store.   It became a game to see how much I could get for so little.  It takes time, yes, but the savings are incredible." 

To share her experiences -- and the deals she discovers -- Livesey set up livingrichwithcoupons.com.

"While I was researching deals, I just felt like there was a void for people from this area and we can save money here just like the rest of the country," said Livesey.  "Plus, the more people I would share my new coupon techniques and deals with, the more they were intrigued by it. So, instead of showing them one by one, I started the blog.  And I love every minute of it."

But Livesey's blog is more than a list of coupon match-ups, a term she uses for combining in-store sales with current coupons. She also shares strategies, including two recent videos that demonstrate her system of gathering coupons and then organizing them. For anyone who keeps coupons in an old envelope, Livesey has advice on how to get started with serious saving.

Her readers are grateful. 

"I get so many wonderful emails from people telling me how much money they are now saving and it just makes it all worthwhile.  I love it," said Livesey. "It makes it all worth the time I put into the site."

Like many blogs, Livesey's reveals a good bit about her life and what she values. Her children make frequent appearances, and she mentions her beloved Yankees from time to time. She has shared photos of her garden, her dog, and even Christmas decorations she bought well below budget. Her readers get a chance to understand who Livesey is and what her goals are in budgeting carefully. 

Her only regret is not starting sooner in life.

"I actually never realized until now that my parents were very frugal," said Livesey, recalling her childhood in Rockaway.  "When I think back at how we did things, I realize now that it was just a part of my life."

With three young adults in the family, Livesey has thought hard about how to teach careful spending and saving to her children.  

"Teaching a teen to shop wisely and live below their means is the key to financial success in their adult life," she said. "They are able to see, at an age when it's the most important to learn, that you must live below your means and be conservative with your money.  And part of that is shopping smart, finding the best deals so you can have more of what you want for so much less.  Of course, I teach them how to use coupons, look for deals, go to clearance racks, look for discount codes online and most importantly, ask yourself, 'Do you really need that?'  Most of the time the answer will be no."

What satisfies Livesey is the sense of control she has developed over her finances. What delights her is the blog.  

"Living Rich With Coupons started with just a few readers and keeps growing everyday and I love when readers add deals, ask questions, make comments," said Livesey, who describes herself as a "deal finder." 

"It makes it such a community site where everyone feels comfortable asking questions and giving suggestions."

Livesey can be found most often locally at ShopRite, Pathmark, CVS  and Walgreens.  "I am always at one of those stores," she said, coupon binder in hand. When "someone is behind me in line, they are amazed at all the coupons I have and how little I pay."  

While it may be impressive to follow Livesey in line, it's even more exciting to follow her example.

"When someone emails me to tell me that they dropped their grocery bill by $100 a week and now they can pay their bills easier," said Livesey, "it just makes my whole week."