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Showing posts with label coupon 101. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coupon 101. Show all posts

Little bit of Coupon Lingo

Friday, April 9, 2010 | | 0 comments
When I first started using coupons I felt like I was getting off the plane in some new country where I didn't speak the native language. I felt like I needed a dictionary to figure out what some of the words meant. I soon realized that it was actually quite easy, and there is no needto worry. I mean really, how scary does it need to be- its just coupons. =) So, to those of you who are new on the coupon scene,if you have question about terms and coupon usage, send us an email and we will do our best to help you solve it. 




Todays Vocab Words:

SS- Smart Source
P&G- Proctor and Gamble
RP- Red Plum
The above three terms refer to the coupon advertisers that send out the inserts of coupons.

DND- Do Not Double
DNT- Do Not Triple
OYNSO- on your next shopping order
BOGO- Buy One Get One 
Catalina- coupon that prints at register (its on receipt tape) 


Generic vs. Name Brand

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 | | 0 comments

Before I started using coupons my entire pantry and fridge were full of generic brand items. Whenever I compared prices of the items while I was shopping, the generic brands appeared to cost much less than the name brand items. I quickly learned that generic brand items are NOT less expensive when you use coupons the right way.

By using coupons when an item is on sale I am ALWAYS buying name brand items for much LESS than generic brands.

Here is a great example from this week:
  • Western Family Evaporated Milk, 12 oz. is on sale at Macey's for $0.68
  • This week at Smith's I used my coupon for Carnation Evaporated Milk, 12 oz because it was on sale for and I only paid .24 cents vs. the .68 cents I would have paid for the Western Family brand.
Generic brands quickly began to vanish from my kitchen and were replaced with name brand items and for half the cost! I no longer wondered if the generic items, I was purchasing to save money, tasted as good as the name brand items I wished I could have afforded. I have learned to appreciate name brand items and am glad that I can buy the highest quality of foods for so much less. Have you started to notice the change in your kitchens too?

How to use Grocery Smarts

Monday, September 14, 2009 | | 4 comments
Are you ready to buy all your families’ groceries, household, and personal care items (including diapers) all for about $200 for a family of four even five- while building massive food storage at the same time? Do you want to shop at only on grocery store without having to chase down GREAT deals? Do you still want to eat healthy, have a well balanced diet and have ease in meal planning? Then keep reading about how to make grocery smarts work for you! There is no clipping and filing individual coupons and you get to use the FREE website that does all the work for you!

How much would you guess is the average box of cereal?

Most people guess around $3.00. For less than the average price of a box of cereal, we were able to purchase this box of cereal, plus all these groceries!


Cereal .25
Goldfish .35
Brownie Mix .68
Progresso Soup FREE
Toothbrush .10
Dawn Dish Soap .15
Honey Nut Cheerios Snack Mix .35
BBQ Sauce .18
Garnier Fructis Hair Gel FREE
Ranch Dressing FREE
Fruit Snacks .50
Cookie Mix .17
Frosting .12
Total $2.85




People read through that list and think there is no way that grocery stores give away things for FREE. It doesn’t quite work like magic, but what will happen is the grocery store will put Kraft dressing on sale for $1.50 and in the newspaper there will be a manufactures coupon for $1.50 off any Kraft dressing. If you use the coupon that week it makes it FREE.

There are also a couple things to point out about these groceries for $3.00.
  • First is that occasionally people will notice that they wouldn’t use anything on that list in their home and that’s okay! These are just the things we use in our homes, so these are the items we have purchased in the past, however every single item in the grocery store goes on sale like this. Whether you are lactose intolerant, on a diet, or all organic this can work for you too!
  • Second is that we recommend getting one newspaper per person in your home. This lets you buy things in bulk and build up food storage. Both of us get one set of newspapers per person in our home. This means that we purchased 4 of everything here and only spent $12.04! Yeah for a inexpensive way to build up food storage!
  • Third is that you won't be spending HOURS clipping out coupons for a binder. We will only clip out what coupons we plan on using that week. Did you know that only about 50% off coupons are actually used? Why clip out the other 50% if we aren't even going to use them!

Step #1 Getting and Organizing the Coupons

You have probably already figured out that to start saving like people are in A lot for Less and Monthly Report Card posts you need to combine sale items with manufactures coupons. The only day of the week the manufactures coupons come in the paper are on Sundays. The only place to get them is in Sunday’s paper. We taught a class where a girl raised her hand and said we were wrong and that she bought hers on e-bay. We asked her how much she was paying for them. She quickly responded $3.00 plus shipping and handling. We then told her news she wasn't excited about. "The newspapers are only 2.00 at the local newspaper stands on Sunday and most weeks they have multiple inserts in them." We all laughed. The awesome news is that Grocery Smarts can get you an even better deal than that on papers too!

