As 2009 draws to a close and we begin a new year, we once again start taking stock of our lives. What is your New Year's resolution going to be this year? Most of us will stick with the old stand by's...make more money, spend less money, find more time (which can be more valuable than money), less weight at the end of the year, and reconnecting with family. But, let me ask you this...how are you going to get there?
Do you really want to make the same resolutions this time next year? Why not be successful this year and move on to something new in 2011?
Most of us are great at defining our goals, but not so great at following through on the changes to make them reality. Let me give you a little secret advice that can make attaining your resolutions as painless as can be. Whatever changes you are planning to make to in the coming year, your goals are much easier to stick to if you make them so easy to achieve that your success is gauranteed. No, I'm not suggesting that you make a half hearted attempt at change, but rather that you set some high goals and make the methods you approach them with easier to implement than the behavior you want to change.
Let me explain further. Say you want to save money on your grocery bill, but HATE the time and hassle it takes to clip groery coupons. Should you just forget it and never bother?
Nope, you should make clipping coupons and saving thousands of dollars a year something so easy that you just don't mind the process. If it were me, this is how I would go about it.
1. I would only buy things on sale. Start here and you will save 30-40% off the top. Easy right? Just pick what is on sale, no preplanning required.
2. I'd use electronic coupons next. Go to cellfire.com and register. Pick the offers you want to use and send them to your wireless devices. Still easy, it takes a couple of minutes, you don't need to clip coupons, and your discounts are quick and automatic. Heck, cellfire.com is so easy, you don't even need to take a paper coupon to the store.
3. Next, head over to shortcuts.com and do the same. Register, pick your offers and load them to your store shopper's card. Still no hassle and you will be getting quite a bit of savings. No paper coupons, you can't forget to use them, and it takes about a minute for addtional savings.
So far, you have reduced your grocery expenses by 30-40% by purchasing only sale items. You have saved around another 10% (or more depending on your purchases)by using electronic grocery coupons. Not stress, no hassle and in only minutes you are spending half of what you would have last year.
If 40-50% savings is enough for you, great, stop here you are done and you have accomplished you resolution. If you want to save even more, head on over to coupons.com and match up their printable grocery coupons with what is on your grocery list. You can print two coupons at a time, so be sure to get two when you find a free or really cheap item. You will see freebies week after week, so be certain to get as many as you can when you do to max your savings. Now you are up to savings of 60% or more for your efforts.
There are many ways to meet your goals of spending less on food, giving your overall budget a break. The truth of the matter is that to be successful in the long term you will need to make whatever you do to reach your goals so easy to maintain that it is a no brainer. Do this, and you will be saving a lot of money on groceries and for many years to come.
A word to the wise, this behavior modification strategy makes any resolution much easier to accomplish...give it a try.
Best wishes to you all for a happy and prosperous New Year!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Free Taco Bell Fresco Taco Coupon
Need some free food? How about a free Taco Bell Fresco taco coupon? Taco Bell is currently offering an online printable coupon to try their Fresco Taco. Limit one printable coupon per person while supplies last.
Get your free Fresco Taco coupon from Taco Bell on their website while supplies last and enjoy some free eats.
The fine print: Offer valid only at participating stores, within 7 days of printing the coupon, OR until 1 million free tacos are claimed. Store managers have the final say on if they will honor your coupon, so call ahead first if in doubt.
Get your free Fresco Taco coupon from Taco Bell on their website while supplies last and enjoy some free eats.
The fine print: Offer valid only at participating stores, within 7 days of printing the coupon, OR until 1 million free tacos are claimed. Store managers have the final say on if they will honor your coupon, so call ahead first if in doubt.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Mr Coffee Espresso Maker and Coupons Saved Me $1360 This Year!
Mr Coffee espresso makers are really something. I love mine, and have to tell you that getting one for Christmas last year was the best gift I have gotten in a long, long time.
I'm just like everyone else, I have my consumer faults too. My one lingering addiction was my double (or more than double) shot in the morning. I, like so many others, are guilty of falling into the trap of spending too much for the ease of having someone hand me my morning Joe. Yes, guilty, I admit it. As good as I was at the rest of my food budget, I am guilty of being too busy in the mornings to pay attention to the details.
Savings always seems to be in the details. What does not seem to be but a few dollars every morning ends up being a whopping $1360 at the end of every year. Ouch!!!
Last year I came to the conclusion that I needed to hang on to the grand I was dropping unnecessarily every year. That's a lot of cash to be overspending every year of your life. So, I asked for the espresso maker during the holidays, and figured I would just have to make my own until the change became second nature.
The thing is that a few months later, making espresso in the morning was just something I did everyday. No hassle, just part of my regular routine. In the end it did not take me anymore time than going through a drive through to get my espresso and I don't need to worry about spilling in the car anymore.
I even found a way to get great quality organic coffee for cheap. I use Amazon, and do not sign up for the subscribe and save. I just wait until what I'm looking for goes on sale (usually at 50% off or more) and order enough to get free shipping. If you don't want to use Amazon as your coffee supplier, although they have good prices and a huge selection, you can do the same at your local grocer. Look for grocery coupons on good quality coffee, and wait for a sale to use your coupons and you will save half or so on the price of your coffee.
The final result one year later is that I am so glad I got my Mr Coffee espresso maker last year. I stuck to my savings goals, and will now happily pocket an extra $1360 a year forever. Would that saving so much on all groceries would be so easily accomplished.
I'm just like everyone else, I have my consumer faults too. My one lingering addiction was my double (or more than double) shot in the morning. I, like so many others, are guilty of falling into the trap of spending too much for the ease of having someone hand me my morning Joe. Yes, guilty, I admit it. As good as I was at the rest of my food budget, I am guilty of being too busy in the mornings to pay attention to the details.
Savings always seems to be in the details. What does not seem to be but a few dollars every morning ends up being a whopping $1360 at the end of every year. Ouch!!!
Last year I came to the conclusion that I needed to hang on to the grand I was dropping unnecessarily every year. That's a lot of cash to be overspending every year of your life. So, I asked for the espresso maker during the holidays, and figured I would just have to make my own until the change became second nature.
The thing is that a few months later, making espresso in the morning was just something I did everyday. No hassle, just part of my regular routine. In the end it did not take me anymore time than going through a drive through to get my espresso and I don't need to worry about spilling in the car anymore.
I even found a way to get great quality organic coffee for cheap. I use Amazon, and do not sign up for the subscribe and save. I just wait until what I'm looking for goes on sale (usually at 50% off or more) and order enough to get free shipping. If you don't want to use Amazon as your coffee supplier, although they have good prices and a huge selection, you can do the same at your local grocer. Look for grocery coupons on good quality coffee, and wait for a sale to use your coupons and you will save half or so on the price of your coffee.
The final result one year later is that I am so glad I got my Mr Coffee espresso maker last year. I stuck to my savings goals, and will now happily pocket an extra $1360 a year forever. Would that saving so much on all groceries would be so easily accomplished.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Grocery Coupons and Charitable Contributions
I touched on this briefly in my last post about how to use grocery coupons for charitable contributions and food contributions during this time of year. But in truth, I would be remiss if I got so far ahead of myself and I failed to mention that grocery coupons and charitable contributions really do go hand-in-hand during the entire of the year. Food banks are always in need of donation and there are almost always free items to be found in every week’s grocery sales fliers when you use grocery coupons.
You see, grocery coupons make many good offers exceptional. Every single week there are freebies on nonperishable goods. Freebies make it easy to give to those less fortunate even without much money to donate. All of us can take the time, and use our skills rather than donate money if we are light on financial resources. I saw quite a few people grocery shopping for Thanksgiving dinner when I was in the store today doing my own shopping. Many used coupons, and many dropped a few items in the food barrels on their way out of the store.
But what really surprised me as I walked out the door putting my own donation in the bin, was what I saw happening outside the store. I watched as a teenage girl made a donation to the Salvation Army bell ringer. The red kettles are out in full force today as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches and we get into the thick of the holiday season. I watched as a young woman of 16 put over $50 into kettle. Intrigued, I had a chance to speak with her as we both walked to the parking lot. I mentioned to her that it was quite a generous donation she had just made and to my utter surprise she volunteered the information that she just donated the money she had saved on her Thanksgiving dinner with grocery coupons. She is a long time coupon shopper and does such a good job that her mother charges here with the grocery shopping.
A donation to other charities with the money saved from coupon shopping was an idea I had not really thought of. I usually donate the free food I get when using grocery coupons to the food bank, but that is it as far as the coupons go anyway. She said that the Salvation Army was her charity of choice and that they could use cash donations in lieu of food. She merely paid for the full price of her order that day, and then had the cashier give her the money she saved with her coupons in cash. The cash he saved became her donation. She said her family approved of the idea prior to the trip, her mother deciding that she would have paid full price anyway were it not for her daughter’s excellent shopping skills. One week’s savings was hardly a stretch when she was saving the other 51 weeks a year.
What a fantastic idea from a very generous young woman. It reminded me that there are so many worthy organizations in need of donations especially at this time of year. So this year, I will be making other donations in addition to the free food items I'm able to get at the grocery store with grocery discount coupons. I'm sure the Salvation Army as well as other worthy charities will be on my list.
You see, grocery coupons make many good offers exceptional. Every single week there are freebies on nonperishable goods. Freebies make it easy to give to those less fortunate even without much money to donate. All of us can take the time, and use our skills rather than donate money if we are light on financial resources. I saw quite a few people grocery shopping for Thanksgiving dinner when I was in the store today doing my own shopping. Many used coupons, and many dropped a few items in the food barrels on their way out of the store.
But what really surprised me as I walked out the door putting my own donation in the bin, was what I saw happening outside the store. I watched as a teenage girl made a donation to the Salvation Army bell ringer. The red kettles are out in full force today as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches and we get into the thick of the holiday season. I watched as a young woman of 16 put over $50 into kettle. Intrigued, I had a chance to speak with her as we both walked to the parking lot. I mentioned to her that it was quite a generous donation she had just made and to my utter surprise she volunteered the information that she just donated the money she had saved on her Thanksgiving dinner with grocery coupons. She is a long time coupon shopper and does such a good job that her mother charges here with the grocery shopping.
A donation to other charities with the money saved from coupon shopping was an idea I had not really thought of. I usually donate the free food I get when using grocery coupons to the food bank, but that is it as far as the coupons go anyway. She said that the Salvation Army was her charity of choice and that they could use cash donations in lieu of food. She merely paid for the full price of her order that day, and then had the cashier give her the money she saved with her coupons in cash. The cash he saved became her donation. She said her family approved of the idea prior to the trip, her mother deciding that she would have paid full price anyway were it not for her daughter’s excellent shopping skills. One week’s savings was hardly a stretch when she was saving the other 51 weeks a year.
What a fantastic idea from a very generous young woman. It reminded me that there are so many worthy organizations in need of donations especially at this time of year. So this year, I will be making other donations in addition to the free food items I'm able to get at the grocery store with grocery discount coupons. I'm sure the Salvation Army as well as other worthy charities will be on my list.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
How to Get a Free Thanksgiving Turkey
Do you want to know how to use coupons to get a free Thanksgiving Turkey this year? I have a simple method of doing so.
Here is what I do to eat my Thanksgiving turkey for free. I find a grocery store where they are offering $5 turkeys with a coupon and $25 minimum purchase. In my local area you can get this deal from Vons. Since Vons offers double grocery coupons, I find 3 coupons for $1 each on something I am going to buy anyway and make my purchases. I save a quick $6 bucks, and then use the savings to get my Thanksgiving turkey for free.
This really simple method is a quick way to save enough to get a free bird with very little effort.
Here is what I do to eat my Thanksgiving turkey for free. I find a grocery store where they are offering $5 turkeys with a coupon and $25 minimum purchase. In my local area you can get this deal from Vons. Since Vons offers double grocery coupons, I find 3 coupons for $1 each on something I am going to buy anyway and make my purchases. I save a quick $6 bucks, and then use the savings to get my Thanksgiving turkey for free.
This really simple method is a quick way to save enough to get a free bird with very little effort.
Monday, November 16, 2009
How to Grocery Shop for a Cheap Thanksgiving Day Dinner
Grocery shopping for a cheap Thanksgiving day dinner is a lot easier than you would think if you know how to go about reaping the benefits of the lowest grocery prices of the year. The Thanksgiving week food ads really are the best buy every year for food well below wholesale pricing.
Why?
Grocers use the nostalgia of creating a true feast meal to be shared with with your family and close friends and take the opportunity to have you associate low prices on everything you need to buy to cook your Thanksgiving Day meal. Think that it is a mistake that there is super low pricing on Thanksgiving turkey? How about the pumpkin pie fixings, stuffing, potatoes and cranberries to go with it? It is not mistake, but rather, a carefully planned marketing strategy designed to get you to associate the lowest prices on food with their grocery chain.
What does this mean for consumers?
You can anticipate super low pricing on everything you need to make your Thanksgiving dinner and then some. You should also be looking for the printable coupons and electronic grocery coupons that match the sales to get your groceries for pennies on the dollar. Why not get the most savings you can with coupons so easy to come by?
If you are looking for a way to cut the cost of cooking for the holiday, all you need to do is grab a wad of coupons and match up the sales and you will be eating for cheap for the better part of a week. Even for beginning coupon shoppers, it is easy to grocery shop for a cheap Thanksgiving Day dinner with coupons.
For more info on getting your Thanksgiving turkey for less, check out this post.
Why?
Grocers use the nostalgia of creating a true feast meal to be shared with with your family and close friends and take the opportunity to have you associate low prices on everything you need to buy to cook your Thanksgiving Day meal. Think that it is a mistake that there is super low pricing on Thanksgiving turkey? How about the pumpkin pie fixings, stuffing, potatoes and cranberries to go with it? It is not mistake, but rather, a carefully planned marketing strategy designed to get you to associate the lowest prices on food with their grocery chain.
What does this mean for consumers?
You can anticipate super low pricing on everything you need to make your Thanksgiving dinner and then some. You should also be looking for the printable coupons and electronic grocery coupons that match the sales to get your groceries for pennies on the dollar. Why not get the most savings you can with coupons so easy to come by?
If you are looking for a way to cut the cost of cooking for the holiday, all you need to do is grab a wad of coupons and match up the sales and you will be eating for cheap for the better part of a week. Even for beginning coupon shoppers, it is easy to grocery shop for a cheap Thanksgiving Day dinner with coupons.
For more info on getting your Thanksgiving turkey for less, check out this post.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Printable Grocery Coupons, Giving Thanks and Holiday Food Savings
What do printable grocery coupons, giving thanks, and holiday food savings all have to do with each other?
The truth is that printable grocery coupons are the means to give thanks, help out someone in need and reduce your own food bills this holiday season.
Let me explain more.
The coming week will see the lowest prices for most of the year on food as grocery chains try to entice you into their stores when you shop for your Thanksgiving Day dinners. It is a sad but true fact that Thanksgiving is one of the few days that we cook full feast type meal throughout the year. The competition for your business is fierce and will become even more so as food manufacturers drop literally hundreds of coupons in an effort to gain your business.
Low sale prices + printable grocery coupons + shopping in a double coupon store = Freebies and great bargains!
