There really is no right or wrong answer to this question, unless you say whenever I need something! Studies show that even if we go into the store with the mindset that we just need the 1 gallon of milk, we on average will walk out with 5 or more items totaling more then $20. So your 1 gallon of milk just cost your budget $17 that you didn't intend. If you break that down to one extra trip a week across one year, you just spent $884 a year more then what you had intended. Think of what you could do with $880 across a year. That could be your car insurance for a year! So how do you cut that out? Here are some shopping trip tips that I have been using and stick to!
Set a Date!
I set a date to do my shopping each week. I really like Sunday or Monday, but that doesn't have to be your day. If Friday works best for you, then set that as your day. Then stick with it! If you shop according to your date and your menu plan you will find that you won't need those extra trips because you have purchased based on your weekly needs. I like to even schedule it as a set time...I know its not necessary to do this, but I find that if I have it down as a 'date' then I feel more motivated to get to it and get it done. Plus have you ever tried shopping at stores at various times during the day. There are times that the store is packed and times that it practically empty....I prefer the empty times! By sticking with my dates, then I ensure that I hit those times and don't feel rushed to get out of any aisle or through the checkout so I can make sure I am getting the best deal!
Plan Ahead!
By planning ahead and making a list based on your menu and your coupons, you will spend less! This is why I tend to shop on Sunday's and Monday's because I have just gotten my paper with the ads and coupons. This way I know I am getting the best deals possible. Also by having a list, you don't need to stress over 'do I have that or not in the pantry'...because when we do, we tend to err on the side of getting the item just in case. Thus adding items to our cart that are unnecessary and busting our budgets.
So what should be on your list? I include on my list the grocery items that I need based on my menu and my coupons. I try to organize my list based on the order of the store...this way I am not running back and forth trying to get everything. This is a good reason to have a notebook with your coupon binder...write down the aisle headers so that you can know your store in and out! Once I put the items on the list, I also write down the cost in the ad and if I have the coupon. Mine show C for coupon, SC for Stacked Coupons, C+G for Coupon with Giftcard (Target always have certain items that if you purchase X amount of the items you get a giftcard). I also include at the bottom of my list the meals I am making for the week.
Once you have your list, stick to it as best you can! By sticking to your list you are able to not only save money, but also time. You won't be wandering up and down aisles trying to decide what you need, or what you want for dinner this week. Now with saying that, there are a few times to stray...but only if its a budget saver not a budget blower. Example: You are planning on having lasagna this week for dinner, your list includes 1lb of hamburger which is $3.98 a lb. When going to pick up that hamburger you find that 1lb of ground turkey is on sale for $2.98. Since this is a great swap...stray! You just saved your budget $1 but stuck to the meal plan and list!
Pay Attention!
Here are some things that I always try to pay attention to when making my list and filling my pantry. First pay attention to how fast you are going through staple items such as milk, eggs, bread, and so on. This way you will know that 3 gallons of milk will be enough for 1 week, or 1 dozen eggs will last a week. By knowing what your family needs you can always be stocked and save extra trips to the store.
Also pay attention to the sales at the store. I like to make note of when high priced items go on sale...like meat, cheese, and cereal. These are items that we can always use but add up quickly! By watching when they are on sale and not, I can find the pattern the store has so I can plan accordingly!
Lastly, pay attention when you are at the store. This is why I like to go when the store is least busy so I can take the time to find out the unit costs and compare, without worrying that I am always in someones way. I like to check how much the price is per ounce or unit...this way I can ensure I get the best deal.
Set a Budget!
My last tip is to set a budget, for your week, month, and year. Start small, set a goal for your weekly groceries, and go from there. For us, I set my goal to spend $55 or less per week on groceries. Everything left over from the $55 goes into a jar in our room for a trip we are saving for. By knowing that I only have $55 to spend I make sure to keep track of what goes in my cart...plus by knowing all the extra left over goes towards my trip encourages me to stick to the budget and list that much more!
I hope you take these tips and start using them in your weekly grocery routine! You will find that they add up to some pretty awesome savings!
Showing posts with label Coupons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coupons. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Score Savings with Email
We all have our favorite products that we just can't live without or take substitutions on...but how do we get the best savings on those specific products? Let the company know you are a fan of their specific products!
There are many ways to do this now in the age of Social Media, but the most common is still by signing up on the companies website. All the sites will request your email address and occassionally additional information but then reward you with extra savings only available to those signed up on their site. Some of my favorite sites to sign up are www.SilkPureAlmond.com and www.Kellogs.com because these are two lines of products we always use, but don't always have coupons in the Sunday Paper.