At our home each week I receive 4 Sunday papers, one per person in my home. People always ask, "What in the world are you going to do with all that extra paper." We have neighbors who enjoy getting a free paper from me, one lady told us she uses it as compost in her garden, but my favorite thing to do is donate them to the local elementary schools recycling bins. They get paid for the paper by the pound so we dump our papers there every other month or so. After I bring the papers in from my driveway on Sunday all I do is pull out the coupon inserts. The coupon insert schedule is over on the right hand side of this blog. You can see from Jan-Dec exactly what coupons you will get what weeks.

There are 3 main types of inserts;

1) Proctor and Gamble (P&G)- These coupons come once a month. They are Proctor and Gambles own coupons; Pampers, Mr. clean, Herbal Essence, etc.
2) Smart Source (SS)
3)Red Plum (RP)
SS and RP are just companies that print the coupons. One week you might see Tree Top applesauce coupons in SS and the next month in RP. There is no rhyme or reason to them. They just print the coupons.

Coupons come weekly, except on holidays. On Holiday weekends no coupons are sent out. This is why. Newspaper companies do not like to pay employees overtime to sit and stuff coupons in the paper, so what they do is make up for it by doubling the coupons up either the week before or after. Cool huh! Another thing, occasionally the papers are human and make mistakes and forget an insert. When you are a subscriber all you do is call the paper and let them know you were missing an insert and they will deliver it to you.

After I pull out all 4 sets of coupons I take them and with a sharpie marker, just mark Sunday's date on the inserts. Super easy huh! No clipping or filing away by category!

My picture shows RP inserts from 5/3, 5/10 and 5/17.
Then I file them away in my hanging file!



My files are listed like this:



SS Feb
SS March
SS April
SS May
SS June
RP Feb
RP March
RP April
RP May
RP June
P&G Feb
P&G March
P&G April
P&G May
P&G June

(If you blow up the picture you can see that I have other folders in the back. I just use those to help me organize other coupons I find in the stores, mail or on the ground! My husband calls me a coupon magnet! It really is true too. I find coupons in parking lots, peoples cars, at the store, on products themselves, online; you name it I have found a coupon there. Those folders just help me keep all the EXTRA coupons I find organized.) I also use to just have ONE folder for SS, RP, and P&G, but they got so big it was hard to take inserts in and out, so by having them divided up by month too it helped me pull them out fast and locate them quickly.
To find out how to get MORE coupons like I have in my file folder click here.

(I can't believe my expensive camera couldn't get a nicer picture than this!)
Occasionally mother companies will send out additional insert such as General Mill’s or Kellogg’s that are specific to their products. I just make an additional file for inserts like those.
Last thing-The last coupon in the booklet doesn't expire until about 5 months. So after you have been getting around 5 months worth of papers, plan on putting one in, and taking one out! In fact we even tell you when it is time to throw away coupons every Friday in our post called “Tidy Up Friday
After I file them away on Sunday I sit back and do NOTHING! So easy huh! No binders, scissors, or even baseball card holders. A system like this makes coupons easy, quick and manageable for busy families!


Step 2- Maximizing and Using Coupons the Right Way

When I found out I had to use coupons to make this system work I was skeptical because I had used coupons in the past and had no success saving money. I remember I had a coupon for .50 cents of one Betty Crocker frosting. The normal price was 1.67, so that made it 1.17. The store brand right next to it was only .89, so I obviously purchased the store brand. Well, after I started using this system here is what happened a few months later. Betty Crocker Frosting was on sale for .67 and I used the same .50 cents of one coupon. That would make the frosting .17 cents compared to the store brands .89 cents. Imagine if you had a coupon for every person in your house. For me that meant 4 cans of name brand frosting for .68. Pretty cool! All you are going to be doing is combining coupons with items on sale at the grocery store.

