I figured the first thing I should post about is something that everyone can relate to: the grocery store. The grocery store is the first place people (at least people like myself) tend to overspend. It's very easy, especially with all the delicious snacks and the brand names and what have you. It has taken me almost a year of trial and (loads of) error to get this method of grocery shopping down pat.
:: First and foremost, never and I don't say this in jest, never go to the grocery store hungry. It is a mistake I all too often make, and the things that I buy on impulse will sit in my pantry for weeks and weeks and weeks until I give up on them entirely.
:: Secondly, if you are the type to do so (and I know I have to get into this habit), make a list. Make a list and stick to it. Straying from the list once will lead to a second, a third, and finally, defeating the purpose of making a list in the first place.
:: Third, read the fliers that come in the mail. Make a note (either on your list or in a little notebook that you can take to the store with you) of the sales, but be careful. If yogurt is on sale, and no one in the house eats yogurt, there is no sense in buying it. (This is something I was guilty of for a long time) Just because there is a good deal on something, doesn't mean it should be purchased. It is also a good idea to compare prices from different stores.
:: Fourth- Store Hopping* Now I know that anyone from Rhode Island is probably reading this and saying, "Is she nuts?" I am not. I also can not take credit for this method. My wonderful future brother-in-law introduced me to store hopping, and I absolutely feel the need to share this with the world.
However, you don't want to start at X Food Store, and hop over to Y food store. Find a super saving market. The stores in my area are Price Rite and Save-a-Lot. These types of stores are usually found in lower income neighborhoods and are absolute gems for those of us who are just squeaking by. The great thing about these types of stores are their incredibly low prices, particularly on cereal, bread, and meats. (I'm such a sucker for chicken nuggets) Produce can be hit or miss, depending on how much traffic the store gets. The Price Rite I shop at frequently does not get fresh produce in as much as the one in downtown Providence because there are far more people shopping at the Providence location so they are getting fresh produce daily.
Here is where your list of sale items will come in handy. Compare the flier prices to the prices at the super savings market. Sometimes regular markets are cheaper, but most of the time they aren't.
The only downside to these markets is that while they carry a wide range of product, they don't carry everything. Their inventory in constantly changing, so while they may have a constant supply of Rice Krispies, for example, they may one day disappear from the shelves. It happens, but that's alright. You should also bring your own shopping bags because the plastic bags here cost $0.10. Not a large sum of money, especially since they are giant and sturdy, but for the sake of throwing in some eco-friendliness, you can bring your own bags.
Now once you've milked the super savings markets, go on over to your neighborhood grocery store to pick up what's left on your list. I bet you're surprised at how much you don't need to purchase here. First thing you need to know is not to pay full price for anything. Okay, there are some things that you might need that won't be on sale, but for the most part, I never buy anything at full price.
:: Fifth, I don't buy anything that is part of a 2/$5 (or 2/$6, 2/$7....). I really don't know how I got that idea into my head, but it has saved me a whole lot of money. If I see the little 2/$5 tag hanging on the shelf, I don't even bother looking at what the item is, so I can't be tempted into buying it. Most of what's on that type of sale is something that isn't necessarily needed in my house anyway. Mostly I feel that $5 just adds up too quickly.
:: Sixth, If there is a store brand available, it's worth it. Buying store brands is a great way to save money with only changing the packaging. I have not yet noticed a difference in taste or quality. I had read somewhere that often times the same manufacturers make the same product and then slap a different label on it. I believe it. If ever I find that again, I'll be sure to link up.
I mean really. Wouldn't you rather buy Stop & Shop cookies at 2/$3, than Keebler at 2/$5? You get to save a whole $2! And think if you do that with most, if not, all of your groceries, how that would add up?
:: Seventh, is something personal, based mostly on my own diet. I don't often use coupons because coupons are either not worth it for me (save $1 on THREE boxes of cereal? Well I never intended to buy that much cereal so instead of actually saving money, I end up spending more to get the coupon value.) or they are put out for products that I don't eat (frozen foods, products with high fructose corn syrup, or foods sweetened with aspartame [any yogurt that isn't organic])
When I DO find a coupon worth using though, I'm even stingier about that. Save $1 on 2 (cans of soup for example) If the soups aren't on sale this week, I'm going to hold my coupon until the next week when they might be 2/$4 because after my coupon, I get them 2/$3 when originally they're about $3.19 a can.
Phew. I think that's all, and while it may seem like a lot to swallow, it's mostly just me explaining my craziness. I'd like for everyone to give it a try and let me know how you make out!
Happy Shopping!
:: Celeste
* Because I am from Rhode Island, where no one seems to think it's worth it to drive 15 minutes from home without considering it a day trip, the idea of store hopping is pretty shocking. Everything in our area, however, is pretty packed together. For people living somewhere where a grocery store is an hour away, I feel for you. :( I have about 25 grocery stores all within 20 minutes in any one direction.
:: First and foremost, never and I don't say this in jest, never go to the grocery store hungry. It is a mistake I all too often make, and the things that I buy on impulse will sit in my pantry for weeks and weeks and weeks until I give up on them entirely.
:: Secondly, if you are the type to do so (and I know I have to get into this habit), make a list. Make a list and stick to it. Straying from the list once will lead to a second, a third, and finally, defeating the purpose of making a list in the first place.