So, here is what I do as I shop during the deal week of the year, I think of those less fortunate and buy whatever I can at rock bottom prices to donate. If I can get something for free, great, I "buy" the limit. I then set a budget for the rest of my donations and make every effort to get the greatest number products I can within that limit.
This is a great project to do with your kids, because it teaches the value of community service. The nice thing is that it takes very little other than your time to really make a difference. If you are short on cash, just scale back and donate whatever you can get for free.
Printable coupons are both the fastest and easiest way to accomplish my goals. When the sales fliers come out, I head on over to coupons.com, smartsource.com, mambosprouts and cellfire and look to see which items have matching coupons. When I find a match, I print the limit and then head off to do my grocery shopping.
I can usually get about 100 items for around $30 to donate when using this method every year. That's a lot of bang for my donation money, and a lot of people that will have something to eat this holiday season who would have gone hungry otherwise.
So, what do printable coupons, giving thanks and holiday food savings all have in common? Printable grocery coupons are the means to getting your own holiday dinner for much less than you would have spent, while being able to help others in need. Won't you join me this year?
The truth is that printable grocery coupons are the means to give thanks, help out someone in need and reduce your own food bills this holiday season.
Let me explain more.
The coming week will see the lowest prices for most of the year on food as grocery chains try to entice you into their stores when you shop for your Thanksgiving Day dinners. It is a sad but true fact that Thanksgiving is one of the few days that we cook full feast type meal throughout the year. The competition for your business is fierce and will become even more so as food manufacturers drop literally hundreds of coupons in an effort to gain your business.
Low sale prices + printable grocery coupons + shopping in a double coupon store = Freebies and great bargains!
So, here is what I do as I shop during the deal week of the year, I think of those less fortunate and buy whatever I can at rock bottom prices to donate. If I can get something for free, great, I "buy" the limit. I then set a budget for the rest of my donations and make every effort to get the greatest number products I can within that limit.
This is a great project to do with your kids, because it teaches the value of community service. The nice thing is that it takes very little other than your time to really make a difference. If you are short on cash, just scale back and donate whatever you can get for free.
Printable coupons are both the fastest and easiest way to accomplish my goals. When the sales fliers come out, I head on over to coupons.com, smartsource.com, mambosprouts and cellfire and look to see which items have matching coupons. When I find a match, I print the limit and then head off to do my grocery shopping.
I can usually get about 100 items for around $30 to donate when using this method every year. That's a lot of bang for my donation money, and a lot of people that will have something to eat this holiday season who would have gone hungry otherwise.
So, what do printable coupons, giving thanks and holiday food savings all have in common? Printable grocery coupons are the means to getting your own holiday dinner for much less than you would have spent, while being able to help others in need. Won't you join me this year?
Friday, November 6, 2009
Where to Find Free Grocery Coupons to Make Your Thanksgiving Dinner Even Cheaper
Wow! I love Thanksgiving week grocery ads! This is absolutely the best week of the year for getting freebies with grocery coupons.
Why?
Thanksgiving grocery ads are notorious for deeply discounted loss leader specials on highly conspicuous items that give the perception that you are shopping in the lowest priced grocery chain in town.
What does it mean for you?
Grab as many free coupons as you can, and collect as many free items as you can. Seriously, deeply discounted grocery bargains and out right freebies do not get any easier than this.
Where should you find all your grocery coupons?
I'm a big fan of online printable grocery coupons because their face values are usually much higher than those found in the newspaper. Really the selection of online printable grocery coupons are as good as the savings. Start your search for coupons online, and then get a few Sunday papers every Sunday for the next couple of weeks and you will have a pantry stuffed full of freebies!
I usually start with coupons.com first since their selection of printable coupons is the best, next I move on to cellfire.com and then have a look at smartsource.com and mambosprouts.com to see what they have. If you go this far and get a couple of Sunday papers for a few weeks, you should have more than enough coupons to grab your share of the bargains.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Why?
Thanksgiving grocery ads are notorious for deeply discounted loss leader specials on highly conspicuous items that give the perception that you are shopping in the lowest priced grocery chain in town.
What does it mean for you?
Grab as many free coupons as you can, and collect as many free items as you can. Seriously, deeply discounted grocery bargains and out right freebies do not get any easier than this.
Where should you find all your grocery coupons?
I'm a big fan of online printable grocery coupons because their face values are usually much higher than those found in the newspaper. Really the selection of online printable grocery coupons are as good as the savings. Start your search for coupons online, and then get a few Sunday papers every Sunday for the next couple of weeks and you will have a pantry stuffed full of freebies!
I usually start with coupons.com first since their selection of printable coupons is the best, next I move on to cellfire.com and then have a look at smartsource.com and mambosprouts.com to see what they have. If you go this far and get a couple of Sunday papers for a few weeks, you should have more than enough coupons to grab your share of the bargains.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
How to Buy a Cheap Thanksgiving Turkey
How do you buy a cheap Thanksgiving turkey? Thanksgiving turkeys are in the grocery stores now and the signs say that they are already on sale. But are they really?
I have noticed I startling marketing trend over the past 10 years. The closer you get to Thanksgiving, the cheaper turkeys become. The deals will start next week, and get progressively cheaper until the ad breaks for the week just prior to Thanksgiving, sometime around the 23rd or 24th of the month. Prices go up again to more than full price the day after Thanksgiving.
Coincidentally,or not, the best grocery ads of the year run the same week. What does this mean for the frugal grocery shopper?
Now is the time to start collecting tons of grocery coupons, as many high face value multiple coupons as you can. Why? You know the great ads are coming, just as they do every year, and you can reap some serious savings. Finding as many coupons as you can right now will help you to get lots of free items within the next few weeks.
Which items will be at rock bottom prices? Anything you would use to make a full Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, potatoes, stuffing, cranberries, cranberry sauce, produce, baking goods, dairy item, wine, soft drinks...you name it. All the fixings will be on sale,and with tons of coupons you can get a lot of freebies for your efforts. Belive me, this is the easiest week of the year for great bargains and he or she with the most coupons win.
It is not unusual for me to shop more than once this week in the year. I go once to get the fixings for our Thanksgiving dinner and then make another trip through the checkout on the same day just for bargains. If you ever wanted to reap the benefits of free stuff for an extra hour or two of your time, this is the week.
This is how I shop Thanksgiving week deals. I collect as many grocery coupons as I can find in the weeks leading up to the Thanksgiving ad, sort them and get really organized for the week. When I get the grocery ads for the week, I plan my trip, buying all the items for my main dinner and the week on the first trip through the store. I take my purchases to the car and load everything up. Then I make one more run through the store very quickly, just for freebies and the items that are deeply discounted. Then I head home to put everything away.
If there are additional free items to be had at another grocery chain or chains, I go there next and make two trips through the store just for these items. You really can save a lot of money this week with all the thanksgiving food sales and specials with just a little extra time and organization.
Another thing I like to do is to prepare a list of items I will need for either holiday entertaining, baking Christmas cookies, and our Christmas dinner. Thanksgivinig prices are really the lowest of the year, so plan ahead for the rest of the holidays and watch your savings grow. A lot of what you can buy during the Thanksgiving food sales is nonperishable and will keep through the rest of the holidays.
So, do yourself a favor and start collecting free grocery coupons now and you will have options for all kinds of free stuff within a few weeks!
Where do you get free grocery coupons? Coupons.com had 167 of them available for printing the this morning when I checked. They were one of the first and are still the best place to look for high face value grocery coupons. I always start here when starting a printable coupon search.
I have noticed I startling marketing trend over the past 10 years. The closer you get to Thanksgiving, the cheaper turkeys become. The deals will start next week, and get progressively cheaper until the ad breaks for the week just prior to Thanksgiving, sometime around the 23rd or 24th of the month. Prices go up again to more than full price the day after Thanksgiving.
Coincidentally,or not, the best grocery ads of the year run the same week. What does this mean for the frugal grocery shopper?
Now is the time to start collecting tons of grocery coupons, as many high face value multiple coupons as you can. Why? You know the great ads are coming, just as they do every year, and you can reap some serious savings. Finding as many coupons as you can right now will help you to get lots of free items within the next few weeks.
Which items will be at rock bottom prices? Anything you would use to make a full Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, potatoes, stuffing, cranberries, cranberry sauce, produce, baking goods, dairy item, wine, soft drinks...you name it. All the fixings will be on sale,and with tons of coupons you can get a lot of freebies for your efforts. Belive me, this is the easiest week of the year for great bargains and he or she with the most coupons win.
It is not unusual for me to shop more than once this week in the year. I go once to get the fixings for our Thanksgiving dinner and then make another trip through the checkout on the same day just for bargains. If you ever wanted to reap the benefits of free stuff for an extra hour or two of your time, this is the week.
This is how I shop Thanksgiving week deals. I collect as many grocery coupons as I can find in the weeks leading up to the Thanksgiving ad, sort them and get really organized for the week. When I get the grocery ads for the week, I plan my trip, buying all the items for my main dinner and the week on the first trip through the store. I take my purchases to the car and load everything up. Then I make one more run through the store very quickly, just for freebies and the items that are deeply discounted. Then I head home to put everything away.
If there are additional free items to be had at another grocery chain or chains, I go there next and make two trips through the store just for these items. You really can save a lot of money this week with all the thanksgiving food sales and specials with just a little extra time and organization.
Another thing I like to do is to prepare a list of items I will need for either holiday entertaining, baking Christmas cookies, and our Christmas dinner. Thanksgivinig prices are really the lowest of the year, so plan ahead for the rest of the holidays and watch your savings grow. A lot of what you can buy during the Thanksgiving food sales is nonperishable and will keep through the rest of the holidays.
So, do yourself a favor and start collecting free grocery coupons now and you will have options for all kinds of free stuff within a few weeks!
Where do you get free grocery coupons? Coupons.com had 167 of them available for printing the this morning when I checked. They were one of the first and are still the best place to look for high face value grocery coupons. I always start here when starting a printable coupon search.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
How to Use Printable Grocery Coupons for Grocery Savings
Have you ever wished that you could use a wad of grocery coupons without hassles of printed coupons? Well, now you can both printable grocery coupons and wireless coupons for food savings have come of age.
What is a Printable Grocery Coupon?
Printable grocery coupons are both a wonderful and relatively new type of grocery coupon which is available online. You go online to a coupon website offering free, printable grocery coupons, select those you want, and print them out. Take the supermarket coupons to the store and redeem as normal. Printable coupons are available all over the internet and you can easily find a discount for any item on your shopping list.
Where Can I Get Printable Grocery Coupons?
The biggest and best site offering printable grocery coupons is coupons.com; there are always literally hundreds of grocery coupons available there every month. New coupons are added often. Even better, the offers are for high discounts, generally a dollar each or over. Head on over to coupons.com and have a look at what they offer. They will save you a lot of money every month.
What are Wireless Grocery Coupons?
Wireless grocery coupons are new generation of supermarket coupon which is even easier to use than any other form or grocery discount coupon. You go to a website offering free wireless coupons, select which ones you want, and load them either to your grocery savings card or delivered to your wireless device. Your savings are automatic at the checkout.
Where Can I get Wireless Grocery Coupons?
My favorite two sites are shortcuts.com and cellfire.com for electronic or wireless grocery discounts. You can not beat the easy use of e-grocery coupons over traditional clipped grocery coupons. They save both time and money when grocery shopping.
If you are tired of not saving as much as you could while grocery shopping then you should try the new grocery coupon formats for savings. I download all electronic or wireless grocery coupon offers just in case I end up buying something I had not planned on purchasing. Free savings works for me!
What is a Printable Grocery Coupon?
Printable grocery coupons are both a wonderful and relatively new type of grocery coupon which is available online. You go online to a coupon website offering free, printable grocery coupons, select those you want, and print them out. Take the supermarket coupons to the store and redeem as normal. Printable coupons are available all over the internet and you can easily find a discount for any item on your shopping list.
Where Can I Get Printable Grocery Coupons?
The biggest and best site offering printable grocery coupons is coupons.com; there are always literally hundreds of grocery coupons available there every month. New coupons are added often. Even better, the offers are for high discounts, generally a dollar each or over. Head on over to coupons.com and have a look at what they offer. They will save you a lot of money every month.
What are Wireless Grocery Coupons?
Wireless grocery coupons are new generation of supermarket coupon which is even easier to use than any other form or grocery discount coupon. You go to a website offering free wireless coupons, select which ones you want, and load them either to your grocery savings card or delivered to your wireless device. Your savings are automatic at the checkout.
Where Can I get Wireless Grocery Coupons?
My favorite two sites are shortcuts.com and cellfire.com for electronic or wireless grocery discounts. You can not beat the easy use of e-grocery coupons over traditional clipped grocery coupons. They save both time and money when grocery shopping.
If you are tired of not saving as much as you could while grocery shopping then you should try the new grocery coupon formats for savings. I download all electronic or wireless grocery coupon offers just in case I end up buying something I had not planned on purchasing. Free savings works for me!
Friday, September 18, 2009
Free Frozen Food Coupons
Looking for free frozen food coupons? Coupons.com has high face value fozen food coupons every month plus a whole lot more. Most of their coupons are worth a dollar or more and well worth the time it will take you to browse their extensive offerings before grocery shopping. At this writing, they currently have a total of 168 free coupons in their system. If you are looking to save money on frozen foods, coupons.com is the best place to start looking for free printable grocery discount coupons.
You can select the ones you like, and print them at home from your computer. Most offers will aslo allow you to print more than one coupon at a time, helping you to get those coveted "like" coupons we all love so much.
Check out the blue box below to see what coupons.com is currently offering. You will be pleasantly surprised.
You can select the ones you like, and print them at home from your computer. Most offers will aslo allow you to print more than one coupon at a time, helping you to get those coveted "like" coupons we all love so much.
Check out the blue box below to see what coupons.com is currently offering. You will be pleasantly surprised.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Wireless Grocery Coupons Come of Age- More Ways to Get More for Your Food Dollars
Be on the lookout for the next generation of e-coupons for grocery savings to be coming your way in the very near future. Grocery coupons have a gone wireless and are now being delivered to recession weary consumers via your cell phones, email, Twitter, and Facebook.
Grocery marketers have come up with increasingly aggressive and cheaper methods of grocery coupon distribution at very low costs making their offers reach further and be of higher value to consumers than ever before.
Imar Inc., a coupon processing company, has seen the use of electronic coupons double in the last year. Be it from the economy or the easy of use e-coupons represent, consumers seem to be catching onto the savings that paperless coupons offer.
Here’s the really cool thing about paperless coupons if you happen to be a bit technologically challenged, most grocery chains offer the option to load your savings directly to your store savings card instead of your iPhone. So if perchance, you have not yet invested in the latest techie toy to get your coupons, don’t worry, you won’t get left out on the savings.
To start getting your free electronic grocery coupons, go to your favorite grocery chain’s website and register your store savings card. You will start getting offers right away
Grocery marketers have come up with increasingly aggressive and cheaper methods of grocery coupon distribution at very low costs making their offers reach further and be of higher value to consumers than ever before.
Imar Inc., a coupon processing company, has seen the use of electronic coupons double in the last year. Be it from the economy or the easy of use e-coupons represent, consumers seem to be catching onto the savings that paperless coupons offer.
