First let me say that I am sorry I am posting a day late. I am on a business trip and yesterday it was ALL BUSINESS. I didn't have a spare moment to log this post. Some days are just like that. I will be traveling home on Saturday and SKip and I will be hosting a birthday party for our one year old grandson on Sunday for 50 people so needless to say I will not be posting again until Monday the 6th.
Now getting down to the business of saving money at the grocery store. In my research I have found many websites out there that have valuable information for those of us trying to find ways to stretch our dollars. I have done the research for you but it will require some work on your part to reap the most benefits.
One thing that I have read over and over again is that in order to really save the most money it is important to comparison shop. At www.grocerysavingstips.com you will find a printable price log.I highly recommend that you print this out and start pricing staple items at different grocery stores in your area. If you are like me ,you gravitate to the store that offers perks for the money you spend. I have spent thousands of dollars at Giant Eagle since they have offered money off at the gas pump for shopping there. I was shocked to find that all the FREE GAS I thought I had earned by shopping there was not free at all. When I compare the cost of just the staple items(milk, bread, fruits, vegetables,meat) I buy there every week with two other area grocery stores I found that Giant Eagle was Higher on those items 90% of the time. So was the gas really free???
If you are not already a member of a warehouse store you may want to consider joining one. The savings are significant. If you are single or have a small family and think shopping in bulk takes too much out of your budget at once..consider going in with another singe or small family and split the cost of buying in bulk.
Since we are working for two weeks on writing down everything we spend I can not tell you how very important this is when buying your groceries. This will help you as we set up your grocery budget. Even now before we have a budget set..Tell your self how much money you want to spend at the grocery store, take a calculator with you and DO NOT GO OVER no matter what. This may mean giving up some items that you think you must have. My advice to you is to prioritize what is really important to you..I will use our family for an example...Nothing Says Good Morning Like Foldgers In Your Cup? Well at our house you need to replace Foldgers with STARBUCKS FRENCH ROAST.. So what does that mean to our grocery budget?? It doesn't mean I should add on another $10 dollars a week to the budget it means I should shop grocery store brands on items that are just as good as national brands, it means I should plant tomato this summer and it means that I should buy at our local farmers market all summer long and freeze as much as I can..In other words..cut in other areas and give up other items that are not as important.
How are you all doing with writing things down(everything you spend money on)? Adrienne..I promise we will be going into debt reduction and will cover student loans as well during our month of looking at our finances as a whole..
Adrienne and Debbie I will be sending you both a notebook to keep in your purse so you can write down every cent this month. (This is the RAK I promised on the first of the month to all that posted they would commit to doing this)..It is not too late..just make a commitment to this in a post and I will send you one as well. Today is the last day for this offer.
I will be listing the top 10 things you can do to saved money at the grocery on Monday.
Please let us hear from you. Tell us where you find your deals..What you do to save money at the grocery. Share the wealth of your knowledge with others. Everyone that post will be entered into the drawing that will be held of the 8th ..We have two giveaways this week. The pictures of the giveaways will go up on the 6th.
Have a blessed week end.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
Susan: First--I have a little spiral notebook I now keep in my purse to write down all my spending. We use our debit card alot, so I always hang on to those receipts and they are filed in a file box. All that I pay cash for, or check, I am also writing down. The fact that I DON'T want to do this says alot!! Haa! I used to do it when I was single & teaching school, and it became such a grind, but helped me stay out of alot of debt and not shop beyond my means.
ReplyDeleteHaving not married until I was 40, I was pretty set in my ways. I am a saver & my husband has always been a spender, SO---I kept my acc't in my Credit Union where I put most of what I make teaching piano or gifts--savings, checking, & "home fund" (which just got wiped out by the plumber & dry waller). This way, we don't take out the extras from our budget. It also allows me $$ for things like nail polish, hair cuts, etc. without feeling too guilty (that's a whole other story---as Susan knows).
I get our weekly grocery stores (Acme & Fishers) circular online, so I know where the bargins are before I make my list. I ALWAYS make a grocery list !!!!
We also have put a stop to going out for dinner (I miss ALOT), and only occassionally order in pizza or subs. My husband goes to nice restaurants when he travels each week on business, so....hmmm. Haaa!
It has helped....but things are getting even tighter for all of us now.
Love you all!
Susan I wish I had popped in on your blog earlier really good info. Now I will have to stay up all night to read back post.
ReplyDeleteWell like the poster above me I married late and my DH and I are the same way . He could care less about money and saving and I am the complete opposite.
My best grocery saving website is thegrocerygame. On this site you put in the stores where you shop and they give you a list of things on sale and tell you which ones are good deals for stocking up and which ones are not really that great of a deal. Her concept is that grocery stores have a sale cycle every 12 weeks . On this site she encourages you to use coupons along with sales and gives the date and circular the coupon is in. You don't cut coupons until you need them you just date the circular so you know where to find the coupon.So far I have gone from $100 a week to $60 a week for grocery's. There is a fee to get the info but you can also try it for weeks free. I got the hang of it now and no longer subscribe. To me the store with the best rewards is CVS. When CVS is gives out extra bucks I have bought $40 worth of stuff for $4.00. My next visit I should be able to get over $20 worth of free stuff. Don't forget CVS carries some grocery items. Oh and the way I budget for Craft items is I always ask for Gift cards to my favorite craft stores for Christmas/birthday and I also sell cards I make that makes up my craft budget.
Hiiii Susan!!
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait for the little notebook. I am currently writing in one. And actually trying really hard not to spend that much money because right now I have $70 bucks to last me until friday. And 50 of that Is from my savings! I had to pull some money out of my savings to use for rent... SAD.
But other than that, I started keeping track on the 2nd of what I spend that day... I think I am doing pretty well. :D
Okay, just need to ask for one thing!!
I need some strong thoughts as I had my *hopefully* last cigarette last night. I miss it already. a lot actually, more than I thought that I would. Cannot stop thinking about having a cigarette. But I still haven't had one and its officially been 24 hours!!!
ADRIENNE: You are in my thoughts & prayers! I KNOW you can stop your addiction with the help of God and your friends! I was able to give mine up---"15 minutes at a time! After 18 years, there are days when it's still sometimes "15 minutes at a time" & ALWAYS "a day at a time"!!! We are all behind you! And--don't beat yourself up if you have one....just start over from there! Keep us all [posted! XO-Beth B
ReplyDelete