A girl's gotta eat!

You know those weekly coupon circulars that are left at our front door? Many of us throw them out without realizing the potential savings we're missing out on. I LOVE food! It's for this reason that I try to find EVERY possible way to save money on it. I have a few tips for you on how to save money on groceries.

I'm a New Yorker so the cost of living is almost unbearable. Here are a few ways to cut that cost down:

• MANUFACTURER COUPONS. They're my best friend when it comes to shopping. You can use them at any supermarket. The problem is that many consumers look at them and think, "Well I'm only saving 75 cents on this product. It's not even worth it." But it IS worth it! Savings adds up. The average family spends $400 on groceries. So clip those coupons. You'll be amazed when you save $100 or more on items you normally buy anyway.

• LOOK FOR SALES! The supermarket where you normally buy your items may not always have a good sale for you. Make an effort to go elsewhere for sales. You'll save a bundle. Weekly circulars often give you information on where sales can be found.

• STOCK UP! A common mistake we make is shopping when there's no food in the house. This is a problem because there may not be a good sale available when you decide to do the bulk of your shopping. If you have the money, you should take advantage of sales when they arise. So if toilet paper is on sale for 25 cents a roll, buy as much as you can. You're going to use it anyway, right? If you waited until you ran out, the rolls may cost you 75 cents each. Set aside a cupboard or a pantry where you can stock these sale items at home and use them when you need to.

• DON'T FORGET THE 99 CENT STORE! For simple household items like toilet paper, garbage bags, dish washing detergent etc.., the 99 cent store is the place to go!! These are usually products that supermarkets charge way too much for! There's no need to spend $6 on detergent when the 99 cent store is so inexpensive. Nowadays, 99 cent stores offer so much more than they used to. Most sell a wide array of hardware that are necessary to keep your home running smoothly and looking lovely.
  

I eat a lot of cereal. Rite Aid Pharmacy usually has great deals on cereal I love. So I purchase my cereal there during sale dates (usually they're priced at 2 for $5 or buy one get one free). Then I do my other groceries at the local supermarket. I could easily save $20 on cereal alone. The average cost of a full-priced cereal box is usually $4 or more!!

A great place to go for sales year-round is Pathmark. In addition to using manufacturer coupons, Pathmark offers an Advantage Club card.
This is a free savings card that you can use to purchase items. Just by using this card, you save a ton of money on select brands. The great thing is that they usually have a LARGE selection of name-brand, on-sale products.

My boyfriend and I purchased a few items from Pathmark a few months ago and it totaled to approximately $30. Once we swiped our savings card, the total went down to about $12. (the ice cream was $1.50 when you use the savings card.) The savings is remarkable. If you have a Pathmark in your area, it's definitely worth checking out. Another great place to shop is Stop & Shop. They also have a savings card.

The Obvious way to save money on food is to NOT go to restaurants as often. Cooking at home saves you alot of money. I know it can be a pain, especially if you have a large family and you just want to get something quick to eat. The biggest mistake we make (including myself) is spending money on ordering pizzas and dining out. A plate can cost $10 per person, plus tax and tip.

On our anniversary dinner alone, my boyfriend spent about $70. Crazy expensive, right?!
Here we are enjoying our mighty expensive, yet yummy dinner:

It's nice to go out once in a while and not have to worry about cleanup. But in times of economic struggle, it would make the most sense to limit how often you dine out. So even though $70 was spent on one dinner, we try not to dine out too often. It's a good idea to cook at home and have a romantic dinner there. There's no need to spend so much money when you can get a more cozy experience at home. The money you save on groceries and cooking at home could be used to treat yourself to a lovely meal in a restaurant once in a while if you'd like.

Do you love fast food?
It may not be good for you but if you like to grab something quick every once in a while, make sure to check the circular. I found about 20 coupons for Burger King in there last month...2 sandwiches for the price of one. If you're going to spend money there anyway, might as well take advantage of deals!

I'm sure everything I've said has been heard before. Yet we continue with our bad spending habits. The thing to remember is that just like any habit, bad spending takes time to recover from. It involves discipline and budgeting.

For some reason, people are too proud to clip coupons. WHY?! They're the greatest invention ever! If you were going to buy two packs of Eggo waffles anyway, why not save $2 while you're at it?! I love feeding my belly on a budget because then I don't feel so guilty about eating so much....until I step on the weight scale :)

So walk proudly into your supermarket with your coupon clippings in one hand and your savings card in the other. You'll feel so accomplished knowing you saved so much!

Happy Eating!
-Sammy Shoe-Strings