Shopping time again. Did you know...

Did you know...

...that coupons are available all over the web?  There are several companies that feature coupons of all kinds - all you have to do is sign up for their email announcements.  http://www.coupons.com/ is one of my favorites. They usually feature up to 6 pages of manufacturer and local coupons.  Another fave of mine is http://www.coolsavings.com/ who offers coupons, recipes, freebies, and samples.  A new type of coupon loads the coupon right onto your store saving card...for instance at Shoprite you would click on the coupons to have them loaded onto your Shoprite savings card and when you swipe the card they come off at the end.  This company Cellfire http://www.shoprite.com/Cnt/Cellfire.html (this is the link to the Shoprite page but I do know that there are other grocery stores that use this option too - go onto your local grocer's website and check it out) 

...that most companies have websites that feature the products that you buy.  Recipes and coupons are available on most of these websites and are usually multi-print(can be printed more than once)

...you can save the money you might spend on those recipe books at the check-out.   The recipes in these books are all online.  Companies like Betty Crocker http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes , Pillsbury http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/ , Kraft http://www.kraftrecipes.com/ , and taste of home http://www.tasteofhome.com/ all feature the recipes from the books we waste money on.  Taste of Home is especially wonderful because they feature the recipes from all of their publications on their website.  So if you are browsing through one of those books the next time that you are waiting to check-out and see something you like:  look at the back of the book to see what company is featured in the book and google them on the web!

...sometimes you can use a coupon from one product from a specific manufacturer on another product that they manufacture.  An example would be using a Hefty cup coupon on Hefty plates.  I really can't tell you what coupons will work like this - the only way to find out is to try it.  If it works you SAVE; if not play dumb-LOL.

...I have never had a problem using any kind of coupon in the self checkout--what I mean by this is the machine doesn't balk at a printed coupon like some cashiers do...or say that the coupon is expired.

...some grocery stores will take recently expired coupons.  Usually a week is the limit though.

...male cashiers don't usually pick apart your coupons...wink wink.

...that if you are pleasant to your cashier they will usually give you a break with coupons that they wouldn't normally accept.

Ok, ok so a person might pass a few expired coupons from time to time but most of the time I do the right thing.  Coupons are a lot of work but they are soooooooo worth the savings at the end.  I used to live with Mr. Scrooge.  He believed that I should be able to shop for a family of 3 with $50 per week.  So I had to get good with coupons and specials.  And guess what I made the quota every week and had enough to splurge on some extras, too.  So give it a try.  Try my tips out, what have you got to lose?  If they work you save; if not play stupid.  Anything is worth a try.

Check out this great website for savings

You have got to check out this new website that I have found...loaded with deal and coupons to save in everything from school clothes to travel--soup to nuts. 

http://www.dealtaker.com/

Grocery shopping hints

Today is finish the shopping list day.  WHAT?!  I know that is what you are saying to yourself.  Well for me the weekly shopping list is a job...part time but still a job.  In order to get the most for my money it usually can take me anywhere from 3 hours to a day to finish the list.  I honestly don't think that you want to spend that much time but I can give you a few pointers that will help you in your weekly grocery shopping experience.

1. Coupons are a great savings...I know they are a pain to deal with but I manage to save a lot of money with coupons each shopping trip and I can't tell you how gratifying it is to get something for free. 

2.  Stock up when you can...In other words, grab as many as you can store of items when you find them at a really good price.  An example would be say you enjoy Kraft Mac n cheese...the local Walmart is selling them for $ .33 per box.  That means for a little more than a dollar (the price on 1 box at most stores) you are getting 3.  I would get $ 5.00 worth and store them.  You may be spending a little extra this shopping trip but you will be saving over the next few because you won't have to buy them at full price.

3. Don't be afraid to visit more than one store when you shop...quite often the great sale prices are not at the store with the lower regular prices. 

4. Get to know your stores...the more information you know about your stores the better deals you can get.  What I mean by this is all grocery, drug, department and discount chain stores are not created equal.  The more educated you are about the store - the better your decision making process will be.  So when you are walking through a store and come upon a clearance rack you will know whether that yellow tag is truly a bargain.  BEWARE OF BOGUS CLEARANCE TAGS.  Stores will call something clearance but it is not always a bargain!  BEWARE WHEN YOU SHOP AT A DOLLAR STORE.  Although there are bargains at the dollar store, there are also other items that you can get at another store for less...a lot less.

5. Compare all the store circulars.  If you are grocery shopping don't forget about the drug stores and discount chains.  Many include at least 1 page of grocery items with each sale.

6. Combine any of the above for maximum value.