While many of our goals for the New Year have to do with health, another top resolution that is made is concerning finances. As a mom with children in middle and high school, I know that saving money is important. It will be just another year and a half before my first one is in college and I would really love to help contribute.
Sometimes it’s the small things that make the most difference. When you cut corners in small ways it can add up. It’s just hard to see the big picture when you are making small changes.
I compare it to losing weight. You do small things like cut out soda, and you are already making long-term improvements. You just don’t see the results right away.
If there is one area that I want to specifically work on this year it’s with groceries. With teenagers it seems like food is disappearing as fast as I bring it in. I seem to be making more and more trips to the grocery store throughout the week than I used to and the grocery bill is really growing.
Cutting coupons is an obvious way to save money. But if you are anything like me, you have good intentions of cutting coupons. Mine tend to sit in a big pile and when I do finally cut them, they are a mess.
When I make a quick stop at the store, I often find myself purchasing something that later on I discover a coupon for at the house. I think to myself, “Ugh, I could have used that coupon.” So here is my new strategy for 2011 and saving money on groceries.
First, I am going to make sure I set aside time to cut those coupons. Any night that I am sitting in front of the TV, I could also be cutting them out. Then I am going to organize them in a coupon pouch. There are different types available. Some of them come with pre-made labels such as meat, dairy, etc. Other coupon pouches come with blank labels you can write on.
I am not going to stick my coupon pouch in a drawer, cabinet or on a shelf. It goes right into my purse. That way they are organized and on hand whenever I make an unplanned trip to the store. I can look right away to see if I have a coupon for that item.
Now this is just one small way that I can start to save money on groceries. There are other ways that I will also be discussing but for now, it’s all about coupons.
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