While researching a few new posts for use supermarket coupons, I recently came across the website for the food stamp challenge.
The program asks participants to stick to the food stamp budget for all of your meals and snacks for one week. The figure given was $21 per person per week per person. The thrifty plan was intended to be an emergency source of food for a person until a more adequate food supply could be found. Get more information on the food stamp challenge here and learn how to participate.
I took the challenge myself this week to see how good my shopping and savings skills really were and was surprised at the outcome. I was able to feed myself and family within the guidelines, but have to admit that sticking to the program without the use of my well stocked pantry was a challenge in itself. Our diet was more limited than we were used to, mainly because we did not have a well stocked pantry to add the variety we were used to.
Beyond the limitations of our diet, I was also frustrated with the lack of fresh produce that our limited budget provided. Even I had to admit as an experienced shopper and saver that my shopping and cooking habits would need to change if I were forced to stay on the program for long.
Lessons Learned
-While I regularly feed my family at about $25-$30 per week per person, the savings from stockpiling and using grocery coupons aggressively is the main strategy I use to keep our expenses down. Buying ahead for pennies on the dollar allows room in our budget for more fresh fruit, vegetables and dairy than the food stamp allowance would for most who suddenly found themselves in this position.
-Grocery prices are regional. Folks living on either the East or West coasts would have a hard time keeping this budget while still meeting their nutritional needs. I spent 10 days recently in the Midwest and was surprised to see just how much less expensive food is there on some items (20%-30%), on others it is about the same as my hometown.
-You need good shopping skills and some knowledge of how to cook to have any variety at all with this limited of a budget. If you were to suddenly find yourself without more than $21 a week per person and no skills whatsoever in terms of grocery shopping and couponing you might very well find yourself eating a steady diet of tuna, mac and cheese, hot dogs and cereal. As of today, the food stamp allowance has not yet been adjusted to take into consideration the recent inflation we have been experiencing. That said, even the modest allowance allotted means that your dollars won't go as far.
My time spent on the food stamp challenge was an eye-opener to a well educated consumer like myself. I learned a lot about my own shopping habits and found myself looking for ever more creative ways to save at the grocery store. I urge you all to give it a try. I'm glad I did. While I learned that my skills are good enough survive if I needed to, I wouldn't want to have this limited of a budget for long.
In light of my recent discoveries of just how important maintaining a well stocked pantry is in lean times I'll be starting a multi-post series on how to maintain a well stocked pantry.
Showing posts with label cheap meals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cheap meals. Show all posts
Monday, August 4, 2008
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Cheap Cooking Ideas: Easy Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe
I have the best recipe for easy crockpot barbeque pulled pork. Dinner is ready as soon as you walk through the door with this delicious and simple crockpot bbq pulled pork recipe. Just toss together the ingredients on your way out the door in the morning and dinner is ready in the early evening. Tender and juicy this barbeque pulled pork recipe is easy on the budget and a great option for a busy day with little time for cooking.
In a large crockpot, set to low, combine the following:
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
1 bottle barbeque sauce
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
garlic salt (optional)
Cook on low for 8-9 hours without lifting the lid of the crockpot. Meat should have the appearance of shredded pork when done. Serve either alone or on hamburger buns.
Serves 6 adults at a cost of $.97 per serving.
I love to make this recipe when we are busy all day and have only an hour for dinner before evening activities. If you are really in a rush you can prepare a coleslaw or potato salad ahead to serve as a side dish with crockpot bbq pulled pork.
Enjoy!
In a large crockpot, set to low, combine the following:
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
1 bottle barbeque sauce
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
garlic salt (optional)
Cook on low for 8-9 hours without lifting the lid of the crockpot. Meat should have the appearance of shredded pork when done. Serve either alone or on hamburger buns.
Serves 6 adults at a cost of $.97 per serving.
I love to make this recipe when we are busy all day and have only an hour for dinner before evening activities. If you are really in a rush you can prepare a coleslaw or potato salad ahead to serve as a side dish with crockpot bbq pulled pork.
Enjoy!
Friday, July 25, 2008
What Makes a Recipe Cheap?
As you are looking through your recipes trying to decide on a quick cheap meal have you ever wondered what makes a recipe truly frugal? A good example of a truly frugal recipe is the cheap breakfast recipe we posted a few days ago.
The cost of a recipe and how "good" a recipe tastes are actually two totally separate issues. Let me explain. The cost of a recipe is greatly influenced by your attention to controlling the price of ingredients, how well you shop, your desire to reduce spending, and your attentiveness to preplanned purchases. On the other hand, how good a recipe is perceived to be is totally subjective.
In truth, recipes are good if the meals they produce are both filling and satisfying. If the meal is flavorful, filling, and what you are craving then the simplest dish will taste good to you. You can go out to dinner, eat a $30.00 meal and still not be satisfied if the meal was not what you were wanting regardless of the price. To make cheap meals satisfying all you really need to do is select a cheap recipe to satisfy your cravings. Simple right? The trick is to amass enough cheap recipes to gaurantee a variety of inexpensive meals in your diet.
Take a look at the cheap breakfast recipe we posted a few days ago and tell me what you see. What did you notice about the ingredients and instructions for cooking?
At some point I asked the same questions. I figured, as a long ago starving student, if there was a common denominator for savings that I needed to find it. Saving money was not something I particularly wanted to do, it was a necessity. I needed a shortcut to spotting inexpensive recipes because my time was short between work and school. As it turned out, that common denominator was right before my eyes all the time.
The fewer ingredients you use, the cheaper your meals will be. Cheap and quick meal recipes all have one thing in common, they use very few ingredients. It goes without saying that the cost of each ingredient needs to be controlled to make the recipe be frugal in the end. Sorry, not steak and truffles with wine sauce here.
There are several advantages to using fewer ingredients besides controlling costs. First, fewer ingredients mean less time grocery shopping and we know what happens the longer we stay in the grocery store: we spend a lot more than we should.
Second, fewer ingredients make prep time much quicker. Cheap recipes are usually speed demons to prepare. We have less to slice, dice, chop and clean up. I love the simplicity of the preparation of most cheap meals.
