Wylie’s ‘Super Coupon Woman’ inspires others to cut hunger, one coupon at a time

GOOD PEOPLE: Tina Klein of Wylie, aka ‘Super Coupon Woman’ 

(Wylie) April 27, 2012 – Tina Klein, a single mother of three teenage daughters, has found a way to turn coupons into significant savings – not only for her own family, but for struggling families in her community and across the country.

When the Wylie waitress is not serving up coffee and Grand Slam breakfasts at Denny’s, the “Super Coupon Woman” is clipping coupons and giving back to food pantries, like the one at Wylie Community Christian Care Center that helped her and her children through a period of financial hardship about 10 years ago.

“I had to figure out a way to save money,” Tina said. “I began couponing, and I learned how to save a lot on groceries. A Target cashier once exclaimed that I was the ‘Super Coupon Woman’ and that’s how I got my nickname.”

Over time, the consummate couponer became so skilled at her craft that she was able to bring home carloads of free and deeply discounted items – much more than her family needed.

“So in May of 2009, I began donating food and personal items to my local food pantry as a way to give back,” she said.

As Tina’s passion for clipping coupons and helping others grew, she asked friends and neighbors to turn in their unused coupons.

“The Christian Care Center began collecting these unused coupons for me. I pick them up every week and match them with sales to buy free or very cheap items, and then I’m able to turn in a large donation to the food pantry every couple of months,” she said.

Tina recently started the $100,000 Donation Challenge, inspiring couponers across the country to get involved.

“Each couponer is challenged to donate $1,000 retail value to the charity of their choice, to benefit their own community. We break it down to three challenges throughout the year,” Tina explained. “We just completed our first coupon challenge for 2012, the week of April 15-21. Thirty participants stepped up to the challenge, and as a group we were able to exceed our goal of $1,000 each. We raised an amazing $58,252.93 across the nation, and $25,000 of that went to the Wylie Christian Care Center – from only two couponers!”

Participating couponers came from Texas, Ohio, Kansas, Missouri, and Indiana.

Tina adds that she hopes to inspire others across the country to join in the next Challenge, in an effort to reach the $100,000 goal for the year.

“Together we can make a difference cutting hunger one coupon at a time,” she said.

RECOGNIZING TOP COUPON DONORS

Laura Sparks and  Sonja O-h donated more than $15,000 each

Super Coupon Woman Tina Klein donated more than $8,000

Jeremye Tunnicliff  and Jenne Holmes donated more than $5,000 each

Karen Key and Shannon Crouch donated more than $4,000 each

Written by Dawn Redig for publication in Blue Ribbon News, April 27, 2012, all rights reserved.

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