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DEL.ICIO.USWhat would you never do to save money on food?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I went shopping on Monday with Stephanie Nelson, who runs the Coupon Mom web site. It organizes grocery and drug store sale prices, matching them with available coupons and telling you the best possible price on hundreds of items at Kroger, Publix, Wal-Mart, CVS, Target and other stores. You have to register to use it, but she promises she won’t sell your email address. You can print coupons at the web site, too, and sign up for offers from her advertisers.
For bargain lovers, shopping with Stephanie is a sight to behold.
She spends an hour preparing for her weekly shopping trips, a job that includes cleaning out the refrigerator, taking inventory, seeing what’s on sale that week, planning a week’s worth of menus, then drawing up the grocery list.
She plans meals for her family of four based on sales, coupons and, of course, what they’ll eat. We hit a Kroger in Roswell in the morning, as workers were marking down meat and produce for quick sale. (By the way, you can read more about Stephanie’s money-saving tips in an upcoming article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It should be available online, too, by Saturday, July 26.)
Stephanie shops with a clipboard holding her shopping list, one printed from her web site that lists available coupons and their value, other deals on the product, and the final price. She figures she spends no more than $125 a week on groceries — that doesn’t include one restaurant meal a week, but does include the lunches that both she and her husband eat at home each day, and what her sons, who are 12 and 15, put away when they’re eating all meals at home in the summer. Personal care items like shampoo are in that total, too. In May, she really focused on spending to see how much she could cut and still eat healthfully, and got the total down to $82 a week.
Monday’s total: $69.61 before the coupons came out, with significant savings from buying marked-down meat and produce. After the coupons: $28.83. Among her purchases were not only food for her family, but cat food she picked up for free using coupons, that she’ll donate to a charity that provides food for people and pets.
Stephanie uses a store loyalty card, is willing to switch brands or try private label (store brand) products if the price is right. She buys meat and produce marked down for quick sale, because its sell-by date is the day she shops, or perhaps the next day. She picks produce based on what’s the better buy: Peaches this time of year instead of apples, for example. She limits her trips to stores close to home, and sticks with a couple of them, shopping one for better prices on milk and eggs, another for many of her staples. If there are coupons for something she thinks her sons would like that get the price so low it’s irresistible — this week it was raspberry tea, free with coupon — she picks it up.
They’re all good ways to save money, but many shoppers don’t take all those steps. Some don’t like store loyalty cards or online savings sites, because they don’t want to give up personal information or have their shopping habits put into a corporate database. Some want their favorite produce, regardless of whether it’s in season and inexpensive. Some go to four or more stores to get the prices; some just stick with one place, figuring they’ll save on gas.
What kind of things that would save you money on food are you willing to do? What are cost-cutting steps that you simply won’t take, and why?
Permalink | Comments (16) | Post your comment | Categories: Groceries
Comments
By kim mitchell
July 15, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this
I just wanted to say thank you for all your helpfull ideas. I have used your ideas for years and they work!!!!! Please keep up the good work!!!!!!!!
By laurie
July 15, 2008 2:35 PM | Link to this
I check competitors for sales. I am always within distance and will go to the one with the most reasonable prices. I use coupons a lot now, but only for what I will use. I sometimes shop at several places to get what I need and based on the price. I never buy ramen noodles and refuse to buy anything with msg, bht, and so on. I still buy organic items that are on the highest list of pesticides.
I will not buy cheap items that have ingredients that I know that are not good for myself or my children. I do most of my shopping at local food markets and buy local as much as possible. There really are some deals. I do not buy junk food or prepared meals. They are more costly and bad for everyone. Fresh is best. We grow a lot of what we eat also because it is fun, we know where it comes from and how it is grown (organically). I never buy cheap milk or dairy. It is always raw from a farm I use or with no growth hormones. The same goes for meat or chicken if we buy any. I do not feed my animals anything with byproducts. Buying good food for your pets can be the same if not maybe a little more and sometimes even less with coupons and sales than buying cheaper food and risking their health and higher vet bills.
By Jo
July 15, 2008 3:02 PM | Link to this
I have a home vegetable garden. We eat from it nearly every day, it’s a fun hobby, we eat better, and it saves money. Thanks Stephanie for the tips on grocery shopping!
By jrobinson123
July 15, 2008 3:07 PM | Link to this
If you are looking to save during back to school shopping, check out the list of clothing and apparel coupon codes that WearIt tracks. The site’s free shipping section also lists all merchants running shipping promotions as another way to help you save.
By Aimee
July 15, 2008 5:38 PM | Link to this
Walmart is starting to put school supplies on sale now is a great time to stock up for the year. 5 cent note books!!!
Also for school if any of you are like me I have a fashionista as a teenage daughter and I found a cute little site that sales affordable jewelry and its delievered to your door. www.crownjewels4u.com
By Christine Smith
July 15, 2008 6:15 PM | Link to this
What would I never do to save money? Like a person previously commented, I don’t buy junk food for my family of eight just because it’s cheap, free or sometimes when the coupon is more than the sale price, even a “money maker”. One trick not mentioned in this article, is the art of “stocking up” — that involves getting a few month’s worth of non-perishable/household stuff (cereal, TP, shampoo or the like) when it is is on sale to keep on hand until it goes on sale again.
By Cindy
July 16, 2008 12:26 PM | Link to this
I also do alot of these suggestions. I sit down with the Sunday paper, get the Publix Mystery coupon, and other coupons. Then I check to see what’s on sale in the grocery flyers. I,too, plan a weeks worth of meals, and shop with a list. If it ain’t on the list, I don’t buy it…….Although I do have to hit the produce section more than once a week. I only buy about 3 days worth of fresh produce. If I buy for a week, alot of it ends up in the trash. Or I cut it up and throw it into the back yard for the critters.
