By Juan Lopez, Reno Gazette-Journal

Cassie Angus used to spend about $500 monthly on groceries and personal care products.

And even then, the stay-at-home-mom’s cupboards were stocked with the same type of foods.

“I used to shop at mass-merchandise stores,” said the 25-year-old mother of three. “I would get 10 pounds of ground beef, and my family and I would have to eat the same thing for two weeks. I had no snack items or variations in meals.”

And now?

Her pantry is “overflowing” with a variety of items and the Reno resident’s monthly bill, which includes personal care products, is 70 percent lower — or about $350 less.

How does she do it? By couponing. And she’s not alone.

Consumers across the U.S. saved $3.7 billion by using coupons in 2010, up from just $200 million in savings in 2009, according to data released by NCH marketing. A total of 332 billion coupons were distributed by advertisers in the U.S. last year.

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