Here’s the really cool thing about paperless coupons if you happen to be a bit technologically challenged, most grocery chains offer the option to load your savings directly to your store savings card instead of your iPhone. So if perchance, you have not yet invested in the latest techie toy to get your coupons, don’t worry, you won’t get left out on the savings.
To start getting your free electronic grocery coupons, go to your favorite grocery chain’s website and register your store savings card. You will start getting offers right away
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Why You Need Tons of Grocery Coupons to Save Big Money
If you have ever wondered why you need to go to the trouble of clipping tons of grocery coupons to save at the grocery store let me share with you the reason. You need the volume to have enough coupons to maximize your savings.
Let me explain. It takes both time and effort to find those really good deals for items that are either free or about 20% of the full shelf price you would nomally pay for food. What if you could get 10 times or 20 times the milage out of your efforts?
This is where the big savings is in coupon shopping. Those fantastic deals that give you a lot of free or deeply discounted stuff every week. There is only one way to get this kind of savings, and that is to maximize your savings potential with multiple like coupons for each offer.
Where to you get multiple like coupons?
1. Multiple copies of the Sunday paper
2. Free printable coupons online
3. Free electronic grocery coupons online
2. Coupons in the mail
5. Advertising found on coupon trading boards online
All of these resources are worth your time and effort. The more coupons you can lay your hands on, the more milage you will get out of each super deal you can find. Case in point, I just "bought" 32 jars of peanut butter this last week for a whopping $1.79 when it was all said and done. What did I do with all that peanut butter? I saved half a dozen jars for my family, and donated the rest to the food bank. Total savings $92.42 on just one really good sale item. I might also add that there were 4 other sale items with double coupons which were just as lucrative last week.
Try it, you will never go back to shopping the same way agian when it is so easy to eat virtually free.
Let me explain. It takes both time and effort to find those really good deals for items that are either free or about 20% of the full shelf price you would nomally pay for food. What if you could get 10 times or 20 times the milage out of your efforts?
This is where the big savings is in coupon shopping. Those fantastic deals that give you a lot of free or deeply discounted stuff every week. There is only one way to get this kind of savings, and that is to maximize your savings potential with multiple like coupons for each offer.
Where to you get multiple like coupons?
1. Multiple copies of the Sunday paper
2. Free printable coupons online
3. Free electronic grocery coupons online
2. Coupons in the mail
5. Advertising found on coupon trading boards online
All of these resources are worth your time and effort. The more coupons you can lay your hands on, the more milage you will get out of each super deal you can find. Case in point, I just "bought" 32 jars of peanut butter this last week for a whopping $1.79 when it was all said and done. What did I do with all that peanut butter? I saved half a dozen jars for my family, and donated the rest to the food bank. Total savings $92.42 on just one really good sale item. I might also add that there were 4 other sale items with double coupons which were just as lucrative last week.
Try it, you will never go back to shopping the same way agian when it is so easy to eat virtually free.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Where to Find Cat Liter Coupons Free
If you have cats you know how much money you can spend on cat liter without a cat liter coupon everytime you need to buy. Here are 3 places to get free cat liter coupons whenever you need them:
1. Check the box or bag of the cat liter you are using now. More often than not there will be a coupon stuck on the package for your next purchase.
2. Check the boxes and cans of cat food you have laying around. You will usually find a cat litter coupon hiding there too.
3. Check the Sunday paper. Cat liter coupons are printed nearly every week. If you are not picky on which brand you use, then you should be able to find a coupon here on most weeks.
Finding high face value cat liter coupons is not at all difficult, you just need to know where to look.
Happy Bargain Huntig!
1. Check the box or bag of the cat liter you are using now. More often than not there will be a coupon stuck on the package for your next purchase.
2. Check the boxes and cans of cat food you have laying around. You will usually find a cat litter coupon hiding there too.
3. Check the Sunday paper. Cat liter coupons are printed nearly every week. If you are not picky on which brand you use, then you should be able to find a coupon here on most weeks.
Finding high face value cat liter coupons is not at all difficult, you just need to know where to look.
Happy Bargain Huntig!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Can You Eat Free for a Week Using Grocery Discount Coupons?
I had a shocking revelation the other day as I looked at a freezer full of free frozen dinners I "bought" over the last few weeks with a wad of grocery discount coupons. I started thinking about if I could put together a plan for how to eat well totally for free if I wanted to. Sort of a starving student meal plan on steroids if you will.
I lived on not much while I was in school and was pretty accomplished at eating cheap, but could I eat totally for free if I needed to for say a week or longer?
I reasoned, as I thought over this idea, that having a blueprint for eating without the benefit of funds would be valuable information for anyone on a super tight budget. So here is the deal, over the next month I am going to be looking to compile a list of the best and easiest ways to eat for free. Some of the ideas will utilize grocery coupons, and some may not.
I'm really looking foreward to this challenge and hoping to find lots of success to share with you all. Stay tuned for my results on how to eat for free using grocery discount coupons...and not.
I lived on not much while I was in school and was pretty accomplished at eating cheap, but could I eat totally for free if I needed to for say a week or longer?
I reasoned, as I thought over this idea, that having a blueprint for eating without the benefit of funds would be valuable information for anyone on a super tight budget. So here is the deal, over the next month I am going to be looking to compile a list of the best and easiest ways to eat for free. Some of the ideas will utilize grocery coupons, and some may not.
I'm really looking foreward to this challenge and hoping to find lots of success to share with you all. Stay tuned for my results on how to eat for free using grocery discount coupons...and not.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Frozen Meal Coupons- Where to Get Yours Free
Where to get frozen meal coupons for free. How about some fast savings to go with your fast prepared meal?
I know, I know, nothing beats a home cooked meal, but sometimes you just need to fill the tank and be done with it. Time is the most precious thing we possess.
There are a number of places you can get free frozen meal coupons. Heck, use your coupons to their maximum and you may just get the meal for free too.
1. Check out the printables for free online.
2. Check out the Sunday paper, there are frozen food coupons in there every week.
3. Check out the message boards on couponing forums for trades. This is perhaps the best way I know of to get tons of frozen food coupons all at once while helping another out with what you won't use.
4. Check on the box of the frozen items in your freezer. There are coupons to be found there frequently.
5. Got to manufacturer websites and look for free offers there. You will find tons of offers on every product in their product line.
Finding free coupons is really a matter of just putting in the time, nothing tough about it. The business enviornment is really competitive with the economy still being so slow. There are tons of free frozen meal coupons to be had just for the asking.
I know, I know, nothing beats a home cooked meal, but sometimes you just need to fill the tank and be done with it. Time is the most precious thing we possess.
There are a number of places you can get free frozen meal coupons. Heck, use your coupons to their maximum and you may just get the meal for free too.
1. Check out the printables for free online.
2. Check out the Sunday paper, there are frozen food coupons in there every week.
3. Check out the message boards on couponing forums for trades. This is perhaps the best way I know of to get tons of frozen food coupons all at once while helping another out with what you won't use.
4. Check on the box of the frozen items in your freezer. There are coupons to be found there frequently.
5. Got to manufacturer websites and look for free offers there. You will find tons of offers on every product in their product line.
Finding free coupons is really a matter of just putting in the time, nothing tough about it. The business enviornment is really competitive with the economy still being so slow. There are tons of free frozen meal coupons to be had just for the asking.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Free Kelloggs Cereal Coupons
If your family eats cereal in the mornings, you can never get your hands on too many free Kellogg's cereal coupons. The price of cereals has risen sharply these last few years and now most boxes of cold cereals are hovering around $5 at full price.
Kellogg's is putting five $5 coupons inside their cereals in specially marked packages for the summer months this year. Good savings on multiple purchases. Take these to a double coupon store and save ten bucks for your efforts on your next shopping trip.
Want to save even more? Wait until the cereal goes on sale 2/$5 then use your double coupons, your net cost will be just $.50 per box.
Kellogg's is putting five $5 coupons inside their cereals in specially marked packages for the summer months this year. Good savings on multiple purchases. Take these to a double coupon store and save ten bucks for your efforts on your next shopping trip.
Want to save even more? Wait until the cereal goes on sale 2/$5 then use your double coupons, your net cost will be just $.50 per box.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Easy Grocery Coupon Clipping
Love the savings of grocery coupons, but hate the hassle of clipping, sorting and filing cents-off offers? Why not try the easy grocery coupon clipping?
If you are like most of us, time is tight and so is money. The solution is to utilize the new food discount coupon technology to tap into big savings with just a few minutes time. There are literally hundreds of grocery coupon sites online offering free printable grocery coupons. Printables offer high face values with little effort for clipping or storing. Why? You select, print and clip only what you will use while shopping.
Another quick money saver is electronic grocery coupons. These are really fast and easy. You go select the offers you want and load the savings to your store club card. You will get your discounts at the register without any further efforts. There is nothing to cut out, store or fumble with in the store. Even better, you can not forget to bring your coupons with you while shopping. If you forget your club card, just use your phone number to access your savings.
When utilizing the new coupon technologies I generally print only they coupons I will use to save time, printer ink and paper. With electronic coupons, I select all offers and let the computer do the work at the checkout.
If you are short on both time and money try easy grocery coupon clipping for savings. you can still save money and something even more valuable, time.
If you are like most of us, time is tight and so is money. The solution is to utilize the new food discount coupon technology to tap into big savings with just a few minutes time. There are literally hundreds of grocery coupon sites online offering free printable grocery coupons. Printables offer high face values with little effort for clipping or storing. Why? You select, print and clip only what you will use while shopping.
Another quick money saver is electronic grocery coupons. These are really fast and easy. You go select the offers you want and load the savings to your store club card. You will get your discounts at the register without any further efforts. There is nothing to cut out, store or fumble with in the store. Even better, you can not forget to bring your coupons with you while shopping. If you forget your club card, just use your phone number to access your savings.
When utilizing the new coupon technologies I generally print only they coupons I will use to save time, printer ink and paper. With electronic coupons, I select all offers and let the computer do the work at the checkout.
If you are short on both time and money try easy grocery coupon clipping for savings. you can still save money and something even more valuable, time.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
6 Places to Get Free Grocery Discount Coupons
Once you have clipped your grocery coupons in the Sunday paper for the week you may be wondering where else you can get free grocery discount coupons. Here are 6 great places to look for additional savings:
1. Coupons.com is by far the biggest and the best online site for grocery discount coupons. All of their coupons are free. Just select what you want and print them out for high face value offer galore! See the banner on this page for more details.
2. Smartsource are the folks that make the fliers you are used to seeing in the Sunday papers. They offer a good resource for getting multiple like coupons to print from your computer.
3. Shortcuts.com is a free service from AOL offering free electronic grocery coupons. For more information on saving with electronic grocery coupons read this article.
4. For natural and organic foods coupons, try mambosprouts.com for hundreds of money saving offers.
5. Amazon.com offers monthly electronic coupons right on their website for case packs of all your favorites. These are exceptional values and always worth a look. New coupons come out the first of each month. Hint: some items run out of stock the end of the month, shop towards the beginning of the month for best results.
6. Manufacturer websites almost always offer the latest samples and coupons for joining their email lists. Just have a look at the back of your favorite product to see who makes it and go directly to their websites.
It really is possible to find coupons for every item in your grocery cart, with huge savings for not a lot of time. You just need to know where to look to get free grocery discount coupons en masse.
Resources:
Smart Source
Short Cuts
Mambo Sprouts
Amazon
1. Coupons.com is by far the biggest and the best online site for grocery discount coupons. All of their coupons are free. Just select what you want and print them out for high face value offer galore! See the banner on this page for more details.
2. Smartsource are the folks that make the fliers you are used to seeing in the Sunday papers. They offer a good resource for getting multiple like coupons to print from your computer.
3. Shortcuts.com is a free service from AOL offering free electronic grocery coupons. For more information on saving with electronic grocery coupons read this article.
4. For natural and organic foods coupons, try mambosprouts.com for hundreds of money saving offers.
5. Amazon.com offers monthly electronic coupons right on their website for case packs of all your favorites. These are exceptional values and always worth a look. New coupons come out the first of each month. Hint: some items run out of stock the end of the month, shop towards the beginning of the month for best results.
6. Manufacturer websites almost always offer the latest samples and coupons for joining their email lists. Just have a look at the back of your favorite product to see who makes it and go directly to their websites.
It really is possible to find coupons for every item in your grocery cart, with huge savings for not a lot of time. You just need to know where to look to get free grocery discount coupons en masse.
Resources:
Smart Source
Short Cuts
Mambo Sprouts
Amazon
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Baby Diaper Coupons- Do You Buy Diapers Without Them?
As I scan down the coupons offered in this week's paper, I am not surprised to find numerous baby diaper coupon offers. Why? Every week there is at least one high face value coupon in the paper, and very oftern there are several.
Baby diapers are expensive items with high profit margins for retailers folks and they are big business. If you can get a new mom to become loyal to your brand, you have gained a customer with a need that must be filled every week without fail for 2 or 3 years. Cha-ching!
Just look at all the national brands vying for your business and willing to get your business by offering you diaper coupons for several bucks off:
Pampers, Luvs, Huggies, Drypers, Good Nights and Seventh Generation all offer regular coupons to help you save money on thier products.
My question to you is why would you every buy diapers without saving a couple of bucks a pop? Combine a high face-value coupon with a store sale and you have saved an average of 40-50% off the cost of diapering your little one's bum.
Baby diapers are expensive items with high profit margins for retailers folks and they are big business. If you can get a new mom to become loyal to your brand, you have gained a customer with a need that must be filled every week without fail for 2 or 3 years. Cha-ching!
Just look at all the national brands vying for your business and willing to get your business by offering you diaper coupons for several bucks off:
Pampers, Luvs, Huggies, Drypers, Good Nights and Seventh Generation all offer regular coupons to help you save money on thier products.
My question to you is why would you every buy diapers without saving a couple of bucks a pop? Combine a high face-value coupon with a store sale and you have saved an average of 40-50% off the cost of diapering your little one's bum.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Think Traditional Grocery Coupons are the Only Way to Save? Here are 6 Ways to Save Money on Groceries Now!
Don’t overspend on your groceries week in and week out, fight back! If you think traditional clipped grocery coupons are the only way to save on food, think again. Here are 6 easy ways to save money on groceries right now:
1. Only shop the sales. Do only this much and get 30-50% savings with very little time or effort to you in the process.
2. Use printable grocery coupons. Printable grocery coupons beat traditional grocery coupons in two ways. You have less to sort and store, so printable coupons are a huge time saver. The face values also tend to be higher, saving you extra money too.
3. Use electronic coupons grocery coupons. Talk about fast and easy, electronic grocery coupons are the way to go. The face values are high, and you absolutely can not mess these up.
4. Shop at fruit stands and farmer’s markets to save on produce. Seriously, the cost of produce has nearly doubled in the last year. If you want to get great quality and lower prices, go local.
5. Watch the warehouse stores for savings. You need to be careful when shopping in warehouse stores and watch your unit prices. Some items are of exceptional values although many are not. I did a price check not long ago and found that my local warehouse store was not nearly as low priced as they were a year ago. Don’t get me wrong, the warehouse stores do a good job of being fairly priced everywhere. Often, though, you can get a lower price somewhere else. It pays to watch your prices.
