Advice on reducing the grocery bill?

[LindaPinda]

There are 2 sites that give lots of info on making your own things.

- Budget Bytes has the recipes broken down by cost (it is from the US so figure that our cost is a bit higher)

- Fake-it Frugal has all sorts of recipes and ideas for making your own cleaners etc

Another cool site for ideas on almost anything is pinterest.com

*didn't post the links as I think SC blocks them; do a google search

[RedEng]

I have not couponed for that long but I would be curious if there is a season that is cheaper.... so all those people who have done this for over a year... is it better to purchase more in winter spring summer or fall... or does it make a difference...

Tis the season for buying baking supplies. Flour goes on sale at Christmas and Easter, but watch expiration dates. I find canned tomatoes are cheapest in the fall.

Toiletries and laundry detergent are always going on sale every 1 to 2 months.

I started couponing last November, I ended up spending more the first couple months trying to get all the deals. I created a spread sheet for myself marking down best prices on items I buy, so I would know when a sale was really a sale. It especially helped when buying meat, sometimes that 30% clearance sticker isn't the best deal.

[LindaPinda]

I created a spread sheet for myself marking down best prices on items I buy, so I would know when a sale was really a sale. It especially helped when buying meat, sometimes that 30% clearance sticker isn't the best deal.

Would you be willing to share your knowledge and your spread sheet?

[Kelkens]

In addition to planning ahead it is also important to think spontaneously..maybe you forgot to take out what you were going to have or thought you had the ingredients to make something you don't.

Before it would be go out for supper or order in.

Now I think "okay what are the options?'..."what can I make quickly"

Toinight we had hamburgers done on the barbeque...it is so quick to make them so even if you forget to take them out you can do them frozen.

[Rika]

I also would love to have a copy of your spread sheet?

[JackieL]

Kelkens, I agree! I generally try to have pizza, shrimp, ground beef or salmon in the freezer. All of these are quick and easy....even when frozen!

[Kelkens]

As well if you have time,you can scout out the meat watching the expiry dates. There was nothing at SuperWalmart early this morning but I did notice some packages had expiry dates of tomorrow. If it does not sell during the day I am pretty sure it will be marked down by this evening as who buys meat for full price when it expires the next day.

I don't always do this due to time constraints but I was going by anyway.

[Kelkens]

Here's another one..

Every couple of days go through your fridge making sure to use up vegetables..leftovers,etc.

Tonight we had an omelet as there was leftover potatoe, and other veggies starting to wilt.

It's about trying to decrease what you throw out.

[Travelnut]

Buy a FREEZER You can freeze almost everything. Have 1, need 2 LOL.

NF had lean ground beef on sale last week for $2/lbs. I bought 4 big packs and broke them down to 1/lbs packs and froze them in sandwich bags (freezer bags would cost too much). The sandwich bags are just the right size for 1-2/lbs.

I made a grocery list, but it is not what I need, it is a sale list.
Each weekend I get all of my flyers (on line if needed).
On paper I make a list of what is on sale (the 3 day sale items are lost leaders = best prices).

I then check my coupon binder to see if I have coupons for the sale items at each banner. THEN I get the true cost for each item.
An item my be $2.50 at RCSS and $3.00 at SOF but at SOF I can use my $1.00 + $1.00 coupons = $1.00 true cost.

I compare all of the sale items at all banners - coupons to find the best prices.

I do not buy items just because I have a coupons for that item.

When I find an item that I use and have a coupon for I buy LOTS. SDM has VIM on sale for $.79 + $1.00 coupon = free, I bought 30. Your stock pile will grow with this way of shopping. But it takes time.

Keep an eye on the reg price and stackable coupons = reg price at SOF $9.29 -coupon stack $5.00 + $3.00 + $1.00 = $.29 cost, picked up 15 at 5 locations.

Look out for marked down and clearout items in all banners. If a banner is no longer listing a SKU they will blow it out. Last year at WM they had the WM brand fabric softner on clear out for $.45 :0 bought about 50.

I have a garden and can 40-50 quarts of tomatoes & dills each year, freeze and can various other things from the garden. Have Rberries, Apples, Plum and Apricot trees in the yard. I you are a tree in my yard... you have to produce something.

Hubby hunts and fishes = FREE.

Cheers!!

[JackieL]

Travelnut/other experienced couponers.... how do you find 30 coupons for one item?

[Travelnut]

I am a CPG (consumer packaged goods) Sales Rep and I am in the grocery stores all day every day.

5 here, 5 there and so on.

And no the job is not fun. I call on all of the stores in Edmonton North (of the river) the burbs, up to Slave Lake, Peace River, GP, all the way up to Ft. St. John BC then down HWY43 and west on the Yellowhead to Jasper.

[JackieL]

travelnut... aaah!

I also see that some people are brave and dumpster dive

[Poirot]

Travelnut/other experienced couponers.... how do you find 30 coupons for one item?

Some people go walks and get coupon inserts from blueboxes.

[Big Pink]

Buy a FREEZER

I can't wait until my computer is back up and running to read through this entire thread.

Meantime...

I live in a small apartment... my best investment ever was to buy an upright freezer. Not the best in terms of decor in a small space... but... you can't always win.

It allowed me to buy sides of beef from family farms. Better for the environment and better for me. Cheaper, too.

(Except the time I didn't close the door properly!)