Every single item in the grocery store goes on sale every 3-4 months or quarterly. If you knew that you went through one box of Electrosal tablets every month, wouldn’t it make sense to buy 3-4 boxes when they went on sale? That way you never pay retail price again! Well let’s make this an even sweeter deal! Let’s combine it with a coupon. If Electrosal tablets are normally $5.89 and they go on sale for $2.99 that would make a great deal, but now let’s combine it with a coupon! Use your coupon from Sunday’s paper for $2.50 off any box of Electrosal tablets. That makes each box .49. I have one coupon per person in my home so that would mean I would buy 4 boxes for 2 dollars. Maximize those coupons. We like to tell people it really is all about timing. It wouldn’t have made a difference to go to the store and use my $2.50 off coupons when Electrosal was $5.89. That didn’t save me a ton, but by waiting until it goes on sale for $2.99 and using my coupons that becomes a STEAL. It also wouldn’t have done me any good to have only one coupon for Electrosal tablets. If I had done this I would have bought one box for .49 and then the next couple months I would have had to pay full price when I purchased my dish washing tablets. At that point the coupon isn’t worth your time or money. When you wait for an item to go on sale and you have multiple coupons it makes the process worth your time and money.

Store ads change weekly and new items go on sale. The object is to use your coupons when those items go on sale. There are occasions when you may absolutely need something and it isn’t on sale. Get ready for another post tomorrow on how to handle these situations!

Step #3 The $50 Budget

My family of 4 is able to spend $50 a week easily on everything we need to eat healthy and still build up food storage. I think a family of 5 and maybe even 6 could use this budget. I have two boys in diapers and one using formula, so I imagine people that aren't in that situation could spend less.

During my first 3-4 months of using coupons I was in my "stock up phase."
I spent $50 for my pantry type items (aisles 1-17).
Then I took an additional $10-$20 for fresh food items (milk, eggs, cheese, bread, fruits, and vegetables). Typically my fresh food items were the things that I needed to make my meals "realistic" or even healthy. In the summer time your budget could possibly be even less if you planted a garden or if you canned a lot from your garden for the winter time. To read out past posts about preserving foods click here.

After my stock-up phase it was so easy to spend only $50 for EVERYTHING.
$30 goes to replacing what I have used in my pantry whether its food, cleaning supplies or cosmetic items.
$20 goes to buying the fresh food items and whatever I need to make healthy meals for my family.
If you’re new to She Shops Smart your probably thinking there is no way you could spend $50 on stock-up items. You would use all that food in one week. Well, think about it this way, when Kraft dressing goes on sale for $1.50 and your coupon is good for $1.50 off 1 that makes it FREE. If you had one coupon for every person in your home, in my case 4, that means I end up with 4 free bottles of Kraft dressing. That will easily last me until it goes on sale again in 3-4 months. Or what if Capri Suns ended up costing you .50 and you could buy 8 boxes of them. You are spending way less and building up food storage all at the same time. Next time things go on sale for those rock bottom prices you will just continue to replace what you have used.
It seriously works like magic too. I remember being on my last zip lock bag and thinking I hope they go on sale soon, and sure enough they went on sale that very next week!
I honestly could spend $30-$40 a week, but I am trying so hard to build up my long term food storage that I spend the entire $50 budget. I hope that in a few months I have my food storage and I can cut my budget to even less than $50.

How to Budget in Diapers:
The most frequent question I get is about getting diapers for less. I have a few tips:

1) WALGREENS and RITEAID when they offer RR deals and rebate checks on their diapers
2) Using a coupon, even for only $1.50, is better than no coupon at all.
3) Know your prices. Decide that by the highest price per diaper you would pay.
4) Compare the price per diaper to the Costco comparison here to see which has the better price. 5) Honestly, a lot of weeks when I buy diapers I am just using a measly $1.50/1 coupon, but I figure I am under $50 and still building food storage, so no matter what I paid full price for its okay, because the most important thing to me is to be under $50.

Be Flexible:
One other thing I like to keep in mind when I say $50 is that you need to stay flexible. Some weeks you might see that a TON of what you use is on sale. BUY it if you know you are going to need it. Don't not buy it because you'll spend over $50. The next week only spend $40 instead of $50, or if you need to spend $100 in one week and take the next week off. In the long run if you don't buy it you will spend more on it in the future when it is not on sale do it. When all is said and done at the end of the month as long as you stayed in your budget who cares if you spend $100 one week, none the next, $25 in week 3 and $75 during week 4.

Step #4 Planning out your Shopping Trip and Meal Plan

Once a week new items go on sale at the grocery store. They are advertised in their weekly circulars that come in your mail, typically on Tuesdays. Sometime during that week log on to the grocery smarts lists and plan a trip to the store.
Grocery Smarts is a FREE website with no registration or log ins needed that will tell you exactly which items go on sale when and when to use our coupons. Grocery Smarts lists the items on sale that week and rates them between 1-5 stars. They list the sale price and which coupons to use that week so you get the maximum amount of savings possible. This website does all the work for you and its FREE!