6. Check the dollar stores for grocery deals. No kidding, a buck still buys dairy, frozen food, cheese, lunchmeat, bagels, bread, tortillas, fresh procuce, and much more at my local store. Take a look around and see what is offered in your local area, you may be surprised.
If your piggy bank needs some extra cash, don’t forget looking to your food budget to help keep some cash in your pocket. Just a few changes will have you saving again in no time, grocery coupons in hand or not.
1. Only shop the sales. Do only this much and get 30-50% savings with very little time or effort to you in the process.
2. Use printable grocery coupons. Printable grocery coupons beat traditional grocery coupons in two ways. You have less to sort and store, so printable coupons are a huge time saver. The face values also tend to be higher, saving you extra money too.
3. Use electronic coupons grocery coupons. Talk about fast and easy, electronic grocery coupons are the way to go. The face values are high, and you absolutely can not mess these up.
4. Shop at fruit stands and farmer’s markets to save on produce. Seriously, the cost of produce has nearly doubled in the last year. If you want to get great quality and lower prices, go local.
5. Watch the warehouse stores for savings. You need to be careful when shopping in warehouse stores and watch your unit prices. Some items are of exceptional values although many are not. I did a price check not long ago and found that my local warehouse store was not nearly as low priced as they were a year ago. Don’t get me wrong, the warehouse stores do a good job of being fairly priced everywhere. Often, though, you can get a lower price somewhere else. It pays to watch your prices.
6. Check the dollar stores for grocery deals. No kidding, a buck still buys dairy, frozen food, cheese, lunchmeat, bagels, bread, tortillas, fresh procuce, and much more at my local store. Take a look around and see what is offered in your local area, you may be surprised.
If your piggy bank needs some extra cash, don’t forget looking to your food budget to help keep some cash in your pocket. Just a few changes will have you saving again in no time, grocery coupons in hand or not.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Grocery Coupons and Philanthropy
What do grocery coupons and philanthropy have to do with each other? I use piles of them to get either free or almost free food to donate to the food bank. All you need to do a good deed that will impact the lives of an entire family at once is a stack of coupons and your time.
Most people would not consider that philanthropy and grocery coupons would have a nice synergy, although they do. While I was in college we were supposed to spend several hours a week doing community service as part of our graduation requirement. Our service could be anything we wanted to do as long as we were able to document the hours and report our progress at the end of the semester. Heading a project with other volunteers was also desirable in showing your management abilities for a better grade.
I lived in a poor state at the time, where child hunger was a particular issue. Most grocery stores in my area offered double grocery coupons, so long story short, a community service project was born. I enlisted the help of several other students and we started out.
2436 coupons, $56, 110 hours of community service, and 1256 pounds of food later I knew my project was a success. My true education: you don’t need money to eat; grocery coupons can do that for you. You don’t need money to do a good deed grocery coupons can do that for you too. As for the concept of incorporating community service into my formal education, the project was a success. I am still working on my project more than fifteen years later.
Most people would not consider that philanthropy and grocery coupons would have a nice synergy, although they do. While I was in college we were supposed to spend several hours a week doing community service as part of our graduation requirement. Our service could be anything we wanted to do as long as we were able to document the hours and report our progress at the end of the semester. Heading a project with other volunteers was also desirable in showing your management abilities for a better grade.
I lived in a poor state at the time, where child hunger was a particular issue. Most grocery stores in my area offered double grocery coupons, so long story short, a community service project was born. I enlisted the help of several other students and we started out.
2436 coupons, $56, 110 hours of community service, and 1256 pounds of food later I knew my project was a success. My true education: you don’t need money to eat; grocery coupons can do that for you. You don’t need money to do a good deed grocery coupons can do that for you too. As for the concept of incorporating community service into my formal education, the project was a success. I am still working on my project more than fifteen years later.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Grocery Coupons and the Frugal Grocery List
I just looked at the calendar and realized that Use Supermarket Coupons is going on a year old now. Wow, time certainly flies and I have had a busy year. Taking a few minutes for reflection, I took a look at my stats and was surprised to see that my top visited pages were not the ones I would have expected.
Coming in third was the post I did on brining chicken. Anyone who is trying to make basic (and cheap) whole chicken into something speical should try brining. Brining is versatile and can be done with anything from just a simple salt solution to any one of hundreds of combinations of herbs added to the brine. The result of a simple and inexpensive process; your meats come out perfectly tender and juicy every time. Get the lowdown on a brining
and make your next bargain meat something to rave about.
In the second spot was another oddball article, how to ripen bananas quickly. Apparently there are a lot of green bananas floating around out there that we are impatient to eat. I know it seems we are forever getting really green bananas at the grocery store.
Now we come to my most popular post ever…the frugal grocery list. This post gets more traffic than any other I have ever written and I can understand why. If you have not yet read the original give it quick once over and then ponder this question:
Can you still use grocery coupons to maximize savings with the frugal grocery list?
The answer is really both yes and no. If you take a look at the list you will see that there are quite a few items on it that you either will generally not find coupons for or that should be purchased from the bulk bins to maximize savings. That said you can use coupons on some of the other items and should when you find them. Next week I’ll be adding to the frugal grocery shopping list.
Coming in third was the post I did on brining chicken. Anyone who is trying to make basic (and cheap) whole chicken into something speical should try brining. Brining is versatile and can be done with anything from just a simple salt solution to any one of hundreds of combinations of herbs added to the brine. The result of a simple and inexpensive process; your meats come out perfectly tender and juicy every time. Get the lowdown on a brining
and make your next bargain meat something to rave about.In the second spot was another oddball article, how to ripen bananas quickly. Apparently there are a lot of green bananas floating around out there that we are impatient to eat. I know it seems we are forever getting really green bananas at the grocery store.
Now we come to my most popular post ever…the frugal grocery list. This post gets more traffic than any other I have ever written and I can understand why. If you have not yet read the original give it quick once over and then ponder this question:
Can you still use grocery coupons to maximize savings with the frugal grocery list?
The answer is really both yes and no. If you take a look at the list you will see that there are quite a few items on it that you either will generally not find coupons for or that should be purchased from the bulk bins to maximize savings. That said you can use coupons on some of the other items and should when you find them. Next week I’ll be adding to the frugal grocery shopping list.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Do Cents-Off Coupons Make Sense?
I had a family member laugh me straight in the face yesterday for my complete obsession with frugal living. She blatantly pointed out that it simply is not worth her time to go through the Sunday inserts looking for “those little cents-off thingys.”
Oh really? Does it not matter to you that I am able to average 70% or more off my grocery bills by taking the time to either clip or print food discount coupons? I dragged out all my grocery receipts for the last few months just to prove a point. I tallied up the savings from my last few months and in the end my efforts had amounted to several just under a grand in savings my family. Still think cents-off coupons amount to just cents?
Think again! Cents-off grocery coupons mean hundred dollar bills in your pocket!
Oh really? Does it not matter to you that I am able to average 70% or more off my grocery bills by taking the time to either clip or print food discount coupons? I dragged out all my grocery receipts for the last few months just to prove a point. I tallied up the savings from my last few months and in the end my efforts had amounted to several just under a grand in savings my family. Still think cents-off coupons amount to just cents?
Think again! Cents-off grocery coupons mean hundred dollar bills in your pocket!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Cheap Healthy Meals
I was asked by one of my regular readers yesterday how to make cheap healthy meals using coupons?
You see, my reader had gotten really good at buying groceries with coupons for next to nothing and loved the price. When she looked at all of the packaged and processed food stacking up in her pantry she found that her diet was not as healthy as it could have been and wondered what she could do to maximize the nutrition in her newly overhauled frugal grocery shopping efforts.
I can see the problem, and will admit that processed stuff is generally the most heavily promoted, yet decidedly not the most nutritious diet you could be eating.
Here is how to solve the problem:
1. Buy meat (if you eat it) fresh and cook by grilling, broiling, or roasting on a rack. You will lower your salt consumption, and avoid the chemicals and additives of prepared meats. Incidentally, buying fresh meat on sale is almost always the cheapest price ounce for ounce unless there is a really exceptional coupon offer around.
2. Buy fresh produce somewhere other than the grocery store. Fresh fruit stands, farmers markets, u-pick farms and dollar stores that carry produce are usually a better deal anyway.
3. Buy bakery items either at the dollar store or local bakery outlet. Just Google "Orowheat bakery outlet" and your location to find the nearest outlet store.
4. Use coupons for healthier versions of prepared foods. Look for lower salt, sugar and fat options on the grocery store shelves.
5. Watch the waste. Get used to putting the last little bit in the freezer to avoid spoilage. Waste can escalate your food bills by as much as 20% every month.
With a little attention to detail, you can easily combine frugal grocery shopping with eating an extremely healthy diet. The two can and do go together, it just takes knowing where to get the lowest prices on the healthiest food options. Using supermarket coupons plays a large role in the process of learning to make cheap healthy meals while grocery shopping cheap.
You see, my reader had gotten really good at buying groceries with coupons for next to nothing and loved the price. When she looked at all of the packaged and processed food stacking up in her pantry she found that her diet was not as healthy as it could have been and wondered what she could do to maximize the nutrition in her newly overhauled frugal grocery shopping efforts.
I can see the problem, and will admit that processed stuff is generally the most heavily promoted, yet decidedly not the most nutritious diet you could be eating.
Here is how to solve the problem:
1. Buy meat (if you eat it) fresh and cook by grilling, broiling, or roasting on a rack. You will lower your salt consumption, and avoid the chemicals and additives of prepared meats. Incidentally, buying fresh meat on sale is almost always the cheapest price ounce for ounce unless there is a really exceptional coupon offer around.
2. Buy fresh produce somewhere other than the grocery store. Fresh fruit stands, farmers markets, u-pick farms and dollar stores that carry produce are usually a better deal anyway.
3. Buy bakery items either at the dollar store or local bakery outlet. Just Google "Orowheat bakery outlet" and your location to find the nearest outlet store.
4. Use coupons for healthier versions of prepared foods. Look for lower salt, sugar and fat options on the grocery store shelves.
5. Watch the waste. Get used to putting the last little bit in the freezer to avoid spoilage. Waste can escalate your food bills by as much as 20% every month.
With a little attention to detail, you can easily combine frugal grocery shopping with eating an extremely healthy diet. The two can and do go together, it just takes knowing where to get the lowest prices on the healthiest food options. Using supermarket coupons plays a large role in the process of learning to make cheap healthy meals while grocery shopping cheap.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Organic Grocery Coupons
It is no secret that organic foods are both healthy and pricey without organic food coupons.
If you ever thought that skipping the organic foods might make your budget a litte easier to stomach, I urge you to watch this hillarious video and give organic foods a little more thought.
Need discounts on organic foods? Check here for organic food coupons.
If you ever thought that skipping the organic foods might make your budget a litte easier to stomach, I urge you to watch this hillarious video and give organic foods a little more thought.
Need discounts on organic foods? Check here for organic food coupons
.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Grocery Coupons Offer a Source of Free Food
Can you really use grocery coupons to get food for free on a regular basis? I had someone email me that question just a few days ago. Like so many others, both she and her spouse have both been laid off from their jobs of 10 years at the same time and are desperate for some answers on how to reduce grocery spending.
The short answer is yes, free food and products are the norm when using grocery coupons both on a regular basis and extensively. Some weeks are better than other when it comes to available free food items, but you can usually find several or more per week. Not to mention several others that you can get for just pennies.
To maximize the savings when you find a freebie for the week you will need to be willing to stockpile free product. I don’t mean one item or two… think 10, 20 or 30 free items when you have the opportunity.
Who cares if you will be eating peanut butter forever if every jar you open for the next year was a freebie? If you are broke, free is the best price you can hope for. Even if you are not broke, I’ll take free any day.
What You Will Need
1. Time. Time to clip coupons, sort through the sales fliers and make multiple trips to the store in order to stockpile this much product. Most stores only allow 3 like coupons, so you’ll need to make several trips to get this much product. I usually go through the self check out once, and the regular check out once per day.
2. Coupons, lots of like coupons. Get these by printing from an online coupon site, extra Sunday papers or using a coupon clipping service. 1 coupon for every item you wish to purchase. Having enough coupons are critical.
3. Access to a Double Coupon Store. Double coupon stores make getting a good deal or freebie a lot easier.
4. Patience. It does take patience to be willing to shop more than once a week. I factor in the cost of gas and my time to be sure that I’m getting a good return for both. If the sales are really good on a certain week, I’m always willing to make an extra trip or two, or three.
5. Storage Space. Store canned goods in a cool and dry place. I also use a sharpie to write the date purchased on the labels. It makes rotation and spotting really old items easier in the long run.
Is stockpiling free food a viable strategy? I do it all the time and it saves a small fortune on food. I tend to work in items I have more of into our menus naturally I have been doing this so long.
You can save many thousands of dollars a year if you use multiple like grocery coupons to help you find free food.
The short answer is yes, free food and products are the norm when using grocery coupons both on a regular basis and extensively. Some weeks are better than other when it comes to available free food items, but you can usually find several or more per week. Not to mention several others that you can get for just pennies.
To maximize the savings when you find a freebie for the week you will need to be willing to stockpile free product. I don’t mean one item or two… think 10, 20 or 30 free items when you have the opportunity.
Who cares if you will be eating peanut butter forever if every jar you open for the next year was a freebie? If you are broke, free is the best price you can hope for. Even if you are not broke, I’ll take free any day.
What You Will Need
1. Time. Time to clip coupons, sort through the sales fliers and make multiple trips to the store in order to stockpile this much product. Most stores only allow 3 like coupons, so you’ll need to make several trips to get this much product. I usually go through the self check out once, and the regular check out once per day.
2. Coupons, lots of like coupons. Get these by printing from an online coupon site, extra Sunday papers or using a coupon clipping service. 1 coupon for every item you wish to purchase. Having enough coupons are critical.
3. Access to a Double Coupon Store. Double coupon stores make getting a good deal or freebie a lot easier.
4. Patience. It does take patience to be willing to shop more than once a week. I factor in the cost of gas and my time to be sure that I’m getting a good return for both. If the sales are really good on a certain week, I’m always willing to make an extra trip or two, or three.
5. Storage Space. Store canned goods in a cool and dry place. I also use a sharpie to write the date purchased on the labels. It makes rotation and spotting really old items easier in the long run.
Is stockpiling free food a viable strategy? I do it all the time and it saves a small fortune on food. I tend to work in items I have more of into our menus naturally I have been doing this so long.
You can save many thousands of dollars a year if you use multiple like grocery coupons to help you find free food.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Grocery Coupons Online- the Real Places to Find the Best
Have you ever wondered where all the really good grocery coupons online can be found? You know, the high face value, save a lot at once coupons?
There are really only a few places to look and get these money savers.
1. Go straight to the manufacturer site. This can be time consuming, but you can not argue with the savings.
2. Smart Source. These are the same folks that bring you some of the Sunday coupon inserts every week. Smart Source also makes their coupons available for printing online. I use them to get free duplicates on the ones I need extras of.
3. Coupons.com is my favorite. The box directly after this post will lead you to some fantastic deals.
4. Amazon Grocery Coupon Codes. Of all the online grocery saving resources, Amazon has the best clearance sales and promotions. When the have products go on sale they reduce the price, offer free shipping, and then usually offer a huge 40% discount on top of that. Amazon grocery is a best kept secret for saving. Check the Amazon Grocery Specials Page often, you will find something new almost every time you visit.
