(NAPSA)—Holidays are always a fun time of year, whether it’s Memorial Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving or the winter holidays. For many families, holidays also signal increased spending at the supermarket, for everything from tradi- tional meal preparations to festive decorations. Consumers faced with rising costs and the current economic downturn, however, are look- ing to lower, not increase, supermarketbills. Phil Lempert, a.k.a. the “Super- market Guru,” recommends a tried-and-true solution for lowering supermarketbills and staying on budget—coupons. “Coupons are easier than ever now that they can be‘clipped’ right from the Internet,” says the Supermarket Guru. “It’s a smart option for the holidays, in particular, when we simply don’t have the timeit takes to clip and organize coupons properly. With the Internet, a quick visit to a couponing Web site, such as www.valupage.com, could mean up to $40 in savings per week for one’s family.” The Supermarket Guru also suggests that savings should becomea family affair, with overextended parents tapping into their own resources—namely, their kids—for help with couponing. Here are the Supermarket Guru’s “Top 5” tips for getting kids involved with household couponing: Coupon Organizing: Give the coupon drawer to the kids to organize, alphabetize and update. Kids could even make their own coupon organizer, using colorful materials that match the dcor of the season. Incentive Programs: Parents can develop a creative incentive program for kids who help families in coupon savings. For example, allocate the sum of any weekly coupon savings into a holiday bank account. By allowing kids to use these fundsfor holiday shopping, parents are rewarding their children and encouraging them to continue Holiday savings is a family affair with ValuPage.com. contributing to the household, while teaching them the value of moneyin the process. Earn Web Bucks’: By logging onto and using www.valupage.com each week, kids can earn cash rewards at the supermarket called Web Bucks. These can be used like cash to purchase anything they desire at the next supermarket shoppingtrip (e.g., Halloween candy, favorite cereal, their choice of stocking stuffers, etc.). * Inventory Tracking: Kids could monitor those household items that get used most often such astoilet paper and soda, and alert parents when the levels get low so that they know which couponsto clip for that week. Savings Spreadsheet: Older kids can design a computer spreadsheet that tracks the money the family saves with coupons each week, month,or year. Here’s how you can save up to $40 a week at the supermarket. Simply log onto www.valupage.com, enter your zip code and supermarket of choice, and print your ValuPage offers. Purchase any of the offers and present your printed ValuPage to the cashier at checkout. Receive cash rewards called Web Bucks, which can be used like cash during the next visit to that supermarket. For more information on supermarket savings tips, visit www.supermarketguru.com.
