I've been hearing and reading that one out of every six people in America is finding food hard to afford, so well, I'd like to do my part to help out via this blog. So at times I'll include hints and coupons as to how to buy groceries cheaply.
Frankly, I love trying to conquer the supermarket game.
My own supermarket keeps track of how much I save each year by purchasing their items which were on sale each week. They say I saved $835 in 2011. Cool.
As for how much I saved on top of that by using cents-off coupons (my store doubles all coupons less than one dollar), I'll estimate that I saved, hmm. $280.
My store also sells gas and they give us ten cents off per gallon for each $100 we spend or when we use ten cents-off coupons (each time I use a coupon on a product it's like I spent 10 dollars' worth of groceries. I think that's awesome. Wish they'd begun that promotion earlier in the year.) Anyway, I'll estimate that we saved $50 in gas.
All totaled, that's a savings of $1,165. Not incredible, but pretty good for something I do in my spare time. Something I enjoy.
And that's the key to not only saving money at the supermarket, but with anything we do--keep it enjoyable. God never meant our lives down here to be one long bad, sad time (I don't care who says He did). No, Jesus "came that we might have life more abundantly and live it to the full until it overflows." (John 10:10)
I enjoy discovering ways to do just that.
Anyway, this year my aim is to buy 90% of my groceries only when they're on sale--buying enough to last me until the next sale. It's such a bummer to pay full price! And of course, I'll use coupons whenever I can and save even more on top of the sale prices.
God can provide for us in myriad different ways and one of those ways, for me, has been the enjoyable adventure of buying groceries as cheaply as I can. Of beating the grocery game and having a fun time as I do.
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Oh and don't worry.... I'm not into buying 20 boxes of cupcakes or sugary cereals, etc., like those extreme couponers. Uh, no. And because my mom taught me, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all," I'll not say anything else about those shoppers. シ
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As I think I may have already mentioned somewhere already, I make a game of saving. Makes it fun. We buy at least 95% on sale. It is fun knowing there are so many others that strive to win at 'the game'. I try not to stress about prices raising...just work at making good healthy menus and enjoying cooking. Actually I do not think of it as 'work'. It is more like a fun hobby. We have never had that much money to spend so why not do the best possible with the amount we have? I do not do many coupons as we get some things at surplus stores and preserve and dry things etc a lot. I just have always enjoyed learning how to do homey things and this is part of it. I am open to any advice you can give us on this subject. Debra your good attitude about life is contagious! :) Sarah
ReplyDeleteAppreciate all your tips, Debra, and hearing about the products you especially like and recommend.
ReplyDeleteI have been couponing what I can, but hubby removed my coupon setup as he felt it was contributing to problems we have had with computer of late. And since he has, things are ok again...so! But our needs are changing due to what we need to do diabetes-wise anyway. So even though I won't be couponing as I was, at least the things we will be buying would rarely have coupons for them...still I am watching certain areas, like the meat counter, etc. for their markdowns. Seems when we need them, they are there!! One blogger I read says she always prays before she goes into the store that GOD will help her...I think that is a good plan to do that too!! Using our farmer's coop here has been most helpful in the past too! Sometimes we get veggies we cannot eat, but the neighbors are always glad to receive them...and we felt we spent no more and the items were so nice and fresh and in some cases were even organic!! And for us? Need to cut back on how much we have been eating...so that is another SAVER!! Heh...
ReplyDeleteGlad for your links...some will no doubt be helpful.
Elizabeth in NC
Thank you for the coupon link!
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