Here are the states we currently have lists for:

Arizona
Eastern Washington
Idaho
Nevada-Las Vegas
Southern California
What if your state doesn’t have a passport?
If your state isn’t listed above, we are working hard to get it up and running, but in the meantime, don’t let that stop you from saving BIG on your groceries. You just won’t have the luxury of having all the work done for you. You can compare the lists and see if any of them are similar to your area. If they are that would be GREAT, if not just pull out your weekly ads, see what is on sale and match up any coupons you can!

Every week the lists are updated with the current sale items, prices, and what coupons to use to get items at rock bottom prices, or even FREE. Every week since I have been using grocery smarts, something has been FREE. Here are some of the stores that She Shops Smart readers in Utah normally shop at and their sale dates:


Albertsons-Wednesday-Tuesday (check for your stores hours)
Smiths- Wednesday-Tuesday (check for your stores hours)
Macey's- Wednesday-Tuesday (check for your stores hours)
Associated Foods- Some run Wednesday-Tuesday, others run Monday-Saturday (check with your store to be certain)
Walgreens- Sunday-Saturday (check for your stores hours)



To check out the sales a couple days early look for our Preview posts on the blog. This way you can plan ahead and clip your coupons out before the sale starts.
People ask me; does this mean we have to shop weekly? NO! If items that you would use in the next few months are on sale then you should go shopping. If nothing you would use is on sale, then don’t go. During my first 3-4 months, or stock up phase, I did try to go weekly, but now that my pantry is fully stocked I only go every couple weeks.

When you log on to your state’s list plan your shopping trip out. I use the list, I like to say religiously. I stick to my plan and don't let the signs at the store lure me into buying things that aren't really on sale. A lot of times I will have people call me and say, "You forgot to put this 3 tombstone pizzas, get 2 free deal that is advertised in the circular on the list!” I just remind people that just because it's being advertised in the ad, doesn't mean it’s a great deal! They are called "eye catchers" and they are there to get you in the store and buy their products. Don't let that happen to you!!!

After I go through and look at the list and I print off any online coupons I might need.

Online Coupons
So now you are super excited to get going, but be patient. When you log on to look at this week shopping lists you will see things for FREE, but you may not be able to get them because you don’t have coupons from past weeks. That’s okay; you can still save some using online coupons. After 3-4 weeks of receiving your coupons in the newspaper you will be able to buy almost every item you want to on the list. Until then you still want to save to take advantage of online coupons. After you have your coupons from the paper you will probably use less IP (internet printables). We personally only use IP’s if it makes an item FREE. Other than that we have found the coupons in the newspaper more valuable. The first of every month is when the IP’s reset. Coupons Group; A, B C and Singles can be found on the lists. If there is an online coupon that coordinates with an item on sale it will be on the list. You do not have to search for your own online coupons.
Here are some tips about online or Internet printable coupons:

  • Internet Printables are abbreviated, IP's
  • Manufactures set limits on the amounts of coupons printed. When the limit is reached they pull their coupons off. That means occasionally you will go the print a coupon and it will be gone unless you printed it off at the beginning.
  • This is even more important toward the end of a month. Coupons group A-C are reset at the first of the month, so on the FIRST, when the coupons reset, they started out at zero.
  • Sometimes manufactures will reset their coupons after the limit is reached, but don't count on it. Just consider yourself lucky if they do.
  • Some people have problems printing IPS. I wish I could help out in that area, but I am not tech savvy enough. I have heard that switching browsers can help. Example: On Internet Explorer and they won't print try Fire Fox or vice versa. Another great resource is pinching your pennies. They have an entire forum to troubleshooting your IPS. Some questions to commonly asked IP questions answered:
  • Where are online coupons located? All over! You can see over the the left hand side of this there are online coupons, group A-Singles . You can also find coupons on manufactures websites, you can receive them via-email and sometimes websites will give them to you after you join their mailing lists or take a survey for them. When the Grocery Smarts lists are up you will see links that take you to online coupons. The best parts about those lists are that if there are coupons online, they are on the lists. You will never have to search for coupons for items on the list yourself! Grocery Smarts lists do all the work for you.
  • "Are IP'S worth it? It seems like a lot of paper and ink to be wasting." My answer is it depends. I think after you have a couple months worth of newspaper coupons its hit and miss. I only print ones of that make things close to FREE or if it is something I really like or know I will need. You'll never catch me printing of cereal coupons or toothpaste coupons. That is because I have DOZENS of them from my newspaper.
  • Now, if you are staring out and only have a few coupons from the paper on the list then I definitely recommend using IPS to maximize your savings. My sister in law started out and only had a weeks worth of coupons, but wanted to start saving right away, so she maximized her coupons by using IPS. She told me her husband was frustrated by all the paper in ink she was using, but after she shopped she had saved over $50. That paper and ink WAY over paid for itself. IP'S are a great way of subsidizing newspaper coupons, but not a great substitute! Newspaper coupons will benefit you way more in the long end.
  • "How long do IP'S last". IP’s have expiration dates on them the same way other coupons do. Most times they expire WAY faster than the ones in the paper. That's why I only print the ones off from the list that week. Otherwise they tend to expire before I have a chance to use them.
  • "Can we print them off in black and white?" It depends on your store. Some stores will take black and white, some will not. Be sure to ask if you are planning on trying black and white. There reason behind that is they are trying to protect themselves from illegal photocopied coupons.
  • Do all stores take IP's and the answer is no. Not all stores do take IPS. I do know that Albertsons, Associated Foods (as of Aug. 1st) and Smiths DO! My suggestion with other stores is to call ahead and ask if you are planning on using them on your shopping trip.
  • Also don't forget the two IP's per HOUSEHOLD rule!
After I print off my Ip's I print off my list of items to buy. Then I go through and figure out how many of each item I am going to buy. I normally buy as many items as I can with my coupons. For example, if Captain Crunch cereal is on sale for $1.67 and my coupon is for $1.50 of any box I could buy 4 at .17 cents a piece, because I get 4 Sunday papers. If Darigold yogurt goes on sale for .50 and the coupon is for $1/2, then I would be able to buy 8 Darigold yogurts, because my 4 coupons each buy me two yogurts for free.

I also go through and figure out what else might need for my meal plan that week and add it to my "other items I need" section at the bottom of the list.

Meal Planning with Ease
When you log on to your lists you will see in the coupon index column it will sale N/A or not available for some items. This just means that there can be 4-5 star items that don’t need coupons. Typically it ends up being your produce, meats and other fresh food items. By incorporating those items into your menu plans you will save $100’s of dollars! Every Tuesday we do a post called Tuesdays Meal Planning. We will provide 6 breakfast, 6 lunch and 6 dinner ideas. Every item that is included in the meal plan is on sale at one store that week. Every Thursday we also choose an item that is on a great sale that week and we will give you some recipes that incorporate that ingredient into your meals. To see some of our past posts click here.
After I plan out what I am buying, how much of each product I am buying, and the other things I might need for meal planning that week I just quickly jot down my expected amount I am going to spend. I like to do that, so then when I am checking out, if the bill is way off I will know to ask if something didn't ring up the right way.
And the last thing I do is cut out the newspaper manufactures coupons from my hanging file. The coupon location tells you exactly where to find your coupons. Here is an example; the Captain Crunch cereal coupon for $1.50 of a box is located in RP 5/15. So I would know to go to my file, find Red Plums insert from May 15 and cut out the $1.50 off Captain Crunch cereal. I would repeat the process until all 4 coupons were cut out from my 4 inserts.

Now my list is ready, my online coupons are printed and my newspaper coupons are cut and ready to go! I put all my coupons and list in my sleeve and that is all I take with me to the grocery store.



Step #5 Shopping and Checking Out

The next step is going to buy your products. People tend to be weary that grocery stores will frown on coupon usage, but absolutely NOT. In fact they encourage it. Nobody is loosing anything by shopping this way. The grocery stores are reimbursed for the face value of coupons plus .8 cents! So, we actually make them some money by using our coupons at their store.
A lot of people are hesitant to use coupons thinking it will make checkout difficult and slow, but that is not the case either. You send your items through the check stand and then you hand the checker your pile of coupons. You don’t need to place the coupons separately with the item you’re purchasing. The checker will SCAN in the coupons. They do not need to manually type anything in anymore. The process takes an extra 30 seconds. Usually the people behind you are curious any way and ask how you save so much money. It’s not uncommon to even be clapped at. Feel free to share your secret with them!

What if you get there and the item you wanted to buy wasn’t in stock?
You have 4 different options to choose from:

A) Price matchThe most common store to price match at is Walmart. You need to be sure you have the ad with you in case they ask to see the price you are matching. Walmart will match qualifying competitor’s stores ads. When you are price matching you have to make sure it is the exact brand, size and quantity that the product in the ad is for. You may also price match a name brand product to a WF or GV brand product as long as it is the same size. You can also use a coupon with an item you are price matching.The only thing you can not price match is a % off item, a BOGO or B1G1 item and other promotions such as spend $25 get $10 OYNSO.This is also a great option for someone who likes to use the "all in one" grocery smarts list. Instead of going from store to store head to your Walmart and get it all in one stop!Target has also started price matching. It is a fairly new decision they have made, so I am unsure of all the details, but I would assume that their rules would be similar to that of Walmarts. Be sure to call and ask your store if you have questions about price matching.