Lastly, and most important is the controlling of waste. You can do everything right when you shop, but if only $5.00 worth of produce goes to waste then you have increased your grocery bill 5% on every $100.00 you spend. Cooking cheap recipes helps you control waste by using larger proportions of fewer ingredients. Less to buy means fewer perishables that can potentially spoil saving you from wasting what you worked hard to save.
All and all, I have to say that I love cheap recipes. They need not be boring, just creative. Be willing to try new frugal recipes every chance you get. Save the ones you love and build a solid list of easy and quick to prepare meals that are as satisfying as the recipes are cheap.
The cost of a recipe and how "good" a recipe tastes are actually two totally separate issues. Let me explain. The cost of a recipe is greatly influenced by your attention to controlling the price of ingredients, how well you shop, your desire to reduce spending, and your attentiveness to preplanned purchases. On the other hand, how good a recipe is perceived to be is totally subjective.
In truth, recipes are good if the meals they produce are both filling and satisfying. If the meal is flavorful, filling, and what you are craving then the simplest dish will taste good to you. You can go out to dinner, eat a $30.00 meal and still not be satisfied if the meal was not what you were wanting regardless of the price. To make cheap meals satisfying all you really need to do is select a cheap recipe to satisfy your cravings. Simple right? The trick is to amass enough cheap recipes to gaurantee a variety of inexpensive meals in your diet.
Take a look at the cheap breakfast recipe we posted a few days ago and tell me what you see. What did you notice about the ingredients and instructions for cooking?
At some point I asked the same questions. I figured, as a long ago starving student, if there was a common denominator for savings that I needed to find it. Saving money was not something I particularly wanted to do, it was a necessity. I needed a shortcut to spotting inexpensive recipes because my time was short between work and school. As it turned out, that common denominator was right before my eyes all the time.
The fewer ingredients you use, the cheaper your meals will be. Cheap and quick meal recipes all have one thing in common, they use very few ingredients. It goes without saying that the cost of each ingredient needs to be controlled to make the recipe be frugal in the end. Sorry, not steak and truffles with wine sauce here.
There are several advantages to using fewer ingredients besides controlling costs. First, fewer ingredients mean less time grocery shopping and we know what happens the longer we stay in the grocery store: we spend a lot more than we should.
Second, fewer ingredients make prep time much quicker. Cheap recipes are usually speed demons to prepare. We have less to slice, dice, chop and clean up. I love the simplicity of the preparation of most cheap meals.
Lastly, and most important is the controlling of waste. You can do everything right when you shop, but if only $5.00 worth of produce goes to waste then you have increased your grocery bill 5% on every $100.00 you spend. Cooking cheap recipes helps you control waste by using larger proportions of fewer ingredients. Less to buy means fewer perishables that can potentially spoil saving you from wasting what you worked hard to save.
All and all, I have to say that I love cheap recipes. They need not be boring, just creative. Be willing to try new frugal recipes every chance you get. Save the ones you love and build a solid list of easy and quick to prepare meals that are as satisfying as the recipes are cheap.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Using Supermarket Coupons: Advanced Coupon Techniques, Part 1
In our last two posts, we talked about how to use supermarket coupons to quickly cut your grocery bills down to size, and then how to get the most out of using supermarket coupons.
What next? You now understand the basics of why it is important to incorporate manufacturer coupons with every item you buy. You should be convinced that the effort will genuinely pay off. What if your grocery bills are still out of control or you need to cut your expenses still further? Don’t despair, we are just getting started. There is still a lot of room for savings.
You are now ready for some advanced techniques to cut your grocery bills still further.
Advanced Coupon Techniques for Using Supermarket Coupons
So, let’s review the basic use of supermarket coupons savings strategies for a minute.
-Always use a coupon for every item in your shopping cart.
-Wait to use coupons until the produce is on sale.
-Shop on double and triple coupon days.
-Buy the maximum number of like items you can when they are either free or pennies-on-the-dollar. The one notable exception here is to only buy what you can use without waste if the item is perishable.
The basic rules of how to use supermarket coupons are pretty simple right? Find as many discounts as you can, use coupons consistently, wait until things are on sale to maximize savings and then stock up when the price is right.
Great, got the basics, now what? Now we want to stretch those savings even further. Let’s get started with the advanced techniques you may not have ever heard of before.
Using Supermarket Coupons with Buy-One-Get-One Free Offers
Buy-one-get-one free offers are otherwise known as BOGOS in the grocery industry. Most consumers mistakenly think that they will really get one item free at a 50% discount off when buying products with this type of offer.
Well, yes and then again no. You will get the second item for free. It’s just not as good of a deal as you may have been lead to believe. Why? If you track prices carefully, then know that the week of the sale prices will generally rise by 20-30% for the week of the sale over what is the usual shelf price.
So is this type of sale still a good deal? YES, if you know how to beat them at their own game. Let’s look at what you can do to get your best deal.
Let’s say that you find an offer for BOGO on a major brand of frozen vegetables.
Usual Full Price: $3.79
This Weeks Full Price: $4.69 (+21 %)
Buy 2 bags for $4.69 /2 = $2.35 each (-38 % off usual full price)
Get one free looks great on the surface, and you do at today’s price, just not the usual shelf price.
Now, let’s look at what happens if you use a $.50 coupon that the store will double on the first item. In my store, you can also use a second $.50 manufacturer coupon on the second item which they will not double.
Why can you use a coupon on the second item that is technically free? The manufacturer pays for coupon discount and you are buying the product before the store discount at full retail price. The store pays to double the first coupon along with the “free” offer on the second item. So, this is a matter of who offers what and writes it off as an advertising expense.
Important note: some grocery chains prohibit this policy; it depends on the store, so check policies first. From my experience, most still do allow it though.
Here is the way the math works out on this particular offer:
Usual Full Price: $3.79
This Weeks Full Price: $4.69 (+21 %)
Buy 2 bags for $4.69
Manufacturer coupon - $.50
Manufacturer coupon - $.50
Double coupon -$.50
----------------------------------
Net cost $3.19 /2 = $1.60 per bag (savings off full price 58 %)
By using the coupons in conjunction with a BOGO you will recapture the increase in product price for the week of the sale as well as gain an additional discount from the use of the manufacturer coupons.
