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The first day’s contest, below, is over. To see the new question (for Thursday 6/25), click here.
Congratulations to Antoinette! Here’s her tip(s):
GAME PLAN
-stock up on all the BOGO free deals…along with that get clip the coupons that go
along with that sale…so now you are getting one free and a discount on the other.
-go to the websites of all the products that you are interested in and sign up…they send
free samples, free coupons on their products…or/and really good coupon deals you probably won’t get in your local paper
-try new products that you probably would never have tried… if the price is right…if you get a coupon for a 1.00
off chips but they are not your regular type and they are on sale also why not try them…
-investigate if your local supermarket takes competitors coupons (I love that one!)
-if you have a printer at home sign up on the coupon website…my favorite is http://www.eversave.com and print your coupons
- sign up at wholesale stores that take coupons (BJ’s)
- and last but not least share your ideas on websites like these so you can win free groceries…LOL!!!
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Win free groceries, just by sharing tips with us.
To enter, share your best tip today (each weekday’s contest will have a new topic). We’ll pick one winner a day, every weekday, for a month!
Today’s question: What’s your best tip for saving money on groceries?
(Offer something more specific and helpful than “Clip coupons” or “Don’t eat,” please). It could be a simple recipe, like this one I love that is cheap AND can be made without electricity during a hurricane. Or, give us a strategy for sticking to a shopping list, or planning meals and sticking with your plan.
Post your best tip below (and please use a real email address when you register, so we can reach you when you win!) and we’ll pick the best tip and award that person a bunch of yummy products to try.
If you win, we’ll contact you about how to collect your bag ‘o yummies in a reusable, eco-friendly shopping bag (Thanks, Whole Foods, for the bags!).
Watch this space for new questions and prizes every weekday for a month!
Every bag is different, but some of the items included are: Lance whole-grain snack crackers, Crisco olive oils, Skinny Cow ice cream treats, Wickles pickles, Penzey’s cinnamon, Orbit gums, Pepperidge Farm 100-calorie packs and granola cookies, Tyson products, Truvia sweetener, Eagle Mills Ultragrain flour, Zen Crunch, Dunkin Donuts, and lots of grocery coupons, too.
I actually bought a small deep freezer & I get multiple circulars in the mail & their is a coupon corner on y100 or z100 depending on what state you are in & when they have the buy one get one at the super markets I stoke up. You can actually call the store & they will tell you ahead of time when they will be having it. Its great for meats but it also great for other products. It really does help out alot. We have 5 kids & we need to save as much as we can. the coupon corner really is a great place to get coupons from.
Of course everyone goes to Sams Club.
My way to stretch a food dollar is to make a BIG batch of Tomato (Spaghetti) Sauce by using the # 10 can of Pastene Tomatos, adding pork (like country ribs), meatballs, fresh onion, garlic. This base can be used through the week not only as a pasta covering, but also as a base for chili, soups, parmigiana’s, mini pizzas, cooked veggie topping, adding a can of clams for instance. The limitation of ideas is only through lack of imagination. The best part is knowing that you have a meal that is not more than 10 minutes away for a starving family, which helps avoid the take-out routine and expense!
The # 10 can of Pastene Tomatoes are under $5.00…
Don’t buy Any.
Oh I forgot to mention, at Sams Club the # 10 size can of Pastene Tomatoes is under $5.00!
Eat what’s on sale this week
Clip coupons and watch newspaper adds
Buy supermarket brands whenever possible. They are usually the exact same ingredients as the name brand but cost much less. Also, look at the bottom shelves down the aisles rather than the ones at eye level. There’s where you’ll find the best priced items since they are usually where you’ll find supermarket brands and bulk foods. The name brands are at eye level and cost the most.
Angel Ministries in West Palm Beach has several packages of different kinds of foods for people in need: an alergen package, elderly already prepared package and a fruits and veggies combo and a meat combo at 1/2 the price at a regular grocery store. No questions asked. They are online.
http://www.angelfoodministries.com
I coupon clipping fanatic. I usually do all my grocery shopping at Publix, they have the best coupon policy in my opinion. They don’t limit your number of coupons you can use for a product, they honor all competitors coupons and they always have great buy one get one free deals!! What also is great, if you have two coupons for something that is buy one get one free, you can use both your coupons!!! Deeper savings!!! Sometimes there is overages!!! You actually make money! It is great. I save an astronomical amount of money with my coupons!! I LOVE the website Nicolesnickels.net!! I have found amazing deals there!!
We shop at the local fruit & vegetable stands to support our community and save at least half if not more of the prices in grocery stores for the same items. We buy bags and bags of fruits & vegetables and never spend more than $15-$20 dollars for the week. We then purchase meats that are on sale for the week & have gourmet dinners all week long!!