B) Prepay/ Special Order If you know that you want an item and it isn't on the shelf talk to a manager about special ordering the item you would like to purchase. You can also ask if you can prepay for the item (especially for an item that you want and you know there is a catalina that goes with it) and pick it up when it comes in. I myself have never tried either of these tips, but because I use tip #3 the most, but it's worth a try.


C) Shop on the days when you know your store restocks Most grocery stores sales start on Wednesday mornings. That means when you get there at 6am everything would be there. I myself don't even think about getting out of bed until 9am, so this was an awful idea for me. Most weeks I do my shopping on Wednesday evenings and get everything on my list. If I can't make it on Wednesday I know my store stocks there shelves again on Saturdays. So, I would try to make it that day. Every store stocks at different times, so never hesitate to ask your store when they do. Let them know you are looking for a certain item and that you would like to purchase it when it is on sale and ask them when during that week they plan on getting more in.

D) Get a Rain check If an item is out and you are willing to just wait until the next week to pick it up, request a rain check. A rain check holds the sale price for 30 days. If an item is still not in stock in 30 days, you can request another rain check. Before you request a rain check be sure to make sure your coupons don't expire before your next visit. Otherwise, the rain check will probably be worthless to you if you can't combine it with your coupons.

To see Walmarts official coupon policy and price matching policy, click here.

Step #6 A lot for Less

This is my favorite part of the entire process. I bring in the loads of groceries I purchased and ask my family, “How much do you think this cost?” They are always so far off! I then organize it, take a picture and share my savings with everyone. I would love for you all to e-mail us with your savings so we can feature you on She Shops Smart's, A lot for Less!

Step #7 Putting it Away

After I check out my loot I begin putting the items away. The last few months have been incredible to watch. I recently cut my budget to $50 a week from the usual $150 and my pantry shelves have been filling up so fast I keep thinking I will need more room soon! I feel so confident in know I am building food storage and preparing my family for the worst case scenario. The best part is I am able to build food storage with less money than I was spending weekly without putting items away for storage!

Step #8 Tracking Your Savings

To me the system wasn’t worth it unless I knew I was truly saving money. I began tracking my savings in an excel document and couldn’t believe how much I was saving weekly, monthly and yearly. Take a few minutes after you put away your groceries and write down how much you saved. To check out our monthly report cards click here. This system truly changed my life. As soon as I started receiving my coupons I started seeing the savings. For $50 a week my meal possibilities became endless. I had more food sitting in my pantry, fridge and freezer than I had ever had. This system is for anyone who wants to save money. It easy to follow and a lot of fun. It will save you money and help build your food storage.

Step #9 Order Sunday‘s Paper



Alright if you haven't already figured out to get a lot for less or monthly report cards like we are, you need a Sunday newspaper for every person in your home. Everything else you need to make this work is FREE. The classes are FREE as well as the weekly Grocery Smarts lists.
Through Grocery Smarts we are able to offer you the LOWEST price on a subscription to Sundays only paper possible! It is super inexpensive to order multiple copies of just Sundays paper which is the only day you get coupons in the paper.
We do not work for the papers, but have just worked out a deal with them to be able to sell the papers at the best available rate.

There is nothing else you need to get started on saving big like this. Grocery Smarts lists are FREE, the classes are FREE and so is She Shops Smart blog.

Because there are so many newspapers in the state of Utah and each area has different options it would be confusing to post all the prices here, but the paper will end up costing you less than $1.00 and you know you are getting the best rate possible and also supporting the lists and website your are already using each week.
By getting a paper subscription there are 8 benefits
  • You don't have to get out of bed at 7am to run down to the gas station to make sure you'll get your papers
  • If you get your paper at the gas station and the inserts are missing, most times it because someone took them, there is nothing to do. It's sad but a reality.
  • The newspaper companies are not subject to giving the same coupons to the gas station as they are to subscribers.
  • If an insert is ever missing out of a paper (it happened to me for the first time last week) and you are a subscriber, just call the paper and let them know. Monday they brought me my missing RPs.
  • When you go on vacation you can put your subscription on hold so you aren’t missing any coupons
  • It helps keep Grocery Smarts lists and classes stay FREE
  • It's cheaper to get a subscription than it is to buy the papers individually each week.Through Grocery Smarts we can get you the paper for less than a $1.00.
  • It helps the newspapers stay a float in a struggling economy

To start delivery of your papers right away e-mail us at sheshopssmart@gmail.com . We place our orders on Fridays! Be sure to tell us where you live and if you are currently a subscriber to a paper.
* Note-You cannot call the newspaper yourself and request this deal. You will need to e-mail us so we can help you get your order placed



Step #10 Host a Class
These 10 steps give a great overview on how to get started, but a class will go into detail to help save even more. To learn more about hosting a class click here.

