Let’s talk about how we can stretch a dollar.

I interviewed one of the best in the business at doing just that. My daughter, Susie, prides herself on never paying full price and considers it a game to see just how much she can save.

Susie’s quote: “Some people hunt big game, I hunt bargains!”

Take it away, Susie:

• “Clip those coupons! Even if you don’t usually buy the newspaper, get the Sunday paper because it’s worth it. Proctor and Gamble runs its ad the first week of the month, and it’s good for toothpaste, detergent and paper goods.

• Grocery ads run on Wednesday in our town, but I’ve lived in places where the grocery ads run on Sundays. I make my grocery list according to what is on sale and what coupons I have clipped. I also look at more than one grocery stores’ ads and then compare. This week, one store had raspberries, two baskets for $5 and another two for $6. But, the store with the more expensive fruit was also offering double coupons, and had better prices in the meat department. It may seem like too much effort, but see it as a challenge. Can I save more this week than last? This week, I paid $85 for $138 of groceries!

• When composing my grocery list, I take the less expensive meat and build my list around it. If chicken is the “loss leader” that week, I build my list around different recipes for chicken. This week I will be roasting a chicken for meal number one and using the leftover chicken for a casserole dish the next night. I also make enough for lunches during the week by s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g the meat with starches (rice, pasta, potatoes).

• Never shop for groceries when you are hungry because you will buy more. Shop for groceries after dinner because the meat and bakery items are marked down in the late afternoon (before the butchers and bakers go home for the evening).

• If you see a good deal on meat, buy it all and freeze some. I always remove the meat from its packaging and put it into freezer bags, sucking out all the air to prevent freezer burn. Use a permanent marker to date the meat and use within six months.

• Where are the bargains? Check out the “end caps,” if the store is arranged by aisle, and at the back of the store almost everywhere, and you’ll find those bargains. The reason sale items are usually at the back of the store is that you have to first walk by the regular-priced items — clever, huh?

• If you have a connection with a store employee, ask when merchandise is marked down. Ten years ago, when my daughter worked at Target, she told me that they mark down merchandise on Tuesday after lunch. That little tip helped me get the jump on some great deals. I hit Target after work every Tuesday for years.

• Know your merchandise. I make the rounds every couple of weeks and check prices. Lately, when I knew I would need to purchase bed linens soon, I scouted Macy’s bedding department. The sheets I wanted were 30 percent off. Not good enough! I asked the sales consultant for the next big sale date. That weekend, it was 40 percent off the clearance price and an additional 15 percent for card holders. I bought them in Oregon (no sales tax) and used a $25 coupon. I paid $120 for two sets of sheets and if I had paid regular price, it would have been $145 each ($290 total). At 42 percent, this may have been my very best buy ever!

• Think seasonally. We have just had a lovely summer, but not many people will be wearing capris in November. If you believe you will be the same size next summer and you believe that capris will still be “in,” buy those pedal pushers at 75 percent off. Next summer, you’ll have a new outfit. I just changed out my spring-summer wardrobe for fall-winter and found four pair of wool flannel slacks that I had bought end-of-season last year. Classic never goes out of style.

• Shop for Christmas all year ’round. When you make those shopping excursions, think about others. Do you have a relative who collects roosters? Do you have a friend who enjoys mysteries? Buy things that will keep until a special occasion, but make a list of the things you have bought and who you bought them for. I have learned the hard way to keep an inventory of my stash of gifts. Just how many ceramic birds does anybody really want or need?

Go out and bag a big one!”

That’s Susie, and she’s goooood!

Senior Corner appears every other Monday, alternating with Jim Ford’s Napa As It Was. Betty can be reached at bettyrrhodes@sbcglobal.net.