I’m just discovering the amazing source of information that are ‘mom blogs’. Many of these talk about amazing discounts and sales at chain stores across the nation, as well as manufacturer coupons, and tell you exactly how to combine them and where to get the best deal– sometimes close to free!
You can find bunches of these websites listed at http://www.bloggermomnation.com and http://www.blogher.com as a starting point.
start your shopping routine, by doing an outter circle of the grocery story, getting all you essentials as far as produce, deli, dairy , etc … the meat or middle of most grocery stores are full of non essential items. By first filling your cart up with essentials you are less likely to splurge and fill your cart with non needed items, which just end up spiking up your grocery bill!!
With grapes and cherries take the number you want and put them in another bag instead of paying for all of them. Plus this way, with the grapes, you aren’t paying for the stems as well. I thought this was not allowed but we checked at the customer service desk and they said it was ok.
GAME PLAN
-stock up on all the BOGO free deals…along with that get clip the coupons that go
along with that sale…so now you are getting one free and a discount on the other.
-go to the websites of all the products that you are interested in and sign up…they send
free samples, free coupons on their products…or/and really good coupon deals you probably
won’t get in your local paper
-try new products that you probably would never have tried… if the price is right…if you get a coupon for a 1.00
off chips but they are not your regular type and they are on sale also why not try them…
-investigate if your local supermarket takes competitors coupons (I love that one!)
-if you have a printer at home sign up on the coupon website…my favorite is http://www.eversave.com and print your
coupons
- sign up at wholesale stores that take coupons (BJ’s)
- and last but not least share your ideas on websites like these so you can win free groceries…LOL!!!
Go on line with Publix and see what is buy one and get one free.
Shop every Thursday at Publix for the beginning of the buy one get one free specials for the week. Don’t forget not to stock up on frozen food during hurricane season! Grab the hurricane type stuff now and less frozen food. In addition, Walgreens offers similiar deals on personal items. Between those two stores you save plenty.
Always follow your shopping list. Do your research to see who have the better buy for the money. Make sure the buy one get one free items are really worth it. Some stores will increase their prices. Stick to a budget for your grocery costs. Make your meals stretch. Depends on how small or larger your family maybe,I know if you purchase a cooked chicken from Sam under $5 and have some leftover. You can work miracles with the leftover. Like making chicken salad or a chicken sandwich. Always look for ways that will better you and your family well-being and keep the cost low.
If you go to a store like Sam’s or Costco, but don’t have room for storing all of the big bulky items, go shopping with a friend or another family member and split the items that you both use. We do it with meats, pastas, fruits/veggies and snacks for kids. It’ll help save money and reduce the amount of waste.
Buying store brands, instead of name brand, helps to save a lot. Not to mention it taste the same. Also taking advantage of the BOGO free offers. This is usally offer a lot at any grocery store. I also like to buy in bluck if possible Sam’s,Costco,BJ…etc. Try to stay within a certain limit.Don’t buy something just because your getting one free, if you will never use it.
GO to the store when you’re not hungry. You tend to buy more things you don’t need when you’re hungry. Try going to Target or Walmart instead of major supermarket chains and you might find better deals there. Also check out sale ads online before going to the store so you know what’s on sale and know when to buy certain things since their on sale.
1. Set a budget so you will not overspend.
2. Make a shopping list of the items you need.
3. Search the web, newspaper, and grocery store flyers for deals and coupons. (you can do all this at home)
4. Go shopping :)
Remember, when you have a plan (the list) all you have to do is stick to it! If you go to the store without a list chances are you’ll end up buying things you do not need, or you might forget to buy something you do need and end up making more than one trip to the store (costing you gas and tempting you to buy other unnessary items). MONEY SAVING TIP:MAKE A PLAN. WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER!!
This is a Good Time For tHe Americans and etc.. To go on a diet and lose some much needed weight… Eat a light Breakfast at Home. No Fast Food..Take a am or pm short walk and simple whatever fits in your schedule … …Have a nice Piece of Fruit and 1/2 sandwich ..That you have brought from home ..ThAt you bought At Walmart: Since Walmart have the lowest prices oN YOUR Bi-weekly trip.. Since most us live on a daily edge.. mAKE A pLAN , pLAN a LIST.
LOOK AT it, delect all sweets. Maybe a few Treats..Drink Water….
and cut those coupons.. Dinner again light its hott outside ..iTS time to simplfy our lives ..We have no one to impress ..Just Take Care of Ourselves.
I try to not to shop on an empty stomach (that’s usually when my grocery bills are the highest) and try to follow the sale ads. If they have good foods (or high priced items) for BOGO or multiples for cheap I stock up. I have actually been able to go 3-4 weeks without buying groceries (besides Milk and other liquids). I also try to go shopping on Sundays and do all my prep work that is needed for the week afterwards.
