Frugal Fridays: Supermarket savings
Frugal Shopping and Couponing for Beginners - a continuation of my Secrets to supermarket savings series...
1) Pray. Don't embark on a supermarket savings journey without first seeking the blessing and direction of the Lord. Ask Him for wisdom to guide you along the way. Ask Him to help you use your time and resources wisely and to the best of your ability.
2) Talk to your husband. I can't stress this enough. Don't do this alone. Share with your husband your desire to work towards saving your family more money in the area of groceries and ask him for his input and counsel. Make sure this is something he wants you to do. My husband is completely thrilled with my coupon shopping (he's pretty good at it himself, too, if I may say!) and he wants me to spend time and thought on this. He is always looking for new ways to obtain coupons for me (he even has gotten everyone at his office to bring their coupons - which they don't use - to work every week to give to him!). He loves to hear how much I save and see all the things I get for free. He loves the fact that the money I save on groceries allows us to have more money to save and to give to others. He loves to have me share our "extras" with those who are needy. However, this is my husband, not yours. Your husband might be completely happy with your current shopping and he might have no desire at all for you to spend time couponing. Or, he may only want you to do a little bit. Or, he may want to go full-force. Do what honors him.
Provided your husband wants you to further pursue this, here's my list of advice for beginner couponers:
3) Make a budget. Don't start anything until you've sat down with your husband and decided upon a budget for your groceries. If you are completely new to frugal shopping, I'd recommend that you start with something very doable - like allowing $3 a person per day. Eventually, you'll want to be down to $2/person and your goal would be to be less than that. (We are currently averaging around $1-$1.67/person. Obviously, we live in the Midwest where the cost of living is less so this should be factored in. However, I know people all around the country who, by frugal shopping, are savings hundreds upon hundreds of dollars every month on groceries. So, no matter where you live, it is entirely possible to find good deals and save money, just be sure to factor in your regional cost of living.)
4) Learn to make more frugal meals. If you start by only cooking frugal meals, you'll save your budget heaps of money without ever even using a coupon! Some ideas:
-Cut back on meat (see my article here)
-Grow as much food of your own as you can.
-Use fewer, less expensive ingredients in your meals
-Add a lot of fillers to your meals to stretch more expensive dishes (add a big salad, soup, bread, mashed potatoes, pasta, etc.)
Please share what other ideas have helped your family in this regard, I'd love to hear!
5) Learn what a good deal is for your area. Just because something is on sale and you have a coupon, does not make it a good deal. In fact, many times it is still ridiculously expensive. Also, just because you can buy it in bulk, does not make it a good deal. I've been grocery shopping for about ten years now and I've learned, over time, what constitutes a good deal for our area. For instance, I will never pay more than $0.50 for a tube of toothpaste. In fact, I usually can get it for free. I will never pay more than $0.89 for any type of cleaner. I'll never pay more than $0.69 for deoderant. All of these are the prices I can get on name brands at least once every few months when it is on sale and I have coupons. So, when it goes on sale at this price or lower, I stock up. Certain items like milk, butter, and cheese which I can't stockpile as much (though I do buy butter and cheese in bulk when I can and freeze), I know the lowest prices from Aldi and buy it there unless I can find it cheaper at the Kroger I shop. Our Kroger routinely reduces produce, meat, and dairy in the mornings. If I make it to the store before 11 a.m., I can usually find some really good deals (and often some which are more than really good, especially if I have coupons for the items!). If you don't know when your store marks things down (most all stores do this), just ask. They will usually tell you and you'll be wise to plan your shopping around that time. I know what the cheapest prices are on fruit and veggies that I can get at the store, so when we go to the farmer's market, I'll only buy items which are quite a bit less than the store. We've found that going to our farmer's market about 30 minutes before closing allows us to get better deals since there are often quite a few things marked down.
