I already use coupons on sale items to maximize the savings, but I needed to do more. With the high price of gas and time also in short supply I narrowed my shopping trips down to two stores. Unless another store has exceptionally good sales going on or a special triple coupons day, I reserve most of my shopping to the two stores I frequent most. Most of the stores are close in prices and they often times either take turns on the sale items or have similar sales at the same time. Checking the weekly ads is key. Also, keeping a record of what you paid for the items you use most is essential to knowing what is a good deal.
My new budget for groceries, etc. is $300 a month for three people. Keep in mind this is for more than just groceries. This is for diapers, shampoo, toothpaste, over the counter meds like headache meds and ointments, etc. $300 may seem like a lot or not much at all depending on your own circumstances. Many people are able to spend less than that or are able to make it go further with more people in their household. I’m not that good yet, but I’m working on it!
When asked, many people haven’t a clue on what they spend or they underestimate their actual expenses. If you keep track of everything you spend money on a month you may be surprised at what you actually spend. Try it for one month by writing on a calendar everyday everything you spent money on and see.
Coupons used only on sale items, shopping when the items are at their best prices and not having brand loyalty are the main ways I save. Stocking up on items we use when I can get them at their cheapest is another way we save a lot. We are limited on space so I am unable to stock up as much as I would like. Though we are set on toothpaste, deodorant, plastic wrap, baggies and aluminum foil for the entire year! I also have about a 3 – 4 month supply of cereal, peanut butter and pickles. I buy several of these when they are at their lowest price of the season with coupons making them a fraction of their regular price. We don’t have a separate freezer to stock up on items than can be frozen when they go on sale though, which someday I hope to have one. Stocking up is essential on lowering your overall bill. It may appear that your grocery bill goes up, but not having to pay full price for the same item every week actually significantly lowers your bill in the long run.
Here is what I saved on the last grocery trip to Krogers. Believe it or not I only used two coupons! Usually I have a dozen or more!
I brought (8) of my own bags which saved me $.24
I had only $2.50 worth of coupons instead of the usual $15-$20, but I stocked up on Cheerios, Mt Olive pickles, organic milk, onions, potatoes and ground beef. The ground beef I will separate and freeze. Some I will cook up to have ready for spaghetti sauce, chili, etc. The register also spit out $10 worth of coupons on items I use so that was an extra bonus!
In all I spent $89.99 saving $18.08 on my bill. $15.00 over budget for the week, but I am stocked up on items I won’t need to buy for quite a while. Next week my aim is to spend $15.00 less, but I may spend a little more if I see a great stock up deal. Overall my budget should equal out to $300 a month though. Let’s see if I can do this! I challenge you all to try and do the same.
Even if you don’t have to do this, it is still a great way to find the extra money to do something extra for you and your family. Maybe you want to put extra money on credit card bills to pay down your debt. Maybe you want to be able to save extra money for a special vacation. Maybe you want to save more for your kid’s college education. Whatever your reason, learning to shop wisely is a great way to “find” that extra money!
In the near future I will be researching and sharing with you websites that can help you in your quest to save more, so check back often!
Don't forget about online coupons like the ones below! Most stores do accept them!
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