Coupons - Shopping with

The key to successfully shopping with coupons can be stated in one simple sentence:

                         "ONLY BUY ON SALE AND ALWAYS USE COUPONS."

As I stated in an earlier post, I used to plan my menu and shopping list, then I would pull the coupons according to my list. I would save $5-6 each trip, but found that it wasn't worth the time or effort involved. After a few short weeks, I would give up, only to attempt couponing again several months later. Same story, different day!

While talking with a friend at a homeschool class one evening, she began to talk about how much she was saving using coupons. I will admit, when she first began explaining it, I was not very receptive. I had been there/done that, and I just wasn't up to attempting it again. Somewhere in the conversation, probably about the time she pulled out her last grocery receipt, I realized that using coupons could work for me! That was the day my grocery shopping changed forever.

Meats seldom have coupons available, so purchase meats when they go on sale and place in the freezer. Soon you will not have to worry about what to cook for dinner, because your freezer will be full, and purchased at the best price possible! Remember the #1 rule...ONLY buy when it is on sale. The same applies even if you do not have coupons for the item.

In case you are still skeptical, let me give you an example from one item that was on sale at Publix recently.


Kellogg's Cereal 12-18 oz, Buy One Get One Free $4.09 ($2.04)
note: The $4.09 is the regular price - The $2.04 is the sale price per box

Coupons available:  $1.00/1 manufacturer's coupon
                                    $1.00/1 competitor's coupon

Since Publix allows you to stack a competitor's coupon with a manufacturer's coupon, you will spend $.04/box for cereal!  Because the regular price is $4.09 per box and you are paying $.04 per box, you have just saved $4.05 for cereal. Multiply that savings by the number of coupons you use, and you can see how much money you can save.

While the savings are not always this great, you will find that by buying on sale and using coupons, you will save 60%-80% on your weekly grocery bill. Although not many, there have been a few times that Publix has paid me to buy groceries! It doesn't get any better than that!

Let me say at this point.... if you are a totally organic, no processed foods, type person, then you will not save as much as others do. You will, however, be able to save on cleaning supplies, personal care items, paper products, etc. We are getting away from processed foods ourselves, but that is another subject.

One other thing that you need to remember... When buying items with coupons, you need to buy enough to last you for 2-3 months. That's how often the sales re-cycle. You want to purchase enough while it is on sale, so that you don't have to pay full price for it a couple of weeks down the road. I will discuss storage/stockpiling on a later post.

I can see that a post on menu planning is in order, too. Until then.....

Happy Savings!