I had a reader email me yesterday…let’s call her Mary.
Here’s what she’s been doing since starting to save money on her family’s groceries:
I’ve been taking the money that I’ve been saving at the grocery store… and putting it into my credit card debt. Since I’ve started I’ve been able to pay off 3 credit cards (the insanely high interest ones… woo hoo). Grant it, I had been working hard at paying these ones off for a while, but the balance quickly went to 0 after pouring all the extra money into them. That is 3 less payments that I’m making each month and it feels really stinking good.
This is awesome to me! Those coupons and sales really CAN add up to save your family big bucks!
I probed a bit more (nosy gal that I am) and learned that Mary has actually slashed her grocery bill in half and about $200 per month is now going to help reduce her credit card balances. She also shared how for her, the advantage of couponing is exactly this – to get out of debt, not to get more stuff. Mary, I agree! I coupon to keep our family living within our means. The fact we end up with a decent amount of stuff, and GOOD stuff, is a side benefit in my opinion.
I was glad to hear her story and thought I’d ask…what have YOU been doing with your savings?
Photo credit Sanja Gjenero
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
There’s absolutely no way we could live on just one income if I hadn’t started couponing. Our huge grocery savings ensures I’m home with our toddler son instead of working and shipping him off to daycare. We live within our means and I sleep better at night knowing that.
We have been building up our emergency fund. Its a slow proccess, but we are getting there! My goal is to have about $25,000 in savings ( 6 months of living expenses). I set smaller goals, about a $1,000 at a time so it doesn’t feel so overwhelming! We are a 1 income family, and I am in school so coupons work overtime at our house!
I started spending coupons in earnest when I became a full time homemaker so my husband didn’t have to spend every waking hour working overtime. Now that I’ve become more skilled at it and implemented other frugal lifestyle habits, the savings allows us to take small trips or have more “toys” we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford without sacrifice.
Now that I’ve been introduced to the whole/organic food movement, I’m looking into purchasing some locally pastured beef for the freezer — something we can afford to do because I don’t need to spend that money on groceries and household supplies.
Julie, I’m moving into your line of thinking lately. I’d like to use some of what we save on organic meat. Since we’re now working to grow our own produce, that should help even more!