Who doesn't like saving money? Anybody can do most, if not all, of the weekly process (and general tips) I'll describe that have significantly reduced the amount of money our family spends on groceries every week.
source: Pixabay
There are 2 things to do to lay groundwork before you embark on the process.
1 - Sign up for your local grocery store's rewards/loyalty program (not to be confused with their credit card!)
I have a Kroger account. This not only gets me the "cardholder's prices" in store, but also:
- gives me access to paperless "e-coupons" on Kroger's site, which I can download directly onto my card,
- puts me on a mailing list for even more coupons, including coupons personalized to my "frequently purchased" items, and
- helps me collect fuel points toward gas station purchases.
2 - Find a source of additional, manufacturers' coupons.
You could just use coupons.com, for example, but I took it a step further and created an account at Swagbucks. I can print manufacturers' coupons (via coupons.com) from their site, and not only do I save the value of the coupons when I redeem them, but Swagbucks also then credits me what amounts to 10 cents for each coupon I redeem. Collect enough "swagbucks" and you can redeem those points for gift cards!
Now, here is my weekly process.
Step 1: Put an "ongoing grocery list" someplace accessible, but where it won't get buried.
Throughout the week, anytime you notice you're low on a certain item or use something up, write it down on the list right then. I keep mine in a magnetic clip right on the refrigerator, along with my coupons:
Basically, get in the habit of making a list in order to stay on track while shopping. Writing things down as you use them will save you from having to go through your whole pantry later to see what needs restocking, and makes writing out a list less daunting.
Step 2: Go coupon hunting, using the sources I mentioned above.
It doesn't take long to skim through and download or print them. Then get all your coupons together. Sorting them into rough categories can make it easier to keep track of which ones you have, but that's optional :)
Step 3: Sit down with your
- partial grocery list,
- stack of coupons,
- grocery store's weekly ad,
- and cookbooks,
...and plan out your meals and finish writing your grocery list for the week.
This may seem like a lot of work, but bear with me. You get that time back in not dawdling around the grocery store, which ultimately saves you money on impulse or scatterbrained purchasing.
Survey your pantry and fridge. What ingredients do you already have available? What needs to be used up?
Using the ad and the coupons, figure out what food items on sale could be even cheaper with the coupons you have. Then use your cookbooks to see what meals you could make with those sale items plus what you already have on hand.
The goal is to minimize purchasing a bunch of "extra" items for just one meal in which the surplus will sit around leftover and ultimately be wasted.
Write your planned meals down! Otherwise, it's easy to get midway into the week and wonder "Now what was I going to cook tonight?"
That is my weekly process. Now here are some additional tips that keep my costs down!
Organize your grocery list:
I like to write down my grocery items as I choose each meal to make, then organize and rewrite the list in rough order of where those items are located in the store. This enables me to skip aisles as I shop, and eliminates backtracking to get something that was missed several aisles back.
source: Pixabay
Stick to your list! No impulse buying!
BUT there's a caveat: Kroger likes to mess with me by putting items on sale, but not listing them in the ad. DON'T fill your cart with extra "but it's on sale!" snacks and drinks and perishable items; DO pick up staples (like sugar or condiments) with a long shelf life if it's an exceptionally good price, it would have been on a future list anyway, and if you'll definitely use it before it expires.
Don't buy something only because you have a coupon for it, or because it's on sale, if it's not something you'd normally buy.
If you buy a $2 item for no other reason than that you have a $1 coupon for it, you're still "out" that other dollar.
Shop when the store isn't busy.
The busier the store = the longer it takes you to get through it = the more likely you'll start deviating from your list, just for something to do while you're stuck behind carts and letting your gaze linger on those crackers on sale...
I shop around 9 am on midweek mornings to avoid that :)
Tied into that is "don't shop when you're hungry." It's true!!
Don't fall for tricky price advertising.
The Husband always did that. "But the sign says 10/$10.00!" when I'd protest why he was dumping 10 of whatever item into the cart. NO, unless the tag specifically says something like "when you buy 10", you don't have to actually buy the "suggested" quantity. Read the fine print.
