SPRINGFIEFLD -- These tough economic times have more people looking for ways to save money. We found an expert who knows how to get things free.

Tessa Coltrin is one of the smartest shoppers in the Ozarks. She walks out of stores paying nothing. Free is the sweet deal that attracts her like a bee to a flower.

“I'm actually going to get two of these free, because I have a buy one, get one free coupon and then I'm going to use the rebate, so I'll wind up getting two for free.”

Coltrin is a student with thousands of dollars of debt. When she's done with school and internships, she wants to get back in the black fast.

“I intend to pay it off in under seven years. To do that, it's going to mean saving money in other areas, so I can have extra money to throw at that debt.”

Coltrin’s money-saving strategy starts with organization and planning. She saves the Sunday newspaper coupons -- not just some of them but all of them.

“Here’s a baby section. I don't have a baby but, if I can find things free, then, I donate them.”

“ou have to bide your time and wait. And then, when the right time comes and the right sale, you wind up getting free stuff.”

Watching for low prices and combining that with coupons is just one strategy. She's also big on rebates.

Walgreens offers free items every month, if you just fill out the paperwork and send it in -- and Coltrin does.

“They've got it set up to make it easy for people here. They've got everything right here.”

We're talking free toothpaste, free mouthwash, free Tums.

“The things that I might need now or might need in a couple of months, I might go ahead and get. One of the keys to this is planning in advance. You can't just wake up one day, realize you ran out of deodorant, and go to the store and get it. You're going to have to do a little bit of advance planning.”

Retail stores don't have the market cornered on free deals. Kids eat free deals are offered at restaurants throughout Springfield. At Hemingway’s, kids 4 and under can eat at the buffet for free anytime of the day.

If you're talking entertainment, and you want to save bucks, try free movies at the Springfield-Greene County Library Center.

People even post things they want to give away for free on Craigslist.

And Coltrin gives away her ideas for getting free -- or next to free stuff -- at the stores on her blog.

“Take it slowly; this is a skill that has to be built, and it is something that happens by using baby steps.”

Coltrin saves hundreds of dollars a year just by planning. You can too.
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Here are some other resources for free stuff:

Walgreens Rebate Club

Places in Springfield where kids eat free

Retail Me Not

Divide The Ride