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I pride myself of being frugal, fiscally responsible and downright cheap.
It’s downright genetic and in my upbringing and out of middle-class economic necessity.
Inflation is out of control as going to the grocery store gets more expensive every time I go. The increased price of gas is leaking out to the price of everything.
I’ve been combating the guilt and frustration at the grocery store by raising my budget and saying, It’s out of my control. We have to eat. I don’t control the price of gas or groceries.
Imagine my shame when I heard Kate Gosselin, mother of twins and sextuplets from Jon & Kate plus Ei8ght, say she feeds her kids as organically and healthily as possible for $150 a week. Which is about what I spend, only I accidentally go over nearly every week.
It makes me feel like I’ve got to step up my game. Last week I saved about $1.50 just by telling the Walmart clerk that Brookshires had a better price in the paper on melons.
I’m going to try coupons too. I’ve never really use them because I figure .15 cents and .35 is a pain in the badonkadonk. But, then watching my grocery bill skyrocket every week is a pain in my budget.
I’ve got a coupon organizer and I’m logging onto Couponbug.com to print the coupons I want. Wishing a grocery store in my area had double coupon day.
Anyone else have a coupon source that can save me money? Thrifty Mommy?
5 days ago
Yeah, I think that Kate Gosselin doesn’t spend $150 per week on organic food for ten people. It’s just not happening. That said, I shop (organically) at Rainbow in San Francisco, a giant natural foods store cooperative, with the BEST prices in town. I buy in bulk, I buy on sale, and I take the bus there & back. Also, I try to buy the expensive stuff on the days that I can use their 20 PERCENT OFF store coupons. And I’m sure that there’s more I can do. I’m a work in progress!
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12 days ago
I have a girlfriend who is the Coupon Queen in our circle – she even gives classes!!! She uses CouponSense.com and they organize by store, by price, by product…it’s great. She’s shown me how, but I usually don’t have time, so I’ll text/email her what I need, and she’ll pull it up for me…then I give her $5 here and there for her troubles, and out of my amazing savings. With this website, there isn’t any coupon clipping or organizing, except by the week (date) of your Sunday paper. I have a file box, but you could use an expanding file folder with 10-12 pockets. Put your weekend ads in there in order by Sunday’s date and any extra coupons that print out at the register, and when you need something (let’s say milk), type ‘milk’ into the website and it will tell you every store that has it in their ad (i’ve even seen variations, like the 12 oz convenience sizes and Almond milk), and how much it costs, and if there is a coupon associated with it. So you can pick which store to go to, based on location, or cheapest price, or to a ‘price-matching’ location and mention the proper store’s price. There is a monthly cost, but I think the first month trial subscription is around $5, so totally worth it for a try. I also believe that your membership includes your newspaper subscription, so no more forgetting to pick up your paper from the convenience or grocery store. The greatest part is the ‘no more clipping and organizing’ in my opinion. You only clip when you need one out of your stash. You could probably keep your expanding folder in the back seat/trunk of your car and access the website from your smart phone, if you have one of those fancy web browsing ones. (I have a cheaper phone and cant get online with it, maybe the next one – with my savings :) ). Best of luck, and don’t obsess over it, but take the 5 minutes to do it here and there, and stick the savings in a jar (most places list savings at the bottom of your receipt), and you will be amazed how much you have saved so quickly. – Then use it for a vacation!
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871 days ago
These are some great ideas. I prefer organic foods, but I often find that they are just too expensive where I live.
I am continually surprised to see how much o-food Ingles is putting on the shelves. They are getting more of my business.
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899 days ago
On the Gosselin’s site Kate said that that 150 a week is just at ONE store. I think she seems to be an excellent shopper anyhow, but they do spend more than the 150 a week..and of course they should!
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905 days ago
I’m pretty sure I remember Kate saying she spent $150 just at that store a week…not that she only spent $150/week on groceries.
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962 days ago
Harris Teeter and Lowe’s Foods doubles coupons here. Every now and then they run a triple coupon special. I’m not sure what you have out your way. You can do the first time subscription to the grocery game for $1. I have information about it in the links above. If you have people sign up under your name you can get free months.
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962 days ago
Kroger does. I think the double all the time and triple on certain days. Then you shop for stuff that is on sale, and WITH a coupon and get it for practically nothing or free.
Did you see that lady on Oprah who opened a food pantry for the homeless and has weekly coupon clipping gatherings at church to do so? They spend all most nothing and feed hundreds. Really cool!
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962 days ago
where is the store that double and triples coupons? I’ve only seen that on TV.
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963 days ago
You also need to got to stores that double and triple coupons. There is an art to it.
Oh, and if you buy just about everything in bulk, and cook from scratch you can totally feed that many people organically for 150.00 a week, but prepare to spend A LOT more time in the kitchen. ‘Cause you’re kind of screwed when you don’t preprep/cook and you all are starving and staring down some frozen chicken, unchopped carrots, and a pile of whole grain rice. *See: emergency meal.
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963 days ago
Let us know how it goes, please! If you had a “coupon challenge” or something like that, it would probably inspire me to stick to my budget better and it might become more of a game than a chore?!
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963 days ago
You have to buy the items on sale and use the coupon.
Here’s some links to get you started: :)
http://www.thriftymommy.com/frugal-friday-23-coupon-tips/
http://www.thriftymommy.com/frugal-friday-27-let-the-games-begin/
http://www.thriftymommy.com/im-back-in-the-game/
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963 days ago
Okay, I failed at coupons. I used about 6 of them and saved about $3. But, I bought the Fruit Roll Ups because I had a coupon so I spend $3.50 I wouldn’t normally have spent. My grocery bill didn’t go down.
Maybe I just need more practice.
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964 days ago
I’ll get you some links for my info about coupons.
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