As promised, I am starting a coupon/grocery shopping tutorial to help you make your dollars stretch. And who couldn't use a stretchier dollar in this economic environment?! I'm gonna do this in steps so as not to overwhelm you. I will add links to the steps in my side bar so you may refer back to them at a later time. Good Luck & Happy Savings!!!
The very first thing one must consider when grocery shopping is attitude. If you truly want to make the most of your coupons and your money, you really have to shift your thought process. Most of us make a menu for the week, then make a grocery list. This works for some people, but its not very cost effective. The most frugal way to grocery shop is to check out the sales and make your grocery list accordingly, matching the sales with coupons (but we'll get to that later). Once you have made your grocery list, look at the list (and what's already in your pantry) and make your menu based on what you own and what's on sale.
This one step alone, will make a noticable difference in your grocery budget. I will end step one here and allow this information to sink in. As this truly is the most challenging part of changing your habits. Once you have started to look at shopping in this light, the rest is easy.
Oh, and someone asked about doing these trips with kids ~ both of my kids are with me for 90% of my big shops. I'll have some tips on how to make this less painful in the following steps.
Toodles for now!
~Jessica
5 comments:
Okay, so you do your big shopping with kids...do you have a grande margarita before or after the trip?
:) How many children are we talking? I have 4 and one on the way! Yikes :)
If you have a mn., stop by and help me! I'm trying to figure out how to piece this quilt together for baby #5 and I'm just not feeling it. Sigh. I'm one of those "decorator" challenged types so it makes sense I can't just take some pretty fabrics and make them look fabulous together...right? Sigh.
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I'm bad, I really hate going to the grocery store so I'm in and out as quick as possible. I ask Keith what he wants to eat, make a list, and if I can't talk him into going to the store for me, I dash in and out.
Ok, I've noticed something, I think.
I've actually started looking at the Kroger ad that comes in the mail on Wednesday and I noticed that if I get the paper on Sunday w/coupons and all, then on Wed. the Kroger ad seems to have a lot of items on sale that had coupons in the previous Sunday's paper. At least I noticed that yesterday - not sure if that happens every week or not. So...am I to assume I should get the Sunday paper, then wait until the new things go on sale at Kroger on Wed. to make my list and go shopping since I can then get items that are on sale AND have a coupon?
Where do store brand items fall into the equation?
Thanks - as you can see, I've been thinking about this...some. :)
I don't know where you grocery shop.. if it's some where OTHER THAN wal-mart - then you need to go to www.upromise.com and check it out - we have a Kroger here and they have the key chain savings card...and we get product percents donaed t ourupromise ocllege fun savings for our kids! We signed NOra up when she was 1 and now have over $700 saved... I'm sure you buy a lot of the brands... Reynolds Wrap, Charmin, Foldgers, Kellogs, Post, Nestlee, Coke, Entergizer, the list goes on and on - and the best part is that your parnets and other family members can register their keychain card numebrs and when they buy qualifing stuff it saves for your kids too! at the upromise website they have a zip code finder for what stores particiapte in your area. when we were in Georgia - our Food Lion, and WinDixie and Kroger participated but here we only have a Kroger - and also CVS does too!
and you can also save o buying on line...but I feel like I've written a book already so I'll quit for now - if you ahve any questions, email me :) I did find out that Joanns.com donates 6% of my online purchase to my upromise!!! :)
Love from Texas! ~bonnie
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