Hello Everyone,
I decided to share my secret of how I manage to save between $400,00 and 600,00 off my grocery bill every month.
I need to confess that I am addicted to grocery shopping, I get a rush from finding good deals, I love cooking as much as eating and saving money is the key.
I used to go to the grocery store every 2-3 days, I spent about 1,000 a month on groceries, I was only saving 200,00 a month, but ending up wasting food.
Now I only go once a week, I get the hitch if I miss a week, my husband tries to stretch it to twice a month...
I gather as much coupons as I can find, I fill pocket size photo albums, and I make sure they are updated.I combine the coupons with the discounted items.
Eg; Hamburger Helper had 3,00 off ground beef coupons, I combined them to packaged of 3,21 so I only paid 21 cent per package of meat.
The thing is I got so addicted to couponing at some point, I bought the product for the coupons, I was hunting for coupons to save money on the product that has the coupon.I would open the product get the coupons, like hamburger helper, put the noodles in a zipploc bag and donate it to the food bank.
The hamburger helper would cost 1,99 on sale minus a dollar to save 3,00 off meat.
Because we cannot eat wheat and processed food we just end up donating it.
If you have no interest in buying 50% off meat, produce or any perishable, because it is close to expiry date do not read any further!
I do not recommend to buy bulgy cottage cheese container or any kind of dairy, some brand don't keep well specialy Organic Dairy, that I recommend buying 15 days prior to expiry.
The store will refund your money if the product's date is not expired, most of times I do not waste fuel and time just to get 2,00 back!
Some people have misconception that food that is 50% off because it is close to expiry date or on expiry date is bad for you!
The food safety and regulations required the supermarket and food producers to have an expiry dates,Dairy can be good up to 10 days after expiry dates, meat can be good up to 3 days.Produces it depends how it is stored.
What do you need to succeed: (the savings you will be doing will help you to procure these)
A Freezer, freezer space in your fridge is fine.
Vaccum pack bags and sealer
Rotating your food in your pantry,fridge and freezer.
Make sure that you know what you have, too many times I ended up with 9 jars of peanut butter!
It takes time and commitment. I do my grocery once a week it takes me around 2 hours, because I go through all the aisles. I spend between 150,00 to 200,00 a week for a family of 2 adults, two children and a dog.
Some might think it is a lot of money, this budget includes, diapers,household items,food and toiletteries.
I will not show you how to do extreme couponning, Since it is very difficult to do in Canada and time consuming . I was not successful at it so I made my own saving strategy.
Some of my family members have a Gluten free,sugar free, peanut free diet so we really need to be creative to make it successful! No choice on saving money since it cost approximately 200,00 month just for my son's Gluten free diet.
We do not buy any processed food, we make almost everything from scratch.
You would be surprised how healthy you can eat, on discounted food!
We are "Foodies on a budget! We get to buy twice a month fine cheese and fine cold cuts, we write down when it will be expiring and plan to come back two days before the expiry date.
To start , rule of thumb, never go to the grocery store hungry or it will be a disaster!
Go when you are not in a rush and that you are able to spend a least an hour doing shopping.
Shop around 10am on Monday, it is the least busy time, a big secret for why Monday...
There is a huge choice on 50% off meats and produce!
10am? Because the morning staff usually had time to put the discounted labels on the products.
Make sure to inspect the meat and produce and all the expiry dates! Don't be shy of asking a rebate is the products are dammaged or as signs of blemished.
Write a basic list, to remind you of what you need,I tend to forget mine so sending a text or email to a cellphone is a great reminder.
Since I plan my grocery shopping only around red sticker (-50%) I do not do meal plans prior to shopping. I do a meal plan after shopping.
If we go on week-end it is too busy or too crowded, it is too stressful to shop and it has not much selection regarding discounted items.
I do not do a stuck up pile, I rotate everything, if something is on sale I will buy only if I need it, and if it will be used that week. The secret here is only purchase what you need.
Making the difference between needing and wanting!!!
Sure sometimes it's nice to have a special treat, but we tend to buy what we don't need, and junk food is more expensive that you think!It adds up calories and fat that we sure don't need!
NOT BUYING SAVES YOU MONEY!
I used to buy bags of salad mix and lettuce, because it was less than 1,00 but nobody would finish it...
So I don't buy it anymore.
It is not everyone that has time to make their own bread and pasta, sometimes buying at discount and freezing is cheaper!
I've tried making my own laundry detergent, I've found the clothes were not has clean has buying my favorite detergent, so I decided to buy it in bulk.
Buying in bulk can save you money
Calculate the price per weight before choosing the products, you might spend 20 cent more for a product that will last you longer so in the long run you are saving money!
Someone told me to look at the flyers, and to shop around the stores to get the best deal.
Here again, if it is not 50% off or it is not discounted I don't buy it!
A friend and I wrote a list of 60 items, of things we needed, she went to 3 differents stores, to buy the same items, I bought all the same items, but only at one store, I saved 52,00 more than she did, by buying the items half price and also the price of fuel!
It's nice to have the dollars day sale, but if you care about what you eat as much as saving money, you need to watch also what you eat.Instead of buying juice boxes for school, I buy 100% frozen juice, and reusable containers.I save money on deposits, and money on the product.
Exception of Gluten free products, are hard to come by half off, so I have a system of writing down the expiry dates, and to plan my next shopping around that date, usually it is still on the shelves with a red sticker! My internal bell rings!
When you are ready to go to the cash register, make sure all the discounted items are easy to see, track down every purshase being scanned, so you don't pay extra, once I got charged 13,00 for orange and yellow peppers, the lady entered the wrong code and did not entered the discount, it was supposed to cost me 3,00 for 4 pounds of peppers.
Don't be distracted, by chatting with the cashier, this is your purchased, make sure it is done right!My kids knows to be quiet, they get a treat when they follow the quiet rule.
Also always check your bill before you leave the store, make sure you have all the items that you purchased!
If the store offers Airmiles when you spend 100,00 or more or any free products make sure that you get it! Now days you can redeem your Airmiles points for groceries!
Today at Safeway I found package of pork tenderloin at $6,00 for 2 pounds, it was discounted -50% so I paid 3,00,
I also bought 3 packages of fresh sole -50 off at 1,59 each
I also bought Pur Maple Syrup -50 off of 8,59 minus a 1,00 coupon I paid $3,29 for 1L
one package of 24 yogurt Activia for 5,99 -50% -2,00 coupon = 1,00
Charmin Toilet paper 5,00 for 24 rolls minus 2,00 off coupon 3,00!!! Try to stack up on coupons!
If you have 2 different coupons for the same product you are able to combine them as long as the squ number is different.
Some weeks are better than others, if I go around the store and plan it well I can spend $54,00 and save $81,00, by changing brand name to No name helps to save but some products are not worth it.
Like the ketchup or mayo...
A few times I spend less than 40,00 and saved over 100,00 but we have to make sure that what is bought has to be used! A few times I bought so much food that I had no space in my fridge and freezer I had to cook so much that day!
You can find coupons at your grocery store entrance, in flyers, on the internet and order by mail.
www.coupons.ca
www.coupons.com
www.brandsavers.ca
www.huggies.ca
www.pampers.ca
www.procterandgamble.ca
Make sure that the coupons that you print are illigible in Canada, I previously printed 200 Campbell's soups coupons and the store refused them I would have had 100 cans for free!