I recommend, if this is all new to you, that you make a pricebook. Go to all your area stores and write down the prices for all items you normally buy. Compare these prices and get an idea of where you can routinely get items the cheapest. Also, keep your eye out on sales and your pricebook over a few month time period to get an idea for how often these items go on sale and what the best sale price is. Take note of this. Eventually, you will want to keep in mind coupons that you know you have or can get online and what the store's policy is on coupons, and then use that knowledge to factor in what would be the best deal. For now, though, just stick with the basics. Over time, it will all become so "old hat" to you that you will instantly know a good price when you see it.
6) Research all the stores in your area. Try shopping at different times on different days. Find out what their policy is on coupons (Do they double coupons? If so, up to what price? Do they take expired coupons? If so, how expired? Do they ever offer triple coupons or double dollar coupons?).
Some stores have double dollar coupons once a month. If yours does, you better be there. You can get cartloads of food for pennies. Where we used to live, one store chain had double dollar coupons one week every month. We got so many good deals and would always save all our dollar coupons for that week and then shop at least a few times that week to make the most of it! Since we've moved, there are, sadly, no stores here which have double dollar coupon days. I've missed it terribly, but it hasn't kept me from finding other ways to get good deals. That's what is important to remember. Just because you don't have certain stores or stores which offer certain things, no matter where you live, you can find good deals.
When researching area stores, don't overlook health food stores, Asian markets, bread outlets, drug stores, dollar stores, etc. Just because it isn't explicitly a grocery store, doesn't mean that you can't find great deals there on grocery items! CVS is quickly becoming one of my favorite stores to find great deals at - and who would have thought?! Every time I go there, I earn more Bucks and get more items and spend less money. I can't complain with that! I also go to Walgreens once per month and buy any of their good sale items (you can get free Gillette deoderant this week by stacking their store coupon with the manufacturer's $1/1 coupon) and their free after rebate items. I use the gift card and earn my rebates on there and just roll over the savings every month. It's usually somewhere between $20-30 of "groceries" for free once a month that way. And it's right on my way home from the grocery store and only takes a few minutes to pop in there and get the items and a few minutes to fill out the rebate form and send it in. Not bad for $20-$30!
As a side note, one thing which I love to consider is that however much I save per hour is actually like I'm making that per hour. If I go to the grocery store and spend an hour and save $50, it's like I'm getting paid $50 an hour. Not bad for a little housewife, huh?! I'll take it!
...To be continued. This was all hurriedly-written (because I'm in the midst of prepping for our garage sale tomorrow!). Please feel free to add to it and share your own thoughts and experiences or ask questions on anything which wasn't clear.
To join in Frugal Friday, just post a frugal tip or post on any subject of frugality on your blog, link to this post in your post, and then post the direct link to your Frugal Friday post below. Any link or post which does not adhere to these rules will be deleted at my discretion. If you do not have a blog, but have a tip to share, please post your tip in the comments section. And, remember the rules: Must be family-friendly. I'm the judge. :) We had a few weird things posted last week which had nothing to do with Frugal Friday (which were promptly deleted), so that's why I'm stating more specific rules this week.
Thanks so much for joining us this week - I can't wait to read your great tips! I've been learning so much from you all!
posted by Crystal Paine at 4:54 PM
22 Comments:
I'm so glad you mentioned pray first! I also pray (when I remember) when I shop for clothes or anything else.
Happy Garage Sale day!
I added some more cheapo shopping tips, and a killer couponing site I found...definitely worth using! :)
I just found your site. How fun to have a frugal day!
Mary, mom to many
Hi Crystal,
Hope your yardsale goes well!
I don't have a blog but I can share a few tips that helps our family.
Due to health issues, I am continaully looking for the best deals, but it is often challenging because there are some foods I "must" purchase through a health store, which always tends to be more expensive. For example, if I want hot dogs, I have to purchase them nitrate-free and they are regularly $4/pkg. which is almost 4 times the amount of regular hot dogs! The same for bacon which is about $5 per package. It gets to be very challenging on our budget.
#1 - If you have to go organic, focus on the meat (if you can, although I know it's very expensive and we're not able to do this as much yet). I look for sales on what I do regularly purchase and then stock up when I can. I am not sure if I shared this before or not, but I was told that since (non-organic) veggies/fruits are water soluable, they will pass through the body more readily than meats do because of the fats involved.