The greater the face value of the coupon used, the greater your savings because you are using multiple like coupons.
Pretty cool right?
Rebates in Conjunction with a BOGO and Double or Triple Coupon
Every once in a while you will run into a BOGO with current coupons and the option to mail in a rebate. While collecting the UPCS, receipt of purchase and filling out the paperwork does take some additional effort. You will often make money on this type of offer.
So what is better than an item either for free or a pennies on the dollar? Making extra money on the transaction…payday!
It is fair to note that not everyone wishes to spend the time to mail in rebates, it does take time and extra effort. I rebate selectively. If an offer will net me over $3.00 I’ll take the time, otherwise maybe not. Again using this strategy will depend on your own needs and situation.
Where do you find rebates? Well, they can be printed in the newspaper or in the Sunday inserts. Often you will find them on boxes of the product you just purchased, or on tear pads on the grocery store shelves. Sometimes you will also find offers online.
All and all, combining BOGO offers with using supermarket coupons and rebates are an excellent way to save and even make money.
Using Supermarket Coupons in Conjunction with In Store Coupons
I’m sure you have seen store coupons in your weekly sales flyer. Sometimes stores will print store coupons that give additional savings off the already reduced member savings card price. Cereal is a favorite product to offer at a special in store coupon price because the profit margins are relatively high on this item.
Example: A grocery store advertises a major brand cereal at the sale price with club card of 2/$5.00. They also print and in store coupon in their sales flyer for buy 4 boxes at $1.99 each.
Is this a good price? Well, yes and no, it depends on how you shop.
Regular shelf price: $4.29
Price with coupon: $1.99 (savings off full price $2.30 per box, 54%)
It sounds like a good price, over 50% off, but you can do better.
If there is a current manufacturer coupon for $1.00 off 2 boxes you can use those coupons as well.
My local store will not double if there is an in store coupon redeemed at the same time. But, I can still save another $2.00 off 4 boxes and in essence get 1 box free for using my coupons with this offer.
The net prices work out like this:
2 boxes @ $1.99 per box after in store coupon = $7.96
Manufacturer Coupon $1.00 off 2 boxes = -$1.00
Manufacturer Coupon $1.00 off 2 boxes = -$1.00
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Net Cost $5.96 /4 boxes
$1.49 / 1 box
Total Savings off full price (65%)
Using Supermarket Coupons in Conjunction with Buy Multiple Get Multiple Items Free Offers or Instant Savings
A more recent twist on the BOGO is the BMGM offer strategy. You are required to buy multiple items froma a selected group of products to get either free items or an instant discount at the register. Discounts are generally $5.00 or more off. Sometimes products like movie tickets, or another product is offered instead.
This is a bargain hunters dream come true. Now that some stores are limiting both the number or amount of coupons you can double or use like coupons for in their coupon policies, this type of offer still makes getting a really good deal easier.
The key is to have coupons for every item you buy and try to come as close as the minimum needed to get the discount as you can. If the offer says "spend $30, then don't spend $50. If the offer says buy 10 items from the items shown, then don't buy 15 and so on.
Why is this strategy so powerful? If the coupons are not like coupons, then you get to double the first one you use on each item you buy reducing your overall cost for the group of items purchased still further than if you buy like items.
Be sure to really know the store’s coupon policy to maximize the benefits of this type of offer. Buy only what you will use and be sure to have coupon for every item on the list to maximize savings on this type of deal.
I think we will stop here for today. I’ll be continuing the advanced use supermarket coupons strategies tomorrow. We still have a few more really strong techniques at our disposal to stretch saving still further.
To recap the advanced coupon savings strategies:
- Using Supermarket Coupons with Buy-One-Get-One Free Offers
- Rebates in Conjunction with a BOGO and Double or Triple Coupon
- Using Supermarket Coupons in Conjunction with Buy Multiple Get Multiple Items Free Offers or Instant Savings
If you continue adding these strategies to the basics you will be able to watch your savings grow quickly.
What next? You now understand the basics of why it is important to incorporate manufacturer coupons with every item you buy. You should be convinced that the effort will genuinely pay off. What if your grocery bills are still out of control or you need to cut your expenses still further? Don’t despair, we are just getting started. There is still a lot of room for savings.
You are now ready for some advanced techniques to cut your grocery bills still further.
Advanced Coupon Techniques for Using Supermarket Coupons
So, let’s review the basic use of supermarket coupons savings strategies for a minute.
-Always use a coupon for every item in your shopping cart.
-Wait to use coupons until the produce is on sale.
-Shop on double and triple coupon days.
-Buy the maximum number of like items you can when they are either free or pennies-on-the-dollar. The one notable exception here is to only buy what you can use without waste if the item is perishable.
The basic rules of how to use supermarket coupons are pretty simple right? Find as many discounts as you can, use coupons consistently, wait until things are on sale to maximize savings and then stock up when the price is right.
Great, got the basics, now what? Now we want to stretch those savings even further. Let’s get started with the advanced techniques you may not have ever heard of before.
Using Supermarket Coupons with Buy-One-Get-One Free Offers
Buy-one-get-one free offers are otherwise known as BOGOS in the grocery industry. Most consumers mistakenly think that they will really get one item free at a 50% discount off when buying products with this type of offer.
Well, yes and then again no. You will get the second item for free. It’s just not as good of a deal as you may have been lead to believe. Why? If you track prices carefully, then know that the week of the sale prices will generally rise by 20-30% for the week of the sale over what is the usual shelf price.
So is this type of sale still a good deal? YES, if you know how to beat them at their own game. Let’s look at what you can do to get your best deal.
Let’s say that you find an offer for BOGO on a major brand of frozen vegetables.
Usual Full Price: $3.79
This Weeks Full Price: $4.69 (+21 %)
Buy 2 bags for $4.69 /2 = $2.35 each (-38 % off usual full price)
Get one free looks great on the surface, and you do at today’s price, just not the usual shelf price.
