How to Save on Groceries

Giving some great tips on how to save on groceries

Boneless chicken is on sale every other week at my grocery store, so I buy two weeks of boneless chicken every other week to store in my freezer. This habit saves me family of 2 $200 a year on this one item.

1. Shop for Manufacturers coupon: Use manufacturer's coupon on name brand items. You can get them in your sundays papers, enroll in coupon departments that help you out - http://www.thegrocerygame.com/
Or you can purchase manufacturer's coupon that are clipped from newspapers that you need from the sites - http://www.manufacturerscoupons.net/    -  I love this site because she shows you what will be included in sunday's paper and sells clipped coupons. Have great deals for baby products, beauty, grocery and all that good stuff. And also http://www.southernsavers.com/   - great coupons and coupon schedule. also www.coupons.com   www.smartsource.com  . And you can always sign up for your beloved brand name manufacturer or go on their sites to print coupons. If you use Air wick plug ins, go to their site - http://www.airwick.com/ and print coupons, also sign up. Also procter and gamble.

  A manufacturer’s coupon is reimbursed by the manufacturer, not the store, so it can be combined with a store coupon.

You can get coupons from procter and gamble by clicking here - http://www.pgeverydaysolutions.com/pgeds/try-it/tryit.jsp




2. And then Shop for sales: Shop at the store with the best prices for your items that week. Buy the brand that's on sale with a coupon, or get the store brand if it's less expensive.Yes, Costco and most other stores can be expensive. I have no membership cards at Costco or Sam's club. I used to but let it expire. Before shopping, check the store sites online for weekly deals. I just shopped last week at Walgreens (Please add this to your top list if you have walgreens in your area),  they had $0.49 for paper towels, Air wick plug ins - 2 for $5 (2 for $4.99 at CVS) Less my coupon for $1.50 from the manufacturer - paid only $3.50. Most times CVS, walgreens or riteaid have great deals on beauty and some grocery items than at your regular grocery store.

   Use your store's weekly sales ad flier to plan your menus for the week. Then, write your shopping list around the items and brands that are on sale.

3. Shop midweek : Yes sounds odd, but true. Most stores have their markdown for items especially MEAT during midweek. I went to Samsclub and Walmart on thursday and all meats were reduced 1/2 of regular price. So if you want to save on meats, shop wednesday or THURSDAY*** or Friday. Never shop for Meats especially during the weekend for deals or even grocery stuff - You might be lucky to find clearance on meats or groceries. Savvy shoppers would have taken those items before you do. You can ask for store rules .
  And ask your meat butcher at your local grocery store what day of the week are meats reduced!


4.  Shop at a double coupon store: Some stores will let you use your manufacturer's coupon and double it up for you. Go to http://www.grocerycouponguide.com/articles/double_coupon/2/ 
And then scroll down and click on your state - you should see list of store that double coupons.
If in Virginia -
Farm Fresh: Will double coupons up to .99 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They will double coupons up to $1.00 on Wednesdays (thanks Jessica)
Giant
Harris Teeter – will double up to 99 cents with a VIP card (thanks Mike)
Kroger – will double coupons up to 50 cents with a Kroger card (thanks Mike)
Roses
Safeway (up to 99 cents – Thanks Shane)
Shoppers Food Warehouse (double $0.50 and less)

Maryland - stores are


Acme
Giant Foods
Harris Teeter: doubles and sometimes triples coupons (Thanks Rich)
Martins (Hagerstown) – offers double coupons & every 2 or 3 months they offer 3 triple coupons in their sales circular (limited to 3 manufacturers coupons per bonus card member)
Metro
Safeway
Shoppers Food Warehouse
Shoprite
Superfresh
Weis


These are stores that will take the face value of a coupon and double (or even triple) it for the customer. So if you buy that Dawn soap, we talking about earlier, the .25 manufacturer’s coupon would now be worth .50. You need to check with the customer service desk because some of the limitations that might be included are: up to a limited amount, you might only be able to get one item doubled on any one particular product. So the first Dawn coupon would be doubled to .50 but the second one would be worth only the face value of .25. Another limitation might be on a “Buy one/Get one free” even though you are getting two products, they may only accept double coupons on the first product. If, however, the product will ring in at half price, then you could use two coupons.


5. Always have a list before heading to the store: I know it sounds hard but "sticking to the list" is the key to saving money. Always keep extra $5-10 in case you see great deals, otherwise stick to your list. No list and in a store means purchasing what you dont need and forgetting you main purpose of shopping in the store. 

• Taking a few minutes to make a detailed plan will save you the time of making unplanned trips to the store during the week—which can ruin your budget.
• Planning ahead also helps you avoid impulse shopping during your trip.

