Rules for Saving Big on Groceries

Rule #1: Stockpile
Stockpiling vs. Need Shopping:
To get the most bang for your buck you have to change your mindset about how you shop. Stockpiling is buying more of an item than you need, but only when it is free or at a rock bottom price. As your stockpile increases, you “shop” from there when you need something, instead of running to the store and paying full price. This concept alone will drastically change your grocery bill.
Need shopping is what we do when we need an item this week, it is not at a rock bottom price and we don’t have it stockpiled. I recommend that you do your need shopping at Wal-Mart, Target, Sam’s…etc. As your stockpile grows your need shopping will decrease and then you will begin to see the big savings.



Rule #2: Use Coupons ONLY on Sale Items
If you have been the primary shopper in your home for awhile, you probably have an idea what a good sale price is on the things you purchase frequently. Just because an item is in the stores weekly ad doesn’t mean the item is on sale. And a sale is not always a good deal. You must have an idea of the lowest price possible on the items you buy. When you see an item go to its rock bottom price, this is ideally when you want to use your coupon. Try not to use your coupon on items that are full price.

Sales typically run on a 12 week cycle through the store. This means different departments of the store will go on sale throughout this time and then it starts over. So it will take about that much time to get a good start on your stockpile. If you can, purchase enough to last 12 weeks, then typically you will see it cycle through again. Also, there are seasonal sales. For example: June and July is condiments and grilling, August is school supplies, October and November is soups and baking needs. Pay attention to these sale trends to get the most savings.

To be continued...