Many times in the past, I have decided it would be a good idea to use coupons. I go about getting a newspaper. I cut the coupons, I organize them in the little coupon container. I get all geared up to use coupons.
Newsflash: Coupons only save you money if you actually USE them.
Most of the time, the issue has very simply been, I forgot the coupons at home. But I also have never really considered them while planning out my grocery trips. It seems like too much work. I know, funny, as if the cutting and organizing wasn’t work. I’m quirky.
Well, with the baby, I’ve been a bit more inclined to use coupons. I’ve hunted them down for baby items. I’ve comparison shopped. I know which store has the better price on the formula and baby food we use. Not so much diapers and wipes though. I admit, I like shopping at Target. So I pick them up when I need them, while I’m there.
Now though, I am moving into extreme bargain shopper mode. I am bound and determined to save us money and not be wasteful buying groceries, while still buying all the products I prefer to buy. It is a challenge.
So I started today. First off, I made a spreadsheet. After all, as you know, I LOVE me some spreadsheets. I listed out all the products I could think of that we normally buy. I have a vague idea on the regular price of alot of the items at my normally frequented stores. HOWEVER, I don’t know that’s the best price in town. So I made price columns for my favorite grocery store, the grocery store across the street, Target, and ….gasp….Walmart. I also included a local discount store that I hate. We’ll see if I get desperate enough to scope that place out.
The plan, then, is to visit these stores with my spreadsheet in hand, and mark down the regular price per unit of each item. Then we’ll see if I’m doing my shopping the most cost effectively or not. I don’t mind making trips to some different stores. In town, these 5 stores are all right around the same half-mile area. Especially grocery stores A and B are across the street from each other. I have no issues going between the two.
Besides my spreadsheet, I also had D go buy a Sunday paper today. I ransacked the coupons, cutting out any for products we use. I checked out the sales ads for these stores, too. It was a bit annoying to realize that the Walmart ad had been left out of the paper. But that’s ok. I can find it online. I planned out tomorrow, that I’m hitting up the sale at Target because they have excellent prices on some items I can stock up on. So already, that makes me happy.
So I am ready to go. Now all I have to do, is print out my spreadsheet, and put that and the coupon holder in my purse. And I will be READY to go. Let’s see if this works!