#2 - I don't use many coupons since this season in my life I need to avoid preservatives, additives, artificial anything basically. However, if I really like a product I will contact the company and sometimes they will send you a coupon or 2 for being complimentary. Of course, be honest in doing so, and don't take advantage of anyone for the sake of getting a discount.
#3 - We eat less expensive meats - ground turkey, lean ground beef, chicken & use them more sparingly also. Things like steak, fish, seafood in general are very pricey here, so they become more of a treat than the norm. When roasts go on sale, I will look to that because I can get several meals out of 1 roast. Just remember, the more work done to the meat - the more expensive it will be (you always pay for the service).
#4 - Every so often serve a really nice meal - which makes every feel more special and you don't feel as tight financially. There are times I tire of ground meat, lol, but I try and remember to be thankful for what I do have. Extra things like homemade treats (muffins, cookies, quick breads, pie, cake or brownies or even a fruit dessert minus the sugar) or warm oven-baked bread once in a while also lift everyone's spirits if the budget is exceptionally tight. Today, for example, I bought some pork chops on sale which is something I rarely buy but I plan to make it a really nice meal with some homemade apple crisp. I know my dh will be very happy! The little things make all the difference.
Lyn
How come it says "delete link" next to my name? Is that just for me?? :-/
13 big boxes of stuff?! Why can't I find that much stuff to get rid of? Was it all yours and Kathrynne's, or Jesse's too? I might be able to get 13 boxes if Joshau would let me get rid of his stuff ;)
Have a good sale, and, as always, I enjoyed your shopping tips. I'm heading to a rummage sale myself tomorrow morning (at 7:45! Better head to bed! lol) to see what junk I can bring home... ;) actually I only get good stuff, like clothes for my babies :D And cloth napkins! haha I got cloth napkins at a rummage sale a year ago. :)
Oh, and my "Frugal Fridays" tip this week is a family tradition. When my mom was first married and told my dad that she was out of dishcloths and needed to buy some more, he said, "Buy dishrags?!" apparently his mom had always made her own, and so that's what they did... and what we do. It's great! :D
Thanks Crystal for your wonderful site! I love coming here and being encouraged in so many ways.
You are truly a blessing from God and I thank you for allowing Him to use you to teach and bless others!
Have fun at your garage sale!
Owlhaven - Welcome. :) I've visited your blog at least a few times before thanks to mutual friends. :)
Lyn, great tips!
Andrea: You are the only one who can see that "delete link" - it logs your IP and only shows it on your IP. In case you want to delete your link, you can do so from your IP. No one else can see it. And just so you know, you are not the first person to ask this question. :)
Tammy: The stuff was lots of misc. - About a third of it was stockpile stuff (I'm anxious to see how that sells... most of it I get for free or almost free.), there were two boxes of baby clothes and baby things - I went through and got rid of anything that wasn't in very good condition since I don't want to have to move it!, a few boxes were books, a few boxes were misc stuff - kitchen stuff, etc., and then Jesse went through his stuff and had a very large pile of clothes - some which he's had for years. I was quite shocked that he volunteered to get rid of it all! :) I also had a small box of things, though since I had just gone through my stuff only a month ago, I couldn't come up with much personally. Since we are planning to move in a few months, that was a huge motivation for me - I don't want to move something unless I really like it and really use it. So, I was pretty ruthless. :) Oh and I would have never come up with your dishcloth tip. I've used socks for dusting before, but never for washing dishes. What a great idea!
Thanks for your encouragement, Valerie!
Hey Crystal, thank you so much for sharing about grocery savings. I am trying so hard, but still struggling to keep us below $200/month. Obviously, I need to learn how to use coupons more.
Also, congratulations on Jesse's swearing in and new job, and belated happy birthday to you!!!
I can't wait to hear how the yardsale goes! This week I'm posting about bedding for small animals, like my beloved gerbils. Have a great friday!
