Couponing seems to be everywhere. Whether you follow The Krazy Coupon Lady or enjoy shows like Extreme Couponing, one needs not look far to find examples of people saving thousands of dollars on goods. I originally took an interest in downsizing my grocery bill for the sheer challenge of seeing if I could do it.
Ever a diligent student, I met with a couple of other women who were further down the line, organized and experts in their economizing fields. One had a binder full of vouchers, categorized with individual, labeled dividers. I listened intently to her words, eager to get started on slashing my grocery bill in half.
The following is an account of my three-month process, the top three steps that save me money at the grocery store, and why I decided to stop cutting coupons out of the newspaper and other media.
1. The Bargain Book is your friend.
Our Bargain Book is delivered every Tuesday morning, and contains specials that are good for that week. My favorite grocery store is H-E-B, and there are ads that specifically showcase their discounted meat, produce and Combo Locos (Spanish for “Crazy Combos”-ex: buy seasoned fajitas and receive rice, beans and a 2-liter coke for FREE).
I plan my meals for the upcoming week around which cold cuts are on sale. While we tend to stay away from red meat (save for the occasional lasagna, spaghetti and barbecue meals), we consume our share of chicken and fish. The Combo Locos featured in the promotion have yellow, corresponding coupons you pick as you shop.
The meat, vegetables, fruit and other items marked down will have the sale price listed. There is also an H-E-B app you can download to check off discounted items (with digital vouchers) as you go, and other money-saving, smart-phone apps like Ibotta.
2. Purchase only what you will consume.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but the biggest problem I had with couponing was that the discounts were not for products my family and I regularly consume. I would purchase the The Brownsville Herald’s Sunday Newspaper for $1.25, and it was full of specials. I gradually began cutting out useful vouchers for products we could use, and started an envelope system to keep them organized. I knew getting the hang of saving money in this way would take time.
Eager to learn new things, I set aside different coupons for each trip to the store that corresponded with items on our list. The majority of the discounts were for name-brand items, and ended up being more expensive than buying the generic label. Strike one.
On certain occasions, I ended up spending more with my magical, marked-down tickets because I began buying things out of convenience. Both granola bars and Eggo, frozen pancakes fell into this category. We never snacked on store-bought granola before, and then it became a staple in our home because it was on sale. I had not tried anything made by Eggo before, but the convenience of heating up the pancakes once a week in the microwave became common place. While neither of these products tasted terrible, I could easily make them both from scratch and save more in the end. Strike two.
We also enjoy breakfast for supper once a week, on average (another way to save). Our children love French Toast and Eggs.
While I did find good deals on toiletries and children’s medicine, I shaved a total of $25.00 off our monthly grocery bill (and this was once I got the hang of things). I began to question if the time I was investing in the endeavor was worth the results. Strike three!
3. You can’t be a snob if you want to save.
Truly. Once upon a time, I was a Wal-Mart snob. I preferred stores like Target for my essentials. And then I had three children, and poof, no more being a snob!
While H-E-B will always be my favorite, if I need to buy necessary items outside of food, Wal-Mart is where I go. The six months following the birth of our third baby, I thrived because of their online, grocery pick-up system. I wrote a blog post on that experience here, For the Love of Convenience.
I also know other moms who swear by Target, and enjoy their vouchers and apps. That is what works for them. Ultimately, I decided to throw the towel in on couponing because it was not working for me, and I was already saving money without it.
What are special things you do when shopping for groceries or toiletries, that have proven to be gentle on your wallet? Most of the best ideas I have followed I received from friends, so do share!