It's all in the numbers! How will you know you are saving if you don't know what you normally spend? How will you know you found a good deal if you don't know what you normally pay?
Keep Track
The first step is keeping track. Figure out what you are spending on groceries right now. You can keep receipts or make a spreadsheet. Simple or complex... it's up to you, but keep track of what you are spending.
Budget
Oh, no! Not the "b" word! Once you've keep track of your spending for long enough you should set a goal of what you want to be spending. No one can tell you what to budget. Every family is different. You may have a large family or children with food allergies. You may only eat organic while others must have gourmet ingredients for special dishes.
The bottom line: Know what you are spending and then set a new goal. Have you been spending $200 a week? Set a goal to try and spend only $150 and see if you can do it. Keep lowering your budgeted amount as you learn new saving strategies.
Know Your Prices
Some savvy shoppers like to keep a price book. If you are forgetful or just getting started I recommend you give this a try. If you are more experienced or have a great memory you might be able to get by just remembering.
If the goal is to always buy items at the lowest price you need some measure of what "low" really is. I have listed some of my personal best prices in the "stock up" tab above.
I organize my coupons in envelopes. So instead of a price book, I occasionally write down prices on my coupon envelopes. That way I can confirm a good price if I see a deal somewhere. When I know it's a great deal then I stock up.
Even if you start out with a price book you may eventually not need it anymore. As you shop deals more often you will start to get a feel for good deals and know when to take advantage of them.
Here are some links about price books:
The Dollar Stretcher
Blogging Away Debt
Get Rich Slowly
No Credit Needed
April 8, 2010
April 7, 2010
Free Snuggle at Family Dollar
A couple weeks ago in the Sunday newspaper, there was a $3 off 1 Snuggle coupon. Family Dollar sells them for regular price of $3, so you can get it for free.
Sara Lee Outlet Store
I don't know how many of you buy Sara Lee bread, but if you do and even if you don't. You can get a loaf of bread of 99 cents, sometimes even cheaper. Sara Lee Outlet is located on Military Street in between Bond Street and Velp Street. What's even better is that often times they will have managers specials which are usually buy 1 get 1 free. They also have hot dog and hamburger buns for 50 cents as well. Today, I bought 4 loafs of bread for $1.98.
Conagra Rebate in Combo w/ PW Sale
There is a new Conagra "rebate" available:
This is not for cash back. Instead you get $25 in coupons for Conagra brands when you buy $10 in Conagra products. This rebate form is from the All You website.
Conagra items included in the PW sale are:
Banquet dinners
Rotel
Hunts
Gulden's
Snack Pack Pudding
A full list of Conagra products can be found on their website here or on the rebate form. Since these items are listed as part of the $1 sale, it should be fairly easy to spend $10.
This is not for cash back. Instead you get $25 in coupons for Conagra brands when you buy $10 in Conagra products. This rebate form is from the All You website.
Conagra items included in the PW sale are:
Banquet dinners
Rotel
Hunts
Gulden's
Snack Pack Pudding
A full list of Conagra products can be found on their website here or on the rebate form. Since these items are listed as part of the $1 sale, it should be fairly easy to spend $10.
April 6, 2010
Copps Double Daze 4/7
Hi, all! It's late, so here's a link to my quickly typed up list for tomorrow. Happy shopping!
Piggly Wiggly Deals 4/7 thru 4/13
Big sale at PW this week! Buy ten $1 items get the 11th free. That means each item will be about $.91 and with coupons even less!
All the items below are $1:
Potatoes (5 lb. bag)
OM Lunchables $1/1 in 3/21 SS
Starkist Tuna (pouch or bag) $1/2 pouches in 2/14 RP
Henri's Salad Dressing
Del Monte Fruit Naturals $1/3 printable here
Butterball Turkey bacon
BC Hamburger Helper $.75/3 in 3/7 SS or printable here
Hunt's Pasta sauce
Creamette Pasta (select varieties)
PF Goldfish crackers
Banquet frozen dinners $1/4 any Conagra from 3/14 SS
FC snack/sandwich recloseable bags
Gulden's Spicy Brown mustard
Rotel $1/3 from Conagra home mailer
Red Gold canned tomatoes $1/3 in 2/28 and 2/7 SS
Ibuprofen 200ct.
Arm and Hammer Dryer sheets (40 ct) $1/2 printable here (might not work)
Lightbulbs
Cotton Swabs
Also on sale:
Pork roast $1.49 per lb.
Ground beef $1.89 per lb.
Grapes $1.49/lb
Blue Bonnet margarine quarters $.79
Orv's frozen pizza 5/$10
Suave shampoo and condition $.89 $1/2 in 3/14 SS
With a $10 purchase and coupon you can get a gallon of MILK for $.99
To see the full ad click here.