Want to learn how to bake bread for your family or hone your current skill level...for free? King Arthur Flour offers 2 demonstration classes(yeast breads: sweet and wholegrain AND crusty artisan breads) around the country. Maybe there is a demonstration coming close to where you live in the near future? My cousin went to one in Cleveland and said it was great. The upcoming schedule is here:
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/baking/national_demonstration.php
Want to iron clothes with crispness and creases...iron with the look of a fine tailor? Have an old wool blanket? Newspaper? Kite or blind string? Muslin from a sheet, maybe? This does call for a special purchased cotton but might be something to work around with those frugal minds. Here are instructions for making:
http://www.sewing.org/enthusiast/html/ef_tailorironing.html
Like vintage crochet patterns(or want some knit patterns or want to learn how to convert?) and tire of high used prices? Want to find some for free? Here you go:
http://www.angelfire.com/folk/celtwich/
http://www.knitting-crochet.com/antique.html
http://home.inreach.com/marthac/links.html
http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory.php
Hello Crystal,
This is my first time posting a Frugal Friday. I could not figure out how to link to your specific post, so I just liked directly to the whole blog. (still learning lots about blogging!)
This is a neat idea to share frugal tips. This is one of the favorite things that I love reading about in your blog.
take care,
Trixie
Thank you for doing this series, Crystal! It's been a big help to me so far and I'm really looking forward to the rest! I'll be getting married soon, and living on a very tight budget, and groceries is one area where I am trying to save as much as possible. It can also be very difficult for me, because I'm lactose and gluten-intolerant. You've been encouraging though and I'm looking forward to the challenge!
~Jordan~
http://ourblessedroad.blogspot.com
http://ascornerstones.blogspot.com
If your husband needs to wear shirts with double cuffs for work, the life of the shirts can be extended by reversing the cuffs just as they start to wear through. Even if you can't do this yourself, it is much cheaper than buying a new, usually expensive shirt and extends the life of the shirt by at least 30%.
Lentils are really cheap and filling. We often have lentil soup with bread and grated cheese. Any left over veg can be added to the soup.
Hope the garage sale goes well.
Annaelisabeth
WooHoo! I went to Walgreens and for the FIRST time in my life I got deoderant and shampoo FREE!! Oh, this is fun! I then did some quick grocery shopping. I brought home $115 worth of groceries/household products and only spent $63! Thanks so much for this series. Does your grocery budget include your personal/household supplies?
Laurie F.
Hi. I just wanted to thank you for all of your tips! I wrote a while ago and had asked for some coupon ideas and you have gone far and above what I could have ever asked for. Thank you so much! You are a wonderful person and have an amazing site.
I have some good "frugal" tips but I don't have a blog to link them to... would it be ok if I just left them as comments?
Have a wonderful weekend!
Hello Crystal,
I did a post of Frugal Entertaining.
My tip this week is about credit cards. I know there are many people who are completely against credit cards -- and I don't blame you. I am extremely wary of them myself, but my parents taught me that if you are very careful and vigilent, you *can* make credit cards work for you.
Credit card companies like to make you think that you can only pay on the card when they send you the bill. I suppose this may be true of some companies, but it is not the case with many. I pay the full balance on my credit card at *least* every week -- and it is more frequently paid online the very day it appears on my statement (typically two days after the purchase). This way it never gets out of hand. I also refuse to use a credit card that does not pay me back. I earn 5% on all purchases made at the gas station, grocery store and drug store (which are the only places I use it anyway) -- and the card has no annual fee. When combined with sales, coupons, etc... this is a wonderful way to save money -- PROVIDED it is used responsibly. I can earn up to $300 a year in free money for buying things I would have bought anyway. :)
Shopping Tips for the Keeper At Home
By Mrs. Jackie Spray
The Proverbs 31 woman “looketh well to the ways of her household” and “she considereth a field, and buyeth it”. Even though we are probably not going to buy a field (), we should all consider our spending habits. I think the Lord wants each of us to be good stewards of the things He has blessed us with. When we spend the money our husbands give us for groceries and other household items, we should consider what we need and shop wisely. Consider the price of items and decide what the best bargain is for your money. The following is a list of 10 helpful shopping tips:
