After my husband lost his job 2 1/2 years ago, we have had to work hard to make ends meet. Here are a few of the ideas that have helped me spend less on my grocery bill
Shop at the Dollar Store and Bakery Outlet First
Save money on: aluminum baking dishes, party decorations like Mylar balloons, paper plates, napkins and table cloths, gift boxes, gift wrap, gift bags and tissue, greeting cards, school supplies, cosmetics, hair accessories, seasonal decorations and candy.
Buy lunch sized portions of peanuts, cookies, and filled crackers at 6 for a $1.00. That is $.17 each. In the vending machine they cost $.50-.90. At the grocery store they average $.25 each.
If there were a bakery outlet store in my town I would recommend that first for bakery items, but my husband found out he could buy the same brand wheat bread that he pays $2.22 for at the grocery store for $1 at the Dollar Store.
Use Coupons for Name Brand Items
We’ve all heard about “clipping coupons”, “super couponing” and now “extreme couponing”. I clip from my own newspaper and my sister’s.
Coupons are found everywhere. There are coupons on the bottom of my Ace Hardware and McDonalds free calendars. Coupons are sometimes given out with fast food purchases. Pay attention to the receipt, or the pull off tab on the soda cup.
Women’s magazines are a good source of coupons too. The one I’ve found with the most is called All You. Go to www.AllYou.com too. And don’t forget to save any coupons that come with the item you actually purchased – pull offs, inside lids, inside boxes, etc.
Use Coupons for Store Brand Items
In-store coupons appear in store ads or in special displays at a store. Walgreen’s and CVS always have coupons in their ads. HEB has coupons throughout their store at various displays. Kroger prints coupons for you as you check out based on your purchase history. They also mail me coupons based on previous purchases. Many of these coupons are for store brand items that I would buy anyway.
Finding Offers and Coupons On the Internet
If there are name brand items that you buy frequently (like my sugar-free French vanilla flavored liquid coffee creamer), go to the manufacturer’s website and look for current offers. You can usually print one coupon per month. Or “Like” them on their Facebook page to receive email alerts about special deals.
There are numerous websites like “Coupon Mom” or your favorite store’s website where you can print out just the coupons you want. Select items on Kroger’s website and they will load the coupons onto your Kroger’s card automatically. No clipping at all!
In-Store Deals
Save half the price or more on In-Store deals that include overstocks of bakery goods rotated and marked down on a daily basis at large grocery stores with in house bakeries. Also check the “about to expire” meats in the fresh meats section. The price goes down the closer it gets to its expiration date. Look at the “Marked Down” basket or end cap at your favorite store. I often find items from the drug department at super discounts.
HEB offers the “Deal of the Week” in its circular advertisement where they “bundle” a large meat purchase with 3 or more free items to create an entire meal. Kroger and Randalls are starting to compete in this way also.
Read the ads and use the “Price Matching” option at Wal-Mart. Now that Dollar General, Family Dollar, Big Lots, and Target put out weekly circulars along with the grocery stores, find the items you want at one of these stores, take the circular with you to shop at Wal-Mart and they will match the price. When you add a coupon discount to the lowered cost you’ll really score some bargains
Investigate Store Brands and Cheaper Brand Names
Store brands are often just as good as name brands and MUCH cheaper. Try some to see which ones you like. We have switched our brand of sweetener, coffee, bath soap and shampoo. It is not always the store brand that I’ve switched to. Check out cheaper brands of the same product until you find the one that pleases you more.
Extra Rewards
There are so many “Extra Rewards” programs that I am getting overwhelmed just researching the information. Let’s start with the local pharmacy/grocery stores.
CVS doles out rewards called “Extra Bucks” when you shop at a CVS/pharmacy store or online and use your ExtraCare card. Earn 2% back with every purchase in-store and online. Earn 1 extra buck for every 2 prescriptions purchased in-store and online.
Walgreens offers in-store rebates to be used the next time you shop. I didn’t want to wait, so I purchased the item at one Walgreens store and held on to the rebate coupon. I drove down to the next Walgreens and purchased another item and immediately used the rebate coupon the same day.
Use a credit card that accumulates “cash back” or points that can be used to purchase other items. Pay the credit card off each month. Receive cash back, or use your points to purchase gift cards to restaurants and retail stores. (This is a great way to get Christmas gifts for free.)
This is just a summary of a few ideas that have helped me lower my grocery bill. I know they will help you too. Oh, and I recently found the local “Food Pantry” as well. Don’t be afraid to ask around for yours.