One of the biggest reasons that people give for not using coupons is that the deals are only good on “junk”. However, this is just not true. You may even be able to eat even healthier then you would if you did not use coupons.
If this surprises you, then let me explain.
First start by figuring out what you are spending a month on groceries. Make sure to include ALL expenses- food, paper products, cleaning supplies & health & beauty items.
1. Play the “Drug Store Game”- The first place that you are going to save is on all those household and personal items you are currently buying. Walgreens and CVS have amazing deals to get these items next to nothing, it not free. The goal is to be able to wait till an item is on sale. Then add to that deal by using coupons. When you are getting an item at its rock bottom price you will then stock up. Most items go on sale every 3 months. If you can purchase enough of that item to last till the next deal then you will never have to pay full price. It may take some time, but you are going to want to have at least a 3 month supply on all your household and personal items.
Once you have this down you will be taking a huge chunk out of your monthly budget. You can find drug store deals here on MSSB. Another great place to find deals is on the WeUseCoupons forum.
2. Stick to the Perimeters- Next you will start saving on your grocery (food) items. If you want to shop healthy, then you will want to stick to the perimeter of the store. This is where you will find all your fresh produce, meats and dairy items. I recommend that you only go down the aisles for those items that you are getting deals on. Use the same mindset as with the drug store deals. Most of these products have a high shelf life so when you find them at their rock bottom price, stock up for at least 3 months. Again the plan is to never have to purchase anything at full price. You may even want to set a specific amount of your budget towards stock up items each week. Just by cutting your expenses on all these items you will be saving a lot.
3. Plan Menu with Sales- This will now free up some money to be able to buy more fresh produce and meats. However, that doesn’t mean that you can not save there either. Try to stock up on meats when they are around $1.99 lb or lower. Also, buy produce that is in season or on sale for around $.99 lb. Don’t forget to check out local farmers markets or produce stands. It is a great way to get the freshest produce while also supporting your local farmers.
Once you know what items are a good deal that week, then plan your menu. If pork is on sale that week, then make a dinner around that and include sides & ingredients that you already have on hand from past deals.
Make sure to keep track of what you are spending. After you put all these steps into practice you will want to add up your monthly expenses again to see how much you are saving. Just by doing these simple steps you should be able to cut your monthly expenses by 75% or more.
It may be true that a lot of the unhealthier items may go on sale more often, but that doesn’t mean you have to buy every deal that comes along. But if you are saving on all the non-food and nonperishable items you are currently buying, it will free up more money to spend on your healthier fresher products.
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