Sound great? Well it really can be...but be warned that when you sign up for these sites you will get not only coupons but also notifications of new products, information about their products, recipes, and so on. So before you quick rush to all these sites and sign up, I highly recommend that take a special step first...get a special email address just for savings! I created an email address that I use just for signing up for things so my real email address doesn't get overwhelmed. I made it fun since its just for savings and went with apennyhereorthere@yahoo.com just because it made me giggle!
Once you are signed up, the savings will start! Now don't think that you are going to get emails everyday with the exact coupons you want, but trust me its a great way to get ones that are rarely in the Sunday Paper on a more regular basis!
Along with email, make sure to check out if the manufacturer has a Facebook site...many times they will run promotions on their site that are only available to those that follow them! Beyond just the manufacturer, become a fan of the places you like to shop too! I am a South Dakota girl through and through so my favorite place to get groceries is Hy-Vee. I went on Facebook and found out that each Hy-Vee in Sioux Falls has their own page, by 'liking' each page I get special Facebook only deals that they are running! Just the other day they had 12 packs of Ortega Hardshell Taco's for only $0.50...thats a $1.29 saving per box! All you had to do was tell the cashier you had the Facebook Deal! How awesome is that!
Best part about all of these deals? Its free to sign up, and is just pennies to print the coupons! So get started saving now! You will be amazed how much you can save!
There are many ways to do this now in the age of Social Media, but the most common is still by signing up on the companies website. All the sites will request your email address and occassionally additional information but then reward you with extra savings only available to those signed up on their site. Some of my favorite sites to sign up are www.SilkPureAlmond.com and www.Kellogs.com because these are two lines of products we always use, but don't always have coupons in the Sunday Paper.
Sound great? Well it really can be...but be warned that when you sign up for these sites you will get not only coupons but also notifications of new products, information about their products, recipes, and so on. So before you quick rush to all these sites and sign up, I highly recommend that take a special step first...get a special email address just for savings! I created an email address that I use just for signing up for things so my real email address doesn't get overwhelmed. I made it fun since its just for savings and went with apennyhereorthere@yahoo.com just because it made me giggle!
Once you are signed up, the savings will start! Now don't think that you are going to get emails everyday with the exact coupons you want, but trust me its a great way to get ones that are rarely in the Sunday Paper on a more regular basis!
Along with email, make sure to check out if the manufacturer has a Facebook site...many times they will run promotions on their site that are only available to those that follow them! Beyond just the manufacturer, become a fan of the places you like to shop too! I am a South Dakota girl through and through so my favorite place to get groceries is Hy-Vee. I went on Facebook and found out that each Hy-Vee in Sioux Falls has their own page, by 'liking' each page I get special Facebook only deals that they are running! Just the other day they had 12 packs of Ortega Hardshell Taco's for only $0.50...thats a $1.29 saving per box! All you had to do was tell the cashier you had the Facebook Deal! How awesome is that!
Best part about all of these deals? Its free to sign up, and is just pennies to print the coupons! So get started saving now! You will be amazed how much you can save!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Couponing Do's and Don'ts
Couponing can save you hundreds each year in grocery, health and beauty items, cleaning products, and much more. BUT if you don't coupon right, it actually can cost you more in the long run. So how do you make couponing work for you? Here are some do's and don'ts that I feel really help you keep your couponing more focused and less likely to hurt your budget!
DO: Keep your coupons organized. Set time aside every Sunday (or what day works best for you) and go through your coupons. I know we are all busy, but really if you set time aside and keep it up, it maybe will take 20 mins at the most each week.
DON'T: Clip every coupon you see just to have it. I go through the ads and clip just what my family needs. We don't have any pets, so obviously I am not going to clip coupons for pet food! Thats a pretty obvious example, but really think about the items that you are clipping. Yes there might be a coupon for M&Ms, but do you really need them? Or there might be a coupon for chips, but is it something that your family needs and really eat? This is where some people blow their budgets because they think just because there is a coupon they need to clip it.
DO: Match your coupons with specials. Just because you got the coupons today in the Sunday paper, that does not mean you need to use them today. First look at your meal plan for the week(don't have one, you need one!) and see what fits with your meal plan. If it doesn't apply to something you need immediately, then hold on to it. I find that most coupons have their best bang for their buck a week or two after they have been issued. You want your coupon to stack on top of a manufacture/store sale...thats when you really start to save!
DON'T: Buy just to buy. Just because you have a coupon, does not mean you need to buy it. This again is a budget buster...if you have no need for it, its not on sale plus the coupon, and its not something that your family really enjoys, then just stay away. Yes, you may have a coupon for it, but just buying because of the coupon is a waste!
