IONIA, Mich. — Liz Cook knows what it means to stretch a dollar. She had no choice but to stop working during the pandemic to stay home with her two children.
That's when she started couponing.
"It's always been to offset the cost to put that cost somewhere else. If I can offset the cost that I pay for toothbrushes and toothpaste and hair care, I can put that towards school clothes and school supplies," Cook said. "In our case at the time, it was food."
By finding coupons and deals, she was able to help feed her family and get them back on their feet.
She started sharing her journey online, which turned her bargaining from a necessary hobby to a full-time job.
After only a few years, Cook's TikTok account, Liz the Clearance Queen, now has over 438,600 subscribers, and counting.
"That's insanity," Cook said. "That's exactly why I try to lead by example, and use my platform for good because you don't know who's watching you when they're watching you who could use the help."
She knows many parents and families need the help more than ever during back to school season, from her home of St. Johns to states on the other side of the country.
A recent study from the National Retail Federation says: "Families with children in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $890.07 on back-to-school items this year, approximately $25 more than last year’s record of $864.35 and a new high."
A lot of her tips include layering deals and strategically buying essentials when they're on sale to create a stockpile.
However, she recognizes it can be overwhelming if you're just starting out.
"I always suggest that when you start doing this, that you keep your deals small," Cook said. "Try to do little increments at a time because if you mess up, then you are more likely to figure out how you messed up."
She also says it's something anyone can do.
"Believe it or not, math was not my like, my subject of choice," Cook said. "It was like, 'What can I do to not spend so much money?' So, I just started teaching myself."
Overall, she encourages everyone to give it a try, especially parents who were in the shoes she was in just a few years ago.
"If I can teach people how to relieve stress, one deal at a time $1 at a time, we're doing some good," Cook said.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Watch 13 ON YOUR SIDE for free on Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and on your phone.