All the items below are $1:
Potatoes (5 lb. bag)
OM Lunchables $1/1 in 3/21 SS
Starkist Tuna (pouch or bag) $1/2 pouches in 2/14 RP
Henri's Salad Dressing
Del Monte Fruit Naturals $1/3 printable here
Butterball Turkey bacon
BC Hamburger Helper $.75/3 in 3/7 SS or printable here
Hunt's Pasta sauce
Creamette Pasta (select varieties)
PF Goldfish crackers
Banquet frozen dinners $1/4 any Conagra from 3/14 SS
FC snack/sandwich recloseable bags
Gulden's Spicy Brown mustard
Rotel $1/3 from Conagra home mailer
Red Gold canned tomatoes $1/3 in 2/28 and 2/7 SS
Ibuprofen 200ct.
Arm and Hammer Dryer sheets (40 ct) $1/2 printable here (might not work)
Lightbulbs
Cotton Swabs
Also on sale:
Pork roast $1.49 per lb.
Ground beef $1.89 per lb.
Grapes $1.49/lb
Blue Bonnet margarine quarters $.79
Orv's frozen pizza 5/$10
Suave shampoo and condition $.89 $1/2 in 3/14 SS
With a $10 purchase and coupon you can get a gallon of MILK for $.99
To see the full ad click here.
Why do you eat out? (Poll)
Eating out is a big budget buster. Just for fun, I put up a poll (to the left) asking what your top reasons are for eating out. Take a second to answer. When the poll ends I hope to get up a few posts to address the reasons people choose.
Freezing Foods
When you find a good deal on food, meat especially, lots of us stock up and throw the surplus in the freezer. I was asked a few questions about if this is safe, so I did a little research. The following information is directly from the USDA website.
Is this safe?
Food stored constantly at 0 °F will always be safe. Freezing preserves food for extended periods because it prevents the growth of microorganisms that cause both food spoilage and foodborne illness.
What can you freeze?
You can freeze almost any food. However, being able to freeze food and being pleased with the quality after defrosting are two different things. Some foods simply don't freeze well. Examples are mayonnaise, cream sauce and lettuce. Raw meat and poultry maintain their quality longer than their cooked counterparts because moisture is lost during cooking.
Can you refreeze? (This one's for you, Jill!)
Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through defrosting. After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods. If previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion. If you purchase previously frozen meat, poultry or fish at a retail store, you can refreeze if it has been handled properly.
What if my freezer loses power?
If food is partly frozen, still has ice crystals, or is as cold as if it were in a refrigerator (40 °F), it is safe to refreeze or use. It's not necessary to cook raw foods before refreezing. Discard foods that have been warmer than 40 °F for more than 2 hours. Discard any foods that have been contaminated by raw meat juices.
How long will it last?
Freezer storage is for quality only. Frozen foods remain safe indefinitely.
Stand Alone Freezers are better for long term storage:
Use a free-standing freezer set at 0° F or below for long-term storage of frozen foods [a refrigerator freeze may not be able to maintain a constant temp if the door is opened frequently]. Keep a thermometer in your freezing compartment or freezer to check the temperature. This is important if you experience power-out or mechanical problems. [There are freezer alarms available that beep to let you know your freezer has dropped below a certain temperature, like if the door is accidentally left open.]
Source: USDA Freezing and Food Safety Fact Sheet
Is this safe?
Food stored constantly at 0 °F will always be safe. Freezing preserves food for extended periods because it prevents the growth of microorganisms that cause both food spoilage and foodborne illness.
What can you freeze?
You can freeze almost any food. However, being able to freeze food and being pleased with the quality after defrosting are two different things. Some foods simply don't freeze well. Examples are mayonnaise, cream sauce and lettuce. Raw meat and poultry maintain their quality longer than their cooked counterparts because moisture is lost during cooking.
Can you refreeze? (This one's for you, Jill!)
Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through defrosting. After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods. If previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion. If you purchase previously frozen meat, poultry or fish at a retail store, you can refreeze if it has been handled properly.
What if my freezer loses power?
If food is partly frozen, still has ice crystals, or is as cold as if it were in a refrigerator (40 °F), it is safe to refreeze or use. It's not necessary to cook raw foods before refreezing. Discard foods that have been warmer than 40 °F for more than 2 hours. Discard any foods that have been contaminated by raw meat juices.
How long will it last?
Freezer storage is for quality only. Frozen foods remain safe indefinitely.