The reality is that regardless of what kind of grocery coupons online you are looking for online, knowing where to find them quickly and easily will save you a lot of time every week.
There are really only a few places to look and get these money savers.
1. Go straight to the manufacturer site. This can be time consuming, but you can not argue with the savings.
2. Smart Source. These are the same folks that bring you some of the Sunday coupon inserts every week. Smart Source also makes their coupons available for printing online. I use them to get free duplicates on the ones I need extras of.
3. Coupons.com is my favorite. The box directly after this post will lead you to some fantastic deals.
4. Amazon Grocery Coupon Codes. Of all the online grocery saving resources, Amazon has the best clearance sales and promotions. When the have products go on sale they reduce the price, offer free shipping, and then usually offer a huge 40% discount on top of that. Amazon grocery is a best kept secret for saving. Check the Amazon Grocery Specials Page
often, you will find something new almost every time you visit.The reality is that regardless of what kind of grocery coupons online you are looking for online, knowing where to find them quickly and easily will save you a lot of time every week.
Amazon Grocery Coupon Codes Deal Alert: Yummy Savings this Month!
Wow! There are some fantastic savings to be had this month at with Amazon Grocery coupon codes.
A Huge Kraft Products case sale is going on right now. Big savings on cases of Starbucks coffee, cereals, macaroini and cheese and hundreds of tother Kraft products. Free Shipping included too. While you are there have a look at the Kraft 2/$25 Sale list, good deals here as well.
If you are trying to eat healthier, then 50 % off Organic Foods Sale has 153 items currently reduced for savings 0f 50% off or more.
There are still more deals to be found on Grocery Gold Box specials.
Whatever you are looking for, Amazon has better than thier usually good deals in their grocery department this month. The coupon codes and purchase requirements are at the top of the page. Just follow any link to learn more.
A Huge Kraft Products case sale
is going on right now. Big savings on cases of Starbucks coffee, cereals, macaroini and cheese and hundreds of tother Kraft products. Free Shipping included too. While you are there have a look at the Kraft 2/$25 Sale list, good deals here as well.If you are trying to eat healthier, then 50 % off Organic Foods Sale
has 153 items currently reduced for savings 0f 50% off or more.There are still more deals to be found on Grocery Gold Box specials.
Whatever you are looking for, Amazon has better than thier usually good deals in their grocery department this month. The coupon codes and purchase requirements are at the top of the page. Just follow any link to learn more.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Where to Find Grocery Supermarket Coupons
Grocery supermarket coupons are easy to find and quite often free. There are literally thousands of offers available to help you save money everyday.
With new technologies coupon distribution has become a lot less expensive in recent years, allowing food manufacturers to give higher face value coupons to consumers.
Why is this important? The higher the face value the more you will save on your purchase. High face-value coupons make your savings add up faster.
14 Places to Find High Face Value Grocery Coupons
1. In the Sunday Food Inserts. Your Sunday paper is still the best place for clipable grocery coupons. I usually preview the coupons in the paper delivered to my home and then buy an extra (or more) if the coupons are good for the week.
2. The Wednesday Food Section of the Paper. The Wednesday food section has some very high face value coupons and should not be overlooked. Again I preview my paper at home and run to the gas station at the corner if the coupons are good enough to warrant the trip.
3. In Magazines. Food coupons are still regularly printed in magazines, especially women oriented publications and parenting themed periodicals.
4. Snail Mail Coupon Packs. Yes, companies like Val-Pak and Pennysaver still get mailed to your house. You’ll need to dig through the offers, but some food coupons are exceptional.
5. Grocery Shopping Surveys Mailed to Your Home. I get these from time to time and they actually do send you the coupons when you fill out and mail in their surveys. It’s worth the effort, the last bunch I got were worth a dollar or more each.
6. Automatic Shelf Dispensers. Be sure to look for the little red coupon printers on the shelves in front of the products. While you can not double these offers, money back is money back.
7. In the Grocery Store Fliers. The grocery chains have gotten really good lately at putting bonus coupons in their weekly fliers. There are almost always coupons there every week and some are worth the effort to clip and then some.
8. In the Product Packages. Check the inside of boxes for either printed coupons or manufacturer coupons printed on the inside of the boxes.
9. On Product Packages. Look for instant coupons stuck on the products or hung on a neck hanger on bottles.
10. Online. Coupon websites are everywhere and offer printable coupons for groceries and other online stores.
11. Electronic Coupon Websites. These are all the rage right now and certainly make shopping easier. Learn more about electronic grocery coupons.
12. Manufacturer Websites. Manufacturer sites themselves often offer coupon if you either take their surveys or sign up for their mailing lists. There are literally thousands of offers so be sure to check the maker of your favorite brands.
13. Email. Really, food manufacturers actually do email offers regularly. Don’t miss the opportunity to save.
14. Ebay Coupon Clipping Services. Looking for something special, or just a higher face value offer? Get coupons for really cheap. Seriously, spend pennies and save dollars. Whatever coupons you need, you will be sure to find here.
Get your coupons totally free, or spend a dollar to save ten, supermarket coupons are the way to go to beat the rapid inflation our economy is currently experiencing.
With new technologies coupon distribution has become a lot less expensive in recent years, allowing food manufacturers to give higher face value coupons to consumers.
Why is this important? The higher the face value the more you will save on your purchase. High face-value coupons make your savings add up faster.
14 Places to Find High Face Value Grocery Coupons
1. In the Sunday Food Inserts. Your Sunday paper is still the best place for clipable grocery coupons. I usually preview the coupons in the paper delivered to my home and then buy an extra (or more) if the coupons are good for the week.
2. The Wednesday Food Section of the Paper. The Wednesday food section has some very high face value coupons and should not be overlooked. Again I preview my paper at home and run to the gas station at the corner if the coupons are good enough to warrant the trip.
3. In Magazines. Food coupons are still regularly printed in magazines, especially women oriented publications and parenting themed periodicals.
4. Snail Mail Coupon Packs. Yes, companies like Val-Pak and Pennysaver still get mailed to your house. You’ll need to dig through the offers, but some food coupons are exceptional.
5. Grocery Shopping Surveys Mailed to Your Home. I get these from time to time and they actually do send you the coupons when you fill out and mail in their surveys. It’s worth the effort, the last bunch I got were worth a dollar or more each.
6. Automatic Shelf Dispensers. Be sure to look for the little red coupon printers on the shelves in front of the products. While you can not double these offers, money back is money back.
7. In the Grocery Store Fliers. The grocery chains have gotten really good lately at putting bonus coupons in their weekly fliers. There are almost always coupons there every week and some are worth the effort to clip and then some.
8. In the Product Packages. Check the inside of boxes for either printed coupons or manufacturer coupons printed on the inside of the boxes.
9. On Product Packages. Look for instant coupons stuck on the products or hung on a neck hanger on bottles.
10. Online. Coupon websites are everywhere and offer printable coupons for groceries and other online stores.
11. Electronic Coupon Websites. These are all the rage right now and certainly make shopping easier. Learn more about electronic grocery coupons.
12. Manufacturer Websites. Manufacturer sites themselves often offer coupon if you either take their surveys or sign up for their mailing lists. There are literally thousands of offers so be sure to check the maker of your favorite brands.
13. Email. Really, food manufacturers actually do email offers regularly. Don’t miss the opportunity to save.
14. Ebay Coupon Clipping Services. Looking for something special, or just a higher face value offer? Get coupons for really cheap. Seriously, spend pennies and save dollars. Whatever coupons you need, you will be sure to find here.
Get your coupons totally free, or spend a dollar to save ten, supermarket coupons are the way to go to beat the rapid inflation our economy is currently experiencing.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Free Printable Grocery Coupons
Do you want to know why printable grocery store coupons are my favorite way to save money at the grocery store? They work and save a lot of money without much effort at all!
Did you ever consider how the most frugal among us can buy their food for just a few dollars, rather than hundreds? I am about to tell you how they do it: they use coupons on everything in their shopping carts and stock up when the prices are very low.
Let me explain. In order to get the huge discounts the super shoppers do week in and week out, you need to have a ton of coupons at your disposal. Most preferably free coupons, free printable grocery coupons or clipped coupons, but sometimes grocery coupons purchased through a coupon clipping service for just pennies.
Having a lot of multiple coupons will allow you to buy many of the same items when you can find an exceptional deal. In order to do this efficiently, multiple like coupons are the way to go. When you find a freebie it is time to stock up. Don't mess around with the savings on one or two items, go for a dozen or more at a time.
How do printable grocery store coupons save you money? Printable grocery store coupons do not cost anything. Free is always a good price when trying to save. Printable grocery store coupons can usually be printed several at a time everyday, this helps you get those coveted multiple coupons for only your time. Some sites have limits on some offers, but you can always print more than one at a time. You will save a lot of time by only printing what you will need; but if you think you will use the coupon print away. Free is good, easy is better, but HUGE savings is the best!
Printable grocery store discount coupons are simple to use, worth more than traditional coupons, and offer around a dollar per item savings on average. When you are looking for savings, printable grocery coupons are a versitile tool in your money saving tool box.
Why are printable grocery store coupons so great? They save tons of money for cash strapped consumers.
where to get free printable grocery coupons
How to get free food using free printable grocery coupons
If the item is nonperishable, don't be shy, "buy" as much as you can.
Did you ever consider how the most frugal among us can buy their food for just a few dollars, rather than hundreds? I am about to tell you how they do it: they use coupons on everything in their shopping carts and stock up when the prices are very low.
Let me explain. In order to get the huge discounts the super shoppers do week in and week out, you need to have a ton of coupons at your disposal. Most preferably free coupons, free printable grocery coupons or clipped coupons, but sometimes grocery coupons purchased through a coupon clipping service for just pennies.
Having a lot of multiple coupons will allow you to buy many of the same items when you can find an exceptional deal. In order to do this efficiently, multiple like coupons are the way to go. When you find a freebie it is time to stock up. Don't mess around with the savings on one or two items, go for a dozen or more at a time.
How do printable grocery store coupons save you money? Printable grocery store coupons do not cost anything. Free is always a good price when trying to save. Printable grocery store coupons can usually be printed several at a time everyday, this helps you get those coveted multiple coupons for only your time. Some sites have limits on some offers, but you can always print more than one at a time. You will save a lot of time by only printing what you will need; but if you think you will use the coupon print away. Free is good, easy is better, but HUGE savings is the best!
Printable grocery store discount coupons are simple to use, worth more than traditional coupons, and offer around a dollar per item savings on average. When you are looking for savings, printable grocery coupons are a versitile tool in your money saving tool box.
Why are printable grocery store coupons so great? They save tons of money for cash strapped consumers.
where to get free printable grocery coupons
How to get free food using free printable grocery coupons
If the item is nonperishable, don't be shy, "buy" as much as you can.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Free Food Ideas for Grocery Savings
Why should everyone take a minute to learn about free food ideas for grocery savings? Free food ideas are always good information to have. Cheap meals might be good, but you just can not beat free. Besides the free is the best price wisdom, you just never know when you may need to eat either a really cheap or free meal.
I awoke to the latest headlines on the economy this morning in our local paper, "global recession could be responsible for another 10.1 million job losses, US jobless rate still at 6.1 million."
10 million more jobs could still possibly be lost? The way the article was written, it was a bit ambiguous as to if the 10.1 million job projection is for the world economy or the US alone, although the reality of the statement got me thinking WHAT IF. What if it happens to my family or somebody close to me.
With the sobering thought that the reality of pay cuts, hour reductions, or outright layoffs as a possibility for any of us I began to think about what could be done. The best solution is to eat free if possible, since your grocery bill is the largest of your variable expenses.
Drastic times call for drastic measures right?
6 Free Food Ideas for Reducing Grocery Expenses
1. Shop in your own cupboards and pantry. Your stockpiles are crucial when you find yourself short of cash. Buy it ahead, buy it with coupons and keep a good variety of staples on hand just in case. It it worth noting that stockpiling makes good sense for financial self defense in our economy in case of pay cuts or layoffs, while the strategy also protects you from price increases and inflation. Nobody is saying it, but I track food prices closely. Prices on food are still rising on the whole, while the price of loss leaders and sale items seems to be falling. Buy it on sale or do not buy it at all.
2. Use coupons combined with sale prices to get free items. There is rarely a better price than free. Buy a lot when you find a good deal and keep those cupboards full. Use online resources to find free coupons en masse, and buy multiples of sale items. Get the full strategy for using coupon clipping services for savings here. This strategy works, and works really, really well. I shop this way all the time and it nets me freebies consistently.
3. Use your leftovers. Leftovers are already paid for, so don't waste them and get a free meal. No kidding, use it all and watch the savings stack up.
4. Grow it yourself. If you have a green thumb, or even if you don't, add a container garden or edible landscaping to your home and save on the veggies and fruits you grow. You water your landscaping anyway, so you may as well get something for the money you are already spending.
5. Find a friend with garden surplus. Trade them help in the garden for a few hours for their excess of fresh fruit and vegetables. You will be surprised at how much you can save by not paying for produce. I know a few people personally that do this and never buy produce anymore.
6. Eat with family or friends. It is always nice to be able to bum a meal now and again. Again, I know someone who lost their job recently and has managed to have 2 full months of meals just by eating regularly with their very large network of friends and eating what they already had on hand.
Finding free food ideas for grocery savings is not difficult, it only requires a little creativity.
I awoke to the latest headlines on the economy this morning in our local paper, "global recession could be responsible for another 10.1 million job losses, US jobless rate still at 6.1 million."
10 million more jobs could still possibly be lost? The way the article was written, it was a bit ambiguous as to if the 10.1 million job projection is for the world economy or the US alone, although the reality of the statement got me thinking WHAT IF. What if it happens to my family or somebody close to me.
With the sobering thought that the reality of pay cuts, hour reductions, or outright layoffs as a possibility for any of us I began to think about what could be done. The best solution is to eat free if possible, since your grocery bill is the largest of your variable expenses.
Drastic times call for drastic measures right?
6 Free Food Ideas for Reducing Grocery Expenses
1. Shop in your own cupboards and pantry. Your stockpiles are crucial when you find yourself short of cash. Buy it ahead, buy it with coupons and keep a good variety of staples on hand just in case. It it worth noting that stockpiling makes good sense for financial self defense in our economy in case of pay cuts or layoffs, while the strategy also protects you from price increases and inflation. Nobody is saying it, but I track food prices closely. Prices on food are still rising on the whole, while the price of loss leaders and sale items seems to be falling. Buy it on sale or do not buy it at all.
2. Use coupons combined with sale prices to get free items. There is rarely a better price than free. Buy a lot when you find a good deal and keep those cupboards full. Use online resources to find free coupons en masse, and buy multiples of sale items. Get the full strategy for using coupon clipping services for savings here. This strategy works, and works really, really well. I shop this way all the time and it nets me freebies consistently.
3. Use your leftovers. Leftovers are already paid for, so don't waste them and get a free meal. No kidding, use it all and watch the savings stack up.
4. Grow it yourself. If you have a green thumb, or even if you don't, add a container garden or edible landscaping to your home and save on the veggies and fruits you grow. You water your landscaping anyway, so you may as well get something for the money you are already spending.
