LET GO OF THESE:
- It is cheaper to just buy the store brand. This is just not true. The trick, which we will discuss later, is to buy items ON SALE and WITH A COUPON for the best deal. The combination of those two things will get you brand name products for alot less than store brand items.
- It is cheaper to buy in bulk. SO not true. When I started, I went around my local wholesale store and literally wrote down the unit prices for all the things I regularly bought there. Then, I compared it to when I bought those same items on sale/with coupons. I was shocked at how much I had been overspending when I thought I was saving.
- I hate clipping all those little coupons and filing them and sorting them--what a pain! There are so many ways to organize your coupons, and many of them are great. But I will show you, step by step, how I organize mine, and you will see, I only clip what I use. It takes time, yes, but once you have a system, it won't be as time consuming as you may think.
- I don't have time to figure out what's on sale, what I have a coupon for, what store it's cheaper at, etc., etc. No problem! That's what I'm here for! And there are a ton of other great blogs out there that help you match up coupons to store deals, which saves you LOTS of money AND time!
RETHINK:
- Sometimes you can't cook like a food network star. I know this sounds a little odd, but this was a big one for me. As someone who likes to cook, and likes to buy fun ingredients to cook with, I've had to learn to let my fancy menus go. And I can't always make whatever I want. I buy what's on sale, and I plan my menus around what I have---not the other way around. The more stocked my pantry is, the more creative I can get.
- Drugstores are your new best friend. I will never pay for toothpaste again. I don't have to buy razors for the next 6 months. And I have enough medicine (that I got free or under $1) to stock a pharmacy. I NEVER used to shop at CVS or Walgreens. Now I'm there at least once a week. Seriously, you won't believe how much you will save, and not just on toiletries---food, too! I will dedicate one post to CVS and one to Wags (Walgreens) for details on how to take advantage of their deals.
- Buy produce from a local farm stand. Some things, you just can't get a coupon for. You should shop for fruits and veggies in season--that will always save you money. But I have found a local produce stand where I can get all the fruit and veggies I need for a week for under $20. And I use alot of produce! Sometimes items are less than half of what they cost at the grocery store.
- Delayed gratification. I realize that sometimes you just need something, and you have to buy it, whatever the price. But many things, if you think about it, you could do without for a week or two until it's on sale. And the more you stockpile, the more you have until it does go on sale again. Like snacks. Sometimes yogurt is on sale and we have plenty to eat. Other times, we run out of yogurt, but I have cheese sticks I got for under a dollar. Or--JACKPOT (at least for my kids)--I got pringles for 33 cents a can. What we have is what we have, and whatever we don't---we live without.
- You are going to need to buy multiple copies of the Sunday paper. To start, buy 2, so you have at least 2 of every coupon (which you'll need for buy-one-get-one-free deals). I buy six every week. Hunt around for your best deal on papers--I get mine at Walgreens for 75 cents.
- Internet printed coupons RULE. There are great coupons available right on the web! My blog will include links to these when I match them with a deal. Often, you can get a better coupon online for an item than in the paper! So make sure you have lots of ink and paper handy.
A look ahead in this series...
- organizing your coupons
- coupon lingo
- CVS
- Walgreens
- Publix
- tips for surviving the store clerks and cashiers
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