Can't get enough of this "Smart" find, get excited for tomorrow's post, "Ready for More?"

This information is written and copyrighted by She Shops Smart. Please do not copy it or distribute it without permission.

Coupon Trading Ideas

Tuesday, September 1, 2009 | | 0 comments
Are you name brand picky and when your brand goes on sale you wish you could have MORE coupons?
Do you hate seeing coupons go unused?

Do you find coupons and tear pads while you are shopping and wish you knew someone else who could use them?
Then here is a great idea for you! I personally am not one who likes to get together one night a week and coupon swap, but I do like getting and giving different coupons. What I recommend is a coupon train!

A group of 5 people would work great. My suggestion is to have people with different household needs and different locations. Here is how an awesome train would look:

Sally in St. George (It is just her and her husband at home and she enjoys cooking)

Jill in Provo (Newly Wed student and her husband is a toothpaste and toilet paper snob. Her and her husband both eat lunch out on campus during the week)

Ashley in Logan (Young mother with 2 boys in diapers and is expecting another and has no need for feminine products)

Helen in Ogden (Has 4 young children all in school that LOVE lunch ables and is always in need of a quick weeknight dinner)

Iris in Salt Lake (A grandma who only has her grandchildren over occasionally, but cooks a lot from scratch)

This to me would be an IDEAL train. Everyone has different needs and is in different places in their lives.

Sally and Jill would more than likely give their diaper coupons to Ashley and I bet Iris keeps a few of the diaper coupons for when her grand kids come to visit, but would also be happy to give some to Ashley. Ashley in turn gives her feminine product coupons.


Jill cannot have pets in her apartment, so she is more than happy to give hers pet coupons up who would most likely been taken by Helen whose children have a pet cat and dog. She also is not using her lunch able and fruit snack coupons, who are happily accepted by Helen.


Iris doesn't much care for boxed dinners so is more than happy to give those up to someone like Jill, Ashley or Helen who uses meals in boxes frequently.

The location of the girls is perfect as well. They all shop in different stores, therefore are more than likely to find different tear pads and coupons while shopping. Every time they see one they grab 5 of each coupon, one for themselves and one to share with each member in the coupon train.

Someone would want to start the train by putting together a big manila envelope. Sally could mail it out to Jill and Jill would mail it to Ashley until everyone had a chance to see the envelope. When you got the envelope your job would be to put your unused coupons in the folder and any coupons you found around town. When you get the envelope it is also your responsibility to clean out the expired coupons. Then you would send it on it's merry way again.

This is a great idea if you are too busy to get together with your friends and neighbors to trade coupons. It is also a great idea if you want to meet new coupons out there. So start asking around and finding some friends to start your own coupon train!
Let us know how it goes!

Be Friendly with your Checker ,Tips to Making Checking out Simple

Thursday, August 27, 2009 | | 6 comments

When I teach classes the most common concern I get is what the checkout process will be. People are always worried that the grocery stores will be mad at them for using coupons. Grocery stores actually like couponers (shock and surprise) because they get paid face value plus .8 cents per coupon. We make them some money!

However, when you check out with coupons there can be scary experiences. I tell people it isn't a reflection of the store because they do want your business, but rather a result of the person checking you out. People are human and can have good and bad days, but I have found that the nicer I am to my checkers and the store employees the better experiences I have! I typically shop at the same couple stores each week. I go in so often all the checkers know me by name and many of them have nick named me "the coupon gal". When I check out I try to be as friendly and courtesy as I can. I ask them how their day has been, how they are doing and in general just make small talk. In the process of being kind I could walk into the store with you and tell you the employees names, how many kids they have, and how closely they check coupons when you check out (you know some just scan them in, and others check every detail, are they expired, the right size etc.).

In the process of being kind to the employees they have gone above and beyond for ME. They never give me a hard time about requesting rain checks on the first day, asking if something is out and if they have more in the back, or asking when the restock their shelves. A lot of times they will give me a heads up about upcoming sales, other catalina offers and the less busy times to go shopping.