Now, let’s look at what happens if you use a $.50 coupon that the store will double on the first item. In my store, you can also use a second $.50 manufacturer coupon on the second item which they will not double.
Why can you use a coupon on the second item that is technically free? The manufacturer pays for coupon discount and you are buying the product before the store discount at full retail price. The store pays to double the first coupon along with the “free” offer on the second item. So, this is a matter of who offers what and writes it off as an advertising expense.
Important note: some grocery chains prohibit this policy; it depends on the store, so check policies first. From my experience, most still do allow it though.
Here is the way the math works out on this particular offer:
Usual Full Price: $3.79
This Weeks Full Price: $4.69 (+21 %)
Buy 2 bags for $4.69
Manufacturer coupon - $.50
Manufacturer coupon - $.50
Double coupon -$.50
----------------------------------
Net cost $3.19 /2 = $1.60 per bag (savings off full price 58 %)
By using the coupons in conjunction with a BOGO you will recapture the increase in product price for the week of the sale as well as gain an additional discount from the use of the manufacturer coupons.
The greater the face value of the coupon used, the greater your savings because you are using multiple like coupons.
Pretty cool right?
Rebates in Conjunction with a BOGO and Double or Triple Coupon
Every once in a while you will run into a BOGO with current coupons and the option to mail in a rebate. While collecting the UPCS, receipt of purchase and filling out the paperwork does take some additional effort. You will often make money on this type of offer.
So what is better than an item either for free or a pennies on the dollar? Making extra money on the transaction…payday!
It is fair to note that not everyone wishes to spend the time to mail in rebates, it does take time and extra effort. I rebate selectively. If an offer will net me over $3.00 I’ll take the time, otherwise maybe not. Again using this strategy will depend on your own needs and situation.
Where do you find rebates? Well, they can be printed in the newspaper or in the Sunday inserts. Often you will find them on boxes of the product you just purchased, or on tear pads on the grocery store shelves. Sometimes you will also find offers online.
All and all, combining BOGO offers with using supermarket coupons and rebates are an excellent way to save and even make money.
Using Supermarket Coupons in Conjunction with In Store Coupons
I’m sure you have seen store coupons in your weekly sales flyer. Sometimes stores will print store coupons that give additional savings off the already reduced member savings card price. Cereal is a favorite product to offer at a special in store coupon price because the profit margins are relatively high on this item.
Example: A grocery store advertises a major brand cereal at the sale price with club card of 2/$5.00. They also print and in store coupon in their sales flyer for buy 4 boxes at $1.99 each.
Is this a good price? Well, yes and no, it depends on how you shop.
Regular shelf price: $4.29
Price with coupon: $1.99 (savings off full price $2.30 per box, 54%)
It sounds like a good price, over 50% off, but you can do better.
If there is a current manufacturer coupon for $1.00 off 2 boxes you can use those coupons as well.
My local store will not double if there is an in store coupon redeemed at the same time. But, I can still save another $2.00 off 4 boxes and in essence get 1 box free for using my coupons with this offer.
The net prices work out like this:
2 boxes @ $1.99 per box after in store coupon = $7.96
Manufacturer Coupon $1.00 off 2 boxes = -$1.00
Manufacturer Coupon $1.00 off 2 boxes = -$1.00
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Net Cost $5.96 /4 boxes
$1.49 / 1 box
Total Savings off full price (65%)
Using Supermarket Coupons in Conjunction with Buy Multiple Get Multiple Items Free Offers or Instant Savings
A more recent twist on the BOGO is the BMGM offer strategy. You are required to buy multiple items froma a selected group of products to get either free items or an instant discount at the register. Discounts are generally $5.00 or more off. Sometimes products like movie tickets, or another product is offered instead.
This is a bargain hunters dream come true. Now that some stores are limiting both the number or amount of coupons you can double or use like coupons for in their coupon policies, this type of offer still makes getting a really good deal easier.
The key is to have coupons for every item you buy and try to come as close as the minimum needed to get the discount as you can. If the offer says "spend $30, then don't spend $50. If the offer says buy 10 items from the items shown, then don't buy 15 and so on.
Why is this strategy so powerful? If the coupons are not like coupons, then you get to double the first one you use on each item you buy reducing your overall cost for the group of items purchased still further than if you buy like items.
Be sure to really know the store’s coupon policy to maximize the benefits of this type of offer. Buy only what you will use and be sure to have coupon for every item on the list to maximize savings on this type of deal.
I think we will stop here for today. I’ll be continuing the advanced use supermarket coupons strategies tomorrow. We still have a few more really strong techniques at our disposal to stretch saving still further.
To recap the advanced coupon savings strategies:
- Using Supermarket Coupons with Buy-One-Get-One Free Offers
- Rebates in Conjunction with a BOGO and Double or Triple Coupon
- Using Supermarket Coupons in Conjunction with Buy Multiple Get Multiple Items Free Offers or Instant Savings
If you continue adding these strategies to the basics you will be able to watch your savings grow quickly.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
4 Simple Rules for Using Supermarket Coupons
In my last post I talked about how to quickly reduce the cost of groceries by 50% of more by using supermarket coupons. Today, I want to give you a crash course on getting the greatest savings out of every coupon you use. Remember, work smarter not harder!
As you may have noticed, most supermarket chains change their policies on coupons often. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Just know that using coupons consistently will save you loads of cash no matter what the policy. That said, not all grocery chains are created equal where coupon policies are concerned. Do your homework to maximize savings.
Rule #1 Know Before You Go
Spend some time either online or making phone calls to the stores in your local area asking about their coupon policies before you shop. Some grocers offer unlimited double coupons, some offer double coupons on the first two like coupons up to $1.00, some offer doubles on the first coupon only, at full face value and so on. The policies are usually varied by chain and frequently also by geographic location. When planning a strategy in your local area it pays to know what the coupon policies are before you go shopping.
You should try to learn the following:
- How many like coupons you can use at one time? When you find a good deal you will want to lock in savings for 2 reasons on nonperishable items. First, a good deal on multiple like items maximizes savings. And second, if your pantry is stocked with enough products to get you through to the next month’s sale, then you do not need to take the time to clip another coupon or find another deal for that entire month. You will save both time and money by stocking up ahead of time at the lowest prices.
