Thrifty Thursday

It's double coupons at Harris Teeter up to $1.98 this week.
That's what I'm talking about!

So, I went yesterday:

Saved $21.55 using 12 coupons

Saved 49.56 in store savings (BIGIF's and 2fers)

Total savings of about $70!

Spent $64.

I save as much as I spend!

At the beginning of the month they had triple coupons, and here was one of my visits:

Saved $20.68 using 10 coupons

Saved, get this, $113.15 in store savings

Total savings of about $133!

Spent $133.20

The cashier had to call for a manager because I saved so much, she's like you saved A LOT of money.

Spending $133.20 may not seem like saving a lot of money, but I bought A TON of meat and got shrimp, AND my buggy (yes, it's a buggy) was completely full of other stuff too. Hello? My total would have been twice that!

Here's my method, written down to pass on from generation to generation. My mom taught me, (My dad is good at saving money too. When I told him about my recent savings, he tells me he went to the store last night and the cart total came up to $24 or something and he only spent $4.) I use her same method, but utilize the Internet instead of looking through the fliers. Though I will still do that on occasion, but it's rare.

First, I save coupons. Honestly, I'm not religious about it, but if I am thinking about it I will get a Sunday paper and cut the coupons, but only coupons for stuff I use. Some people spend more money in the long run because they stock up on things that they don't really need or use, and a lot of the coupons out there are for unhealthy food. I go grocery shopping and have coupons as a bonus, some people go to the store just to use coupons. Does that make any sense? It's the "Have coupons must use them" mentality. (Sometimes when I am at the grocery store and I have a coupon that will expire that day, (like save $5 on a purchase of $40 or more, some people would make sure to spend the $40, but I won't if I don't need anything else, or if there are no good sales, etc. I won't buy more just to get to the $40, ultimately making me spend more money.) or the next day and decide I won't be using it, I become the coupon fairy and start giving them to strangers shopping next to me, or in the check out line. That's always fun! I even sometimes when someone has picked up something and I know it's on a crazy good sale somewhere else, I'm the crazy lady that says, "Those are on sale for X amount at X store." I've always got a positive response. Just trying to do my duty as a money saving citizen... we're in a recession you know.)

Second, I buy sale items. Every week (Wednesday actually), I go online to the stores I shop at and view their weekly fliers and print off my shopping list just from what is on sale. I do that for all three grocery stores that I go to (and also compare those lists to some drug store prices). In the olden days I would take that (but the real fliers) and go to Wal-Mart and price match, but the Wal-Mart's here aren't as lenient as the one in Utah was, so I don't do it very often anymore. So, now I will go to all three stores (but, honestly I don't go to all three stores every week, actually not very often anymore. But, if the deals were good enough I would. FYI all stores are within 7 minutes from my house, so I am not running around far away.). I take all the shopping lists from every store with me into each of the stores I go to, so if I come across an unadvertised sale, I can compare it with what is on sale at the other store to see which price is better (or compare the meat per pound prices). Sometimes, I just take them with me to Wal-Mart to see if it is cheaper than Wal-Mart or not.

Third, I shop and cook from my pantry. Meaning, I stock up on items I use frequently when they are on sale, and try to cook my meals based on what I have in my freezer and pantry, only having to run out to get some of the fresh ingredients I don't already have. Though, I used to go a little crazy on this. Now, I try to stick within a grocery budget and only spend a certain amount so if I want to really stock up on something that is on sale, I have to cut something else off my list or just not buy as much.

So, my method isn't really anything new or grandiose, but it works. I learned by watching my mom. But now, if I were to die tomorrow my children will at least have my method written down to read. Heavens knows if they only have John's method to learn from they won't have any money, and they'll only be eating cereal, a sugary sweet cereal, and chocolate milk.

I love grocery shopping! I told John it won't matter if we are loaded one day, I will still shop the same. Seriously. It's all about the thrill of the hunt, and seeing your total savings at the bottom of that receipt.

Why pay more if you could pay less? (I'm sure that is from an advertisement somewhere)