DO: Stack your coupons! Watch your coupons and use them wisely. Most of the time you can use the coupon when the store has the item on sale, plus if you watch the retailers website you can also stack the manufactures coupon with the store coupon! This is my favorite because you can get a huge savings this way. Some of my best scores are from Target with their coupons and the manufacturers coupon. Example: Activia on sale 2 for $4, manufacture coupon $1 off the purchase of one, Target coupon $1 off the purchase of 2. Buy 2 of them and use both coupons and you get 2 4pks of yogurt for just $1 each. Thats $0.25 a container...most yogurt is $0.67 a container!
DO: Keep your coupons organized. Set time aside every Sunday (or what day works best for you) and go through your coupons. I know we are all busy, but really if you set time aside and keep it up, it maybe will take 20 mins at the most each week.
DON'T: Clip every coupon you see just to have it. I go through the ads and clip just what my family needs. We don't have any pets, so obviously I am not going to clip coupons for pet food! Thats a pretty obvious example, but really think about the items that you are clipping. Yes there might be a coupon for M&Ms, but do you really need them? Or there might be a coupon for chips, but is it something that your family needs and really eat? This is where some people blow their budgets because they think just because there is a coupon they need to clip it.
DO: Match your coupons with specials. Just because you got the coupons today in the Sunday paper, that does not mean you need to use them today. First look at your meal plan for the week(don't have one, you need one!) and see what fits with your meal plan. If it doesn't apply to something you need immediately, then hold on to it. I find that most coupons have their best bang for their buck a week or two after they have been issued. You want your coupon to stack on top of a manufacture/store sale...thats when you really start to save!
DON'T: Buy just to buy. Just because you have a coupon, does not mean you need to buy it. This again is a budget buster...if you have no need for it, its not on sale plus the coupon, and its not something that your family really enjoys, then just stay away. Yes, you may have a coupon for it, but just buying because of the coupon is a waste!
DO: Stack your coupons! Watch your coupons and use them wisely. Most of the time you can use the coupon when the store has the item on sale, plus if you watch the retailers website you can also stack the manufactures coupon with the store coupon! This is my favorite because you can get a huge savings this way. Some of my best scores are from Target with their coupons and the manufacturers coupon. Example: Activia on sale 2 for $4, manufacture coupon $1 off the purchase of one, Target coupon $1 off the purchase of 2. Buy 2 of them and use both coupons and you get 2 4pks of yogurt for just $1 each. Thats $0.25 a container...most yogurt is $0.67 a container!
How do you know its a Manufacture Coupon vs Store Coupon:
~Manufacture will say the manufactures name on it
~Store coupons will have store logo and say valid only at the specific store
When looking online at Target.com for their coupons you can't see the coupons ahead of time so to help you print the right ones here is the giveaway:
~Manufactures will only say the products name and the amount
~Target coupons will say "With Purchase of" or "When you Purchase"
**Bonus tip...go to the Target Gift Registery Kiosks and access the Target site and you can print your coupons there to save on your ink!!
DO: Use your coupons with clearance items! Thats right, just because its on clearance doesn't make it off limits to use coupons! This works great with body care items and specialty packs of cereals. Example: Target had Gillette Mens Body wash with Free travel deoderant on clearance for $2.28, Regularly $3.99. Manufacture coupon $1 off with the purchase of 1, Target coupon $1 off with the purchase of 2. Final cost was just $2.56! Originally these items would cost $9.96 so that is a $7.40 savings on items that don't expire and are perfect for stock piling!
DON'T: Over stock pile. Yes you want to take advantage of great deals, but there is a difference between stocking a pantry and going extreme! Trust me when I say you do not need 40 bottles of shampoo, 40 bottles of body wash, and 80 gallons of speghetti sauce! But if you know your family really likes a product then get a reasonable amount when you can get a great deal! My family goes through a lot of cereal, so I always watch the prices on cereal and when I can get a great deal I take advantage of it. BUT again this leads back to a previous Don't...don't just buy cereal to buy it. Make sure you are stocking up on the types that actually will get used. For us, I really like Raisin Bran, but no one else does so I don't buy as much because there is just no way I can eat 8 boxes by myself. Also think logically based on expiration dates. Yes you might get yogurt for $0.25 a container but if you have to throw half of the containers away you actually paid $0.50 a container then.