6. Use a store coupon: Some stores have coupons on their weekly paper ad in the store  - grab them at the door entrance or online. Walgreens mostly have store coupons - like $0.64 coupon for Ajax dishwashing liquid detergent - which I used last week and we stocked up. 


  A manufacturer’s coupon is reimbursed by the manufacturer, not the store, so it can be combined with a store coupon.



7. Can participate in Share:  There are a few different programs out there such as S.H.A.R.E that have been out there for quite a few years. SHARE is an acronym for Self-Help and Resource Exchange – is a program where people get a break on their grocery bills by exchanging volunteer time for the opportunity to buy affordable food. For each package of food purchased, we simply ask for two (2) hours of “good deed” time, whether at SHARE, other institutions in your community, or your own neighborhood. Food packages (worth up to $45) offer meats, fresh fruits and vegetables and grocery items. The price you pay is based on what you select from the menu but you can generally save about 50%. SHARE purchases the food from growers, brokers and packaging plants and is never donated, government surplus, or salvage.
For those who may not have access to a SHARE program in their area, there are other non-profits that have sprung up in response to the economic needs of families and they also offer boxes of food at bargain prices. Angel Food ministries offers $70 worth of food for $30 if you order it ahead of time and go pick it up at a central location. You can order online and it’s also a great organization to volunteer with as they have locations all across America. There are no income requirements and anyone can participate.

 8. Cook More often and eat out less often. Shop for items you would buy out and cook them. Take it for lunch rather than spending.

9. Go big. Found a large bag of vegetables on sale? Grab it, even if it’s more than you need. Use the extras to make soups, stews or a healthful frittata for a weekend brunch, or chop and freeze in airtight bags.

10. Swap colors. Orange and yellow bell peppers are significantly cheaper than their red cousins, and they’re only slightly less sweet. If you’re making a recipe that calls for red bell peppers, save some money and go with a different hue.

11. Shop at trader Joes for affordable organic fruits and veggies. 1 bag of organic carrots for $0.99.

12. Snap up organics. Head to the freezer aisle for frozen organic berries and other vegetables. They great and will keep for much longer.



For this sunday 2/27 watch out for what will be included below:
This Sunday you will have (2) inserts in your Sunday newspaper:
(1) SmartSource
(1) Proctor & Gamble

SmartSource 2/27

$10 off Aviva system wyb test strips (exp 5/29)
$1 off Barber Foods product (exp 4/16)
$4 off Bausch + Lomb Biotrue multipurpose solution, 10 oz. 2 pk. (exp 4/11)
$2 off Bausch + Lomb Biotrue multipurpose solution, 10 oz. + (exp 4/11)
$2 off Benefiber product (exp 4/16)
$5/2 Benefiber product (exp 4/16)
$1 off Best Life buttery spread, spray or baking sticks (exp 5/8)
$2 off Caribou coffee, 12 oz. (exp 4/30)
$2 off Clairol Natural Instincts hair color (Target coupon) (exp 4/30)
$1 off Clairol Nice ‘n Easy hair color (Target coupon) (exp 4/30)
$4 off Claritin D, 15 ct. + (exp 3/27)
$5 off Claritin product, 20 ct. + (exp 3/27)
.75/1 Colgate Adult or Kids manual toothbrush (exp 3/19)
.75/1 Colgate toothpaste, 4 oz. + (exp 3/19)
.35/1 Cuties clementines, 3 lb (exp 4/4)
.55/1 Cuties clementines, 5 lb (exp 4/4)
$1/3 Dannon Activia Parfait Crunch yogurt (exp 3/27)
$1 off Dannon Danimals (exp 4/26)
$1 off Dannon Danonino yogurt, 6-12 pk. (exp 4/26)
$1 off EAS product (exp 4/30)
$3 off Ensure shake, 4 pk. (exp 4/30)
.75/1 Excedrin product, 20 ct. + (exp 4/16)
$1.50 off Excedrin product, 80 ct. + (exp 4/16)
$1 off Foster Farms Boneless Skinless Chicken breast (exp 5/31)
.75/1 Glade Carpet & Room odor eliminator (exp 4/2)
$1 off Glade Fabric & Air odor eliminator (exp 4/2)
$1/2 Glade jar candle, 4 oz. (exp 4/2)
$1 off Glade PlugIns Scented Oil refill, twin pk. or (2) singles (exp 4/2)
$1 off Glade Premium Room spray, 9.7 oz. (exp 4/2)
$1.50/2 Glade Scented Oil candle (exp 4/2)
$1/2 Glade Sense & Spray refill (exp 4/2)
$3 off Glade Sense & Spray starter kit (exp 4/2)
$2/2 Glucerna product (exp 4/30)
$1/2 Hershey’s Bliss chocolate, 8 oz. + (exp 4/2)
$1/3 Hershey’s Kisses, Reese’s, Hershey’s Miniatures, Cadbury or Whoppers bags (exp 4/2)
$2 off Huggies Little Snugglers or Movers diapers (exp 3/26)
$2.50 off Huggies Pure & Natural diapers (exp 3/26)
$2 off Huggies Snug & Dry diapers (exp 3/19)
$3.50 off Huggies Snug & Dry diapers, 60 ct. + (exp 3/19)
Free Huggies wipes 72 ct. max wyb wipes 300 ct. + (exp 3/19)
.50/1 Listerine mouthwash, 1 L + (exp 12/31)
$1 off Listerine Total Care 500 mL or Restoring 1 L mouthwash (exp 12/31)
$1 off Listerine Zero mouthwash, 500 mL + (exp 12/31)
$1 off Lysol Clean-Flip starter kit or floor cloths (exp 6/1)
$1/3 Mentos gum, 15 pc. + (exp 4/30)
$1 off Mentos gum bottle, 45 pc. + (exp 4/30)
$1 off Neutrogena Naturals (exp 4/27)
$1 off Pert Plus 2-in-1 product (exp 3/31)
$3 off Similac SimplePac powder, 1.37 lb + (exp 5/31)
$5 off Similac SimplePac powder, 1.37 lb + (exp 4/30)
$1/2 Snyder’s of Hanover pretzels, 6 oz. + (exp 5/27)
.55/1 Tostitos Artisan Recipes chips (exp 4/13)
$3 off Zegerid OTC (exp 4/2)
$6 off Zegerid OTC, 42 ct. (exp 4/2)
.55/1 ZonePerfect bar or multi-count box (exp 4/30)

