Have you seen that person in the grocery store with their meticulous list and three-ring binder full of coupons? Well, next time you see me don’t stare…come say hello.
Oftentimes my family and friends make fun of my frugality. I am a full-time college student living on my own. By no means am I rich or wealthy. However, I am extremely careful with money.
I don’t believe in paying full price for groceries, among other things. I do believe in purchasing brand name products at the lowest price possible. Most of the time I can purchase a shopping cart full of groceries for less than $25. I don’t think I’m an expert, but I can share a few tips from my 4+ years of experience.
Stay away from WallyWorld. ~Wal-Mart will match prices but they will not double manufacturer coupons. Publix & BiLo are my stores of choice. They frequently have BOGO deals and double manufacturer coupons.
Purchase more than 1 area newspaper. ~ Coupons vary by area so try to buy at least 2 local newspaper to increase your coupon variety. A list of weekly inserts is published online.
Use CVS & Walgreens rewards to your advantage. ~Stack a coupon with Register Rewards when items are on sale. You’ll pay almost nothing & sometimes earn more rewards.
Only buy items when they are on sale and you have a coupon. ~This only works after you have stocked your pantry which usually takes 5-6 weeks.
Buy name brand products. ~After BOGO deals & coupons, you usually spend less on the brand name than you would for the store brand products.
I hope this helps to get you started. Hopefully I’ll remember to make this a weekly series, including receipts from shopping trips.