DO: Read your coupons fully before hitting the stores. Make sure you fully read what your coupon is requesting you buy before using them. Some request that you Buy 1 for $X.XX off, some Buy 2 for $X.XX off, some are Buy one and Get one, Some are Buy of This and Get one of That. There are several different things you will see on the coupon so make sure you are reading right so you get a great deal. Example of a bad deal: Buy one Secret Clinical Deoderant get $1.00 off 1 Olay Body Wash product. The Secret Clincal was on sale but the Olay Body Wash was not...because of this the sale really wasn't a great bang for my buck. Also make sure to verify size/quanity of the product to make sure you get the right product.
DON'T: Always buy the biggest package. I highly recommend actually breaking down your sales based on size. We all have calculators on our phones, so we need to use them to get our best savings. I always will make sure that I am paying the least per unit price by taking the cost divided by the units in the packaging. Yes it may be the same product, but you might just be surprised as how much you can save by looking at how many ounces per cost you are getting. This stands true with most items. Example: Charmin Toliet Paper 12 pack is $9.99 and an 8 pack is $6.59 plus you have a $1.00 off coupon. The 12 pack is costing you $0.75 a roll where the 8 pack is costing you $0.70 a roll. Now I understand that is only a $0.05 savings per roll, but when you think about how many rolls of toliet paper your family goes through it adds up. Lets say you go through 1 roll every 2 days, by going with the 8 pack you will save $9.15 a year. Thats just one item out of the hundreds we use across a year! It adds up!
DO: Share the wealth. If you know a friend that just had a baby, but you no longer have a diaper wearer in your home...clip the coupons and drop them in a letter for them. They will love it. Plus if you hit a jackpot with an amazing steal...stock pile and donate to your local food banks and charities. If you have a coupon but know that you just won't need additional items before it expires, leave it on the shelf with the item because someone else might need it more then you(do this with coupons clipped from the paper and not printed though so people can't abuse your printed coupons)! Lastly, when your coupons do expire, donate them to Military Families because they can use them past expiration dates on the bases. For more information on this check out their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/ExpiredCouponsforOverseasMilitary
I hope that these Do's and Don'ts help you kickstart your couponing! Just make sure that you keep your family and budget in mind and you will see a big return on your time!
DON'T: Over stock pile. Yes you want to take advantage of great deals, but there is a difference between stocking a pantry and going extreme! Trust me when I say you do not need 40 bottles of shampoo, 40 bottles of body wash, and 80 gallons of speghetti sauce! But if you know your family really likes a product then get a reasonable amount when you can get a great deal! My family goes through a lot of cereal, so I always watch the prices on cereal and when I can get a great deal I take advantage of it. BUT again this leads back to a previous Don't...don't just buy cereal to buy it. Make sure you are stocking up on the types that actually will get used. For us, I really like Raisin Bran, but no one else does so I don't buy as much because there is just no way I can eat 8 boxes by myself. Also think logically based on expiration dates. Yes you might get yogurt for $0.25 a container but if you have to throw half of the containers away you actually paid $0.50 a container then.
DO: Read your coupons fully before hitting the stores. Make sure you fully read what your coupon is requesting you buy before using them. Some request that you Buy 1 for $X.XX off, some Buy 2 for $X.XX off, some are Buy one and Get one, Some are Buy of This and Get one of That. There are several different things you will see on the coupon so make sure you are reading right so you get a great deal. Example of a bad deal: Buy one Secret Clinical Deoderant get $1.00 off 1 Olay Body Wash product. The Secret Clincal was on sale but the Olay Body Wash was not...because of this the sale really wasn't a great bang for my buck. Also make sure to verify size/quanity of the product to make sure you get the right product.
DON'T: Always buy the biggest package. I highly recommend actually breaking down your sales based on size. We all have calculators on our phones, so we need to use them to get our best savings. I always will make sure that I am paying the least per unit price by taking the cost divided by the units in the packaging. Yes it may be the same product, but you might just be surprised as how much you can save by looking at how many ounces per cost you are getting. This stands true with most items. Example: Charmin Toliet Paper 12 pack is $9.99 and an 8 pack is $6.59 plus you have a $1.00 off coupon. The 12 pack is costing you $0.75 a roll where the 8 pack is costing you $0.70 a roll. Now I understand that is only a $0.05 savings per roll, but when you think about how many rolls of toliet paper your family goes through it adds up. Lets say you go through 1 roll every 2 days, by going with the 8 pack you will save $9.15 a year. Thats just one item out of the hundreds we use across a year! It adds up!
