High cost of living
In the last year, I have noticed my grocery bills going up higher and higher each week on the same staples I have always bought. Even with the gas prices having gone down, food prices are much slower to come down. Like many people, my family lives on a budget and when the cost of such basics as milk, eggs and bread go up, it makes it harder to pay other interest bearing bills like credit cards or car payments.
My husband often does the grocery shopping for me because of the hours I work. He has noticed the upwards trend of our weekly grocery bill and tried to make adjustments himself at the store. Things like buying store brands more often or comparing the price of a jumbo size of a jar of peanut butter to the price of a smaller jar. Our son eats peanut butter like it is the only thing on Earth to eat sometimes, so a jumbo jar isn't a bad idea. It is basically the idea of paying more at once to save more in the long run but sometimes you can't afford to pay more all at once like that.
Another thing he uses which surprised me were coupons. In the past, he often scoffed at coupons and would never "remember" to take them with him, but since things have gone up in the last few months, he has begun to remember those coupons. He also always uses his discount card from the grocery store we frequent and does his best to always follow the list we write up together before he goes. Frankly, it saves us money when he goes shopping alone because when I go or go with him we always buy more than we should. I tend to suddenly get ideas for a recipe I want to try and start buying things not on the list. I know better but it still happens. So it saves us money when he shops using only the list.
ARA, one of our content providers, has a list of five things you can do to save money when you grocery shop. They may especially be helpful this holiday cooking season when grocery bills tend to go up because of holiday meals like Thanksgiving in a few weeks.
Erin Gifford, grocery savings expert with Shortcuts.com, offers five ways to save serious money at the supermarket this week.
1. Keep Your Eyes Peeled for Coupons: There are many more places to find coupons today than the Sunday paper. Online coupon Web sites let you select the coupons you want to print and cut out to use at your grocery store. Also, frequent the Web sites of your favorite brands for printable coupons and sign up for special coupon offers by mail or e-mail.
You can even go online to order coupons at a site like www.TheCouponClippers.com for a few cents each. This is great if you want to stock up on sale items and need more than one coupon to use with each item you buy.
2. Maximize Your Store Loyalty Card: If you don't have a store loyalty card, sign up for one. It's one of the easiest ways to save money on groceries each week. Many loyalty programs send extra coupons in the mail or e-mail, and even offer discounts on the food bill once a certain amount is spent in the store.
Some loyalty card users can also take advantage of electronic coupons, like those at www.Shortcuts.com. These coupons can be loaded onto store loyalty cards and automatically redeemed at checkout. No printing or clipping necessary.
3. Be a Strategic Coupon User: Some retailers, such as Target and Walgreens, offer special coupons that can only be used at their stores. You can use these coupons along with manufacturer's coupons on the same product for extra savings. By doubling up you can sometimes get products for free or nearly free.
Some grocery stores also double or triple coupons and often only on certain days of the week. Check your local store and shop the days when they're multiplied for maximum savings.
4. Look for Rebates and Free-bates: A great way to save is through rebates and free-bates, which refund you the full purchase price. You can make money in some cases when you use a coupon and then get a full price free-bate. The ads for these deals can lure you in so don't forget to send in the forms.
5. Read Money-Saving Blogs: Check out money-saving blogs that share with readers shopping tips and advice, coupons, free samples and round-ups of the best deals at local grocery stores. These Web sites have taken the work out of matching coupons with great sales to help you save money. Two to check out are www.BeCentsAble.net and www.CouponCravings.com.
Tips provided by ARA Content.