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Sure, I might be able to get 16 boxes of tampons for free this week…but what if I really need celery and italian seasoning? Coupons are typically for processed pantry foods. The most expensive items in your cart food-wise are typically meat, produce, and dairy. And coupons don't typically cover many, if any, of those. And it's actually quite simple. Step 1: This includes anything you can get at a typical grocery store — food and produce, on down to basic cleaning supplies, pharmacy goods, baby items, and even pet food.
I bet you have a million questions, so see this post that will explain everything in detail. Next, you need a method to track your grocery budget. My simple no-fail trick? Track your budget weekly instead of monthly! See the video above for a detailed explanation on this. I believe in buying everything with an electronic card instead of cash, debit or credit is fine based on your level of self-control.
Just don't use cash, because tracking cash is a nightmare. See more on why and how we use credit cards , and check out the video below.
If you follow no other rules, follow this one. Plan ahead, make it count, and then never step foot back in the store for 6 days or the wrath of Jordan will come through this computer screen and will spank you! If you run out of milk, send your spouse. If they will walk out with more than 1 gallon of milk only, borrow some from a neighbor. Keep powdered milk on-hand.
Eat toast instead of cereal. But do NOT step foot back in that store! Just trust me on this one. Decide what you need. I recommend keeping a grocery list of things you need in your phone because we are never without our phones.
I separate my list by the two stores I shop at Walmart and Costco — more on Costco at the bottom and the things I typically buy there. A basic rule of smart grocery shopping, never go to the store without a list!! Look at what's on sale. This is the crutch of this whole operation! All you need to do is be aware of what the good deals are for the week, and buy those! How do you know? Two ways: Check the junk mail ads.
I used to do it and it takes a little time, but works fine. Take the ads for the stores you like to shop at, and focus on the front and back pages mostly. Check out the deals and prices and circle or take note of what the good deals are that week, and stock up on them. Use DealsToMeals. It's the coolest website that I discovered years ago. She takes the ads from the stores in your state nation-wide and expanding daily , puts all the weekly deals in a spreadsheet, and flags the best deals for you!
That way you just scan the list, look at all the flagged deals, add what you need to your shopping list with one click, print it out, and go shopping more on that in a sec!
If it's not flagged, ignore it and wait — there is no need to buy things full-price…no coupons needed! Plan your meals. Deals to Meals actually makes a weekly meal plan for you main, sides AND dessert for 5 days of the week. Yeah, totally amazing based on what's on sale!
Otherwise just make your list around what's on sale and what you have on-hand that you need to use up. Step 2: Go Grocery Shopping! If you prefer to take the ads with you and not use D2M, simply circle the items you want so you can find them easily.
There's a limit of one rebate per household and it cannot be used on tobacco, alcohol, prescriptions or lottery products. Did you save all you could at Walmart? Price match to avoid paying more rice Match allows you to adjust the amount you paid for something if you find an identical item at a lower price from a verified retailer. It's easier than you might think. But you will find the best deals on the store-brand items most of the time.
It still helps to make a list so you don't miss anything. Wal-mart will match store-brand to store-brand. It doesn't explain this in detail in their policy, but I've asked multiple checkers and they all said that's how they do it. Each checker is different and their ad-match policy is a little ambiguous, so just be sure to ask them what they will allow. But you will find the best deals on the store-brand items most of the time. Bring a pack of post-its, or blank stickers or labels.
I like to use those little circle yard sale stickers. As you add something to your cart, write the price-matched price on the sticker and stick it right on the product. That way your checker will know exactly what is being matched and what isn't, which reduces the chance of error AND makes your checker love you: My recommendation? Do NOT use a sharpie to write the price on the product. If you write it, you're committed to it! I am known for putting things back once at the register, or deciding to pass on something if I am unable to price-match it for some reason. Don't commit to the product until you BUY it!
If something is an amazing deal don't just buy one…buy many. Stock up! Check out my FOOD posts for ideas on how to store food. Stick within your budget, but be sure to grab extras, especially pantry items like baking and canned goods.
See my price-matching posts for ideas on how I do this. Make sure the ounces match.
If a 16oz box of pasta is on sale at one store, make sure you are grabbing a ounce box at Walmart. Likewise, if the ad is for price per EACH i. It needs to be the same unit of measurement. I used to start with the home goods section first and end with produce so the heaviest stuff shampoo, baby food, diapers is on the bottom of my cart.
I now hit the produce, dairy, and meat sections first. It started that way because they were closest to the store entrance at the Walmart I shop at. But now, it's more because that's where the most savings are, the healthiest items are, and I tend to spend a little more time in those sections. I lose steam after minutes of shopping and tend to skip things at the bottom of my list.
Get familiar with Walmart's Ad-Match policy before you go, just so you're clear on everything. See a store on the list that is in a nearby city? Ask friends to take a ride with you and make it a mini day trip. Many times the websites are designed just as a way for spammers to capture email addresses from unsuspecting shoppers looking for ways to save. To avoid the problem, use this list of reputable websites offering free printable grocery coupons.
The websites still require an email address during registration, but members can opt out of receiving email. Part of the training for the management positions at grocery stores includes learning how to set up store promotions that look like promotions, but offer no real savings to shoppers.
These are just a few examples. Learning the different strategies used at grocery stores to display "fake" sale items can help shoppers avoid falling for the tricks of the grocery store trade. The practice of stacking discounts has become a popular savings strategy for budget-conscious shoppers. One of the reasons its popularity has grown is because retailers have discovered that it is an excellent way to draw customers into their stores.
Learn how to stack coupons and discounts and start maximizing your savings. There is a lot of money that can be saved by using coupons, but there are also ways that it can end up costing shoppers more money. Here are some of the ways that coupons could actually be making shoppers dig deeper into their pockets. When it is time to go grocery shopping one of the first things frugal-minded shoppers do is check out the grocery store flyers. But just like inside the stores, advertised deals in the circulars are not always money savers.
This Week's Coupons (Feb 7 – Feb 13, ). Download the Save-On-Foods App to get these coupons instantly on your smart phone. This Week's Exclusive Coupons (-). Download the Save-On-Foods App to get these coupons instantly on your smart phone.
Learn how to read between the lines of the advertised deals. Things change.