I will not buy day old items. Meat, or bread, I just won’t do it. I have friend, who’s mother goes through the dumpsters behind Kroger and Publix, and fishes out all the packaged bread they throw away. NO THANK YOU!!!!!
By Lydia
July 16, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this
The coupon mom is great. She has a ton of great money saving tips. Using her site I save time and money—both of which we all need more of right?
By Jacqueline
July 16, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this
I buy anything and everything that is non-perishable and free or nearly free with coupons (often orderiing more coupons from a coupon service or ebay) whether I need it or not. I have a tag sale and sell the surplus. It’s a win-win for all. I get money from my “hobby” and the buyers get good deals.
By elee1296
July 16, 2008 5:00 PM | Link to this
Wow, Jacqueline, that’s a new one for me. Although I did see some women who were members of the twins club I used to belong to, do this with children’s clothing. They’d get some incredible markdowns at places like the Gap, then turn around and sell them at consignment sales for three times what they’d paid. How much do you figure you clear from this?
By Jacqueline
July 16, 2008 5:08 PM | Link to this
Well the sale I had last month netted over $400 of which I estimate at least $300+ came from my excess surplus. BTW I am a former member of MOTC
By FCM
July 16, 2008 8:41 PM | Link to this
I found Trader Joe’s bread last longer than store bought and is often a bit cheaper too. Usually healthier as well. I went tonight: Whole Wheat Pita Bread, Flax Seed Sourdough, Walnut-Raisin Bread, Hummus, Tszaki Sauce, Veggie Chips, Coffee, Lotion: $27. This will last at least two weeks so $13.50/week
I do meat based on sale/quick sale. I also cheat with fresh sliced deli meats…it is not just for sandwiches anymore. Canned chicken on sale tossed into a pot of rice or beans, you’ll think your in New Orleans….i get them when they are BOGO.
Fruit is a hard one. It takes time and effort, frankly things I am short on when I finally get home…So I do ‘splurge’ on precuts…But I am looking at cutting that back.
I went to Chick Fil A (LOVE THEM) spent $17 feed myself and 2 kids ONE meal. CFA I will be in about once a month or so. We are back to making our own pizza/tacos/etc….Trader Joe’s ever gets a Chicken Pattie as good as CFA and I am sooooo there! They have some Stir Frys that are good, fried rice, Pot Stickers, etc. I am not a fan of Heat and Eat but it sure beats the price of dinner at Chin Chin.
I think if you plan carefully to buy things on sale….and buy big…you can make it work….So next time you see a BOGO on cereal bars and see like 10 packs in a cart…you’ll have found me!
My avg grocery is $350/month for myself and 2 School Agers. That includes soap etc.
Oh the thing I won’t skimp/go cheap on is actually not food….I want Charmin bath tissue not the store brand. I have had this discussion with several men over the course of time…”It’s paper you flush! Buy cheap!” I told them when they use as much as we ladies do, they can choose it. None of them complained again—OH, I don’t do bargain soda either. I want the real thing baby…of course I only buy it on really good sale and I stock up! ;o)
I cannot get the hang of the coupon thing to get your grocery bill to like $7 for a cart of food.
By Kimberly
July 17, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this
I use Coupon Mom, Clark Howard talked about her not long ago. I also scan the flyers and I get the AJC coupons, too. I’ll buy it if it’s BOGO & I have a coupon, or on sale w/ a coupon, or I won’t buy it at all (except for maybe bread, and produce, but we’re gonna do a garden next year, and I’m learning to can stuff…) Long story short, I usually can go to the grocery store and (LOVE to) watch the number drop from, say $200, to like, $125 or less after they scan my card and run my coupons… What a rush! And I only spend about $300 a month on groceries. That includes stocking up, too. IT CAN BE DONE. You just need to take a little time and get a system going that works for you.
By East Cobb mom
July 17, 2008 9:43 PM | Link to this
With a family of 5 it always seemed like I was spending $250 every time I went to the store. I tried economizing on my own but could never seem to break to bill down enough. I began using the coupon mom system and it changed our lives! I began saving 35 percent, then got to 50 percent as I started accumulating a supply of coupons. I am now in the 65-75% zone, which means I save more than I pay. Best part is, it is name brand stuff my family uses. I wont buy it now if it is not on sale. If it is free or nearly free, we donate it to charity! I drive by 2 grocery stores and 3 drug stores every day. It takes 5 minutes to pop in and get what is on sale. When I need it, I hit my stash and dont have to go to the store. My kids made fun of me until we hit the Jackpot at Limited 2 - spent $50 and got 5 LARGE bags of goodies (yes - I had a coupon!). I have “couponized” several of my friends, who also now have the saving and giving bug. I will take an hour each week to do it if I keep saving a few hundred every week - not bad hourly “pay”!
By Harry Martin
July 21, 2008 1:41 AM | Link to this
I have been using the couponmom.com system for more than 8 months. Our annual savings is now $3600! I feed our family of 2 on average for $200 a month! My savings at the store today was an incredible 74 percent! I won’t drive store-to-store — just our local grocery store. That’s my only rule. text to be linked= I detail how I use the system here.
By txdiet
August 25, 2008 8:34 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the valuable information about saving money. In store promotions and in store coupons help me with the grocery costs. Staying with certain healthy brands takes the guess work out of shopping.It’s fun to eat healthy and save money too! txdiet