1. Shop alone, if possible. If you bring your spouse or children, count on your bill being higher!
2. Do not shop when you are hungry.
3. Keep your eyes on the items on the upper/lower shelves where the prices are less.
4. Bring a calculator, so you can determine the price per unit or weight.
5. Bring a list and stick to it. Avoid impulse shopping.
6. Plan your shopping during off peak hours.
7. Keep a price log in a small notebook to keep track of the best prices of your most often purchased items.
8. Pay attention to sale trends. There are “teaser sales” and then there are “rock bottom” price sales. Know the difference. A sale price doesn’t always mean it is a good deal.
9. Categorical sale trends – have you ever noticed themes within supermarket sales campaigns. There are cycles for campaigns, so there are better times of the year to buy certain products.
10. Try not to be loyal to one product or one store. Try new products.
11. A store brand is not always cheaper than a national brand. You will get national brands 50% to 80% off when paired with a doubled coupon and a sale price. Buy store brand if it is cheaper.
12. You may say that you don’t buy the items that have coupons. One you start coupon shopping you will find that you hardly buy anything you don’t have a coupon for.
13. When applying a coupon to a product, buying smaller is almost always a better deal.
14. One of the keys to couponing is holding a coupon until the product is on sale. Almost all products will go on sale once a coupon is issued.
15. Stock up on staples when they are on sale. You can freeze meats, cheeses and breads for later use.
16. Get multiple sets of coupons. You will fill up your pantry much quicker.
17. Plan your menu around what is on sale. You can significantly reduce your grocery bill.
18. Watch you receipts. Many stores have scanning accuracy guarantees. If it’s rung up incorrectly = FREE!
19. Grocery stores do not list everything they have on sale in their flyers. Keep your eyes open.
20. Many store sales last more than one week
21. Rain checks. Get one if items are out of stock, and then do forget to use it later!
22. Be organized in your pantry and in your couponing. Use a coupon organizer when shopping or envelopes for each store
23. Sale limits. Sometime stores have limits on sale items. If you exceed the limit, often you will be charged full price.
24. Several stores double manufacture’s coupons up to $1 and set a limit of 3 of one kind of a coupon.
25. Couponing is not nickel and dime savings. Your savings can be substantial.
26. Couponing is an excellent way to increase your food storage. Buy products that you will use.
26. Teach your children the value of a dollar, by example.
27. Buy the items when they are the best price, not when you are at the mercy of the store’s full price.
28. Where do you get coupons? Newspapers, in-store, newsletters, contact manufacturer, online, in/on products, with samples, junk mail, magazines.
29. Rebates. Some rebates are easy, no UPC required and multiples in one envelope.
30. Be sure to rotate your pantry stock!
31. Think of coupons as CASH. As soon as you start thinking of coupons as cash it is a lot easier to make more time for them.
32. Plan your menus around what is on sale.
33. Couponing is fun and profitable. You know when, where and what to buy.
34. Attend a free Coupon Class with an experienced instructor. (That would be me!)
Consider these:
*Produce Co-ops: Bountiful Baskets
*Free exercise classes offered at churches
*Free movie rentals, books- Library
*Time of use – Electricity plan
*Ad matching- Wal-Mart
*Prescription Coupons
For many families food is the #1 area of the budget that can be cut back. Make a paradigm shift, don’t buy groceries when you need them, rather buy the items that your family uses when it is on sale and there is a coupon to match that item.
What you do with your money is just as important has how much you make, if not more important. It really doesn’t matter how much you make if you spend it too quickly.
Change how you shop. Think of it as a challenge. You and/ or your spouse works hard for your money, use it wisely. The old saying “A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned” is really not accurate anymore with all of the deductions that are taken out of your paychecks. More appropriate would be “A penny saved is one and a half penny earned.
Learn how to be disciplined in your shopping. Think of it as a part time job (1 hour per week to save $100’s each month!!) and you are the boss. You determine your effort and your reward.
I hope you find these tips helpful. Feel free to e-mail me with any grocery shopping questions.
You are invited to attend one of my free classes. Call or e-mail to RSVP and for directions. Spouses are encouraged to attend if they help you with the grocery shopping!
All attendees will recieve a door prize, an instructional guide and free coupon inserts!
4/27 at 10am in Gilbert
4/28 at 4pm in Gilbert
4/30 at 7pm in Gilbert
5/1 at 11am in Gilbert
Warmest regards,
Nina Brannock
The Coupon Lady
TheCouponLady@cox.net
Home Office: 480-539-4828
Cell/Text: 602-291-4828