- Will the store allow you to use multiple supermarket coupons on one shopping trip? Some chains will and then again, some will not. Most grocers will allow multiple like manufacturer coupons up to a preset limit. In my area 3 like coupons seems to be the current policy.
- How many like coupons will the store double at once? Here again, policies differ. Most chains that double manufacturer coupons will only double one or two coupons per person per shopping trip. Some stores will also limit the amount they will double to $1.00 or less.
-If the supermarket does not offer unlimited double coupons, do they offer double or triple coupon days? Some chains offer unlimited double or triple coupon days once a week or month, rather than every day. It pays to plan your big shopping trips on the days that will save you the most if this is the case.
Rule #2 Always Use Double or Triple Coupons when the Item is Already On Sale.
As I have said, using supermarket coupons is the fastest way to reduce your grocery bill period. Your goal is to always use a double or triple coupon on a sale item. I regularly get free products this way. As I’m sure you will agree, free is the best price around.
Why does the product end up being free? Let’s do the math on a box of name brand cereal:
Full Shelf Price: $4.19
Sale Price: 2/ $4.00
Manufacturer Coupon: $1.00
Double Coupon: $1.00
----------------------------------
My Net Cost: $.00
Now, once I have found this deal, my local supermarket will allow me to use supermarket coupons for 3 like items, and they will double the first two coupons up to $1.00. So, here is what I bought:
3 boxes cereal @ 2/$4.00= $6.00
Manufacturer Coupon -$1.00
Manufacturer Coupon -$1.00
Manufacturer Coupon -$1.00
Double Coupon -$1.00
Double Coupon -$1.00
----------------------------------------
My Net Cost: $1.00
Savings off Full Price $11.57 (92 %)
In my case, we use enough cereal to justify spending the buck on the third box. You may also elect to take the two free boxes of cereal and call it good. It really does depend on your own personal needs as a consumer.
In my mind, as long as you can use what you buy get it when it’s either free or super cheap. Next to free, pennies-on-the-dollar is the next best price. So, if I can use it without wasting it, I buy it.
Rule # 3 Find a Coupon for Every Item Every Time
An often overlooked savings strategy is using supermarket coupons on every item you buy every time. Most of us go as far as clipping coupons in the Sunday inserts and stop there.
This is a giant mistake. You will never realize your full savings potential until you commit to finding a discount on every item in your cart every time you shop. Don’t stop with what is on the surface for savings.
There are many, many sources of coupons besides the Sunday inserts of you local paper. So many, in fact, that I will cover where to find additional manufacturer coupons in later posts.
Why is remembering to always find a coupon so important? As we discussed in quick savings on food, 60% of what we buy is considered a staple item of our pantry regardless of what the item is. How much will you save if you always get the lowest price on 60% of what you use? More than you may think.
Consider this example:
One of your staple pantry items is that box of cereal we talked about earlier. You have a family a family of 5 with 2 hungry teenage boys and go through 3 boxes of cereal a week at the least.
52 (weeks a year) x $11.57 (savings per week in 3 boxes of cereal) = $601.64 savings per year.
Now remember, that this is just one item on your shopping list that feeds your family of 5. How many items are on your entire list?
Granted, the savings will be higher on some items than others and not every item will be free in the end. But, the point I am trying to make is that there are HUGE opportunities for savings, and this is only one example of how using supermarket coupons is most decidedly worth your time. There are many, many other examples of savings where you will regularly be able to obtain free products. You just need to look for them, and know how often you the ads will cycle through to see this type of savings yourself.
Rule #4 A Shortcut to Knowing When the Ads Will Run
I’m going to let you in on another insider secret. Manufacturers spend millions of dollars to run their cents off coupons in a Sunday inserts nationwide. With that much money being spent on advertising, you can bet they are interested in one thing only, return on investment.
Return on investment in the food industry means one thing…moving product and lots of it. So what is the fastest way to move product? Putting it on sale and dropping a high face value coupon at the same time.
What does this mean for us, the consumer? Cha-Ching! Either totally free, or very reduced prices on the products the manufacturers are pushing. Just the type of situation we are looking for to stock our pantry shelves either for free or at deep discounts.
Know that food manufacturers are savvy at getting the most bang for the advertising buck. This means moving tons of cases of the products they are promoting in a very short period of time. Their favorite strategy is to make the offer just too good to refuse.
Sales generally run within 1-2 weeks after a coupon shows up in the Sunday inserts. While this is not always the case, I have calculated that around 70% of the time this is true.
What about the other 30% of the time? 90% of the remaining published coupons will be on sale within the time that the coupon is valid.
The moral of the story is that manufacturers want to move product, and grocery stores will have the item on sale almost always within the time that the coupon is valid. Do yourself a favor and wait for the opportunity to save even more and beat them at their own game.
To summarize:
Rule #1 Know Before You Go
Rule #2 Always Use Double or Triple Coupons when the Item is Already On Sale.
Rule # 3 Find a Coupon for Every Item Every Time
Rule #4 A Shortcut to Knowing When the Ads Will Run
Master these 4 rules of smart shopping when using supermarket coupons and watch your savings grow.
Coming up in my next post…advanced couponing techniques.
As you may have noticed, most supermarket chains change their policies on coupons often. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Just know that using coupons consistently will save you loads of cash no matter what the policy. That said, not all grocery chains are created equal where coupon policies are concerned. Do your homework to maximize savings.
Rule #1 Know Before You Go
Spend some time either online or making phone calls to the stores in your local area asking about their coupon policies before you shop. Some grocers offer unlimited double coupons, some offer double coupons on the first two like coupons up to $1.00, some offer doubles on the first coupon only, at full face value and so on. The policies are usually varied by chain and frequently also by geographic location. When planning a strategy in your local area it pays to know what the coupon policies are before you go shopping.
