USE COUPONS

I know what you’re thinking…”Trite!  Everyone says that, but I don’t have the time. (Or something similar.)”  If you don’t have the time to cut coupons, I can commiserate.  With working, exercising, and spending time with your family, who really does have the time?  Plus, who really wants to get the newspaper just to save a few bucks here and there.

Understandable…however there are some great websites who now offer downloadable coupons that you can access through your e-mail.  Some of my favorites are Coupons.com, Smartsource.com, and CoolSavings.com.  You can access their website any time before you leave to shop and simply click on any and all of the coupons you would like to print at once.  With three to four printable coupons per page, you can simply take along the pages and have them scanned by the cashier without ever cutting a single coupon. 

SHOP THE SALES

Although it may be tempting to only buy the items you like, you can easily save 25% of every shopping trip if you simply buy only the items that are on sale.  Each week, every store discounts hundreds and even thousands of different items making it possible for you to get the lowest prices.  A common sale is 10 Items for $10, although you never really have to buy all 10 of those items.  These sales can actually make items at a regular grocery store cost less then the items at a Grocery Club. 

BUY THE SMALLEST ITEMS

When you combine the coupons with sales items, you will find that the final purchase price is a lot less then what you would normally pay anywhere else.  However, by buying the smallest size allowed by the coupon, you may find yourself getting the item for free.  While in the store, make a quick comparison of which item would cost you less, and you will take a huge chunk out of your total tally. 

SHOP AT THE RIGHT STORES

Don’t just shop at any store simply because it’s the closest to your house.  Instead, look for grocery stores that double or even triple coupons.  By doing so, the average $1 Coupon will subtract $2 from the item you are buying, and again the item could be free.  For example, cereal is usually priced between $4 to $5 and often goes on sale for $2.  One-dollar coupons for cereal are especially easy to find, which could mean that all of your cereal purchases would be free.  That alone is a great reason to shop at local grocery stores. 

WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK

Unless you need the product right away, wait until something goes on sale before making your purchase.  Many times something you will buy this week will go on sale in just a few more days.  Therefore, unless it’s absolutely necessary, move onto the next aisle and make a note on your shopping list to look again next week.  

USE REBATES

Anyone who has bought a computer knows that rebates can be a great little bonus when buying a product.  Using the websites mentioned above, you can actually also find rebates that will refund a bit more money to you.  You can also find rebate forms at the products websites.  Simply save your receipts for these items and mail them in to make a several dollars more each time you shop. 

 Now that you know, have fun with it.  Buy as much as you can when it goes on sale so that when you need something, you will have it and have purchased it for pennies on the dollar.  Eventually, you will find yourself saving much more then 75% every week. 

Save 50% or More on Your Grocery Bills was created by and is property of American Consumer News.