Tag Archives: groceries

Getting Paid to Buy Groceries

How did I get paid when I went shopping? Read on to find out. It seems that there is always a debate about coupon cutting and grocery shopping. Some people swear by it, while others spurn it saying it doesn’t save any money. Debates will go back and forth between the two camps, with examples, digital photos of grocery receipts, etc. It is always a vigorous debate. I fall into the side that believes in coupons, with the caveat that one must be cautious about which coupons to use. My favorite method is to combine coupons with loss leader sales … Continue reading →

Five Bread Prices for Five Families

Bread is one of those great staples in life. And, despite all of the bad press that it has gotten in these low carb days, I still think bread is a wonder. I thought I would take a look five fictional families and see what each of them might spend on a loaf of bread. I’m going to assume that all of our pretend families like to be healthy, so they all eat a whole grain bread. None of them stockpile or freeze their bread, but they might purchase two loaves a week to get them through until their next … Continue reading →

The Pros of “Paying Yourself” in Coupon Savings

Did you catch yesterday’s article, Should You “Pay Yourself” in Coupon Savings? It introduced the concept of paying yourself with money that you save from clipping coupons and taking advantage of bonus card savings. I talked about what “paying yourself” means, as well as different ways of doing it. But, paying yourself with your coupon savings might not make sense for everyone. And so, I’m going to examine the ways in which it can be a positive practice, and then later, in another article, how it can actually negatively affect your frugal lifestyle. Wanting to start out on a positive … Continue reading →

Should You “Pay Yourself” in Coupon Savings?

Do you cut coupons? Well there is a practice known as “paying yourself” with the savings. Sometimes this can really pay off. But this practice also has a darker side and can sometimes cause you to spend more. Should you do it? Well, it depends. In this three part series, I’ll talk about what it means, how to do it, and what are the pros and cons. What is paying yourself in coupon savings? Well, it is the practice of setting aside any money that you save by cutting and using coupons. In general, that money is then used to … Continue reading →

How Much Does It Cost to Eat at Home?

Of course we know that eating at home is much more frugal than eating out. But, have you ever taken the time to actually calculate how much you save. You might be really surprised to know what a huge gap there is between eating out and eating at home. I’ll use my family as an example. There are five of us here, including one baby in diapers and on mostly mushy food. I’m going to count him as a full member for this example, because I still include his diapers in our grocery bill, which are expensive in themselves. So … Continue reading →

Do Coupons Really Save You Money?

Are you a coupon clipper? Do you think maybe you should be? Certainly the question has arisen in anyone’s mind who doesn’t clip any coupons… should I be? Then there are those who are actually clipping the coupons who ask the question… is this really making any difference? I have tried it both ways. To be brutally honest, I think coupons make very little difference in the big financial picture, and to do them right they take loads of time. Now, I know there are those out there who would disagree with me. If you are one, please comment on … Continue reading →

Is Bigger Always Better?

If you think you are getting a deal with those large sized packages, you better check again. Sometimes smaller packages offer better deals. When Bigger Sizes Don’t Pay Most of the time, buying groceries and other items in bulk or in a larger size is usually a pretty frugal idea. But there are also quite a number of times when buying smaller is better. Here is what I mean: When you have a coupon. If you have a coupon, or even better, multiple copies of a coupon, it usually pays to apply it to the lowest priced item that you … Continue reading →

Are You Eating Up Your Budget?

Is eating eating up your budget? It is amazing how much food costs each month. When you take into consideration eating out, groceries and quick snacks at the convenience store the money can really add up quickly. Food is a necessary expense, but it is generally one that is easy to control. You can usually tighten up how much you spend in food to help you meet your expenses. You should know the basic tips of cooking from scratch, eating from home and eating less meat. You can also save money by planning your meals in advance, buying according to … Continue reading →

5 Great Books for Saving Money on Groceries and in the Kitchen

As I’ve mentioned before, not only am I a Frugal Living guru, I’m also an avid reader. So do not think that because I’m frugal, I don’t buy anything, including books. I have a library so large in my home, I could open my own real library. The greatest part is that my personal library includes dozens of great books and ways to save money on everything from groceries to clothing and appliances to books. Here are five must have books, to help you save on groceries, cooking and food. Dining on a Dime: 1000 Money Saving Recipes and Tips … Continue reading →

Why Should I Shop At More Than One Store?

Shopping at more than one store for groceries, can save you more money than you realize. However, don’t go too far, or you’ll lose some of those savings buying gas. It is important to realize how stores work, for you to understand why shopping at several places, saves you the most money. Loss Leaders or Great Sales Every store has them. These are the products that are greatly reduced and discounted. These are the store items that are worth buying, and planning your meals around. Don’t purchase anything until you have checked all the sales fliers for the grocery stores … Continue reading →