I am not big on coupons (too much work for me), but they have been extremely useful. So if you don’t mind the effort, it is a good way to go.
Poke salad grows wild so it’s free. You don’t need a fishing license if you use a stick or pole. Plenty of fish around, and bait is plentiful. Buy a bag of dried beans. Eat some, plant the rest.They’re cheap. Okra grows well in the heat, and can be harvested everyday.
I don’t advocate road kill, but hey, if it’s fresh, and not mangled, well, just stay away from anything you wouldn’t hunt for food. ‘Possums and ‘coons are nasty, and armadillos can give you leprosy. yuk. That oughta make your appetite fall off.
Swamp cabbage is real tasty, but stay away from your neighbors trees. They won’t see the humor of you hacking up their tree.
Remember Euwell Gibbons? He lived on tree bark and acorns, with some “Grape Nuts” thrown in. I don’t think he lived to be an old man. Hmmm, we may need a little pork fat once in a while. For that, fry up a little bacon that you got off that road kill hog. Hey, it’s free.
I always eat a meal before going to grocery shop.It will indeed save you money.
Not only do I make a detailed shopping list, on the shopping list I put down how much I expect to spend on each item. I also only shop at either supper walmart or sam’s club. I buy no brand name items unless they are cheapest. I also only go shopping once a month. I find that buying in quanities is cheaper than going to store every week. This does work well as I am a single low income mom of five children and money is always tight.
Never go to a grocery store on an empty stomach. If you’re hungry, you’ll spend a lot more than if you’re full.
Clip coupons
See if your supermarket will match prices of other stores
Do NOT shop with your children
Find a coupon website
Try shoping at a drug store like walgreens they have they cheapest essentials
Buy generic brands whenever you can. Those generics are often much cheaper than name-brand products
Make a list – and stick to it.
Look up and down for cheaper prices. To get you to spend more, grocery stores deliberately put higher-priced items at eye level, with cheaper items on the lower shelves and the higher reaches.
Don’t buy things you don’t need – even if they’re on sale.
Check out the per-unit cost when comparing prices.
Make fewer, larger trips
Plan your meals in advance
Scan your cupboards, pantry, and fridge before leaving
Keep a running list of items you need on your fridge
Break your list down by store and plan your outing accordingly
Plan your trip through the store to minimize wandering the aisles
Be willing to deviate from your list for great deals
Buy the Sunday paper for its many coupons
Check the store’s website for printable coupons
Be on the lookout for “double coupon” days
Stack manufacturer and store coupons
Keep a price list/book so you know a deal when you see one
Get rain checks when sale items are out of stock
Visit multiple stores to get the best deals
Join a membership like Bj’s or Costco they have great deals
Buy in bulk
Bring a calculator
Cook from scratch, avoid processed foods
Avoid frozen/prepared entrees
Eat more fruits/veggies, cut back on meat
Eat in season fruits/vegetables
Hit the local discount market
Drink more water, fewer costly beverages
Be sure they scan instant coupons that are attached to some items
Always fill out and send your rebates
1. Take full advantage of store and manufacturer coupons. This seems like a no-brainer, but it turns out that most people who are using coupons are stay-at-home moms.
2. Make sure that you don’t fall into the coupon trap. There are two scenarios with the coupon trap. The first one is when you use a coupon on a certain brand name that you normally don’t buy because it’s more expensive than other brands.
3. Plan out meals before you go to the store. Grocery stores want you to buy stuff that you normally wouldn’t buy at the store. They put items on sale just to get the product out the door.
4. Buy produce at the local produce stand. I’ve found that produce can be very pricey at the grocery store. Typically, the local produce stand will have better deals on vegetables and fruits. Plus, it’s fresher than the produce at the grocery store.
5. Make meals from scratch. Pre-made foods come at a premium price, and they are loaded with a great deal of sodium and saturated fat.
6. Bonus Tip. Don’t go to the grocery store hungry. You’ll fall into the trap of buying food that you normally wouldn’t buy. Don’t forget about freezing items. One of our local stores offers a great deal on milk if you buy two gallons at once. You can freeze the second gallon and extend the freshness date. At http://www.hotcouponworld.com you can print coupons and a lot more.
I make it a point to spend as little on groceries as I can. The prices keep rising and we are getting less and less for what we pay. Before I go shopping, I look through all of my RachelRay magazines. There are many meals under $5 in there. I make my list based on those recipes. I also stick to the store brand for as many products as possible. When items are on sale that are popular in my house, I buy them in bulk. I have two refrigerators just for this reason. Another way to save big is to go to canned food stores and the bread stores. They sell items that are much cheaper than they are at the grocery store.
Just a tip on the Wickles Pepper Strips…using whole grain crackers (pepperidge farm works best) spread with cream cheese and top with a few pepper strips…instant appetizer (and completely delicious)!!!!!!