DO: Share the wealth. If you know a friend that just had a baby, but you no longer have a diaper wearer in your home...clip the coupons and drop them in a letter for them. They will love it. Plus if you hit a jackpot with an amazing steal...stock pile and donate to your local food banks and charities. If you have a coupon but know that you just won't need additional items before it expires, leave it on the shelf with the item because someone else might need it more then you(do this with coupons clipped from the paper and not printed though so people can't abuse your printed coupons)! Lastly, when your coupons do expire, donate them to Military Families because they can use them past expiration dates on the bases. For more information on this check out their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/ExpiredCouponsforOverseasMilitary
I hope that these Do's and Don'ts help you kickstart your couponing! Just make sure that you keep your family and budget in mind and you will see a big return on your time!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Couponing: Where to Start
Couponing is all the rage right now, but this is one fad you don't want to pass on! Now is the time to jump on this budget saving bandwagon...but where do you start? Here are some beginner tips that will get you rolling. Once you have these down, we will really get into the meat of couponing! Please be warned though, I am a couponer...not an Extreme Couponer! I am not here to get you stockpiled into 2025, just comfortably stocked and saving money!
First thing is first...you need to get coupons! My first source is my Sunday paper, which usually has all the same coupons you can find online. I like to save where I can, so I only sign up for the Sunday paper and not the whole weeks worth. Also when I signed up, I did it at a local retailer that had a newspaper representative visiting. Since I signed up through this retailer vs just online with my local paper, I was able to get all of the Sunday papers for just $26 for one year...thats a savings of $1.25 per Sunday paper. PLUS since I signed up at the retailer, I got a giftcard for $25 to that retailer. So in turn I got all the papers for just a $1! Places that I have seen these retailers are Lewis, HyVee, Menards, and Sunshine.
Now that you have the paper being sent to you, your stockpile of coupons can begin. Along with the paper I receive at my home, I also let friends and family know that I am couponing so if they don't want their coupons that I will pick them up from them! You would be surprised by how many people don't use their coupons! Also along with letting people know, I will increase my stockpile by purchasing an additional paper or two if there are more then $200 in savings in that weeks paper. Most Sunday papers will have the total savings in the top corner on the front page!
This next step is the most important when you are couponing...storing and sorting your coupons! Your coupons are no good to you if you don't have them organized for easy use! There are many coupon holders out there that you can buy, but to be honest my favorite is a plain old binder with clear pocketed sleeves. I recommend checking out your local rummage sales because I would put money down that you can find either of these items for super cheap at a rummage. If you aren't into rummaging, or are starting during the winter as I did, you can easily go to Wal-Mart and get a cheap binder. For the pages I recommend using baseball card sleeves...they come in different sizes so I recommend getting a varity because coupons come in different sizes!
First thing is first...you need to get coupons! My first source is my Sunday paper, which usually has all the same coupons you can find online. I like to save where I can, so I only sign up for the Sunday paper and not the whole weeks worth. Also when I signed up, I did it at a local retailer that had a newspaper representative visiting. Since I signed up through this retailer vs just online with my local paper, I was able to get all of the Sunday papers for just $26 for one year...thats a savings of $1.25 per Sunday paper. PLUS since I signed up at the retailer, I got a giftcard for $25 to that retailer. So in turn I got all the papers for just a $1! Places that I have seen these retailers are Lewis, HyVee, Menards, and Sunshine.
Now that you have the paper being sent to you, your stockpile of coupons can begin. Along with the paper I receive at my home, I also let friends and family know that I am couponing so if they don't want their coupons that I will pick them up from them! You would be surprised by how many people don't use their coupons! Also along with letting people know, I will increase my stockpile by purchasing an additional paper or two if there are more then $200 in savings in that weeks paper. Most Sunday papers will have the total savings in the top corner on the front page!
This next step is the most important when you are couponing...storing and sorting your coupons! Your coupons are no good to you if you don't have them organized for easy use! There are many coupon holders out there that you can buy, but to be honest my favorite is a plain old binder with clear pocketed sleeves. I recommend checking out your local rummage sales because I would put money down that you can find either of these items for super cheap at a rummage. If you aren't into rummaging, or are starting during the winter as I did, you can easily go to Wal-Mart and get a cheap binder. For the pages I recommend using baseball card sleeves...they come in different sizes so I recommend getting a varity because coupons come in different sizes!
Once you have your coupons cut out, organize them in your binder based on catagories. I have mine broken down by how I shop and what I group on my shopping list. So I put all meats on a page, cereals are grouped followed by fruit bars and juices, and sauces by the pasta coupons. I also keep my groceries seperate from my health care and cleaning coupons. Now this binder is your couponing lifeline...keep it with you at all times! I keep mine in my car until Sunday when I update my coupons. This way anytime I stop at a store it is right there and ready to go...no excuses!
On Sundays I first go through the paper and cut out all coupons that fit our needs. Then as I stock my binder I pull out any expired coupons. This way everything is updated every Sunday all at once!
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