Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Saving at the Grocery Store- No, You Don't Have to Coupon All Day!

I have always thought "couponing" was a pipe dream. Really, who has time for that? I admire the moms that can swing it but I just can't. Maybe I'm just too tired, have too many excuses, or just disorganized. But I'm not a coupon Mom. However, I've found a few ways to save a lot on your grocery bill without a lot of time, headaches, scissors, or printer ink. These techniques have saved my family from $25 to $50 a week, approximately $200 a month! Here are my tips:

1. Plan out your menu for the week -sort of. It doesn't need to be specific but know, for example, that you are going to make 2 chicken dishes, 1 pasta dish, and 2 beef dishes, breakfast for dinner and pizza one night. Then have "generic" must have cooking ingredients on hand so you can make it happen, i.e. garlic, celery, carrots, onions, salt and pepper, pasta sauce/tomato sauce, pasta, rice. etc.
2. Be Flexible. Yes, you should go the grocery store with a plan so you don't have to run back to the store several more times that week but if you see another kind of meat on sale, one that wasn't on your menu for the week, get it! Go with what's on sale and save the other item for next week.
3. Look for Buy One Get One Free. Those deals are the best.  These days BOGOF items are not just junk. You can find good, healthy, and even organic items on sale. Stock on on pasta sauce, pasta, coffee, cereal, bagels, juice, etc. It may not be on your list this week, but it will be eventually, so stock up.
4. Look for Coupons in the Mail. I'm not talking about gathering all the newspapers and mags in site and sort for hours. I'm talking about checking out what's in your mailbox. Sometimes you'll get some good stuff - $10 off you entire ticket at Publix, for example.
5. Stay on the Outside Aisles as Much as Possible. When you're at the store, go with your "list" and menu, stay focused on those items and don't go into the "inside" aisles unless you have to. All the good stuff, the produce, dairy, bakery items, and meats are on the outer rows. Stay there as much as you can. And just keep your eye out for the Buy One Get One Free stuff as you pass from one side of the store to the other - that sale stuff is usually on the outer part of the aisles anyway. If you go on the "inside" rows, you'll find alot of processed, unnecessary, and expensive stuff you don't need. So, run "in" for your toilet paper, pasta, and popcorn every once and a while but make it quick and go back to the outside!
6. Buy Store Brand. Did you know Publix oj is made solely from Florida oranges? It's fresh and delicious and cheaper then the fancy competitors. Check store-brand ingredients. For example, Publix Greenwise is also a healthy and less expensive alternative - all meats and dairy are antibiotic free. So, go ahead buy the big jug of OJ- just make sure it's store brand!

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