What are your shopping goals for 2012?

[abominablecupcake]

Do you guys have any goals for the new year ($spent vs $coupon)?
Have any of you been tracking down your spendings? This year is used 880.49$ in coupons and spent 4109.92$ after coupons. (2adults, 2teens) I'm curious to know how well you all did!

[eve160450]

I just started couponing in October and did not keep track of it. I will be keeping track this year for sure. I have a nice little stockpile going and I've met some wonderful people on here. So glad I found this site. Saving money is a nesesity for me now. And I am enjoying it too!

[2010ontest]

My goal is to kept my grocery shopping weekly average budget between 50-75$ for my family of 6 + 2 cats. It was 90$ in 2010, shift to 75$ this fall and want to be somewhere between 50-75$ for at least 6 month to see if I could go more lower than that.

My grocery shopping include food of course, but also diaper for my little one (I'm close to the end, he is 2 yrs-old), personal care, oral care, any kind of soap (body, laundry, dishwasher, ect) and cat food.

[GeorgiaK]

I started couponing in May 2011, and only started tracking my coupon usage since end of June 2011. Since then, I have saved $1,630.88 in coupons. I was able to get so much stuff for free that I was shocked and awed by it.

For 2012, my coupon savings goal will be $3,000 but I need to start using up my stockpile.

[Patty Smyth]

I started tracking it one year and gave up once it was over $6000 saved lol, i think that was 2010.

This year my goal is to eliminate as many boxed foods as possible. I am going to haunt Sami Fruit and my butcher and resist the temptation to go the more conveniant route and pop open a box. This will also save more money and I will try to keep my couponing to H&B, cleaning and paper products.

It's going to be hard to ween the kids off of some foods but I am determined.


Aiming for $50-$75 a week for the 6 of us, 3 cats and 3 goldfish lol.

Also want to cut my Costco expenditures to under $500 for the year excluding gas.

I wish everyone lots of luck and great deals this year.

[snuffaluffagus]

I don't think I'll be concentrating so much on how many coupons I use but, like Patty and Ontest, I'd like to have a grocery budget. It's a bit hard to find that right number though as I have a allowance through work (mainly meat, eggs, and cheese)...only problem is I very rarely take advantage of it...because I have no imagination at all for cooking ...so we tend to do a lot of store bought prepared meals .

But, that'll end this new year...if we have to eat a diet of raw veggies, scrambled eggs, and home made bread, I promise I won't buy anything prepared again, lol.

[IMLN]

My grocery budget went down drastically, I use to swear by Costco and spend around 500$ a month + at least 200$ a month in Metro for smaller stuff, fruit, veggie and milk.

Now I spend 400$ a month and eat even better. I still have room for improvement so 2012 will be about spending a little less and taking full advantage of all the cool reward cards, price matching, MIR…

Another goal is to maximize my baking, cooking and take full advantage of my stand mixer. I just got some new attachments but no time to fully train them yet!! I need to master croissants, French baguette and pasta making.

[chemicalflaw]

I meant to keep track, I really did. I did well tracking for a few months, but I fell behind. I think that should be one of my new year resolutions.

My goals aren't so much in how much I save rather than meeting and lowering my weekly budget. When my husband did the shopping, we'd surpass $100/week for just the four of us (and our two kids are small). However, that was back when we needed diapers far more often... When I took over the grocery shopping my goal was $100/week. I still budget for that but my goal for this year is like Ontest and Patty, $50-75. The last two months I've been around $60-$80 per week (excluding Christmas extras). If only I could get myself a freezer... then I'm sure I could drop down to $50.

[kelly25]

I tried to keep track but stopped after 3000$ in savings (I think it was in May or June), to much work to keep track imo. My resolution this year is to try getting into points (Pharmaprix) and I would love to find free laundry detergent. So far I’ve only found the resolve free and went through it in no time. Oh and convert the little garage (half of a garage was made into an office) into a stockpile room :D

[Cher_montreal]

at the beginning of last year i was spending 20$ a week each (we are just two) but by the end of the year i was spending 10$ each a week, because i was using what i bougth earlier, now mi goal its to eat healthier, plan my meals, seriously concentrate in my points... and in jully we are moving to a bigger place so my stock pile can grow and grow... i had to pass a lot of deals because of my little space.

im already learning how to eat tofu, and im adding beans to my diet... last year i convince my self to eat yogourt... one step at a time!! hahaha

