Every Year, the Hingham High School Math Department carries out a project for an Algebra 1 Linear Emphasis. Famous in the school for its extensive process, the “Extreme Couponing” project is greater than couponing alone.

While the students begin the project with learning to calculate simple deals on food, they soon face more options, such as calculating how favorable one deal is to another, an example being $10 off vs. 15% off. Once the students have the basis of the project’s math aspect, they turn to the greater good.

In early December, the students will take a field trip to Stop & Shop and put their couponing skills to the test. After shopping for deals, the students will check out with a receipt that measures multiple yards long. Last year, the students spent over $800.00, saving over $600.00 and finishing with a $200.00 payment only. With ⅔ of the total cost covered, the students donated all of the discounted food to the Hingham Food Pantry.

Lauren Mitchell, a Junior at the High School, never participated in the project as a freshwoman, but explained, “I think couponing is a great way to save money over time. I also think it helps the school community build character, especially considering the food is donated to those who will actually use it. It might take a little extra time to go through and cut out coupons, but it teaches students that money for food doesn’t have to be an issue with the right resources”. Lauren’s opinions are shared by many, and she later explained that couponing, too often has “unnecessary shame attached to it, but it’s actually a very resourceful and smart way to live”.

Sharing Lauren’s opinions is Kayleigh Galko, a graduated student of Hingham High School. She currently attends University of Colorado Boulder, and is an avid couponer. Kayleigh explained the usefulness of coupons in her life, responding, “college can be so expensive, I coupon all the time. I might not be as intense as Coupon Mom or any of those shows, but it seriously helps the expenses. I think what those kids are doing is great, especially since they’re being exposed to self-sufficiency early on. I know a bunch of people in school who don’t know how to lessen the expenses, but if they knew what these students did, money would be so much less of an issue”.

To help support the Math Department’s good cause, please drop off coupons from P&G Brand Saver, Red Plum, and Smart Source in Ms. Coughlin’s classroom (room 225) until December 2, 2016!