I’m cleaning out my inbox and this is a question from a reader. She needs our help! First, I would suggest looking at the 15 Days of Couponing and trying to set aside a small amount of her budget for stockpiling items each week. There are many free items or close to free items you can stock on each week including basic toiletry items, which we all use!
I’m relatively new to couponing, and to be honest, it’s all very overwhelming. Recently my husband issued a challenge to me to save about $25/week on groceries, and staple items. (This is in order for him to be able to quit his second job, and be home more with the kids and I) I realize that this is a very hard thing to do, and I know that it won’t happen overnight, however, my question to you is, do you have any tips that can help save money in the short term? I’m not someone to go out and stock up on items that we won’t use, and I know that a lot of deals may take money to make money on them, being in a one income household, the budget is pretty much stuck in stone. I do use coupons frequently, however, despite not being brand specific, I usually don’t find the items that we need at all. I thank you in advance for any help that you can give me…and thank you for your blog, it’s helped tremendously!
What are your best tips for her to stock up on items without breaking her budget?
Ask local friends where they find deals. I could give tips for Phoenix, but they probably wouldn’t help you. Use Amazon Mom for diapers, and consider cloth training pants. We happily used cloth for 2.5 years, though we have some problems I need to sort out now. Look up deals for your local drugstores, and get household products there when they’re cheap or free. See if carpooling would be an option for your husband, to make or save a bit of money. Get a chest freezer. Mine is full of perishables I got on clearance, fruit we wouldn’t have been able to eat before it went bad, outlet bread, and things I’ve baked. You can’t really preserve that sort of thing otherwise.
I used canned veggies instead of frozen/fresh in many recipies. I can often find them for $.50 or less on sale. Canned products are easy to stockpile leaving freezer space for meat bargians. Canned soups are also inexpensive during the winter, peanut butter & jelly and cereal in the fall. I take advantage of meat sales, subdivide them into meal portions and freeze, wrapped in heavy duty clear wrap and freezer bags so I can see what I have. Surprizingly, drug stores have good specials on food items! I also stockpile paper goods, cold remedies, toothpaste, bodywash and lotion by taking advantage of their coupons weekly. I get ribbed about the 6 boxes of crackers in the pantry but they do get eaten!
I save by making a 2 week menu and go shopping every 2 weeks. I make a list and stick with it. If it’s not on my list, I don’t buy it. Learn to walk away on the things you want. Only buy the things you need.
I set a limit of $25 per person a week but tend to only spend about $20 per person per week. I don’t buy lunch items because what ever is left over from dinner the night before is whats for lunch the next day. This help us save money also. Buy a foam soap dispenser and dilute your soap to make it last longer. Make your own laundry soap, dishwasher soap. Set up a light fund….When your kids leave the light on after leaving the room they have to put a dollar in the light fund. This can be for taking the family out one day or helping pay for food or utilities.
Hope this helps,
Hannah
i would say to have no preconceived notion of the food you want to eat. be willing to eat what is the best deal that week while still being nutritious. sometimes we have lots of yogurt, other times it’s cheese. sometimes we have meat, sometimes beans. look through your pantry and use what you already have as well. if you don’t want it, donate it so it’s not taking up space. look closely at the fruits and vegetables and figure out fresh / frozen, per serving prices. buy smaller apples; no one will really miss a few ounces in a 12 ounce fruit. also, shop the deals your wonderful blogers post on your stores – definitely become a frequent rite aid / cvs / walgreen customer – you can use your rewards to buy milk and bread!
good luck!
We are trying to spend $100 a week for groceries as well. We started an excel spreadsheet to see how much we were saving and it’s really amazing. We have stockpiled the essentials and frozen meat when it’s on sale (we buy hormone free meat, so it’s really important to buy it when it goes on sale). I would highly recommend cooking some meat free vegetarian meals. it really helps one’ s budget. One must have a list when you go to the super market and stick to it. Also, make sure you go to a super market that doubles your coupons and sign up for any bonus cards wherever you shop.
There are already some great ideas listed here! (Like splitting bulk items or shopping trips with friends and family.) I think that the most important things to consider are buying before you need something (at full price) and making inexpensive meals with what is on sale. So, if apples are not on sale, then we get something else that is. My husband loves potato chips – so instead of buying them for almost $4 a bag, I wait for a sale and get several of them at $1.88. I also shop a lot at Walgreens (CVS, Rite Aid) and stock up for very little on whatever is a super deal or even free. I also buy things that are on sale seasonally and stock pile enough to last until the next big sale. Example: beans and canned tomatoes are super cheap right now. (I just spent a total of $14 for 15 cans of beans and 10 cans of tomatoes.) Also, cutting back on meat saves a lot of money. You might try adding a few inexpensive vegetarian recipes. I make chili without meat and my meat-loving husband loves it. We also make oven frittata with leftovers. All you need are eggs, milk and cheese to make something delicious. Best wishes – you can do it!
Plan! Plan ahead! Read your advertisements and match them up with your coupons and make your purchases strategic.
Use a 12 month binder and set all your coupons into the month they expire. Clip all of the coupons in the inserts you get and don’t throw them away until they expire.