[Rigolade77]

My initial goal when I started couponning was to save 10% in coupons for groceries and it's done! I'm very glad about that! But I don't think that we can save more than that because we eat a lot (LOOOOT!) of veggies, fruits, eggs, meat and fresh stuff. Exemple for 1 week : 4 broccolis, 6-7 piments, 2-3 X 12 eggs, 6 bags of milk, 4 greek yogurts, 2 tofu blocks, 4 chicken breats, fresh salmon, lettuce, apple, bananas, oranges, etc... Those are not the kind of thing we can save on with coupons... sadly... We are 2 adults and a 16 months old baby and we're spending about 125$ in groceries each week. Comparing to you, I'm a really bad couponner hahaha!

[2010ontest]

My initial goal when I started couponning was to save 10% in coupons for groceries and it's done! I'm very glad about that! But I don't think that we can save more than that because we eat a lot (LOOOOT!) of veggies, fruits, eggs, meat and fresh stuff. Exemple for 1 week : 4 broccolis, 6-7 piments, 2-3 X 12 eggs, 6 bags of milk, 4 greek yogurts, 2 tofu blocks, 4 chicken breats, fresh salmon, lettuce, apple, bananas, oranges, etc... Those are not the kind of thing we can save on with coupons... sadly... We are 2 adults and a 16 months old baby and we're spending about 125$ in groceries each week. Comparing to you, I'm a really bad couponner hahaha!

Are you able to accept to freeze the fresh meat you buy when there is a deals? Made your greek style yogurt yourself? Freeze or can yourself some fruit and veggies in season to lower your bill in winter? Find a place to buy your fruits and veggies for cheaper in winter? Do sprouting yourself to eat fresh at lower cost? Do your bread?

Tofu have coupon, this is not a problem. Milk could be buy at Pharmaprix on 20x event to reduced your bill. Couponing is not all, you need to found the best stores to buy the stuff you need. Unfortunatly Métro, Provigo, IGA, Maxi, superC, Loblaws, walmart, Pharmaprix are not the best place to go for alot of stuff. Myself I go also to Mayrand, épices Anatole, Sami fruit, Alimentation Aubut, Marché Colfax for spices, meat, cheese, yeast and many other stuff. And this help to use the fidelity/loyalty program to help you.

[Cocottee00]

6 bags of milk each week ?? OMG ! That's a lot of milk ! You really need a cow to get your milk free !! ahah

[couponlinda]

Since starting in May 2011 - i have saved 2000.00 using coupons...my goal is to double that

[Doda]

But I don't think that we can save more than that because we eat a lot (LOOOOT!) of veggies, fruits, eggs, meat and fresh stuff. Exemple for 1 week : 4 broccolis, 6-7 piments, 2-3 X 12 eggs, 6 bags of milk, 4 greek yogurts, 2 tofu blocks, 4 chicken breats, fresh salmon, lettuce, apple, bananas, oranges, etc... Those are not the kind of thing we can save on with coupons... sadly... We are 2 adults and a 16 months old baby and we're spending about 125$ in groceries each week. Comparing to you, I'm a really bad couponner hahaha!

Rigolade, I know what you are talking about...
I have similar situation, we are just 2 (no baby yet, but with a cat on a vet diet...) and we are spending about 100$ per week on groceries. Sometimes it's 125$, sometimes 80$ - depending on the week. It's because I'm buying mainly fresh produce - meat, veggies and fruits. We don't buy prepared or canned meals, frozen dishes, lasagnas, frozen veggies side-dishes etc. There is almost no coupons for food we buy, that's why it's hard to save on potatoes, rice, apples, bananas, peppers, spinach, beef etc... Sometimes I use coupons for maple leaf chicken breasts or lactancia milk (when there are some out), but that would be all... 99% of my coupons is used for cleaning suplies and cosmetics.
At summer I plant fresh herbs on my patio: basilic, oregano, thym, dill and I freeze them, they are good for a winter and in comparison to store herbs they are cheap. We also have our own cherry tomato plant in summer I need to try to do some veggie pots next summer, I don't know maybe peppers, zuchinni, red onions. That may save a bit of money. I also need to convince myself to buy and freeze meat when it's on special.
Rigolade, subscribe yourself to the IGA Defi sante that is starting soon. Last year they were giving awesome coupons for free veggies and fruits at IGA