1. Always make a list before shopping and stick with it as much as possible.
2. Never go to the grocery store hungry.
3. When making your grocery list, look at the weekly sales ads.
4. Always use price comps at Wal-Mart when possible.
A. List each store’s specials that you need. Include the brand, size and price. Be specific.
B. Wal-Mart will match their competitor’s prices for the exact advertised item in their area. I think they consider the area around a 60 mile radius of your local Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart will also match a store brand for Wal-Mart’s store brand. Example is Best Choice can be matched with Sam’s Choice or Great Value if it is the same size. You can not price comp on Always Save brand.
C. When you price comp, always be ready with your list of where the sale is and what is on sale. The cashier will usually ask you where the item is on sale at and the price.
D. Always be thoughtful and courteous with the cashier as price comps are extra work for her. I always separate my price comp items from the regular priced items and tell the cashier up front that I have price comps.
E. When making your price comp list, always pay special attention to sizes (ounces, etc.) and exact names for your item. An example is meat. Is the sale for a family pack? Is it ground beef or ground chuck? Another example might be Digorno’s Pizza. Is it for regular Digorno’s or for the Cheese-stuffed crust Digorno’s? These things are important to notice when using price comps.
F. Another important thing to note when making your price comp list is the stores’ sale dates. Wallace and Owen’s sales end on Mondays and Alco’s weekly sales end on Sundays. The other stores’ sales usually end on Tuesdays.
G. Wal-Mart does not honor “buy one, get one free” sales.
5. Use coupons when the items are on sale for a really good deal. Also watch for stores who give you double value on your coupons. Be careful when using coupons. A coupon for an item doesn’t always mean it’s the best value.
6. Always check for the best value on an item.
A. Bigger is not always better. If you need to, take a calculator and divide ounces into the total price to get the price per ounce. Then compare that to the different sizes and buy the best value.
B. When buying toilet tissue, check for square feet per roll and sheets per roll. Also note whether it is double ply or single ply. It might surprise you which toilet paper is the best value for your money. Also check your paper towel rolls for total square feet.
C. Be careful when buying cereal. Cereal is one of the most expensive items per ounce that you can buy.
D. When buying household cleaners, be careful. The only cleaners you really need are simple things like bleach, ammonia, (don’t mix them!!!) vinegar, baking soda, etc.
7. Stock up on good buys if your budget allows for it.
8. Plan a menu for the week based on the good grocery sales for the week.
9. Shop according to a budget.
10. Ask the Lord to bless your efforts to shop wisely.
I hope these simple tips will be a blessing to you. These are some things I’ve shared with my daughter and daughter-in-laws to help them be wise with their resources. It is really fun to bargain shop and see how the Lord blesses you! We serve a great God who does care about the “little” things in our lives. Even grocery shopping!
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” I Corinthians 10:31
Laurie - I'm so proud of you!!! Yes, our budget includes household supplies/personal hygiene products, etc. So, it's quite a bit more than just groceries included in that $35. However, household products and personal products are usually the easiest items for me to get for free or almost free. And now that I'm shopping at CVS, it's even much easier.
Jen, most certainly you can post your tips here. Thanks for asking.
I'm off to do my Monday morning shopping and get some good deals, hopefully! I'll be back to post what I bought and more on couponing later this afternoon.
Excellent tips! As someone living in an expensive area who is determined to stay home with her children, these are quite useful!
This is a very good series, Crystal! I love all the frugal tips on saving money. I did just want to say that even though it is possible to live on almost nothing at times, make sure you do not make going without expensive foods, make you go without high protein foods or vegetables. We did this for awhile and the health problems I suffered and my family were not nice. We really did not have a choice as we honestly had no money for food or anything for that matter, but just so we do not become so frugal minded, we endanger our health. Also, another thing is make sure it does not make us misers. I just read a book that made me think about this, these very wealthy people would scream and hype about little pennies and pay their employees small lamounts of wages to save money, yet spend alot on parties etc.
Anyhow, just a few thoughts to make sure our hearts are in the right place also!
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