You should try to learn the following:
- How many like coupons you can use at one time? When you find a good deal you will want to lock in savings for 2 reasons on nonperishable items. First, a good deal on multiple like items maximizes savings. And second, if your pantry is stocked with enough products to get you through to the next month’s sale, then you do not need to take the time to clip another coupon or find another deal for that entire month. You will save both time and money by stocking up ahead of time at the lowest prices.
- Will the store allow you to use multiple supermarket coupons on one shopping trip? Some chains will and then again, some will not. Most grocers will allow multiple like manufacturer coupons up to a preset limit. In my area 3 like coupons seems to be the current policy.
- How many like coupons will the store double at once? Here again, policies differ. Most chains that double manufacturer coupons will only double one or two coupons per person per shopping trip. Some stores will also limit the amount they will double to $1.00 or less.
-If the supermarket does not offer unlimited double coupons, do they offer double or triple coupon days? Some chains offer unlimited double or triple coupon days once a week or month, rather than every day. It pays to plan your big shopping trips on the days that will save you the most if this is the case.
Rule #2 Always Use Double or Triple Coupons when the Item is Already On Sale.
As I have said, using supermarket coupons is the fastest way to reduce your grocery bill period. Your goal is to always use a double or triple coupon on a sale item. I regularly get free products this way. As I’m sure you will agree, free is the best price around.
Why does the product end up being free? Let’s do the math on a box of name brand cereal:
Full Shelf Price: $4.19
Sale Price: 2/ $4.00
Manufacturer Coupon: $1.00
Double Coupon: $1.00
----------------------------------
My Net Cost: $.00
Now, once I have found this deal, my local supermarket will allow me to use supermarket coupons for 3 like items, and they will double the first two coupons up to $1.00. So, here is what I bought:
3 boxes cereal @ 2/$4.00= $6.00
Manufacturer Coupon -$1.00
Manufacturer Coupon -$1.00
Manufacturer Coupon -$1.00
Double Coupon -$1.00
Double Coupon -$1.00
----------------------------------------
My Net Cost: $1.00
Savings off Full Price $11.57 (92 %)
In my case, we use enough cereal to justify spending the buck on the third box. You may also elect to take the two free boxes of cereal and call it good. It really does depend on your own personal needs as a consumer.
In my mind, as long as you can use what you buy get it when it’s either free or super cheap. Next to free, pennies-on-the-dollar is the next best price. So, if I can use it without wasting it, I buy it.
Rule # 3 Find a Coupon for Every Item Every Time
An often overlooked savings strategy is using supermarket coupons on every item you buy every time. Most of us go as far as clipping coupons in the Sunday inserts and stop there.
This is a giant mistake. You will never realize your full savings potential until you commit to finding a discount on every item in your cart every time you shop. Don’t stop with what is on the surface for savings.
There are many, many sources of coupons besides the Sunday inserts of you local paper. So many, in fact, that I will cover where to find additional manufacturer coupons in later posts.
Why is remembering to always find a coupon so important? As we discussed in quick savings on food, 60% of what we buy is considered a staple item of our pantry regardless of what the item is. How much will you save if you always get the lowest price on 60% of what you use? More than you may think.
Consider this example:
One of your staple pantry items is that box of cereal we talked about earlier. You have a family a family of 5 with 2 hungry teenage boys and go through 3 boxes of cereal a week at the least.
52 (weeks a year) x $11.57 (savings per week in 3 boxes of cereal) = $601.64 savings per year.
Now remember, that this is just one item on your shopping list that feeds your family of 5. How many items are on your entire list?
Granted, the savings will be higher on some items than others and not every item will be free in the end. But, the point I am trying to make is that there are HUGE opportunities for savings, and this is only one example of how using supermarket coupons is most decidedly worth your time. There are many, many other examples of savings where you will regularly be able to obtain free products. You just need to look for them, and know how often you the ads will cycle through to see this type of savings yourself.
Rule #4 A Shortcut to Knowing When the Ads Will Run
I’m going to let you in on another insider secret. Manufacturers spend millions of dollars to run their cents off coupons in a Sunday inserts nationwide. With that much money being spent on advertising, you can bet they are interested in one thing only, return on investment.
Return on investment in the food industry means one thing…moving product and lots of it. So what is the fastest way to move product? Putting it on sale and dropping a high face value coupon at the same time.
What does this mean for us, the consumer? Cha-Ching! Either totally free, or very reduced prices on the products the manufacturers are pushing. Just the type of situation we are looking for to stock our pantry shelves either for free or at deep discounts.
Know that food manufacturers are savvy at getting the most bang for the advertising buck. This means moving tons of cases of the products they are promoting in a very short period of time. Their favorite strategy is to make the offer just too good to refuse.
Sales generally run within 1-2 weeks after a coupon shows up in the Sunday inserts. While this is not always the case, I have calculated that around 70% of the time this is true.
What about the other 30% of the time? 90% of the remaining published coupons will be on sale within the time that the coupon is valid.
The moral of the story is that manufacturers want to move product, and grocery stores will have the item on sale almost always within the time that the coupon is valid. Do yourself a favor and wait for the opportunity to save even more and beat them at their own game.
To summarize:
Rule #1 Know Before You Go
Rule #2 Always Use Double or Triple Coupons when the Item is Already On Sale.
Rule # 3 Find a Coupon for Every Item Every Time
Rule #4 A Shortcut to Knowing When the Ads Will Run
Master these 4 rules of smart shopping when using supermarket coupons and watch your savings grow.
Coming up in my next post…advanced couponing techniques.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Quick Savings on Food: How to Use Supermarket Coupons
One of the quickest way to cut your grocery expenses down to size is every time you shop. No kidding. You can save 50% or more off your grocery bill with just this one strategy alone. When you use supermarket coupons you will save half or more off your grocery expenses every time you shop.
Yeah, I can hear the groans now…and next come the excuses. “I don’t have time,” “I never save enough to make clipping coupons worthwhile.” Let’s not forget the biggest objection of all “coupons are such a hassle.” Sorry folks, but the reality is that choosing to use supermarket coupons is where the savings is. No jokes!