Join in on a coupon chain – you clip the ones you need, send them on to next person, they clip the ones they need, etc. Each person at a different starting point so all people get several of each of the ones they need.
All of your guys’ tips are amazing! I can already feel myself breathing easier, and knowing that I can do this!
I have found that if you want to buy meat in bulk, BJ’s wholesale club butcher’s will give you a price break if you buy in bulk. You just ask them what kind of deal they can give you if you order 10lbs., 20lbs. ect… I think it wouldn’t hurt to ask any in any store meat dept. Also, make sure to get rain checks for items not in stock. It works well to tell them a large amount on the rain check. It doesn’t mean that you have to buy the whole quantity. When I have a rain check, I try to make sure I have coupons for that item. Ebay has lots of coupons. One more tip is to sign up for tons of free samples. Good luck!!!!
I purchase hamburger once a month when it’s on sale for $2.39 per lb. (normally $3.49 per lb. which is a savings of $1.10 per pound) I buy a “family” pack of at least 7 lbs., then make a menu around that… spaghetti, meatloaf, tacos, meatballs, sloppy joes, cheeseburgers or regular hamburgers, etc. There are always left overs which when put with a veggie or potato, can make a light lunch the next day.
Make breakfast for supper… pancakes, waffles, scrambled eggs with melted cheese. All cheap meals. Serve the boxed cereal for breakfast and the hot breakfast foods for suppers.
Make sandwhiches and soup for suppers; Buy Hillshire Farms sliced ham, (any brand will do) put that and a piece of sliced cheese onto a buttered hamburger bun and nuke for 30 seconds… instant hot ham sandwhiches.
Brown hamburger & onion, add cubed potatoes, a vegie and tomato sauce, salt and peper and simmer for a cheap stew. Seve with bread.
Make a list of all cheaper types of foods: bread, veggies, hamburger, soups, macaroni, tuna, eggs, etc, then try to come up with a weekly menu list using as many of those products as possible.
Go to the websites of the products you do like to purchase and sign up for their emails… they will send you coupons. Also when at their websites, look on their home page for “promotions/coupons.”
You can do this… with practice it comes easy. I’ve been on a budget my entire life and I’ve learned to make delicious cheap meals… experiment…. like add a half pound of browned hamburger to your box of mac and cheese, serve with home made Texas Toast. (butter any type of white bread, sprinkle on Parmesan cheese and garlic powder if you like and put under the broiler for a little bit)
Give hubby the break he deserves… work hard on that menu and you’ll be proud of yourself. Don’t indulge though… add jello and pudding for desserts… try adding cool whip to soft set jello and refrigerate… the kids will love it.
We have a mixed household. My husband and my 25 year old daughter with two children ages 1 and 2 who live with us. I also helped my other two daughters, one who is unemployed and ther other one who is three months pregnant. I help all of them with personal items and food items. I am not sure what my budget is because I am a full time flight attendant and I am not home but two or three days a week. In those days and while I am traveling, I check all the money saving blogs. I purchase anywhere from 1 to 3 Sunday papers a week. I also collect the coupon sections on the airplane from passengers who leave them behind. I shop at Kroger, Meijer, Walmart, Riteaid, and Walgreens. I don’t like to be hassled over the coupons so I don’t use internet printed coupons at Walmart. After checking all these ads and reading the blogs, I put together my list and clip my coupons: Sunday Paper, Coupons.com, Rite aid video values, Meijers mealbox, smartsource and Redplum. Than I do the electronic coupons, Kroger, Meijer perks, and cellfire. At walmart, I purchased two or three things that were cheaper at Meijer. I took the receipt back to Walmart and they match Meijers prices and refunded me the difference. My 25 year old daughter does the shopping with the list and coupons. She does a very good job and that frees me up to clean the house which she hates to do. I probably save anywhere from 50% to 100%, no less.
Building a stockpile can be an intimidating process when you’re just starting out, so start out small. In the beginning, I would allot about $5 each week to stockpiling.
For instance, if you typically spend $125 on groceries and you really can’t cut back to $100 right away, try spending $115 or $120 and using the remainder to buy a bunch of rock-bottom pasta or cereal. The next week you can scratch those off of your regular shopping list and stock up on cheap tissues and shampoo. The following week you’ll be able to take those items off the shopping list and your budget will be naturally shrinking, while your stockpile is slowly growing.
Of course, those are just examples, but there’s probably something you’ll use at a really low stock-up price every week or two. Setting aside a small part of your budget for those items will help you to build up, without worrying about being able to feed your family in the meantime.
first of all make sure you are creating a meal plan, and that it revolves around what is on sale that week, don’t plan your meals and then go out and buy what you need for them, because you will be paying a higher price than if only creating meals from the sales.
for your stockpile, you can make a list of say 5 favorite meals to start, and all of the ingredients for that meal. next multiply each ingredient by 3 and you know how much of each you would need to make that meal 3 times. you know these are items you USE because they are favorite meals. keep this list with you when shopping and when each item is on sale then buy 3 instead of 1. after a while you will have all of the ingredients to make that meal and won’t need to buy those items until they are on sale again.
another way to stockpile is to just make a list of items you use on a regular basis and buy extra when that item is on sale. If you don’t have coupons for toiletry items making them free or very cheap, and cleaning supplies, go to the dollar store for these items, they are significantly cheaper and will take less out of your budget.
a third way, if you have a friend that also wants to cut her budget, think about buying in bulk if the price is right and then splitting the cost, and both getting more for your money.
even if each week you only buy extra of 1 or 2 items, you will slowly see your stockpile increase.
