Grocery Store Guru

Lately, when I'm at the grocery store I often find myself the object of coupon envy.  Three different times this month the people behind me in the checkout line have quizzed me about my savings.  One woman said, "I wish I still used coupons." 

On that particular trip my bill was $61.55 and I ended up paying $31.97, a total savings of $29.58.  Over the last year I estimate that I have saved a little over $1,000.00 on my grocery bills.

I never set out to be a "coupon queen".  Using coupons developed out of necessity.  With four mouths to feed (and a cat!) my list grew endlessly, but my budget didn't.  Over the last six years I've developed a simple system for cutting, organizing and using coupons.

1.  Make a list.  I keep a running list on the fridge so that I can add items as we run out or get low.  It's corny but true, if I don't write it down I usually forget at least a few things, causing expensive and time-consuming last minute dashes to the store.  A list also keeps you focused and helps curb impulse buys.  My children, ages 8 and 5, even add things they want.  I appreciate the input so I don't buy things they won't eat.

2. Clip Coupons. All major newspapers offer coupon inserts every week, except for holidays.  I usually spend twenty to thirty minutes a week clipping and organizing coupons.  Some grocery stores are going to "coupon-less sales" where the sale items automatically ring up or you give them a coupon card.  These work wonderfully and you can use manufacturer's coupons as well, doubling or even tripling your savings.

3.  Pick up the weekly ads for your local grocery stores.  I scan the ads of the three major grocery stores in our area.  I go to the one that has the most sale items on my list.  Sometimes driving an extra mile means huge savings on things you would need to buy anyways.  One store in Fargo, ND offers a weekly free item for totals above $25.00

4.  Limit your trips to the store.  After trying different things, I've discovered that one major trip a week is usually sufficient.  I try to get everything on the list to avoid those last-minute dashes to the store for one or two items.  I end up buying a lot of unnecessary items without saving nearly as much.

5.  Use store brands or generic items.  We all have our favorites, yet often a store brand will taste identical to the higher priced national things.  Buy a few and see what you or your family likes.  After years of blindly choosing Campbell's Tomato Soup®, I discovered the Flavorite® brand tastes exactly the same for up to 25˘ cheaper, more if it is on sale.  It is mostly a trial and error process, but once you discover which brands your family enjoys, you can quickly and easily save each time you shop.

6.  Stock up on sale items.  If it is something you use often, buy as much as you can.  If the store sets limits on quantities, go more than once.  Just make sure the sale item will not expire before you can use it.  Also make sure your family likes it. (See hint #4)  I once bought 30 cans of pork & beans, only to discover that they tasted hideous and the texture was like congealed glue.  A neighbor's dog even refused to eat them.

7. Combine sale items with coupons.  Often the store offers a "loss leader", a product so cheap it is at or below their cost.  If you have a coupon as well, you may get the item free.  For example, a bag of sugar is on sale for 89˘ and you have a $1.00 off coupon.  The store pays you to take it home.

8.  Use those coupons!  Once a week I sort through my coupons and note which ones are going to expire soon.  I try to use them if I can so I don't lose out on the savings.

9.  Don't worry that the store is losing money.  coupon clearing houses pay as much as 25˘ more than the face value of the coupon to the store.  The store is actually making money by accepting your coupons.  The fine print on a coupon usually spells out the terms for the consumer (you) and the retailer (the store).

For a mere hour of my time each month, I save substantially on my grocery bill every time I shop.  You can, too, by following my simple steps.

The next time someone sidles up to me and whispers, "How do you save so much on groceries?"  I'll just smile and hand them a copy of this article.

~Shaunna Privratsky

Shaunna Privratsky authored the award-winning "The Silk Robe", a series of e-reports to stimulate your prose and over one hundred articles and stories.  She lives in North Dakota with Wade and their children, Erica and Alex.