Figure out what you can replace with homegrown/homemade items.
This is the biggest/best for last point. Thanks to our garden, I haven't bought frozen or canned vegetables since last summer. Hunting deer eliminates a good chunk of the grocery budget by removing ground beef purchases. Make meals with plenty of leftovers to freeze, instead of buying frozen foods. I make homemade granola bars, breads, desserts, and more recently started making ice cream and cereal, to replace the packaged (and expensive!!) equivalents.
In very brief summary:
- Take advantage of coupons and sales.
- Be organized. Plan your meals and use a list!
- Stay on point while in the store.
Through the above process and tips, I've gone from spending $120+ each week for a family of four to the $60-$80 range. Not a bad savings, if you ask me!
Ugh you make so much sense!! I am the worst (probably worse than your husband haha) when it comes to the "buy blah blah for $6!!" and the instore sales. I should also say I never bring the list I make.....I am going to be a bit more adultish and follow your advise;) My next shopping trip is going to be a game changer! <3
Not sure if you can beat the Husband. I debated adding the bullet point "leave your spouse at home" because of him :) He looks at grocery shopping as an enjoyable, leisurely outing and is all "let's poke around and see what cool stuff we can find!" whereas I treat it as a military mission with the objectives of speed and minimal damage while acquiring the specified targets, lol. I hope the advice does help! :)
I use ibotta. You can look at what money you will get back and what is on your list before you even go to the store. Great tips!
I've heard of ibotta but didn't look more closely into it! Thank you!
I LOVE biota also! Super easy peasy and free money back... who wouldn't like that?!!!
Now you guys had me googling ibotta vs swagbucks to see if I could potentially combine the two to save even more, hahahaha....looks like I'll stick with swagbucks since I also link my online shopping through them and that's how I rack up lots of points in addition to the coupons :)
Get it girl!
This is really interesting. I don't use coupons, but I changed how I shop a couple of years ago and cut my housekeeping bills enormously. I used to do the big shop once a week and buy far too much, even when I stopped using the car and had to carry it home (you would have thought that would have put a stop to over consumption)!
I rarely go to big stores now, I do have a home delivery from them, once, maybe twice a month, but it has become a point of pride to keep to the minimum spend necessary to get free delivery (£25)! Everything else I get from small stores or the wholefood coop or the milkman and I just buy what I need. I mainly cook from scratch and, like you, I make bread and granola. I've not been so successful at growing things 😳
How funny, you're the exact opposite of me, because if I try breaking up my grocery shopping into smaller more frequent trips, I tend to nickel and dime myself into spending more $ more easily! I can't get grocery delivery unless I go with Amazon Prime Pantry and every time I've looked into it, I think "but I could use a good coupon to get that cheaper at Kroger" ;) I wish we had a milkman, lucky you!
Yes, I know what you mean, especially when you are shopping for a family. I know it's different in the States as well, where people sometimes have to travel a long way to get to a store. The whole pattern of shopping in the UK has changed, driven originally by the financial crash, then austerity and now, Brexit. Prices have gone up, keep going up, but wages have not, and more people are in precarious employment.
For years, people were doing the once weekly big shop and Tesco was the biggest retailer, calling the shots with suppliers and local planning authorities alike. But then people's habits changed and the discount retailers - Aldi, Netto and Lidl - arrived from the continent. Now people shop around, visit four or five stores, and get the best price for what they want to buy.
I've taken your idea for a working shopping list - just put the hook in the kitchen, great idea!
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Why thank you! I even thought about submitting this to Sotall and then thought it might not quite count ;)
Very helpfull, I am not to organized but this does not seem complicated. I dont every really think about coupons mainly because i dont do the grocery shopping, and my wife does not think about the money she is spending lol. I think we can meet in the middle on this one, and she thought these were all good ideas.
I'm really glad you and your wife liked my ideas! It can be fun to see how much you can save each week using coupons. I hope meeting in the middle works out :)
Nice post. Do you share your recipes for your home made cereals. I’d be interested in checking out.