:: Third, read the fliers that come in the mail. Make a note (either on your list or in a little notebook that you can take to the store with you) of the sales, but be careful. If yogurt is on sale, and no one in the house eats yogurt, there is no sense in buying it. (This is something I was guilty of for a long time) Just because there is a good deal on something, doesn't mean it should be purchased. It is also a good idea to compare prices from different stores.
:: Fourth- Store Hopping* Now I know that anyone from Rhode Island is probably reading this and saying, "Is she nuts?" I am not. I also can not take credit for this method. My wonderful future brother-in-law introduced me to store hopping, and I absolutely feel the need to share this with the world.
However, you don't want to start at X Food Store, and hop over to Y food store. Find a super saving market. The stores in my area are Price Rite and Save-a-Lot. These types of stores are usually found in lower income neighborhoods and are absolute gems for those of us who are just squeaking by. The great thing about these types of stores are their incredibly low prices, particularly on cereal, bread, and meats. (I'm such a sucker for chicken nuggets) Produce can be hit or miss, depending on how much traffic the store gets. The Price Rite I shop at frequently does not get fresh produce in as much as the one in downtown Providence because there are far more people shopping at the Providence location so they are getting fresh produce daily.
Here is where your list of sale items will come in handy. Compare the flier prices to the prices at the super savings market. Sometimes regular markets are cheaper, but most of the time they aren't.
The only downside to these markets is that while they carry a wide range of product, they don't carry everything. Their inventory in constantly changing, so while they may have a constant supply of Rice Krispies, for example, they may one day disappear from the shelves. It happens, but that's alright. You should also bring your own shopping bags because the plastic bags here cost $0.10. Not a large sum of money, especially since they are giant and sturdy, but for the sake of throwing in some eco-friendliness, you can bring your own bags.
Now once you've milked the super savings markets, go on over to your neighborhood grocery store to pick up what's left on your list. I bet you're surprised at how much you don't need to purchase here. First thing you need to know is not to pay full price for anything. Okay, there are some things that you might need that won't be on sale, but for the most part, I never buy anything at full price.
:: Fifth, I don't buy anything that is part of a 2/$5 (or 2/$6, 2/$7....). I really don't know how I got that idea into my head, but it has saved me a whole lot of money. If I see the little 2/$5 tag hanging on the shelf, I don't even bother looking at what the item is, so I can't be tempted into buying it. Most of what's on that type of sale is something that isn't necessarily needed in my house anyway. Mostly I feel that $5 just adds up too quickly.
:: Sixth, If there is a store brand available, it's worth it. Buying store brands is a great way to save money with only changing the packaging. I have not yet noticed a difference in taste or quality. I had read somewhere that often times the same manufacturers make the same product and then slap a different label on it. I believe it. If ever I find that again, I'll be sure to link up.
I mean really. Wouldn't you rather buy Stop & Shop cookies at 2/$3, than Keebler at 2/$5? You get to save a whole $2! And think if you do that with most, if not, all of your groceries, how that would add up?
:: Seventh, is something personal, based mostly on my own diet. I don't often use coupons because coupons are either not worth it for me (save $1 on THREE boxes of cereal? Well I never intended to buy that much cereal so instead of actually saving money, I end up spending more to get the coupon value.) or they are put out for products that I don't eat (frozen foods, products with high fructose corn syrup, or foods sweetened with aspartame [any yogurt that isn't organic])
When I DO find a coupon worth using though, I'm even stingier about that. Save $1 on 2 (cans of soup for example) If the soups aren't on sale this week, I'm going to hold my coupon until the next week when they might be 2/$4 because after my coupon, I get them 2/$3 when originally they're about $3.19 a can.
Phew. I think that's all, and while it may seem like a lot to swallow, it's mostly just me explaining my craziness. I'd like for everyone to give it a try and let me know how you make out!
Happy Shopping!
:: Celeste
* Because I am from Rhode Island, where no one seems to think it's worth it to drive 15 minutes from home without considering it a day trip, the idea of store hopping is pretty shocking. Everything in our area, however, is pretty packed together. For people living somewhere where a grocery store is an hour away, I feel for you. :( I have about 25 grocery stores all within 20 minutes in any one direction.
i ama pretty frugal person and try to be a super smart shopper. i am still fine tuning my process but recently watched a special (on TLC i think) about these crazy shoppers who used tons of coupons and bought tons of things for like $6... now i told myself its crazy to truly expect to spend so little on necesstities because these ppl were buying 1000 toothbrushes and deodorants and no meat or produce etc... the one thing i got out of that show that has already saved me tons is this:
ReplyDeletei have spent a few hours each weekend literally walking though EVERY aisle at walmart writing down prices and quantity or weight. (i didnt bother with things i dont ever buy and i still need to do health and beauty and crafts. i plan on doing the same at my local grocery stores as well (slowly but surely) i have been plugging in all the numbers into a excel spreadsheet and let excel calculate which is the cheapest item. the "wholesale size" is not always cheapest and the store brand is usually cheaper than brand but not always... so now when i make my lists i know exactly what i am walking in for and exactly how much i can expect to pay. (saving me time as well as $$)
when my weekly circulars come out for the groceries i make a list of what i plan on buying and tally how much i should pay as well. i then look at all my projected totals and if i am over budget i re-evaluate what can wait till next check of what i really don't need...
takes a little time for initial planning while getting all the prices and math done but i am finding it sooo worth it