I am forever pinching pennies as a single Mom, sometimes I feel sorry for those poor little pennies! In our house it seems like the only thing we really have any control over is what we spend on food. I’m not good at clipping coupons, wait, I’m good at clipping them, just not remembering to use them. I used to be really organized when it came to couponing, not so much anymore, but I do have lots of hints on how to make it easier for those of us who are not professional couponers.
1. Look for coupon websites in your area. There are a few where I live that will match the coupons to the store sales every week so you know what to buy with what coupon. They even have a system worked out so you don’t have to clip the coupons until you need them.
2. Give up your brand loyalty. This may be one of the biggest reasons I don’t use coupons much. I’m not brand loyal, except for ketchup, everything else, I always buy whatever brand is on sale and it’s usually a better deal than the name brand with a coupon.
3. Buy in bulk when possible. I don’t mean the warehouse stores, just your local grocery stores. For instance, one of the stores closest to me will put their store brand peanut butter on sale for $1. I buy ten jars every time they do. I never run out of peanut butter and I never pay $3 a jar either.
4. Household cleaners. Buy these at the Dollar Store or you can use vinegar and baking soda to clean just about everything. I never use anything but vinegar in my carpet shampooer, it does a great job and doesn’t leave any residue on the carpet.
5. Ziploc bags, again, the dollar store is your best friend. Does it really matter what brand bag your sandwich is in?
6. Plant a garden, nothing huge, just enough to have a few fresh veggies thought the season.
7. Look for food co-ops in your area. I do a fruit and veggie one and for $15 a week I get about 30 pounds of fresh produce a week. We eat lots of veggies so they don’t go to waste, this saves on the meat portion of my grocery bill as well, and I use much less meat in a dish when I have all these veggies.
8. When you find a good sale, try to buy one or two extra, this will add up and save you money in the long run. If you do this often enough you will never have to run to the store and pay full price for mayonnaise.
9. Cook and bake from scratch whenever possible. It’s easier than you think, and the kids love to help.
Those are just a few ways I save money on groceries. What are your favorite ways to save?