Stand Alone Freezers are better for long term storage:
Use a free-standing freezer set at 0° F or below for long-term storage of frozen foods [a refrigerator freeze may not be able to maintain a constant temp if the door is opened frequently]. Keep a thermometer in your freezing compartment or freezer to check the temperature. This is important if you experience power-out or mechanical problems. [There are freezer alarms available that beep to let you know your freezer has dropped below a certain temperature, like if the door is accidentally left open.]
Source: USDA Freezing and Food Safety Fact Sheet
Money Saving Recipe: Baking ("Bisquick") Mix
This baking mix can be using in any recipe that calls for Bisquick (pancakes, biscuits, Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay biscuits, etc.) My family likes the Impossibly Easy Pies for quick and easy weeknight dinners.
Baking Mix
6 cups flour
3 T. baking powder
1 T. salt
1 cup shortening
Mix all ingredients together in a mixer (if you have one).
If not, sift the dry ingredients and then cut in shortening
until fine crumbs. Store in an air tight
container in the fridge or freezer for up to 6 months.
6 cups flour
3 T. baking powder
1 T. salt
1 cup shortening
Mix all ingredients together in a mixer (if you have one).
If not, sift the dry ingredients and then cut in shortening
until fine crumbs. Store in an air tight
container in the fridge or freezer for up to 6 months.
Do you have any make-it-yourself money saving recipes? Please share them!
April 5, 2010
Walgreens Deals 4/4 - 4/10
Garnier Fructis 3 for $10
-$1 printable here and $1 (RP 3/7)
-$10 RR
=$.67 each
Dawn $.99 (with weekly store coupon)
-$0.50 (P&G 4/4)
=$.49
Lindsay Olives $.99 (with weekly store coupon)
Buy 2 and use $1/2 printable
=$.49 each
Kotex U $3.49
-$2.50 RRs
- $1/1 printable or $1 April All You or $1 off any Kotex coupon
=FREE
Oral B Toothbrushes $3
-$3 RR when you buy 3
-$2 (P&G 4/4) x3
=FREE
Velveeta Sheels cups $1
-BOGO printable coupon x2
-$1.50 RR
=$.50 for 4
Pilot Erasable Frixion Pen $1.19
-$1 Walgreens coupon (April coupon booklet)
=$.19 but keep your eye out--possible rebate on package could mean a money maker!
For even more deals head over to MoneySavingMom.
-$1 printable here and $1 (RP 3/7)
-$10 RR
=$.67 each
Dawn $.99 (with weekly store coupon)
-$0.50 (P&G 4/4)
=$.49
Lindsay Olives $.99 (with weekly store coupon)
Buy 2 and use $1/2 printable
=$.49 each
Kotex U $3.49
-$2.50 RRs
- $1/1 printable or $1 April All You or $1 off any Kotex coupon
=FREE
Oral B Toothbrushes $3
-$3 RR when you buy 3
-$2 (P&G 4/4) x3
=FREE
Velveeta Sheels cups $1
-BOGO printable coupon x2
-$1.50 RR
=$.50 for 4
Pilot Erasable Frixion Pen $1.19
-$1 Walgreens coupon (April coupon booklet)
=$.19 but keep your eye out--possible rebate on package could mean a money maker!
For even more deals head over to MoneySavingMom.
CVS Deals
Stopped at CVS tonight. There are some good deals this week, especially if you have the right coupons! Here's what I picked up...
- Pantene is on sale $2.99, get $1 ECB (limit 3). If you got the full size sample of Pantene NatureFusion from Vocalpoint that came w/ three $2 off coupons, this is a great deal! I picked up a conditioner to go w/ my free shampoo sample, plus another bottle of shampoo and conditioner. All three FREE after ECB's. If you didn't get the Vocalpoint goodies, there was a $3 off any 2 MC from P&G, which would make it $0.98 for two bottles after ECB's.
- CVS Cetirizine (generic Zyrtec) is on sale for $12.99, get $5 ECB's. Great deal if you have allergies like me!
- Tampax Pearl is $7.99 for 36ct., get $2 ECB's. Use $2 MC from P&G plus the Buy one 36 ct. get 18 ct. free MC from P&G, you get 54 for $3.99 after ECB's.
All You Magazine for $20 for 24 issues
I just found this site that has the All You Magazine for $0.83 per issue. Normally in the stores, they sell for over $2 per issue. Sometimes you can subscribe for $1.67 an issue.
If you aren't familiar with this magazine, I would suggest you check it out. Every issues has at least $20 worth of coupons, most times over $30 in it for products you use. Also, many of them will have coupons for a free item.
This is also great magazine to read for its recipes, money saving tips, etc.
This is a fundraiser for a school, but here is the link.
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