Proctor & Gamble 2/27

$1 off Always Infinity pads, 24-48 ct. (exp 3/31)
.50/1 Always Pad, Clean or Feminine cleansing cloths (exp 3/31)
.50/1 Always pantiliners, 34 ct. + (exp 3/31)
.50/1 Bounce product (exp 3/31)
$1 off Bounce product (exp 3/31)
.25/1 Cascade product (exp 3/31)
$1 off Cascade Rinse aid (exp 3/31)
.25/1 Charmin product (exp 3/31)
$3 off Clairol Nice N Easy Color Blend foam (exp 3/31)
$1 off Clairol Nice N Easy product (exp 3/31)
$1 off CoverGirl product (exp 3/31)
$5 off Crest 3D White Professional Effects, ADvanced Vivid 14 ct, Stain Shield, or Gentle Rountine whitestrips, excl Vivid or trial (exp 3/31)
$10 off Crest 3D White, 2 hr Express or Professional Effects whitestrips (exp 3/31)
$1 off Crest rinse, 946 mL + (exp 3/31)
.75/1 Crest toothpaste 4 oz. + or liquid gel (exp 3/31)
$1 off Crest toothpaste 4 oz. + or liquid gel, excl Cavity, Baking Soda or Tartar (exp 3/31)
.25/1 Dawn product (exp 3/31)
$1 off Downy liquid fabric softener or sheets (exp 3/31)
$2 off Downy liquid fabric softener or sheets (exp 3/31)
.50/1 Duracell CopperTop, Ultra Advanced or Ultra Photo Lithium (exp 3/31)
.75/1 Duracell CopperTop, Ultra Advanced or Ultra Photo Lithium (exp 3/31)
$1.50 off Duracell Hearing Aid, 6 pk. + (exp 3/31)
$1 off Febreze Air Effects (exp 3/31)
$1 off Febreze Fabric refresher (exp 3/31)
$1 off Febreze Flameless Luminary refill (exp 3/31)
Free Febreze Flameless Luminary refill wyb starter kit, max $4.99 (exp 3/31)
$1 off Febreze Set & Refresh (exp 3/31)
Free Febreze Warmer wyb Noticeables refill, max $3.29 (exp 3/31)
$2 off Gillette bodywash (exp 3/31)
Free Gillette bodywash wyb deodorant, excl trial size (exp 3/31)
$4 off Gillette Fusion ProGlide manual or Power Fusion razor (exp 3/31)
$1 off Gillette Fusion Shave prep or ProGlide razor (exp 3/31)
$2 off Gillette ProSeries skin care (exp 3/31)
$5 off Gillette Venus ProSkin MoistureRich, Embrace, or Breeze refillable razor AND Venus cartridge (exp 3/31)
$1 off Head & Shoulders shampoo or conditioner, excl trial size (exp 3/31)
$1 off Metamucil product (exp 3/31)
Free Olay bar, body wash or in shower lotion wyb facial cleanser (exp 3/31)
$1 off Olay bar, body wash, in shower body lotion or hand & body lotion (exp 3/31)
Free Old Spice body wash wyb deodorant, equal or lesser value (exp 3/31)
$1/2 Old Spice product, 1.7 oz. + (exp 3/31)
$3 off Oral-B battery toothbrush (exp 3/31)
$1 off Oral-B CrossAction manual toothbrush (exp 3/31)
.75/1 Oral-B Pulsar, CrossAction, Advantage or (2) Indicator or Cavity defense brushes (exp 3/31)
.75/1 Oral-B Satin, Glide 25 m + or Glide floss picks 30 ct. + (exp 3/31)
.50/1 Oral-B Stages or Zooth, or Crest Kids manual or power toothbrush (exp 3/31)
.50/1 Oral-B Stages or Zooth, or Crest Kids toothpaste (exp 3/31)
$2 off Pampers diapers or pants (exp 3/31)
$2.50 off Pampers diapers or pants (exp 3/31)
.50/1 Pampers wipes, 60 ct. + (exp 3/31)
$1 off Pampers wipes, 60 ct. + (exp 3/31)
$1 off Pantene product, excl trial size (exp 3/31)
$3 off Prilosec product (exp 3/31)
.50/2 Puffs product (exp 3/31)
B1G1 Puffs product wyb Vicks product (exp 3/31)
$2 off Pur Pitcher or Faucet Mount multipk replacement filters or Refrigerator filters (exp 3/31)
$4 off Pur Reg or Flavor Options pitcher or faucet mount (exp 3/31)
.55/1 Satin Care shave gel or in shower moisturizer (exp 3/31)
$2 off Secret Clinical Strength deodorant (exp 3/31)
.50/1 Secret product (exp 3/31)
.50/1 Swiffer refill or Dust & Shine (exp 3/31)
Free Swiffer refill wyb starter kit (exp 3/31)
$5 off Swiffer Wet Jet starter kit (exp 3/31)
$2 off Tampax Pearl or Pearl Compak, 18 ct. + (exp 3/31)
$1 off Tampax product, 18 ct. + (exp 3/31)
.35/1 Tide detergent (exp 3/31)
Free Tide Stain Release 10 ct. duo pk., 20 oz. liquid, 14 oz. powder or 21 oz. pre-treat free wyb detergent 75 oz. +, max $3.99 (exp 3/31)
$3 off Tide Stain Release 26-50 oz. powder, 15-34 ct. duo pk. or 36-68 oz. liquid (exp 3/31)
$4 off Vicks Sinex product (exp 3/31)


