Transcript: Top Tips from a Money Saving Mom
By Bankrate.com

Anchor Intro: When it comes to saving money, are you cheap or thrifty? Bankrate.com introduces you to one mom whose daily money-saving methods got her national attention.

SOT: "I always say, you can't spend what ya ain't got!"

Voice over 1: And Margie Read means it. That's why the Rachel Ray show picked her the thriftiest mom in America. Her frugal ways are a way of life.

Voice over 2: She's re-used paper towels for years, long before it was "in."

SOT: "I use the paper towel, rinse it out, dry it out and re-use it again, but now they think it's green!"

Voice over 3: She only runs some appliances at night to slash her energy bill.

SOT: "Dishwasher, dryer, washing machine, only after 9 o'clock because it's half or three-quarters of the price less."

Voice over 4: Dryer sheets get used up to three times. And shopping is all about sales.

SOT: "You have to go to the back when you go into any grocery store, or any store but especially grocery stores. You have to go to the back because that's where all the markdown areas are."

SOT: "Another thrifty thing I do is when I go to fast-food restaurants, collect all the condiment packets."

Voice over 5: Of course she clips coupons and scours the classifieds. That's where she found this designer dining room deal.

SOT: "...just shopping there, that classified one, saved me $3,500."

Voice over 6: As for new trends?

SOT: "Six months down the road it's like half, and a year down the road it's maybe three-quarters off, so why not wait?"

Standup: Now, if you think Margie's ways are a little too penny pinching, consider this: She says a thrifty lifestyle has saved enough money to put both her daughters through college. For Bankrate.com, I'm Kristin Arnold.