If your goal is to save money this year then you have come to the right place. There are so many ways to save money on all your shopping trip and here is a list of our top 13.
1. Take stock inventory of what you have on hand
2. Do not go shopping hungry!
3. Keep a running list and never shop without a list.
4. Shop at home, first, from the sales ads and plan your store(s)
5. Don’t go when its peak, (crazy busy) so you can relax and focus.
(The stores are set up for you to buy impulsively!)
6. Grab a copy of the current circular as you enter the store, visit the coupon rack.
7. As you shop, look around, look at shelf tags, look for coupons, tear pads, peelies, hang tags, store offers, etc (sometimes this is a fun excursion, all its own)
8. Go alone, so that you can focus, bring your plan and other coupons for items you may see discounted.
9. Bring a calculator, know/bring the store coupon policy,your coupons planned, sorted and in a bag, paperclip or envelopes.
10. Don’t be “store loyal”.
11. Buy what you/your family will use.
12. Take advantage of FREE or NEARLY FREE items you don’t use and donate them to a non profit.
13. When the store is out of a sale item, go to the customer service area and get a rain check, that will lock in your price for 30 days or more.
Thanks so much Nancy J!
May I add a few tips?
14) Compile a list of 3 to 5 ingredient recipes to your menu planning. Ever dollar saved on non-essential ingredients can impact the overall food and life budgets.
15) Use the Flipp app to compare prices in your local area among multiple stores. We all know that a good sale at one store could be a great sale going on down the street. (similar to tip 4)
16) Take time and make time to menu and shopping list planning to make the most from time and money.
17) Always check with groups like those sponsored by How To Shop For Free because there’s strength in numbers of members looking out for one another by sharing scores in those stores.
18) Similar to the tip above, check out the individual store match ups and crazy deals before leaving the house. We can save time and gas by grabbing all of the best of the best in one run instead of multiple.
19) Don’t be afraid to try new stores and brands. Shopping behaviors cause us to buy the same products at the same stores and yet there are probably stores we drive past daily we’ve never stepped foot in.
20) Find the apps that give you the most value for the time involved. Some may use Checkout51 while others use Ibotta, for example. There are dozens of them that can consume your every waken hour if you let them.