Each week grocery sales ads litter my mailbox. While some people may see them as junk mail, I know the truth. These sales ads are important tools that help me stretch my grocery dollars as far as possible. Do I sound a little crazy? Let me explain how I use them.
First, when I get the ads I look through them for the products that my family regularly uses. I spend about fifteen minutes noticing that one store has soda on sale; another features a special on meat products. Anything that my family likes is duly noted.
Next, I reach for my price comparison notebook. I need to verify that the items listed in the sales ad really are being offered at a good price. Sometimes a store will feature an item and create ads that indicate that the product’s on sale while the product is really priced the same way that it always is. My price comparison notebook will ensure that I don’t fall for this ploy.
Another important part of evaluating the prices of items in the grocery sales ads is taking the time to go through my stash of coupons. Coupons are a great way to make sales prices even better. I try really hard not to use my coupons until the product is on sale so that I can get as much out of them as possible.
Once I know which items are being offered at a good price, I can start making my shopping list. I plan my meals for the week and browse through my pantry. I like to try to do all of my shopping at once, so this list-making can get a little intense.
Now that I’m putting the finishing touches on my shopping list I look one more time at any products that are exceptionally-priced. For instance, if hamburger is really inexpensive, I might revisit my idea of how much I’m going to buy. I will check the freezer to decide how much I can store for future use. I go through the same process with non-perishable foods that have a great price.
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2 responses so far ↓
1 Scott @ The Passive Dad // Feb 28, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Do you shop at a grocery store that has double coupon days? I’m still trying to find out how people manage to save so much using coupons. Many of the coupons I get are only for a few cents off an item and it makes more sense to just buy the store brand version.
2 Dana Joseph // Mar 2, 2009 at 5:59 am
Unfortunately, none of the stores around us double coupons. I rely on buy one/get one free sales combined with store and/or manufacturer coupons to maximize the savings. I do buy several newspapers each week just to get the extra coupons. I stockpile items when they go on sale. But you are right, sometimes it is just cheaper to go with the store brand.
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