1) Set a grocery budget and get it in cash. I go at the beginning of the month and take out 1/2 of my budget. Then I get the other half around the 15th. Spending in cash keeps you from going over your budget and forces you to find the greatest deals.

2) Plan your weekly meals around what is already in your pantry first and what’s on sale second. You don’t want to spend a ton on the extras you need to make a meal just cause one thing is a great price.

3) Buy spices in bulk if you can. They are much cheaper this way than prepackaged at the grocery store. Around me, the only place to get bulk spices is Whole Foods, but it’s still way cheaper.

4) Try to shop when the store is the least busy. During the day (but not around lunch) or after about 6pm and NEVER weekends. If your store is open 24 hours, make sure you know what time the new week begins (usually 7 or 8am, not midnight). And leave the kids at home if you can. You won’t be as distracted or rushed and won’t have to say “no, you can’t have that I don’t have a coupon for it” a hundred times!

5) Rethink brand loyalty! Have you tried other brands or are you just buying the same brand cause you’ve always bought it? Lots of store brands are made by the same companies that make the name brands, but they’re cheaper. Keep an eye out, though, cause if you have a coupon matched up with a sale, you might be able to get the name brand cheaper. Just be flexible to get whatever is the cheapest. Also, if it’s your first time getting a different brand, just get one. If your family won’t eat it you didn’t save any money. Keep a list in your binder of the items your family is picky about. For us, it’s mac & cheese…it’s gotta be Kraft. We’ve tried the other brands and store brands and we just don’t like them. So, now I only buy Kraft, and stock up when it’s on sale. There are some brands of toilet paper we just can’t stand. So no matter how good the deal, I don’t buy them. Surprisingly, we actually prefer the store brand of pancake mix. But you’ll never know until you try!

6) Find out your store’s return policy. If you hate the store brand, sometimes they’ll let you return it for the name brand and/or give you your money back.

7) Every so often go through your pantry to make sure you use what you’ve bought before it expires. If you have to throw it out it doesn’t matter how cheap it was, you still wasted money.

So there you go.  We have provided you with many tips on how to be set up for success when it comes to couponing.  We know you can do it – as long as you prepare well, and stay focused.  Remember to keep track of your savings, as that is a sure way to encourage you to keep doing it.  Check back in with Jennifer regularly to see how she’s doing (she provides a savings ticker at the top of her blog).

Also, don’t forget, $6,000 will go a long way if you are able to use it along side coupons and sales!  Register today for your chance to win in The Great Geezeo Bailout!

Further Reading

• The ABC’s of Budgeting and Finance : U – Z (1)
• The ABC’s of Budgeting and Finance : K – O (0)
• Be Set Up For Coupon Success : Part 1 (3)
• The ABC’s of Budgeting and Finance : A-E (1)
• Whole Foods, not Whole Paycheck (0)

Tags: And/or, Business, Coupon, Grocery store, home, Kraft Foods, money, Spice, Toilet paper, Whole Foods

This entry was posted on Friday, March 20th, 2009 at 9:00 am and is filed under Budget. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.