Since I started my couponing project to save money, I've gotten a number of people making this remark:
"Sure, I'd like to save money, but I don't think I have the time to devote to it. Plus, it sounds like an awful lot of work."
I think this is a very valid concern, so today I thought I'd focus some time on explaining how I plan my grocery shopping trips each week. The truth is you could spend a LOT of time each week perusing store circulars, clipping coupons, and driving around town. OR, you could find ways to organize your coupons, trips, and meals and perhaps even save time in the long run. Personally, I'm all about being efficient, so my choice would be the latter of the two options. So for the sake of not wasting a minute more, let's dive right in.
- Organize your coupons. Does the idea of cutting up coupons sound tedious? No worries. You can simply label the inserts and file them by date. There are several coupon databases out there that will help you locate your coupons quickly when you need. My favorite is by far the extensive database on hotcouponworld. So when you find the deal on Tide you've been waiting for, head to their database, type in "Tide" and they'll tell you which insert you can find it in. Simple.
- Organize your "favorites." There are some pretty terrific websites and blogs out there that have already matched the sales and coupons for you. Among my personal favorites are Money Saving Mom, Abundant Food Savings, and The Coupon Mom (this website actually gives you a printed list!). All this information is completely free for you to use and is thoughtfully put together each week. Before I plan my trips, I'll review a few of these to help my shopping lists together. It's a great time saver!
- Plan your meals. If you are already a meal planner, don't stop doing that! Planning a schedule of meals is a terrific way to save money and stay on task. I just encourage you to consider planning your meals around that week's sales.
- Focus on a few great stockpile items each week. It's easy to go overboard on deals. There are ALWAYS deals going on, so it's important to remain mindful of your grocery budget. I'd recommend you set aside a portion of your weekly budget for deals and stockpiling. This week, for instance, I stockpiled soup and pasta sauce. I spent around $15-20 on those items. Now I did find several free items this week. As these did not impact my budget in any way, I took full advantage!
- Designate a store for your "need-based" items. You're likely not going to find everything you need for the week on a rock-bottom low sale. That's OK. As you build your stockpile over a few months, you will need to buy less and less. Until that occurs, pick a local grocery or wholesale store in your area that has prices you can live with. In my area, that might be Fred Meyer, Winco, or Costco. Pay attention to what you spend on those "need-based" items so you can keep an eye out for a sale that beats them.
- Plan your outing. I now say that a good 75% of my shopping takes place at home. What I mean is I spend the bulk of my time planning my menus, organizing my coupons, and creating my lists from the comfort of my own home. I often have two kids in tow (a baby and a toddler, mind you), so I don't want to lolly-gag at the supermarket. I decide which store(s) I will tackle, get my coupons and list in order, get in, get out. The actual time I spend in any given store is relatively short.
- Review your transaction before heading home. Better yet, pay attention while the items are scanning. Is everything ringing up at the correct price? Did the cashier take all of your coupons and enter them correctly? My good friend Jessie has a great tip. She calculates ahead of time an estimate of what her total will be. This helps her catch an error more quickly (and prevents her from making any impulse purchases as well!). If there is an error, try to correct it right then and there. It's always easier to do that than to deal with customer service later or make another trip out to get your money back.
- Be a good couponer. Common courtesy, folks. Have your coupons organized BEFORE you get in line. If you have 30 items and 40 coupons, for heaven's sake, let the guy with 2 items behind you go first. Know the store's coupon policy ahead of time by visiting their website or phoning customer service. Make the rest of us couponers look good!
If you have additional tips you'd like to share with me and my readers, I invite you to leave a comment. There are so many ways you can create efficiency when it comes to meal planning, grocery list making, and couponing. Please do share!
Photo credit Cindy Kalamajka
