Thank you Katie for sharing your tips and for being so faithful with donations to the food pantry!
Grocery Savings 101
A. MENU PLANNING
1. Make a meals master list
2. Plan by the week, 2 weeks, or month
3. Shop by the week! Do not cheat! Include staples, but only go ONE time per week, only buy what is on your list, do not take the kids (and eat before you go)!
B. SHOPPING
1. Meat - “loss leaders” and clearance/manager’s specials
2. BOGOs - Do I have to buy 2? Publix - no, Drugstores - yes
3. Stock up on items you usually purchase when they’re on sale!!
C. STORES AND THEIR POLICIES
1. Publix - doubles coupons .50 and below AND will stack their own coupons w/ manuf. cpns. AND will honor competitor cpns., AND has the “penny coupon” on Sundays and Mondays. Go to http://www.fiddledeedeeblog.blogspot.com/ for “match ups”
2. Kroger - doubles cpns. .50 and below AND you can use ecoupons there (these you can load onto your Kroger card online: http://www.pgesaver.com/, http://www.shortcuts.com/)
3. WalMart - doubles nothing, BUT will price match any advertised sale price (IMO not worth the hassle of going there!)
4. Ingle's - doubles 3 cpns. .50 or below with every $10 worth of merchandise purchased AND they are not friendly about it! (I'm not a big fan...)
5. RainChecks - Stores offer rainchecks for advertised sale items if that item is out of stock...get them!
D. DRUGSTORES/PRESCRIPTIONS
1. Rite Aid - Single Check Rebates: http://www.riteaid.com/ (registration required), http://www.iheartriteaid.com/ for “match ups”
2. CVS - Extra Care Bucks: http://www.cvs.com/ (registration required in store or online), http://www.iheartcvs.com/ for tons of info. and “match ups”
3. Transferring your Prescription - You can earn gift cards by doing this. Publix and CVS all accept the Rite Aid competitor coupons! Just keep track of where your Rx is and please use good judgement.
E. LET THE WEB DO THE WORK!
1. http://www.savingyourcents.blogspot.com/ -Lissa Miller, all deals in Cartersville!!
2. http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ - Crystal Paine, great overview of all sorts of savings, great explanations of beginning couponing and CVSing, “CVS 101”
3. http://www.couponmom.com/ - check out the “Grocery Deals By State” section (registration required)
F. I’M OVERWHELMED!! WHAT DO I DO NOW?!
Make a master list of favorite, inexpensive, easy meals
Plan one week of meals with accompanying grocery list (don’t forget staples like milk and bread)
Shop at Publix for items on your list and stock up on any current BOGO items you regularly use.
Begin collecting coupons - cut and file the ones you’ll use and all health & beauty items (if you plan to go to CVS and Rite Aid)
Begin to familiarize yourself with websites listed above (esp. http://www.savingyourcents.blogspot.com/ and http://www.moneysavingmom.com/)
When you feel ready, jump into CVS and Rite Aid. Be sure to read up on this first at the above websites! You are well on your way!
DON’T GIVE UP!! SET A TIME LIMIT OF 8-10 WEEKS AND REALLY SEE THE SAVINGS!!
Grocery Savings 101
A. MENU PLANNING
1. Make a meals master list
2. Plan by the week, 2 weeks, or month
3. Shop by the week! Do not cheat! Include staples, but only go ONE time per week, only buy what is on your list, do not take the kids (and eat before you go)!
B. SHOPPING
1. Meat - “loss leaders” and clearance/manager’s specials
2. BOGOs - Do I have to buy 2? Publix - no, Drugstores - yes
3. Stock up on items you usually purchase when they’re on sale!!
C. STORES AND THEIR POLICIES
1. Publix - doubles coupons .50 and below AND will stack their own coupons w/ manuf. cpns. AND will honor competitor cpns., AND has the “penny coupon” on Sundays and Mondays. Go to http://www.fiddledeedeeblog.blogspot.com/ for “match ups”
2. Kroger - doubles cpns. .50 and below AND you can use ecoupons there (these you can load onto your Kroger card online: http://www.pgesaver.com/, http://www.shortcuts.com/)
3. WalMart - doubles nothing, BUT will price match any advertised sale price (IMO not worth the hassle of going there!)
4. Ingle's - doubles 3 cpns. .50 or below with every $10 worth of merchandise purchased AND they are not friendly about it! (I'm not a big fan...)
5. RainChecks - Stores offer rainchecks for advertised sale items if that item is out of stock...get them!
D. DRUGSTORES/PRESCRIPTIONS
1. Rite Aid - Single Check Rebates: http://www.riteaid.com/ (registration required), http://www.iheartriteaid.com/ for “match ups”
2. CVS - Extra Care Bucks: http://www.cvs.com/ (registration required in store or online), http://www.iheartcvs.com/ for tons of info. and “match ups”
3. Transferring your Prescription - You can earn gift cards by doing this. Publix and CVS all accept the Rite Aid competitor coupons! Just keep track of where your Rx is and please use good judgement.
E. LET THE WEB DO THE WORK!
1. http://www.savingyourcents.blogspot.com/ -Lissa Miller, all deals in Cartersville!!
2. http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ - Crystal Paine, great overview of all sorts of savings, great explanations of beginning couponing and CVSing, “CVS 101”
3. http://www.couponmom.com/ - check out the “Grocery Deals By State” section (registration required)
F. I’M OVERWHELMED!! WHAT DO I DO NOW?!
Make a master list of favorite, inexpensive, easy meals
Plan one week of meals with accompanying grocery list (don’t forget staples like milk and bread)
Shop at Publix for items on your list and stock up on any current BOGO items you regularly use.
Begin collecting coupons - cut and file the ones you’ll use and all health & beauty items (if you plan to go to CVS and Rite Aid)
Begin to familiarize yourself with websites listed above (esp. http://www.savingyourcents.blogspot.com/ and http://www.moneysavingmom.com/)
When you feel ready, jump into CVS and Rite Aid. Be sure to read up on this first at the above websites! You are well on your way!
DON’T GIVE UP!! SET A TIME LIMIT OF 8-10 WEEKS AND REALLY SEE THE SAVINGS!!
Awesome class Katie, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you too Kelleigh! I just found this blog on Lynn's. I had no idea we had one. We should put it in the bulletin so people know they can follow the amazing works God is doing here.