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The cashier offered her congratulations.

My mom was shocked.

My boss said I should frame the proof.

The accomplishment? Buying three paper bags full of groceries for less than a dollar.

It was the Thursday before my wedding and I was on the ultimate deadline to get items checked off my to-do list before the big day.

But let’s be real: Not even my wedding was going to keep me from making a trip to Harris Teeter during the store’s three-day triple-coupon window. During that time, the store tripled the face value of up to 20 coupons with a value of 99 cents or less. That meant a 75-cent coupon was suddenly worth $2.25 — a significant savings.

My cart held household cleaners, condiments, rice, cereal and personal care products — about 20 items ended up costing me 95 cents.

Coupons tendered: $43.88.

Here’s the secret: Try to match your coupons with regular store sales. Harris Teeter’s last triple-coupon event occurred during a week when the store was having a great sale on household cleaners that matched several of my coupons. That meant my dollars stretched further.

And a note of encouragement: Some folks never try using coupons because they think it’ll take forever to collect an adequate stash.

Not so. A good number of the coupons I used during the 95-cent shopping trip, I had clipped from the newspaper the previous Sunday. Even a small coupon collection can have a big impact on your household budget.

Flying the friendly — but not frugal — skies

After the wedding, my husband and I eagerly left the stress of wedding planning behind to honeymoon on a lovely Caribbean island.

What wasn’t so lovely was planning a trip that coincided with airlines’ cost-cutting measures.

Thankfully, we’d purchased our tickets before U.S. Airways started charging $15 to check the first bag. Having to pay that charge would have added an automatic $60 to our round-trip costs.

But we didn’t dodge all the price increase bullets. On the way to our destination, juice and soda was on the airline. But on Aug. 1, the day before our return, US Airways started charging passengers for the in-flight beverage.

A bottle of water would now cost $2. And with federal security rules restricting the amount of liquid passengers can bring with them, I wouldn’t be able to bring my own from home.

At times like this, an empty water bottle is a traveler’s friend — if you don’t mind water fountain water, that is. An empty container won’t violate Transportation Security Administration rules but will give you a way to bring a drink on the plane without paying the markup at terminal restaurants or by carriers.

Another tip for the savvy traveler: If you think you may be interested in the in-flight entertainment, don’t pay $5 for an airline-issued headset. Earphones can easily be found for pocket change at dollar stores, and using an inexpensive pair will lessen the pain if they’re lost during the vacation.

Dollar General opens ninth Greensboro store

Discount retailer Dollar General has opened a new store in Greensboro at 4710 Hicone Road. The location is the ninth in the Gate City.

The 9,014-square-foot store sells a variety of household and grocery items, such as toilet paper, cereal, milk and eggs. The store also has seasonal goods and merchandise for “treasure hunters,” shoppers on the lookout for a bargain.

Savvy Shoppers unite at the Bargain Blog at news-record.com. Do you have a retail news or shopping tips for Savvy Shopper? Contact Lanita Withers at 373-7071 or email lanita.withers@news-record.com