Yep, I know all the excuses. I have used them all myself at one point or another. I was a master of the excuse. Being a master of excuses justified me being unhappy and complaining about the price of everything, while doing nothing to actually change my situation. That is, until I realized as a starving student in college that something needed to change. I knew I needed to work less while taking some really time intensive science classes for my degree or else my grades would suffer. I needed to find answers, something had to give.
So what happened? I simply realized two major points about myself and the lights came on. Suddenly using supermarket coupons sounded like a whole lot better deal than either working harder or another long night burning the midnight oil studying after I got home from work.
I had both the need and desire to change my situation for the better. Making a positive change was simply a matter of priorities. If you change nothing, you can hardly expect your situation to improve by sitting back and wishing that it will. Set your priorities and don’t look back. What did I learn? You have to do only two things to be successful…find the desire to change, and a way to make changes that make maintaining your success a no brainer. Keep it simple to maintain once you've made the necessary and you will succeed.
The system I am going to share with you is the one I used throughout college. I was busy too, and learned to do just enough to get the job done. “Work smarter not harder” is my mantra.
Step 1- Knowing Your Needs Before You Shop
Any savvy grocery shopper will tell you that keeping your grocery expenses in check requires only buying what you really need and keeping the impulse purchases to a minimum. Plan for a few treats, but stick to what you really need and will use.
Take a look at your grocery lists from week to week. What items show up all the time? Go beyond the common staples of cereal, bread, milk and eggs. What does your family use every single week? Week in and week out, what do you buy? Try to get a feel for how much you use and how often you buy the staple items on your list.
Do you know the full shelf price of the staples in your pantry off the top of your head? Do you know what a good (more than 30% off full retail) sale price is? Can you use supermarket coupons to reduce the price of staple items still further? How often do the sales run?
If you can not answer these questions then it is time to begin to know yourself as a consumer. You do not need to make a big laborious study of your consumption. Just begin to make mental notes of what you use, how much it costs and how often you buy things. Then start to notice how often the products you use the most go on sale.
Step 2- Always Use Supermarket Coupons When the Item is Already on Sale
Now that you have a clearer picture of what you use and how often you buy a product, know that you can save 50% or more every time you shop off full retail pricing. How do you accomplish this seemingly unreachable goal? Simple, always buy on sale and with the use of a double coupon.
Grocery stores and supermarkets generally run products at roughly 30% off the full shelf price on an ad rotation cycle of every 4 to 6 weeks. What does this mean for your pocketbook? Add the 30% savings to a double manufacturer coupon and you will easily save 50% or more off the same exact product you normally toss into your shopping cart week after week for double the price of what you really need to spend.
Want to multiply your savings? I’m about to tell you a secret that will kick your savings into high gear while reducing the time you spend shopping.
Step 3- Pump Up Your Savings With Multiple Coupons on Like Items
Your goal is to buy multiple “like” items when the price is right. Remember when I asked you to think about how much of a given product you use over the course of a week or month? Well, there was a method to my madness. I wanted you to start to get a feel for how much you consume within the time frame of a typical ad cycle on the products you use the most.
There was some recent research done that found that we purchase about 80% staple items week after week on a typical shopping trip. Oddly enough it did not matter what each consumer considered a staple item from eggs and milk to chocolate. Staples are products we are used to buying. The numbers were the same across the entire sample of the study, regardless of which items were purchased the most often. Imagine how quickly you could reduce your grocery bills if every item was 60% off the full price every time you shop. How much does that add up to over the course of a month or year? It ads up quickly doesn’t it? So here's the key. Focus on getting the lowest price on every staple item you purchase every time you shop.
I realize that some of these items are perishable and do not keep for an extended period of time. The sale price with a double coupon strategy works best for shelf stable products and nonperishable items. Buy enough to get you through to the next sale when the price is right and you will cut your grocery bills in half.
I can almost hear you saying already “What about perishables? There are a lot of perishables on my grocery list too.” Perishables don’t keep long and can not be purchased too far ahead without spoiling. Meat, dairy, and produce are all good examples of perishables we buy frequently. Don’t worry I will get to detailed shopping strategies for perishables in future posts. For now, try to buy what is on sale that week in the weekly sales circular. Try to limit yourself to mostly those items at rock bottom prices. You will recognize significant savings if you buy what is on sale and ignore what is not. At the very least buy more of what is on sale and less, much less, of what is not.
No time for coupons? Here is a strategy to save 30% off your next grocery shopping trip without ever clipping a single coupon.
This post is getting really long, so I’ll stop here for now. My next post will go into the rules for using supermarket coupons. I’ll be giving you some tips you may not know about for getting the most out of your manufacturer coupons.
Until then,
Elizabeth
Yeah, I can hear the groans now…and next come the excuses. “I don’t have time,” “I never save enough to make clipping coupons worthwhile.” Let’s not forget the biggest objection of all “coupons are such a hassle.” Sorry folks, but the reality is that choosing to use supermarket coupons is where the savings is. No jokes!
Yep, I know all the excuses. I have used them all myself at one point or another. I was a master of the excuse. Being a master of excuses justified me being unhappy and complaining about the price of everything, while doing nothing to actually change my situation. That is, until I realized as a starving student in college that something needed to change. I knew I needed to work less while taking some really time intensive science classes for my degree or else my grades would suffer. I needed to find answers, something had to give.
So what happened? I simply realized two major points about myself and the lights came on. Suddenly using supermarket coupons sounded like a whole lot better deal than either working harder or another long night burning the midnight oil studying after I got home from work.
I had both the need and desire to change my situation for the better. Making a positive change was simply a matter of priorities. If you change nothing, you can hardly expect your situation to improve by sitting back and wishing that it will. Set your priorities and don’t look back. What did I learn? You have to do only two things to be successful…find the desire to change, and a way to make changes that make maintaining your success a no brainer. Keep it simple to maintain once you've made the necessary and you will succeed.
The system I am going to share with you is the one I used throughout college. I was busy too, and learned to do just enough to get the job done. “Work smarter not harder” is my mantra.
Step 1- Knowing Your Needs Before You Shop
Any savvy grocery shopper will tell you that keeping your grocery expenses in check requires only buying what you really need and keeping the impulse purchases to a minimum. Plan for a few treats, but stick to what you really need and will use.
