Frugal Shopping Tips
******Grocery Coupon Money Saving Guide**********
A guide that shows you how to save money on groceries
- Grow your own food Packets of seeds can be purchased for a dollar, and will produce much much more in your garden.
- Get a free calendar, and use it to mark when things typically gone on sale. Save it and refer to it next year, when planning your pantry stocking trips as many things typically go on sale at the same times every year.
- Keep a list for groceries on your fridge each week, and write down what you need as you remember. This not only helps you plan your budget, but it also prevents return trips to the store, that can ultimately lead to overspending.
- Shop alone - this will save lots of money and frustration
- Find recipes to make your own drink mixes. Chocolate syrup, coffee drinks, and more can be made from scratch.
- Buy Milk on sale, and freeze. Not only does it freeze well, but taking up extra space in your freezer, will help your freeze work more efficiently.
- Make sure you make your menu for the shopping then make a Grocery list. If you don't know exactly what you need, then it is easy to overspend. Make sure you stick to your shopping list!!
- Check out co-ops and share programs they can save you hundreds on your food bills.
- Don't be afraid to go to more than one store. Shopping the deals in each store will save you far more than the gas you will spend.
- Buy Generics- these days generics are JUST as good as the name brands, and are often made by the same company.
- Buy food NOT convenience!! convenience foods cost a lot more, because they save you time, but there are other ways to save time and be frugal.Dice all your veggies at one time, shred enough cheese for all the meals you will need it for this week, make extra and freeze, find recipes that cut steps, but don't use convenience foods. These will take a huge chunk out of your budget real fast.
- Shop the sales when buying clothes!! This is so important, most retailers deeply discount the clothes at the end of the season. If you can have a "clothes pantry" like a food pantry, and buy ahead for next year, you can save 50-75% on clothing purchases, and still get new!! I recently purchased a pair of shoes for my daughter for 3$ She did not need them yet, so I bought them a size bigger and put them away, now I won't have to buy shoes till next year.
- . Buy your holiday decorations AFTER the holiday. You
can save up to 75% or more. - If your markets have double coupons combine them with sale prices to get things for almost nothing
- Use the envelope system - Put your grocery budget in your envelope at the start of every pay period. Leave your credit cards home, and take only the cash from your envelope. This stops over spending and impulse buying.
- Make a price book so you have an idea of what is the best price on your groceries For each item you use regularily, list the price per unit at each store you shop at. This way you will be able to always know where to shop for the best price.
- If you use coupons make a coupon binder (it's so much easier to use them if they are organized) keep them organized by type, and what you use most, to make them easy to access.
- Keep an inventory, of what you have on hand. This helps you to know what you need to buy and not but, and what you have on hand, when deciding whether to stock up on a good sale.
- Stock up on meat deals when they are on sale so that you are only have to buy the meat when the Price is good.If it is not on sale that week you won't have to buy it if you stocked up on it. Set a price cap for what you will pay for meat, and try to stick to it. If you know that a certain meat only goes on sale below that price 2 times a year, try to buy enough to get you thru till the next sale.
- You can buy extra milk when it goes onsale and freeze it (just take a little bit out of it before putting it in because it will swell) Take it out a couple days before you are going to run out, because it takes a while to thaw.
- Look for other places to shop beside the regular stores. These are often the source of really good deals. Outlet stores, aldi's, save-a-lot, warehouse clubs, restaurant supply stores are all good places to check out.
- If you buy in bulk make sure to only buy as much as you can use, and to do the math. Bulk buying is often cheaper but not always!!
- Shop in the morning. Marked down meats and bakery goods are put out in the morning, so it is the best time to catch them.
- Eat meatless meals, this can save you a bundle at the grocery store.
- Dont buy cereal by the box!! Buy it in the bags, at the end of the aisle, or better yet make your own breakfasts and freeze. They are usually much more nutricious and far more frugal.Cereal IS expensive!!
- Buy meat in bulk and cut it yourself! I can buy Sirloin tip and eye of round for about 50 cents a pound cheaper than smaller cuts.