Virginia woman uses free coupons to feed thousands

A single mom and mental health worker, Lauren Puryer, 29, from Woodbridge, Virginia can feed up to 150 people on just $20, thanks to her couponing skills.

Puryear, 29, was moved to end hunger when she saw a homeless ''tent city'' in the high-income town of Woodbridge, Virginia, where she now lives.

''I asked them what they needed and they said they needed food,'' she said during a phone interview with credit.com.

She started by providing Thanksgiving meals, but one day, she hit on a strategy that allowed her to buy 425 cans of vegetables for 4-cents a can at Dollar General.

"I don't think most people realize - with coupons a lot of items are free," Puryear told patch.com. "And most stores double coupons up to 0.99 cents every day. I had a (coupon for) 0.55 cents off a pack of Ballpark hot dogs, and Safeway had them on sale for $10/10, so I got 0.10 overage for each pack. I used the overage to buy buns."

With her couponing skills, Puryear is able to buy a lot food in bulk, which she then donates to the needy. She aims to deliver 30,000 meals to people in need by her 30th birthday and she had delivered 5,572 meals so far.

"I cook the food and serve it," she said. "I have dropped uncooked food off at pantries before, too."

Puryear started the non-profit For The Love of Others in memory of her grandmother, who passed away four years ago and who instilled in her the values of helping others.

"I started couponing for food items like spaghetti, meatballs, and I was (often) able to get the items for free or for little to no money," she told NJ.com. "There are coupons in the Sunday paper, or online that you can print ... so I collect as many as I can, match them to the store and that is how I am able to get the items for free."

"My #1 coupon tip would be to follow the rules and be patient," she said. "Because good sales always come."