subject: Tips For Saving On The Grocery Bills [print this page] It is easy to spend a hundred dollars a week or more for groceries and other necessities of life. Although hard on the wallet, a family needs to eat, so you have to make the purchase. But there are ways that you can buy the same cart full of items and spend a lot less money. It takes a little work and a little determination.
Check the Weekly Advertising
Like most people, you receive leaflets and circulars each week that probably make a direct trip from your mailbox to the recycling bin. Next week, take the time to look over them, as it could lead to big savings.
The advertising from some stores will be of no use to you. If you don't have pets, you won't need the pet store circular, so you can throw that one away. All these circulars are advertising items on sale in the next week - items you may need and can save money buying from those stores.
Now get out a notepad and pen and start making a list. Making a shopping list will help keep you on par so that you don't spend your paycheck on things that you don't need. The items you don't really need can be bought on sale another week. Combine what you need to buy with the items on sale, and watch the savings add up.
Clip Coupons to Your Heart's Content
By combining coupons with the sales you find in circulars, you can double your savings on groceries with ease. You may not think that these savings add up to much, but if you use coupons and special offers every time you shop, they can add up pretty quickly. If you save twenty dollars a week, that's over one thousand dollars you have saved that can be spent on car repairs or home maintenance.
To make using coupons easier, you will want to keep them organized and easy to find. A coupon folder or binder with plastic pockets will do the job. A simple way that suits most people is to take four envelops. If you're keen on recycling, go through your junk mail. Unsolicited letters often come with business reply envelops that are perfectly good, but will wind up in the trash.
Separate all of your coupons into three distinct piles. Use one envelope for food. Use a second for household cleaning, paper, and plastic products. The third is for personal care products like shampoo, shaving cream, and toothpaste. Keep your shopping list for the week, as well as the coupons you will use, in the fourth envelop. This will help you find the coupons and the list when you get to the store. A little bit of preparation will help you remember the list and the coupons, and help you save your hard-earned cash.