5. Find a friend with garden surplus. Trade them help in the garden for a few hours for their excess of fresh fruit and vegetables. You will be surprised at how much you can save by not paying for produce. I know a few people personally that do this and never buy produce anymore.
6. Eat with family or friends. It is always nice to be able to bum a meal now and again. Again, I know someone who lost their job recently and has managed to have 2 full months of meals just by eating regularly with their very large network of friends and eating what they already had on hand.
Finding free food ideas for grocery savings is not difficult, it only requires a little creativity.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Free Online Grocery Coupons
Free online grocery coupons are money savers, yes big money savers!
One thing is for certain, the more free online grocery coupons you can find, the more money you will save at the grocery store.
I have said it before and I will say it again. Using grocery discount coupons to save money on your food bill is the fastest way to save a small fortune every month.
The strategy for saving hundreds of dollars a month on food is really, really simple, no rocket science here folks. Find and use as many coupons as you can every month and you will get a lot more for your money than you would without using cents off coupons.
Here are the rules in a nutshell for my newer readers:
1. Find and use a coupon for every item in your shopping cart.
2. Find multiple coupons for every sale item you plan to buy.
3. Plan to use your double coupons at double coupons stores or on triple coupons days.
Always buy multiple “like” items with your multiple coupons when the prices are either very low or free. Stock up!
4. Look for buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO) offers. BOGOS will often yield free products when combined with coupons. Depending on the store, you can always use one coupon on the full priced item. Some stores will also let you use a coupon on the free item.
5. Plan your shopping trip, and stick to your list.
6. Shop when the store is less busy. Early mornings are best because the store is less crowded and more likely to be well stocked than later in the evening.
7. Stay organized. Pull the coupons you will definitely use ahead of your shopping trip and paperclip them to your shopping list.
8. Always buy only on sale and with a double or triple coupon.
9. If the price is not at least 50% or more off full shelf price, then pass.
Learn the basics and you will be saving 70% or more on your shopping bill in no time flat. There really is nothing difficult about learning to save this much money every week, you just need a lot of coupons to make it happen. Multiple, high face value grocery coupons are the secret to saving a lot of money.
Where to get your coupons:
The Sunday paper is a good place to start, the food inserts are full of coupons. Next, take your search online, there are literally thousands of free printable online grocery coupons floating around in cyberspace. Print several of each of the offers you want and add them to your coupon stash. Lastly, don’t forget the new ecoupon sites. These sites are really cool and allow you to load the savings directly to your store club card before you grocery shop. Once you get to the checkout and swipe your card, the amount of the coupon will automatically come off your grocery bill. Ecoupons are quick and hassle free savings.
If all of the coupons above are not enough, or if I want more multiples of high face value coupons for certain items, use a coupon clipping service to supplement your existing coupons. For pennies, I can save time and hassle while still getting a ton of savings on selected items. Really though, the printable coupons found online offer a huge variety of grocery coupons for free, so check there first, then go on to the clipping service offers.
Follow these few rules and you will save money, no doubt about it. Free online grocery coupons are a good way to do just that.
One thing is for certain, the more free online grocery coupons you can find, the more money you will save at the grocery store.
I have said it before and I will say it again. Using grocery discount coupons to save money on your food bill is the fastest way to save a small fortune every month.
The strategy for saving hundreds of dollars a month on food is really, really simple, no rocket science here folks. Find and use as many coupons as you can every month and you will get a lot more for your money than you would without using cents off coupons.
Here are the rules in a nutshell for my newer readers:
1. Find and use a coupon for every item in your shopping cart.
2. Find multiple coupons for every sale item you plan to buy.
3. Plan to use your double coupons at double coupons stores or on triple coupons days.
Always buy multiple “like” items with your multiple coupons when the prices are either very low or free. Stock up!
4. Look for buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO) offers. BOGOS will often yield free products when combined with coupons. Depending on the store, you can always use one coupon on the full priced item. Some stores will also let you use a coupon on the free item.
5. Plan your shopping trip, and stick to your list.
6. Shop when the store is less busy. Early mornings are best because the store is less crowded and more likely to be well stocked than later in the evening.
7. Stay organized. Pull the coupons you will definitely use ahead of your shopping trip and paperclip them to your shopping list.
8. Always buy only on sale and with a double or triple coupon.
9. If the price is not at least 50% or more off full shelf price, then pass.
Learn the basics and you will be saving 70% or more on your shopping bill in no time flat. There really is nothing difficult about learning to save this much money every week, you just need a lot of coupons to make it happen. Multiple, high face value grocery coupons are the secret to saving a lot of money.
Where to get your coupons:
The Sunday paper is a good place to start, the food inserts are full of coupons. Next, take your search online, there are literally thousands of free printable online grocery coupons floating around in cyberspace. Print several of each of the offers you want and add them to your coupon stash. Lastly, don’t forget the new ecoupon sites. These sites are really cool and allow you to load the savings directly to your store club card before you grocery shop. Once you get to the checkout and swipe your card, the amount of the coupon will automatically come off your grocery bill. Ecoupons are quick and hassle free savings.
If all of the coupons above are not enough, or if I want more multiples of high face value coupons for certain items, use a coupon clipping service to supplement your existing coupons. For pennies, I can save time and hassle while still getting a ton of savings on selected items. Really though, the printable coupons found online offer a huge variety of grocery coupons for free, so check there first, then go on to the clipping service offers.
Follow these few rules and you will save money, no doubt about it. Free online grocery coupons are a good way to do just that.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Buy Discount Coffee Online
Why should you buy discount coffee online? Because it's cheap, really, really cheap.
Buying discount coffee online does not mean just the run of the mill grocery store brands, although you can find savings on those as well. You may not know it, but you can almost always find gourmet and specialty blends online for less than half of the full price you would find in bricks and mortar retail stores.
How come?
Online retailers have the edge. They routinely sell either at, or slightly above wholesale and consistently beat out the store based local retailers due to lower overhead. With low overhead online retailers offer great savings, good service, free or low cost shipping, and make up the difference in volume undercutting the price of your local store.
What's the catch?
There isn't one really. You just need to buy in large enough volume to get the discount on the special offer, and free shipping on a minimum purchase to make the deal work. Don't let bulk purchases scare you. In this case bulk is not really that much. Coffee lasts a long time in the fridge, especially if you buy whole beans rather than ground, so you do not need to worry about using all the coffee.
Here's another shopping tip:
In addition to discount coffee, you can buy many shelf stable products for deep discounts online. The savings can be spectacular on some sales and special offers. As always, do the math to be sure you are getting a good deal.
Two good resources for buying coffee online:
Save $20 on Starbucks Gourmet Coffee this works out to (3) double packs for $39 including free shipping, offer good through April 30, 2009.
If you are looking for other brands besides Starbucks, try the discount coffee page for all other brands at big savings of 50-70% off.
The long and the short of it...don't go to a cheaper brand you would enjoy less if you love good coffee. Shop smarter, and buy discount coffee online.
Buying discount coffee online does not mean just the run of the mill grocery store brands, although you can find savings on those as well. You may not know it, but you can almost always find gourmet and specialty blends online for less than half of the full price you would find in bricks and mortar retail stores.
How come?
Online retailers have the edge. They routinely sell either at, or slightly above wholesale and consistently beat out the store based local retailers due to lower overhead. With low overhead online retailers offer great savings, good service, free or low cost shipping, and make up the difference in volume undercutting the price of your local store.
What's the catch?
There isn't one really. You just need to buy in large enough volume to get the discount on the special offer, and free shipping on a minimum purchase to make the deal work. Don't let bulk purchases scare you. In this case bulk is not really that much. Coffee lasts a long time in the fridge, especially if you buy whole beans rather than ground, so you do not need to worry about using all the coffee.
Here's another shopping tip:
In addition to discount coffee, you can buy many shelf stable products for deep discounts online. The savings can be spectacular on some sales and special offers. As always, do the math to be sure you are getting a good deal.
Two good resources for buying coffee online:
Save $20 on Starbucks Gourmet Coffee
this works out to (3) double packs for $39 including free shipping, offer good through April 30, 2009.If you are looking for other brands besides Starbucks, try the discount coffee page for all other brands at big savings of 50-70% off.
The long and the short of it...don't go to a cheaper brand you would enjoy less if you love good coffee. Shop smarter, and buy discount coffee online.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Half Price Sale Plus Grocery Coupons Means Free!
Here is a great deal alert for all of you starting first thing tomorrow morning when Easter candy is on half price sale or clearanced. Those of you lucky enough to be sitting on Easter candy coupons will be able to get lots of freebies due to the markdowns starting first thing in the morning. Just use your double coupons with the clearance price and take home a free, or several bags of candy.
Traditionally holiday items are put "on sale" the week just prior to the holidays, and discount grocery coupons are dropped about two weeks before the sales begin to stimulate sales for the holiay.
If you save your coupons for the day just after the holiday, then you can take your pick of what is left for free or very close to it.
You can use this same savings strategy at Easter, Halloween and around Christmas.
Need a freebie? Get some extra coupons around the holiday, and use them as soon as the store opens the day after the holiday. The selection may not always be the best, but the price is sure right when you combine half price clearance sales with double grocery coupons.
Traditionally holiday items are put "on sale" the week just prior to the holidays, and discount grocery coupons are dropped about two weeks before the sales begin to stimulate sales for the holiay.
If you save your coupons for the day just after the holiday, then you can take your pick of what is left for free or very close to it.
You can use this same savings strategy at Easter, Halloween and around Christmas.
Need a freebie? Get some extra coupons around the holiday, and use them as soon as the store opens the day after the holiday. The selection may not always be the best, but the price is sure right when you combine half price clearance sales with double grocery coupons.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Deal Alert: April Coupons.com Printable Coupons Just Added!
Wow! Coupons.com has really outdone themselves this month with some fantastic high face value coupons for the month.
There are several $5 off coupons for Hasbro games (start thinking about Birthday and Christmas presents at this price!), Dove soap, Curves products, Progresso products and much more.
Great selection this month and all are high dollar amounts. To view the entire selection, hit the "view all coupons" at the top of the Coupons.com ad and take a look.
Happy Savings!
There are several $5 off coupons for Hasbro games (start thinking about Birthday and Christmas presents at this price!), Dove soap, Curves products, Progresso products and much more.
Great selection this month and all are high dollar amounts. To view the entire selection, hit the "view all coupons" at the top of the Coupons.com ad and take a look.
Happy Savings!
Friday, April 3, 2009
How to Shop a No Frills Grocery Store for Savings
If you want to cut your grocery expenses in a hurry, try a no frills grocery store for savings.
What is a no frills grocery store?
There is a discounted chain of supermarkets by the same name, but for the sake of this article, we are referring mainly to the to deep discount supermarket chains. Generally, deep discount supermarkets offer a warehouse type environment without the giant packages.
What is shopping in a no frills grocery store like?
You can expect huge, well organized stores with full service bakeries, meat departments, produce and dairy departments. Services are pretty much the same as any other grocery store.
What is the difference between a regular supermarket and no frills store then?
Basically, the savings of 30% or more from the full shelf prices in your regular supermarket comes from store policies designed to save labor. You can expect the shelves to be neatly stocked with cases that have been cut open and paced on the shelves rather than products on the shelf itself, and you will most likely be expected to bag your own groceries at the checkout. Other than that, it is pretty much business as usual. Not much of a concession for the savings, and great saving it is.
Do no frills supermarkets still take coupons?
Most do, although a few do not. Check the store policies before you go. I will give you the heads up that deep discount no frills grocers do not double and triple coupons.
Is it crowded, will I wait a long time at the checkout?
The prices are low and a good value, so yes the stores do tend to be crowded with the worst crowds on the weekends. Shop at off hours and your shopping experience will be less hectic.
How about quality, are the products as good for the money?
Amazingly, the several stores I shop the most often, yes. I have found that the store brands are an exceptional value, and the national brands are well priced.
How do I get my best deal?
I use the same strategies you would use in a regular supermarket. I take a ton of coupons and use them even at the face values. Store sales are a great deal at discount grocery chains…especially on produce, meat and dairy items. Additionally, buy in bulk when the price is right, buy produce in season, and do not be afraid to try the store brands.
No frills grocery stores are a great way to save over 50% off your grocery bills without a lot of effort. Shop the sales, use coupons for extra savings and get big discount just for bagging your own groceries.
What is a no frills grocery store?
There is a discounted chain of supermarkets by the same name, but for the sake of this article, we are referring mainly to the to deep discount supermarket chains. Generally, deep discount supermarkets offer a warehouse type environment without the giant packages.
What is shopping in a no frills grocery store like?
You can expect huge, well organized stores with full service bakeries, meat departments, produce and dairy departments. Services are pretty much the same as any other grocery store.
What is the difference between a regular supermarket and no frills store then?
Basically, the savings of 30% or more from the full shelf prices in your regular supermarket comes from store policies designed to save labor. You can expect the shelves to be neatly stocked with cases that have been cut open and paced on the shelves rather than products on the shelf itself, and you will most likely be expected to bag your own groceries at the checkout. Other than that, it is pretty much business as usual. Not much of a concession for the savings, and great saving it is.
Do no frills supermarkets still take coupons?
Most do, although a few do not. Check the store policies before you go. I will give you the heads up that deep discount no frills grocers do not double and triple coupons.
Is it crowded, will I wait a long time at the checkout?
The prices are low and a good value, so yes the stores do tend to be crowded with the worst crowds on the weekends. Shop at off hours and your shopping experience will be less hectic.
How about quality, are the products as good for the money?
Amazingly, the several stores I shop the most often, yes. I have found that the store brands are an exceptional value, and the national brands are well priced.
How do I get my best deal?
I use the same strategies you would use in a regular supermarket. I take a ton of coupons and use them even at the face values. Store sales are a great deal at discount grocery chains…especially on produce, meat and dairy items. Additionally, buy in bulk when the price is right, buy produce in season, and do not be afraid to try the store brands.
No frills grocery stores are a great way to save over 50% off your grocery bills without a lot of effort. Shop the sales, use coupons for extra savings and get big discount just for bagging your own groceries.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Dollar Meals: How to Eat Healthy for a Buck!
Who says you can not eat healthy for a dollar? With dollar meals you can do just that.
I have had many people say "I have my cheap ingredients and coupon deals, now what do I do with them?" How true it is that using supermarket coupons is only one part of the equation for feeding your family well for cheap.
I love resources like Big Oven to look for new ideas for cheap and healthy meals. Big Oven is a data base where you can plug in the ingredients you have on hand and up will pop a whole list of recipes for you to try. It makes both inexperience and the occasional lack of creativity no problem for finding something delicious for dinner for a very frugal price.
Here are a few other ideas to get you started.
Breakfasts
Breakfast is the cheapest meal of the day to cook. You can easily cook up any meal with eggs, toast and coffee for around a buck per person if you are watching out for specials when you shop. The key is getting your ingredients for cheap at the store.
You may like: homemade muffins, quiche, french toast, homemade waffles, homemade pancakes, oatmeal and cornbread. Cold cereals and milk will easily fall into this price range if purchased with coupons and on sale.
Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and dinner is a little tougher to come up with a bargain, but still very doable.