Take a look at your grocery lists from week to week. What items show up all the time? Go beyond the common staples of cereal, bread, milk and eggs. What does your family use every single week? Week in and week out, what do you buy? Try to get a feel for how much you use and how often you buy the staple items on your list.
Do you know the full shelf price of the staples in your pantry off the top of your head? Do you know what a good (more than 30% off full retail) sale price is? Can you use supermarket coupons to reduce the price of staple items still further? How often do the sales run?
If you can not answer these questions then it is time to begin to know yourself as a consumer. You do not need to make a big laborious study of your consumption. Just begin to make mental notes of what you use, how much it costs and how often you buy things. Then start to notice how often the products you use the most go on sale.
Step 2- Always Use Supermarket Coupons When the Item is Already on Sale
Now that you have a clearer picture of what you use and how often you buy a product, know that you can save 50% or more every time you shop off full retail pricing. How do you accomplish this seemingly unreachable goal? Simple, always buy on sale and with the use of a double coupon.
Grocery stores and supermarkets generally run products at roughly 30% off the full shelf price on an ad rotation cycle of every 4 to 6 weeks. What does this mean for your pocketbook? Add the 30% savings to a double manufacturer coupon and you will easily save 50% or more off the same exact product you normally toss into your shopping cart week after week for double the price of what you really need to spend.
Want to multiply your savings? I’m about to tell you a secret that will kick your savings into high gear while reducing the time you spend shopping.
Step 3- Pump Up Your Savings With Multiple Coupons on Like Items
Your goal is to buy multiple “like” items when the price is right. Remember when I asked you to think about how much of a given product you use over the course of a week or month? Well, there was a method to my madness. I wanted you to start to get a feel for how much you consume within the time frame of a typical ad cycle on the products you use the most.
There was some recent research done that found that we purchase about 80% staple items week after week on a typical shopping trip. Oddly enough it did not matter what each consumer considered a staple item from eggs and milk to chocolate. Staples are products we are used to buying. The numbers were the same across the entire sample of the study, regardless of which items were purchased the most often. Imagine how quickly you could reduce your grocery bills if every item was 60% off the full price every time you shop. How much does that add up to over the course of a month or year? It ads up quickly doesn’t it? So here's the key. Focus on getting the lowest price on every staple item you purchase every time you shop.
I realize that some of these items are perishable and do not keep for an extended period of time. The sale price with a double coupon strategy works best for shelf stable products and nonperishable items. Buy enough to get you through to the next sale when the price is right and you will cut your grocery bills in half.
I can almost hear you saying already “What about perishables? There are a lot of perishables on my grocery list too.” Perishables don’t keep long and can not be purchased too far ahead without spoiling. Meat, dairy, and produce are all good examples of perishables we buy frequently. Don’t worry I will get to detailed shopping strategies for perishables in future posts. For now, try to buy what is on sale that week in the weekly sales circular. Try to limit yourself to mostly those items at rock bottom prices. You will recognize significant savings if you buy what is on sale and ignore what is not. At the very least buy more of what is on sale and less, much less, of what is not.
No time for coupons? Here is a strategy to save 30% off your next grocery shopping trip without ever clipping a single coupon.
This post is getting really long, so I’ll stop here for now. My next post will go into the rules for using supermarket coupons. I’ll be giving you some tips you may not know about for getting the most out of your manufacturer coupons.
Until then,
Elizabeth
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Welcome to the Use Supermarket Coupons Blog
Hi everybody, and welcome to the use supermarket coupons blog. My name is Liz, and I am a grocery shopping consultant. Did you know that the average family spends between 12-15% of their income on food? Those statistics, while acurate last year are to the low side in out current economic cycle.
Sadly, after nearly two decades of moderate food inflation costs, we are currently experiencing a spike in food prices. The Food Marketing Institute has reported that the main culprits of food inflation in this current economic cycle are due mainly to:
- Higher commodity costs (corn, wheat, soybeans, etc.)
- Higher energy and transportation costs.
- Increased U.S. exports due to weaker dollar
- Rising labor and healthcare costs
The new research for food inflation in 2008 has not yet been released, but I do track prices in my local area closely. I personally have watched prices skyrocket an average of 27% in my local area in less than 6 months.
Nobody is talking about it, but the bottom line is that we are spending more everytime we shop... a lot more. My numbers were based on an average of full shelf prices of the 150 items I track closely, and do not represent a true set of statistically correct data. Still, I have enough data to say with all certainty that the trend is signifigantly higher than anybody is admitting to.
The purpose of the Use Supermarket Coupons blog is to help you fight back while prices are escalating at an alarming pace through this current inflation cycle. We will cover not just the use of supermarket coupons, couponing strategies and inexpensive meal planning, but many other ways to cut your grocery bills down to size that you may not be aware of.
Join us and watch your savings grow! Using supermarket coupons is a great way to find some extra cash in your bank account at the end of each month.
Sadly, after nearly two decades of moderate food inflation costs, we are currently experiencing a spike in food prices. The Food Marketing Institute has reported that the main culprits of food inflation in this current economic cycle are due mainly to:
- Higher commodity costs (corn, wheat, soybeans, etc.)
- Higher energy and transportation costs.
- Increased U.S. exports due to weaker dollar
- Rising labor and healthcare costs
The new research for food inflation in 2008 has not yet been released, but I do track prices in my local area closely. I personally have watched prices skyrocket an average of 27% in my local area in less than 6 months.
Nobody is talking about it, but the bottom line is that we are spending more everytime we shop... a lot more. My numbers were based on an average of full shelf prices of the 150 items I track closely, and do not represent a true set of statistically correct data. Still, I have enough data to say with all certainty that the trend is signifigantly higher than anybody is admitting to.
The purpose of the Use Supermarket Coupons blog is to help you fight back while prices are escalating at an alarming pace through this current inflation cycle. We will cover not just the use of supermarket coupons, couponing strategies and inexpensive meal planning, but many other ways to cut your grocery bills down to size that you may not be aware of.
Join us and watch your savings grow! Using supermarket coupons is a great way to find some extra cash in your bank account at the end of each month.
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