To get the maximum value out of couponing:
-Don’t be brand loyal.
-Combine sales with coupons.
-When there is a sale, stock up!
-You probably shop at more than one grocery store.

Where to find coupons:
-Sunday Inserts
-Magazines
-Coupon Swap
-Inside of Product
-Call the 1-800 number on the package or use the contact us on their website and compliment them. Here are a couple of links related to this. http://www.couponforum.com/discuss-coupons-21420.html
- Purchase coupons http://www.ebay.com/  (about $1.50 for a 100 coupon potluck) http://www.thecouponclippers.com/  (minimum order of $4.00)
-Trade for coupons http://www.tradingmama.com/  http://www.couponforum.com/coupon-trading.html
http://www.mycoupons.com/boards/coupon-rebate-swap-crs/

-Internet Printed Coupons http://www.boodle.com/
http://www.smartsource.com/  http://www.coupons.com http://www.couponforum.com/printable-coupons.html

Reading a Coupon Barcode
Most coupon barcodes start with a 5 or a 9. If it starts with a 5, it will double even if the coupon says do not double. If it starts with a 9, it will not double.

Coupon Terminology
Blinkie – These are the machines that spit out coupons in the aisle at the grocery store.

Catalina – These are coupons that print at the register.

Tear pad – this is a pad of coupons that you see on the shelves in the grocery store. You tear the coupons off.

Stacking Coupons – You use one store coupon and one manufacturer’s coupon for the same product. This not allowed at all stores.

Rain Check – If the store is out of an item that is on sale that week, you can go to the customer service desk and ask for a raincheck. They will fill out a piece of paper that allows you to purchase the item at the sale price next week.

Seasonality of couponing.
Coupons and sales tend to run in 12 week cycles but there are certain times of the year that items are on sale.
January – Diet food
February - Chocolate
March – Frozen Food Month
April - Ham
Summer - Condiments
September – Box Drinks, Fruit snacks, cereal
October
November - Turkey
December – Baking Supplies

Other websites: http://www.taylortownpreview.com/   - gives you a preview of the coupon inserts before Sunday.

Other tips:
-Don’t be afraid to ask for substitution or rainchecks if they are out of an item.
-Be sure to figure out the cost per diaper or ounce to know when you are getting a good deal.
So purchase this sunday's paper and save !!!!!!!!!!