Saving money on groceries means creating a plan for meals, snacks and household goods on a weekly (or however often you prefer to shop) grocery list. Track your store’s specials – the weekly grocery ad should be your go-to resource – and sort the coupons you’ve collected.
Then pay attention – even discounted with a coupon, a high-end brand item frequently costs more than some other brands. In general, the best bargains are generic brands. People tend to assume store brands aren’t as high quality as Dole, Del Monte, Folgers, or other names we know. However, in many instances, the store brand is packaged by a company that also packages those name brands and is just as good or at least satisfactory.
One quick and easy way keep track of whether coupons are a bargain is to note how much off the shelf price each covers in a circle next to the item on your grocery list. You can instantly tell if you’re saving money compared to your usual brand or would spend extra money by using the coupon. Coupons on items you already buy are especially nice.
The last trick is to take the coupons with you. Create a special space for them in your purse to develop the coupon habit. Should you forget to bring them on your trip, most stores will allow you to return with your register receipt and coupons to get them rung up at customer service area for up to a week after the original visit.