by Bucksome on March 12, 2010
Does your grocery store require the checker to circle and tell you the amount you saved each shopping trip? The store where we do most our food shopping does and when the checker said “you saved over $96 today” the lady behind us gasped. She was audibly surprised we could save nearly an equal amount to what we spent.
It’s not unusual for us; in fact the following week I saved the same amount as spent. There are five ways we routinely save on food.
Coupons
We use both store and manufacturer coupons gathered from a variety of sources. The grocery store sends out coupons in booklets and weekly ads. Manufacturer coupons are found online, in magazines, postal mail and the newspaper.
Reward/Club Card
Join the frequent shopper program offered at stores you frequent. Many sale prices are only good in conjunction with the program card. My store sends checks quarterly based on the number of points accumulated the past three months. We routinely get $10-12.
I also load coupons directly onto the program card on the store website at at coupon websites such as Shortcuts.com.
Promotions
By taking advantage of special promotions such as buy 1 get one free or other iterations (buy 3, get 3 free) the grocery bill is cut more. Especially when combining with a coupon. I used to be able to use coupons for each of the items but recently my coupon for the “free” item was rejected which was understandable.
Markdowns
Last week in the markdown table I found cans of yams marked down over 50%. They weren’t damaged or about to expire. The item isn’t in high demand this time of year so they wanted to clear some out.
Other markdowns you may find include perishables close to expiration (meat, produce, dairy or bakery items). We have been known to buy any of these.
Discontinued items or products with packaging changes can also be found at greatly reduced prices sometimes.
Entertainment Book
The only reason I buy an Entertainment book each year is for grocery store discount of $5 off with a purchase of $75 or more (it can be anywhere close to that amount and they’ll take it). The savings pays for the book each year and the rest of the coupons in there are gravy.
How do you save money at the grocery store? If you don’t have the rest of the line gasping get started on saving by using these tips.
Content © Bucksomeboomer 2009-2010. All Rights Reserved.
by Guest on March 10, 2010
photo credit: Prato9x
Organic food shopping can get expensive. If you haven’t checked the prices of grass-fed organic beef, free-range chicken, or organic broccoli, you would be surprised when you realize that gone are the days when food shopping used to be a small fraction of your monthly budget. However, it is important to realize that spending money on foods that don’t have any nutritional value is also the waste of money, and moreover, it also deteriorates your health!
We cannot just let the cost of food dictate our decision-making. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be as expensive as you think it is if you research your options. Here are the top 5 ways you can eat healthy on a frugal budget:
- Pre-packaged foods should be avoided as much as possible. Most of these pre-packaged foods are loaded with preservatives and they lack the high-quality nutrition our body needs. Additionally, they are pricey. Instead of pre-packaged foods, consider slow-cooker recipes. Not only do they save you time and money, but are also highly-nutritional.
- Drastically reduce the consumption of packaged juice, soda, and alcohol. These beverages are filled with empty calories. They empty your wallet while filling your body with useless calories. Instead, consider fresh juices and green tea. Local farmers markets are the best choices for getting high-quality fresh fruits without spending a lot. Replace your sodas with a cup of green tea. You can get a bag of 100 green tea’s for the same cost as a 6-pack of soda bottles. Green tea is filled with anti-oxidants and has negligible sugar content.
- Food gardens are becoming very popular in US and Canada with an increase in health consciousness. National Gardening Association conducted a comprehensive research on the topic of food gardening and its return value. It was derived that an average food garden yields over $500 in return on average. For more details and research statistics, please visit The Impact of Food & Community Gardening In America.
- Whole grains like barley, quinoa (m personal favorite), millet, and oatmeal are very nutritional and cost-effective. They fill you up because of their wholeness and have high fiber content. You should not limit your choices to rice and pasta should when it comes to making a list for cost-effective grocery shopping.
- Organic deli meats are not as expensive as pre-packaged organic meats and have higher nutritional value too. For additional savings in meat, consider grinding meat on your own instead of buying pre-packaged meats.
Healthy grocery shopping is not as difficult and expensive as it is perceived by most of the shoppers. Putting in a little bit of extra effort in your grocery shopping can result in significant savings, both for your wallet and your health!
About the Author:
Amy C. is an enjoys exploring options for creating a healthy, conscious, and frugal lifestyle. She is based in Phoenix and is an ASU full-time business student. Additionally, she has an e-store in the niche of indoor fountains. Amy invites you to browse a recently launched a line of solar fountains for garden and patio enthusiasts. In her free time, Amy applies her business acumen in creating valuable marketing content for a Phoenix Internet Marketing firm, Niche Solutions, LLC.
Does your grocery store require the checker to circle and tell you the amount you saved each shopping trip? The store where we do most our food shopping does and when the checker said “you saved over $96 today” the lady behind us gasped. She was audibly surprised we could save nearly an equal amount to what we spent. 