You may like: homemade pizza, soups, stews, chili, any kind on sale meat marinated and on the grill, quiche, homemade stir fry,tacos, meatloaf and meatballs, main dish salads.
The key with heavier lunch and dinner menus is to keep the cost of the proteins down to a reasonable level and then fill in with lots of homegrown or sale priced produce and/or grains or pastas. Your choices get broader the better your shopping and bargain hunting skills become.
Additional Resources For Dollar Meals:
Dollar Store Food and Gourmet Meals
Cheap Meal Ideas for Breakfast
Cheap Meal Ideas: The Best Meatballs and Meatloaf
What Makes a Recipe Cheap?
I have had many people say "I have my cheap ingredients and coupon deals, now what do I do with them?" How true it is that using supermarket coupons is only one part of the equation for feeding your family well for cheap.
I love resources like Big Oven to look for new ideas for cheap and healthy meals. Big Oven is a data base where you can plug in the ingredients you have on hand and up will pop a whole list of recipes for you to try. It makes both inexperience and the occasional lack of creativity no problem for finding something delicious for dinner for a very frugal price.
Here are a few other ideas to get you started.
Breakfasts
Breakfast is the cheapest meal of the day to cook. You can easily cook up any meal with eggs, toast and coffee for around a buck per person if you are watching out for specials when you shop. The key is getting your ingredients for cheap at the store.
You may like: homemade muffins, quiche, french toast, homemade waffles, homemade pancakes, oatmeal and cornbread. Cold cereals and milk will easily fall into this price range if purchased with coupons and on sale.
Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and dinner is a little tougher to come up with a bargain, but still very doable.
You may like: homemade pizza, soups, stews, chili, any kind on sale meat marinated and on the grill, quiche, homemade stir fry,tacos, meatloaf and meatballs, main dish salads.
The key with heavier lunch and dinner menus is to keep the cost of the proteins down to a reasonable level and then fill in with lots of homegrown or sale priced produce and/or grains or pastas. Your choices get broader the better your shopping and bargain hunting skills become.
Additional Resources For Dollar Meals:
Dollar Store Food and Gourmet Meals
Cheap Meal Ideas for Breakfast
Cheap Meal Ideas: The Best Meatballs and Meatloaf
What Makes a Recipe Cheap?
Saturday, March 28, 2009
The Advantages of Grocery Shopping Online
It really should not surprise you that online grocery shopping has gained in popularity over the last few years.
Why? Here are 8 good reasons that people love to grocery shop online:
1. No wasted time. No travel time to the grocery store, driving around waiting for a parking place, waiting in line at the checkout, loading your groceries in your car and driving back home.
2. No more going out to shop in bad weather. Yep, bad weather complicates the process still further. Heat, and rain and can make a not fun task still more unpleasant and add time to your shopping trip.
3. Your groceries come to your door, you don’t go to them. This is one huge advantage that explains why people prefer to shop online and is the most often sited reason for doing so. Gone are the days of high delivery charges, most online grocers offer free delivery service. You save time, frustration and gas when your groceries come to you.
4. You are less likely to buy things that are not on your shopping list. A lot of consumers have difficulty with impulse buying. If you are one of them, you will not be subjected to endless displays tempting you to buy more than you had planned.
5. Shop whenever you have time. No need to worry about busy schedules anymore. Online grocery shopping allows you to shop 24/7 and 365 days a year when you have the time. Shop whenever and wherever you feel like it, then schedule delivery at your convenience.
6. Online grocery is easier than fighting the crowds. You can take your time shopping and looking for bargains rather than working your way up and down the grocery aisles. You will not need to navigate crowded aisles, pallets of product being stocked, and have your tired and hungry kids begging you for candy just before dinner. A much less stressful and relaxing experience all the way around.
7. Online grocers are set up so that your favorites are in a handy list. Once you have used the system for a while you can select your staples quickly and easily from one list. I love this feature, it is a definite bonus. Some online grocers even have the ability to let you place a standing order.
8. You can still use your coupons. This will vary from store to store, but some allow you to use your grocery coupons. In addition, online grocers have to offer discounts in order to keep their market share and be competitive with bricks and mortar businesses. Look for additional electronic grocery coupons when placing your order with them. These savings can really add up and are often a good inducement for trying their services.
People really do like to grocery shop online. The savings are good from a financial standpoint. The time savings is still better. But the best reason to shop online? The biggest advantages in grocery shopping online are the time savings, and ease of shopping.
Why? Here are 8 good reasons that people love to grocery shop online:
1. No wasted time. No travel time to the grocery store, driving around waiting for a parking place, waiting in line at the checkout, loading your groceries in your car and driving back home.
2. No more going out to shop in bad weather. Yep, bad weather complicates the process still further. Heat, and rain and can make a not fun task still more unpleasant and add time to your shopping trip.
3. Your groceries come to your door, you don’t go to them. This is one huge advantage that explains why people prefer to shop online and is the most often sited reason for doing so. Gone are the days of high delivery charges, most online grocers offer free delivery service. You save time, frustration and gas when your groceries come to you.
4. You are less likely to buy things that are not on your shopping list. A lot of consumers have difficulty with impulse buying. If you are one of them, you will not be subjected to endless displays tempting you to buy more than you had planned.
5. Shop whenever you have time. No need to worry about busy schedules anymore. Online grocery shopping allows you to shop 24/7 and 365 days a year when you have the time. Shop whenever and wherever you feel like it, then schedule delivery at your convenience.
6. Online grocery is easier than fighting the crowds. You can take your time shopping and looking for bargains rather than working your way up and down the grocery aisles. You will not need to navigate crowded aisles, pallets of product being stocked, and have your tired and hungry kids begging you for candy just before dinner. A much less stressful and relaxing experience all the way around.
7. Online grocers are set up so that your favorites are in a handy list. Once you have used the system for a while you can select your staples quickly and easily from one list. I love this feature, it is a definite bonus. Some online grocers even have the ability to let you place a standing order.
8. You can still use your coupons. This will vary from store to store, but some allow you to use your grocery coupons. In addition, online grocers have to offer discounts in order to keep their market share and be competitive with bricks and mortar businesses. Look for additional electronic grocery coupons when placing your order with them. These savings can really add up and are often a good inducement for trying their services.
People really do like to grocery shop online. The savings are good from a financial standpoint. The time savings is still better. But the best reason to shop online? The biggest advantages in grocery shopping online are the time savings, and ease of shopping.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
10 Ways to Save $100 at the Grocery Store this Month!
Are you tired of spending a fortune on groceries? Really you should know that you can easily save $100 on food within the next month with mastering only a few savings tips:
1. Get a store loyalty card. Most of the promotions offered in major grocery chains are only available at the lower price to club members.
2. Buy only what is on sale. It is just that simple to save. Grocery store sales are generally in the 25-50% range. Buy only what is on sale and reduce your bill by up to 50%.
3. Study the sales flier before you go. Take the time to figure out what is really on sale and which items are at regular price or above. Usually you will find the weeks loss-leaders either on the front or back pages of the flier, so look there first for the best deals.
4. Use supermarket coupons. Clip and use grocery coupons on every shopping trip. You guessed it, discount food coupons are absolutely the fastest way to save on the products you buy the most often. Clip and save, then clip some more.
5. Have a coupon for every item in your shopping cart. Coupons save money, the more discounts the better. Do the math to be sure you are getting a good deal when using a coupon by comparing unit prices. Most often you will find that the price is right.
6. Use your coupons at a double or triple coupon store. Prices at double coupon stores are generally only a bit higher than in discount grocery stores. When shopping with a large number of coupons, hit the double coupon store where your savings will be the greatest. Of course this strategy assumes that you have a coupon for nearly every item in your shopping cart to compensate for the slightly increased prices. If not, go on to tip #7.
7. If the cheapest grocery store in town does not double coupons, shop there for everything besides your coupon purchases. No doubt about it, shopping in more than one grocery store for sale items is the best way to widen your choices and still get the discounted sale price. If you are not using double coupons then hit the cheaper store. It's worth the savings to shop in more than on store when sales are good and time permits.
8. Maximize savings by combining double or triple coupons with store sales. This is where the savings are the best. Quite often you will find free items when using this strategy.
9. Max out purchases when items are free or close to it. When you find a free item stock up. Free is good!
10. Look for markdowns when shopping, especially in the bakery and meat departments. I have found London broil for $1.00 a pound, lunch meat at $1.00 and bakery bagels for $1.00 for 8. Markdowns can save you a fortune. Either use short dated items right away or freeze as soon as you get home to avoid spoilage.
If you start using the 10 money saving strategies above I am absolutely certain that you will save much more than $100 in the next month. There are easily several hundred dollars a month savings in just the first two tips alone. That said savings strategies are individual preferences. What works for me will not necessarily work for you, hence the 10 tips for saving $100 on groceries next month. Pick and choose which strategies will work best for you, then get saving!
1. Get a store loyalty card. Most of the promotions offered in major grocery chains are only available at the lower price to club members.
2. Buy only what is on sale. It is just that simple to save. Grocery store sales are generally in the 25-50% range. Buy only what is on sale and reduce your bill by up to 50%.
3. Study the sales flier before you go. Take the time to figure out what is really on sale and which items are at regular price or above. Usually you will find the weeks loss-leaders either on the front or back pages of the flier, so look there first for the best deals.
4. Use supermarket coupons. Clip and use grocery coupons on every shopping trip. You guessed it, discount food coupons are absolutely the fastest way to save on the products you buy the most often. Clip and save, then clip some more.
5. Have a coupon for every item in your shopping cart. Coupons save money, the more discounts the better. Do the math to be sure you are getting a good deal when using a coupon by comparing unit prices. Most often you will find that the price is right.
6. Use your coupons at a double or triple coupon store. Prices at double coupon stores are generally only a bit higher than in discount grocery stores. When shopping with a large number of coupons, hit the double coupon store where your savings will be the greatest. Of course this strategy assumes that you have a coupon for nearly every item in your shopping cart to compensate for the slightly increased prices. If not, go on to tip #7.
7. If the cheapest grocery store in town does not double coupons, shop there for everything besides your coupon purchases. No doubt about it, shopping in more than one grocery store for sale items is the best way to widen your choices and still get the discounted sale price. If you are not using double coupons then hit the cheaper store. It's worth the savings to shop in more than on store when sales are good and time permits.
8. Maximize savings by combining double or triple coupons with store sales. This is where the savings are the best. Quite often you will find free items when using this strategy.
9. Max out purchases when items are free or close to it. When you find a free item stock up. Free is good!
10. Look for markdowns when shopping, especially in the bakery and meat departments. I have found London broil for $1.00 a pound, lunch meat at $1.00 and bakery bagels for $1.00 for 8. Markdowns can save you a fortune. Either use short dated items right away or freeze as soon as you get home to avoid spoilage.
If you start using the 10 money saving strategies above I am absolutely certain that you will save much more than $100 in the next month. There are easily several hundred dollars a month savings in just the first two tips alone. That said savings strategies are individual preferences. What works for me will not necessarily work for you, hence the 10 tips for saving $100 on groceries next month. Pick and choose which strategies will work best for you, then get saving!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
10 for 10 Grocery Sales: When NOT to Buy!
Yesterday we talked about what a good deal 10 for $10 grocery sales are. It is true that 10 for 10 grocery promotions are USUALLY a good deal. The more I thought on yesterday's post, the more I realized that I had been a bit remiss in telling the whole story.
In truth, there are a few situations that your may want to pass on the 10 for 10 grocery sales that are becoming the norm lately. Let’s look at those reasons today:
1. When the deal is not a deal. We have all seen sales where the prices are anything but a bargain. 10 for 10 sales are no different, sometimes the prices are a value, sometimes not. Once in a very great while you will find the odd product or two that is priced either at or above regular retail pricing. Unless you have a double coupon, you may want to pass.
2. You already have a full pantry. Yes, it is true. You may have become such a savvy shopper that you already have a pantry full of bargains at home. If you do, then pass, waste will escalate spending far faster than either poor shopping skills or running out of bargains before the next sale.
3. You have never tried the product before.If you are unsure of the quality of the product offered, then pass. Do a taste test to check both flavor and quality before stocking up. Again, sales and bargains are great; however waste will torpedo your best intentions for scaling back expenses.
4. You will not use the product. Yeah, the item is on sale and the price is right, but if you won’t use it, don’t buy it!
As you can see from the above, the concerns are not many. If the price is right and you will use the item without waste then go for it! If you already have enough on hand, the price is too high or you are not sure of the quality of the product then even the 10 for $10 grocery sales and promotions can be a bad buy.
In truth, there are a few situations that your may want to pass on the 10 for 10 grocery sales that are becoming the norm lately. Let’s look at those reasons today:
1. When the deal is not a deal. We have all seen sales where the prices are anything but a bargain. 10 for 10 sales are no different, sometimes the prices are a value, sometimes not. Once in a very great while you will find the odd product or two that is priced either at or above regular retail pricing. Unless you have a double coupon, you may want to pass.
2. You already have a full pantry. Yes, it is true. You may have become such a savvy shopper that you already have a pantry full of bargains at home. If you do, then pass, waste will escalate spending far faster than either poor shopping skills or running out of bargains before the next sale.
3. You have never tried the product before.If you are unsure of the quality of the product offered, then pass. Do a taste test to check both flavor and quality before stocking up. Again, sales and bargains are great; however waste will torpedo your best intentions for scaling back expenses.
4. You will not use the product. Yeah, the item is on sale and the price is right, but if you won’t use it, don’t buy it!
As you can see from the above, the concerns are not many. If the price is right and you will use the item without waste then go for it! If you already have enough on hand, the price is too high or you are not sure of the quality of the product then even the 10 for $10 grocery sales and promotions can be a bad buy.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
10 for $10 Grocery Sales- How to Get an Even Better Deal
Grocery marketers have been using 10 for $10 grocery sales to push volume for years, but are they a good deal.
Yes, they almost always are. Most of you know that I love the dollar store, well, 10 for $10 sales grocery sales are right in line with my grocery shopping philosophy but are often a better deal than dollar store groceries. Incidentally, 10 for $10 grocery sales will usually get you either free or next to free groceries with a double coupon and there is no need to limit yourself to one coupon per week so stock up when you can.
Stock your pantry for free, that is a price that is absolutely hard to resist for anyone. Free groceries and free food always work for me. How about you?
Here’s how to get free food from the 10 fer $10 sales:
1. Scan the circulars looking for deals as soon as you get the fliers.
2. Go to an online coupon clipping service and buy the coupons you need and order right away. If you order on Monday, you should have the coupons by Friday at the latest so you can go shopping while the sale is still on.
3.Match up your coupons with sale items to get free groceries. Either find your coupons online in printable format or buy them from a clipping service, you need exact coupons to make this strategy work.
4. Buy as many free items on one shopping trip as you can. Some stores limit how many "like" coupons you can use on one trip so ask ahead.
5. Make additional trips to buy more free items if you have the time. Limits generally are per trip, but consult the ad for limitations and restrictions.
That’s it, just a few steps and you will literally fill your pantry with free goodies.
Here is the best part, grocery chains run this type of sale about every week or two with different items, so there is always a lot of free food to be had just for the asking. Free or just a few pennies per item, the price is definitely right! I would rather spend cents than full price any day of the week.
