OAKLAND COUNTY'S PREMIER

piled items in the kitchen and on
basement shelving. She also shops in
quantity for frozen foods, kept in a
second freezer.
"It makes me feel good that I am
able to save our family money that can
be used toward something like vaca-
tions we might not have been able to
take because of the current economy,"
she said. "The money saved is for
everyone."
After that in-home "trial" seminar,
Gorman held her first official class
for 53 participants at Temple Kol Ami
in West Bloomfield, where she works
as the temple assistant, helping the
education director and administra-
tor and handling PR and the monthly
newsletter. The cost-saving seminar
also included tips on discount clothes
shopping by Lynne Roman of West
Bloomfield.
Gorman's next "Cutting Costs with
the Couponista" seminar is scheduled
for 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 15, at
West Bloomfield High School. And in
the fall, she will lead classes through
the community education depart-
ments in Birmingham, Farmington,
Novi and Walled Lake.
With a bachelor's degree in elemen-
tary education from Michigan State
University in East Lansing and several
years of teaching, Gorman said, "The
teaching part of this comes naturally"
"My short-term goal with the
seminars is to make what I spend on
groceries in a month. It will be like
coming full circle."

Full Shelves

"We have enough toothpaste, sham-
poo, soap and deodorant to last
for a year — or two, or three," said
Melanie's husband, Scott.
Half of their home's linen closet
is reserved for stockpiled bath and
body items. When the kitchen pantry
filled up, Melanie asked Scott, a home
furnishings consultant at Art Van
Furniture in Novi, to order her a new,
giant-sized cupboard to hold more.
"And it's packed to the gills," Scott said.
But it's not filled with just anything.
"Melanie is good at getting what we
all like and still gets it at great prices,"
he said.
Scott may tease her by asking, "Is
there anything to eat?" but he's incred-
ibly proud of his wife's endeavors.
"It's in her personality to delve into
what's important:' he said. "Her life
is so organized, but I definitely didn't
imagine she would get to this level.
"The timing is perfect for her to
share what she's learned. People are

now clipping coupons and trying hard
to save money. And who wouldn't want
to learn how to do it?
"Melanie saves us $5,000-$6,000 a
year. And that's money that can be put
toward something else, like the kids or
bills or a rainy day"

More Savings
"I use coupons every week at the gro-
cery store and drugstores:' Gorman
said. "But it doesn't stop there. I have
found there are coupons out there for
almost everything.
"I use the Entertainment Book
[based out of Troy] and never go
anywhere without looking online for
a coupon. I use restaurant.com , where
non-chain restaurants advertise and
offer discounts. And they're Michigan-
owned so I know by eating there, we're
supporting our local economy."
Looking to reach more people,
Gorman started a Facebook business-
page last month named — like her
seminars — "Cutting Costs with the
Couponista."
"I love saving money" she said. "It's
such a good feeling. That little shop-
ping buzz that others get from shoe
shopping, I get from buying groceries.
Cutting costs the way I do has made a
big difference in my family's life."
And Scott Gorman understands and
appreciates the benefits. Unlike some
spouses, he said,"I really don't mind
at all when mine says, `See you later;
I'm going shopping."'

SPEC ALI ST

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ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS AT LAW
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❑

Information on Melanie Gorman's
two-hour "Cutting Costs with the
Couponista" seminars may be
obtained by contacting individual
venues:
• For the 6:30 p.m., Wednedsay,
July 15, seminar, at West
Bloomfield High School, e-mail:
couponista®sbcglobal.net . $20.
• For the 7 p.m. Tuesday,
Oct. 6, Birmingham Community
Education seminar at Seaholm
High School, call (248) 203
3800. $25.
• To have the Couponista speak
to a group or for information
on seminars this fall through
Farmington, Novi and Walled Lake
community education depart-
ments, end an e-mail to:
couponista®sbcglobal.net or
access the Facebook busi-
ness page at: facebook.com ;
type "Cutting Costs with the
Couponista" in the "search" box.

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May 14

2009

A13