PITTSBURGH -- One local woman has become a super shopper, finding a way to save 83 percent on grocery bill in one year. Last year, she got $11,377 worth of groceries for the entire year, but paid only $1,881.

Most of the $1,800 was spent on milk, meat and fresh fruits and vegetables. The rest of her staple food items she paid pennies for. That's because her No. 1 savings rule is to go through the grocery store ads every week and then make your list.

"There's lots of good bargains out there-you just have to look for them," Judy Mayer said.

And Mayer knows exactly when and where to find them. While Mayer doesn't have to carry a lot of cash, she does have to an alphabetically organized box of coupons -- lots and lots of coupons.

Channel 11's Becky Thompson asked, "Where do you get all these?"
Mayer said, "Everyone saves them for me."

Her super-savings rule No. 2 is do your best to collect coupons of products you're likely to buy and ask friends and family to help. She also suggested checking out the local library. It, like Mayer's, may have a coupon exchange where people trade coupons.

Then follow super-savings rule No. 3 which is only shop at stores offering double or triple coupons and buy in volume using your store savings card.

On the day Thompson went shopping with Mayer, Campbell's Chunky Soup is on sale.
"(It's) $2.69 a can, but today it's a $1. Today, for me, it will be free because if have coupons," she said.
Mayer bought 40 cans.

Her next super-savings rule No. 4 is to take advantage of stores' buy-one-get-one-free offers and remember to use coupons.

That day there was a good deal on cookies.
"Today, they're on sale 2 for $3 which is $1.50 for one. I have a coupon that's good on any package of Keebler Fudge Shop cookies (for) 75 cents."
And that coupon can be doubled.
"So, they're free. 75 (cents) doubled is $1.50 and they're $1.50," she said.

Mayer's rule No. 5 is if the sale product is gone, ask for a rain check so you can get the deal later.

Mayer said, "Today, we're going to use these rain checks on pizza dough."

It's Dough that Mayer also has coupons for.

Another super-savings rule is while you're shopping, check the shelves at the very end of the aisle for discontinued or marked down products. Even if they're discounted, you can still use coupons.

Her rule No. 7 is to look for in-store specials on meat close to its expiration date.

"They put a sticker on and you'll take $1 off, 50 cents or $2," Mayer said.

The meat is fine as long as you use it quickly or freeze it.

Then, it's on to the check out. It takes time and patience to ring up the transaction, but in the end it's worth it for Mayer.

Mayer said the total value of her shopping trip that say was, "$180.64 and I paid $4.47 (and) the cart's full."

Super-saving rule No. 8 is to shop more than one store. Sometimes the drug store has better prices on eggs and milk.

Finally, one word of caution: some smaller independent grocery stores won't let you do the volume shopping that the larger chains will. So, always check the stores coupon policy before you load up the cart.