When searching your weekly grocery flier for bargains, there is one thing that a 10 for $10 grocery sale should scram at you…DEAL!
Yes, they almost always are. Most of you know that I love the dollar store, well, 10 for $10 sales grocery sales are right in line with my grocery shopping philosophy but are often a better deal than dollar store groceries. Incidentally, 10 for $10 grocery sales will usually get you either free or next to free groceries with a double coupon and there is no need to limit yourself to one coupon per week so stock up when you can.
Stock your pantry for free, that is a price that is absolutely hard to resist for anyone. Free groceries and free food always work for me. How about you?
Here’s how to get free food from the 10 fer $10 sales:
1. Scan the circulars looking for deals as soon as you get the fliers.
2. Go to an online coupon clipping service and buy the coupons you need and order right away. If you order on Monday, you should have the coupons by Friday at the latest so you can go shopping while the sale is still on.
3.Match up your coupons with sale items to get free groceries. Either find your coupons online in printable format or buy them from a clipping service, you need exact coupons to make this strategy work.
4. Buy as many free items on one shopping trip as you can. Some stores limit how many "like" coupons you can use on one trip so ask ahead.
5. Make additional trips to buy more free items if you have the time. Limits generally are per trip, but consult the ad for limitations and restrictions.
That’s it, just a few steps and you will literally fill your pantry with free goodies.
Here is the best part, grocery chains run this type of sale about every week or two with different items, so there is always a lot of free food to be had just for the asking. Free or just a few pennies per item, the price is definitely right! I would rather spend cents than full price any day of the week.
When searching your weekly grocery flier for bargains, there is one thing that a 10 for $10 grocery sale should scram at you…DEAL!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Where to Buy Cheap Groceries Online
Would you like to know where to buy groceries cheap online? I thought so, a good deal is just plain hard to beat.
With the economy tight all businesses are offering some stellar bargains in on just about everything you can imagine and then some. The grocery industry is no different, and there are some truly exceptional deals to be found.
In a nutshell, online businesses delivering groceries to your home are no different than any other business. They are fighting for survival in lean economic times too, and are practically begging for your business.
Here is the thing, if you have money to spend, take advantage of some of the really great incentives online supermarkets are offering for you to try out their services. For the sake of keeping this list as accurate as possible, surf on over to the websites listed and the latest offers are posted on their home pages. Deals change all the time, so there is always something new to see.
Amazon Grocery offers fantastic savings on monthly specials, discontinued items and their subscribe and saveservice. Most items come with free Supersaver shipping and fast delivery. If you have not tried Amazon Grocery, you should. I am a hardcore tightwad and some of their specials are truly a good value for your grocery dollars. Best deals: health and beauty, nutrition bars, discontinued item sales, coffee, tea and manager’s specials. Also check out their extensive specialty and gourmet food selections.
Ebay offers good savings on specialty items from gourmet coffee, tea, wine, chocolate truffles, and shelf stable foods. You never know what you are going to find at Ebay, but you can bet the price is ALWAYS a beyond cheap. I recently found free range organic pasteurized chickens and turkeys, buffalo meat, buffalo burgers, turkey jerky and a whole host of food manufacturers using Ebay to sell direct to the public at discounted rates. There are some deeply discounted food products to be had here, so don’t count Ebay out! Best Deals: Just about everything is fairly priced if not downright cheap!
Additionally, did you know that most local grocery chains now offer shopping and grocery delivery services at low prices? In my local area, Vons will deliver any $150 order starting at $6.95 and up. There are many other large grocery chains that offer similar services and the price of delivery services has dropped steadily the last few years. One big drawback is that most grocery chains offering delivery
will not allow you to use grocery coupons, so you are limited to reducing your grocery bill buy what is actually on special for the week. Still, if you are really busy, grocery shopping and home grocery delivery services are a lot less expensive than eating out.
I found another service, that I admit I have not tried, which will allow you to use grocery coupons with your order called wegoshop.com. It is my understanding that they will come pick up your coupons for an additional fee before shopping, if the franchisee in your area offers the service. This may be an option for those of you who are heavy coupon shoppers like me, but find themselves pressed for time once in a while.
I was surprised as I looked into online grocery shopping this last week out of necessity how many bargains there were online. Online grocery shopping services with home delivery have really come a long way in the last few years and are no longer as expensive as they once were. I can see the advantages, especially with all the current discounts floating around to try out a few of the services I had previously not considered. Although I have used both Amazon and Ebay extensively, I'd never had a local grocer deliver to my home, and I am more than willing to give wegoshop.com a try since they will take coupons.
Where should you go to buy cheap groceries online? Surf around and take your pick, there are a lot of discounts that make it worth your time to try a few services out.
With the economy tight all businesses are offering some stellar bargains in on just about everything you can imagine and then some. The grocery industry is no different, and there are some truly exceptional deals to be found.
In a nutshell, online businesses delivering groceries to your home are no different than any other business. They are fighting for survival in lean economic times too, and are practically begging for your business.
Here is the thing, if you have money to spend, take advantage of some of the really great incentives online supermarkets are offering for you to try out their services. For the sake of keeping this list as accurate as possible, surf on over to the websites listed and the latest offers are posted on their home pages. Deals change all the time, so there is always something new to see.
Amazon Grocery
offers fantastic savings on monthly specials, discontinued items and their subscribe and saveservice. Most items come with free Supersaver shipping and fast delivery. If you have not tried Amazon Grocery, you should. I am a hardcore tightwad and some of their specials are truly a good value for your grocery dollars. Best deals: health and beauty, nutrition bars, discontinued item sales, coffee, tea and manager’s specials. Also check out their extensive specialty and gourmet food selections.Ebay offers good savings on specialty items from gourmet coffee, tea, wine, chocolate truffles, and shelf stable foods. You never know what you are going to find at Ebay, but you can bet the price is ALWAYS a beyond cheap. I recently found free range organic pasteurized chickens and turkeys, buffalo meat, buffalo burgers, turkey jerky and a whole host of food manufacturers using Ebay to sell direct to the public at discounted rates. There are some deeply discounted food products to be had here, so don’t count Ebay out! Best Deals: Just about everything is fairly priced if not downright cheap!
Additionally, did you know that most local grocery chains now offer shopping and grocery delivery services at low prices? In my local area, Vons will deliver any $150 order starting at $6.95 and up. There are many other large grocery chains that offer similar services and the price of delivery services has dropped steadily the last few years. One big drawback is that most grocery chains offering delivery
will not allow you to use grocery coupons, so you are limited to reducing your grocery bill buy what is actually on special for the week. Still, if you are really busy, grocery shopping and home grocery delivery services are a lot less expensive than eating out.
I found another service, that I admit I have not tried, which will allow you to use grocery coupons with your order called wegoshop.com. It is my understanding that they will come pick up your coupons for an additional fee before shopping, if the franchisee in your area offers the service. This may be an option for those of you who are heavy coupon shoppers like me, but find themselves pressed for time once in a while.
I was surprised as I looked into online grocery shopping this last week out of necessity how many bargains there were online. Online grocery shopping services with home delivery have really come a long way in the last few years and are no longer as expensive as they once were. I can see the advantages, especially with all the current discounts floating around to try out a few of the services I had previously not considered. Although I have used both Amazon and Ebay extensively, I'd never had a local grocer deliver to my home, and I am more than willing to give wegoshop.com a try since they will take coupons.
Where should you go to buy cheap groceries online? Surf around and take your pick, there are a lot of discounts that make it worth your time to try a few services out.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
How to Cook Cheap: The Frugal Grocery List
Wow! I am surprised at the number of questions I get asking for more information on how to cook cheap, but more specifically people really are want me to dish on what items should be on a frugal grocery shopping list.
No doubt, based on the emails I keep getting, most people are feeling the pinch of the ever deepening recession. There seems to be one common theme, I need to get more for my grocery dollars because food is one of the few places I can save money in my budget.
Here it goes, the frugal grocery shopping list, and these items are in no particular order.
Items purchased from the bulk bins are labeled (BB).
spaghetti and pastas
rice
beans- (BB)
oatmeal- (BB)
cornmeal- (BB)
canned tuna
canned salmon
canned chicken
peanut butter
jelly
whole chickens
sale meats- most are 40-50% off on sale
canned tomatoes
canned soups
dollar store produce
sale produce- generally 10 pounds for $10 or less, but loss-leaders are a better buy.
potatoes
onions
carrots
yogurt
eggs
cheese- when $2 per pound or less.
cold cereals- when on sale and with a double coupon at $1.25 a box or less.
spices- (BB) is the least expensive, the dollar store is second best.
Notice what is on the frugal grocery shopping list. A large number of the items listed are shelf stable and do not spoil. Keep starches like baking staples (flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda) and salt on hand. You can always make pancakes, waffles, and muffins if you run out of things to eat for breakfasts.
Canned goods also will not spoil easily and offer some variety in your diet when money gets tight. Canned soups can be used for the sauce in a casserole, canned meats make for a good sandwich if you run out of lunch meat, and can also be used in a quick soup or stew.
Adding some long lasting vegetables like potatoes, carrots and onions will give you versatility when making soup, casseroles or main dishes. They can also be used as vegetables for side dishes.
Always buy meat and dairy products on sale, and use double coupons where you can. These items can be a good value for the money when the price is right, and expensive when not purchased correctly.
Eggs are especially versatile, so keep them on hand and use them often. If you are worried about fat and cholesterol, you can use 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg to substitute for every 2 eggs in a recipe. Dropping 2 egg yolks gives a mixture very similar to egg beaters for about half the price.
I'll be adding to official how to cook cheap frugal grocery list in the coming weeks, but the items listed here are a good start.
No doubt, based on the emails I keep getting, most people are feeling the pinch of the ever deepening recession. There seems to be one common theme, I need to get more for my grocery dollars because food is one of the few places I can save money in my budget.
Here it goes, the frugal grocery shopping list, and these items are in no particular order.
Items purchased from the bulk bins are labeled (BB).
spaghetti and pastas
rice
beans- (BB)
oatmeal- (BB)
cornmeal- (BB)
canned tuna
canned salmon
canned chicken
peanut butter
jelly
whole chickens
sale meats- most are 40-50% off on sale
canned tomatoes
canned soups
dollar store produce
sale produce- generally 10 pounds for $10 or less, but loss-leaders are a better buy.
potatoes
onions
carrots
yogurt
eggs
cheese- when $2 per pound or less.
cold cereals- when on sale and with a double coupon at $1.25 a box or less.
spices- (BB) is the least expensive, the dollar store is second best.
Notice what is on the frugal grocery shopping list. A large number of the items listed are shelf stable and do not spoil. Keep starches like baking staples (flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda) and salt on hand. You can always make pancakes, waffles, and muffins if you run out of things to eat for breakfasts.
Canned goods also will not spoil easily and offer some variety in your diet when money gets tight. Canned soups can be used for the sauce in a casserole, canned meats make for a good sandwich if you run out of lunch meat, and can also be used in a quick soup or stew.
Adding some long lasting vegetables like potatoes, carrots and onions will give you versatility when making soup, casseroles or main dishes. They can also be used as vegetables for side dishes.
Always buy meat and dairy products on sale, and use double coupons where you can. These items can be a good value for the money when the price is right, and expensive when not purchased correctly.
Eggs are especially versatile, so keep them on hand and use them often. If you are worried about fat and cholesterol, you can use 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg to substitute for every 2 eggs in a recipe. Dropping 2 egg yolks gives a mixture very similar to egg beaters for about half the price.
I'll be adding to official how to cook cheap frugal grocery list in the coming weeks, but the items listed here are a good start.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
How to Cook Cheap
I've had a lot of people ask me at one time or another how to cook cheap. They always want to know if there is a really easy method for doing so.
You are kidding right?
I've even had people tell me that the dollar menu at the local fast food joint is cheaper than shopping for and buying groceries with supermarket coupons, cooking and eating at home. Well, I'll grant you that eating out is a time saver but not usually a good value for the money. Granted, I will concede the point that the dollar menu, IF you are going to eat out, is not the worst choice financially. I'll let you make the call on the health risks of fast food yourself.
Exactly what do you need to do to eat cheap?
1. Plan ahead, be sure you get a low price on your ingredients. Cheap meals start with cheap ingredients. Cheap does not necessarily mean of low quality, just low priced.
2. Use fewer ingredients. Simple dishes, with 3-4 ingredients or less naturally cost less. The fewer items to buy the less money you will spend while grocery shopping.
3. Use lots of produce and grains, but less meat. Meat and proteins are the most expensive of the items on your shopping list. The less you use the lower the cost of the finished dish.
4. Plan meals around the sales. Again, eat what is on sale and cheap if you want you meals to cost less. Grocery marketers generally feature seasonal product in their sales flyers. Buying in season will almost always save you a good percentage off your grocery bill.
5. Cook from your pantry and freezer. It's a fair guess that if you don't go to the store then you will have more money in your wallet at the end of the week. Take advantages of sales to stock the pantry and freezer to the brim when the price is right and then cook from your reserves.
6. Be creative. A little creativity with substitutions can go a long, long way. Try something new, you may like it and learn a new cheap trick in the process.
You don't need to get all that hung up on what is the right way to cook cheap, or how to cook cheap. Learning to stretch your resources is an ongoing process. I have been at this a long, long time and I'm still learnning every day. The trick is to keep learning and trying new strategies as you find them.
Just let the creativity flow and ask yourself how can I cook cheap... or shall I say cheaper today than yesterday?
You are kidding right?
I've even had people tell me that the dollar menu at the local fast food joint is cheaper than shopping for and buying groceries with supermarket coupons, cooking and eating at home. Well, I'll grant you that eating out is a time saver but not usually a good value for the money. Granted, I will concede the point that the dollar menu, IF you are going to eat out, is not the worst choice financially. I'll let you make the call on the health risks of fast food yourself.
Exactly what do you need to do to eat cheap?
1. Plan ahead, be sure you get a low price on your ingredients. Cheap meals start with cheap ingredients. Cheap does not necessarily mean of low quality, just low priced.
2. Use fewer ingredients. Simple dishes, with 3-4 ingredients or less naturally cost less. The fewer items to buy the less money you will spend while grocery shopping.
3. Use lots of produce and grains, but less meat. Meat and proteins are the most expensive of the items on your shopping list. The less you use the lower the cost of the finished dish.
4. Plan meals around the sales. Again, eat what is on sale and cheap if you want you meals to cost less. Grocery marketers generally feature seasonal product in their sales flyers. Buying in season will almost always save you a good percentage off your grocery bill.
5. Cook from your pantry and freezer. It's a fair guess that if you don't go to the store then you will have more money in your wallet at the end of the week. Take advantages of sales to stock the pantry and freezer to the brim when the price is right and then cook from your reserves.
6. Be creative. A little creativity with substitutions can go a long, long way. Try something new, you may like it and learn a new cheap trick in the process.
You don't need to get all that hung up on what is the right way to cook cheap, or how to cook cheap. Learning to stretch your resources is an ongoing process. I have been at this a long, long time and I'm still learnning every day. The trick is to keep learning and trying new strategies as you find them.
Just let the creativity flow and ask yourself how can I cook cheap... or shall I say cheaper today than yesterday?
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