First of all, I greatly appreciate all that you post here, Briana, and I check your site for tips and deals daily, especially with you being a local blogger (I live in Cicero)! :) Thank you!!!!!!
I also love the moneysavingmom.com site for the same reasons, other than she’s NOT local! Crystal is currently doing a series on how to get a better grocery budget (31 Weeks to a Better Grocery Budget Video Series), and I highly recommend checking it out!
Good luck- also, my personal tip is to shop at Meijer…combining store coupons with mperks with manufacturer coupons is a great way to save money on groceries! :)
Saving on Meat ~ If you have a local butcher and adequate freezer space, you might be able to buy meat either in bulk packages or somes a butcher (like ours) will offer an addition 10c/# discount for 3# or more quantities. I make and flash freeze things like meatballs, perogies and sausage patties. ~ On the flip side, if you don’t mind buying meat at a regular grocery store, you might be able to figure out when they clearance their meat to 60% right before it expires. Just be prepared to go home and either cook it immediate or freeze it right away. Before we switched to a butcher, sometimes I’d get ground turkey for 67c/# at Kroger and even BLSL chicken thighs at Walmart for 1.33/#.
Hope that helps! :)
My first thought when I read this question was how many people and what are their ages? My 14 year old son appears to be hollow inside as that boy can eat and eat and eat and never appear to be full! Are there any allergies or special needs? I cook mostly from scratch but I realize that is not the right choice for everyone. I like the idea of a price notebook. I would make a list of all items that would need to be purchased each and every week (This would be milk, bread products and fresh vegetables and fruits.) and then a list of desired stockpile items. I would then make a list of a few recipes that the family enjoys and are economical and try to stockpile accordly. I try to stockpile ground beef, chicken, pork, hot dogs and sausages when the price is right. I also stockpile different pastas, canned tomatoes, shredded and block cheeses, canned fruits and vegetables and various condiments. I try to stockpile personal needs items (toothpaste, shampoo and soaps are just a few examples) and have found if you are not brand specific these can be free or close to free. I think it is important to not just think of the needs for the upcoming week but to purchase multiple items if the price is right. Good Luck! I would be interested in an update to see how Renee’s pilgrimage is progressing.
There are 4 of us. My husband and I, and we have 2 girls. 1 is 3 years old, and transitioning out of pullups as we get her potty trained during the night, the other is 10 months old and in diapers. We buy her formula at Sam’s Club because it is so much cheaper overall. (A little over $19 for a giant can.) But finding deals on Pullups and diapers would be great too.
We are just out of pull-ups, but I signed up for every diaper and pull-up type site that I could find. They will all send you coupons. I mostly bought at Target (get back gift cards for buying several packs), CVS (they run for a good price), and Kroger because they run sales and depending on the coupon amount will double the coupon value.
I use a price book too and try to keep track of what is in my pantry. Stock piles can be hard at first to start since you usually spend just a bit more at first ( I used gift money that I got for something like a birthday to supplement at first), but over time you will find that you will decrease your spending. I haven’t been to the store for anything other than milk and a few fresh vegs in probably 3 weeks. I’m trying to average $75 a week for my family of 3 and that includes groceries, toiletries, etc. I make my own laundry soap so that helps greatly and it’s super simple.
As far as diaper deals – I highly recommend checking out Amazon Mom! It has saved me tons of money, and I wish I’d started it when they first began the program! Signing up for Amazon Mom is free (and it also gives you several months of free Amazon Prime 2-day shipping). Find the diapers and/or pull-ups you want and sign up for Subscribe and Save to knock about 30% off the price. (You can cancel the subscription at any time without a penalty; you never have to stay subscribed.) Additionally, the Subscribe and Save discount stacks with Amazon Mom coupons that can be found in magazines like Parents. The coupons are sometimes another 20% off, sometimes $10 off, etc. I learned about it from babycheapskate.com, and it has saved me lots of money and time (since the diapers are delivered to your doorstep in 2 days)! Hope that helps!
i used to buy 5 papers on sunday to get coupons. Then I had shoulder surgery and started using a coupon clipping service. Not only is it easier for me but also less expensive, as I only order coupons for items I use and I pay less each week. I use The Coupon Master because it is closer to my home and takes less time for shipping. I usually get my coupons by tuesday. This means I can use them that week. I am saving about 30% off my old grocery bill now. I went from 600 a month to 400 a month for my family of four. Hope this is helpful.
This is my question, and I will really appreciate any feedback that you all can give! Our budget is going to be about $130 bucks a week, for all of our groceries and gas. Gas is about $30 bucks in my husband’s car. So the total for groceries and other staple items is about $100. Again, I thank you all in advance!