Emily had made a post about our price matching at Walmart at the beginning of the week. I am glad she made the post instead of me, because she was much more positive about our experience than I would have been. We had a checker that just wouldn't trust a word we were saying. They tried over and over to catch us in some coupon fib, and they just grew more angry as they saw we were doing things the right way (Thank you readers for all your comments. I feel much more comfortable about trying it again). I finished checking out and was exhausted. Emily followed up behind me and she broke that checker. She started by asking them how their day was, if they had tried some of the products she was buying and by the end of Emily's check out they were on friendly terms. I couldn't believe how the checkers mood had shifted just from Emily being kind and interested.

There have been several of you that have shared similar experiences with me. You have made friends with unlikely checkers who appeared nasty at the beginning of your shopping trips, but were laughing with you when you said goodbye.

Checkers do need to be on guard. There are couponers out there that do things the "wrong" way. Checkers have to be on the lookout for photocopied coupons, coupon usage with expired dates, and coupons with dates cut off and even couponers that try to scan additional coupons in the self checkout aisle. Can you blame them for being weary of coupon usage. If you keep doing it the "right" way your checker will know you do things honestly and will quit questioning your integrity. Until then if they question a coupon your using be calm, patient and friendly with them.

The moral of the story use coupons the "right" way and be friendly with your checkers. It will make all the difference.

Have any of you had similar experience with your local checkers or advice to newbies checking out?

Precentage Calculated

Wednesday, August 5, 2009 | | 2 comments
You guys are AWESOME! Our inbox has been FLOODED with your show and tell pictures! We are so proud of you guys! Most of you also want to know how to figure out the percentage you are saving.
(I can't believe I am making a post about math! Math was my least favorite and most difficult subject for me in college! I saved my math classes for very last! I guess this is simple enough!)

Here is how you would figure it out:

I spent $36.98
I saved$ 212.98

1) Take both numbers and add them together: $249.96
2) Divide the number you spent by the sum of both numbers( 36.98/249.96) : 0.1479
3) Now take that number (14) and minus it from 100: 86
4) That makes it an 86% savings!
I know there are other ways to figure it out too, I just have found this way the easiest for me.

The Store is Out Again! What Should I Do?

Thursday, July 23, 2009 | | 3 comments


Okay, so what do we do when we get to the store and EVERYTHING on our list was gone?
You have SOOO many different options to choose from:

# 1) Price match
The most common store to price match at is Walmart. You need to be sure you have the ad with you in case they ask to see the price you are matching. Walmart will match qualifing competitors stores ads. When you are price matching you have to make sure it is the exact brand, size and quantity that the product in the ad is for. You may also price match a name brand product to a WF or GV brand product as long as it is the same size. You can also use a coupon with an item you are price matching.
The only thing you can not price match is a % off item, a BOGO or B1G1 item and other promotions such as spend $25 get $10 OYNSO.
This is also a great option for someone who likes to use the "all in one" grocery smarts list. Instead of going from store to store head to your Walmart and get it all in one stop!
Target has also started price matching. It is a fairly new decision they have made, so I am unsure of all the details, but I would assume that their rules would be similar to that of Walmarts. Be sure to call and ask your store if you have questions about price matching.

# 2) Prepay/ Special Order
If you know that you want an item and it isn't on the shelf talk to a manager about special ordering the item you would like to purchase. You can also ask if you can prepay for the item (especially for an item that you want and you know there is a catalina that goes with it) and pick it up when it comes in. I myself have never tried either of these tips, but because I use tip #3 the most, but it's worth a try.

# 3) Shop on the days when you know your store restocks
Most grocery stores sales start on Wednesday mornings. That means when you get there at 6am everything would be there. I myself don't even think about getting out of bed until 9am, so this was an awful idea for me. Most weeks I do my shopping on Wednesday evenings and get everything on my list. If I can't make it on Wednesday I know my store stocks there shelves again on Saturdays. So, I would try to make it that day. Every store stocks at different times, so never hesitate to ask your store when they do. Let them know you are looking for a certain item and that you would like to purchase it when it is on sale and ask them when during that week they plan on getting more in.


# 4) Get a Rain check
If an item is out and you are willing to just wait until the next week to pick it up, request a rain check. A rain check holds the sale price for 30 days. If an item is still not in stock in 30 days, you can request another rain check. Before you request a rain check be sure to make sure your coupons don't expire before your next visit. Otherwise, the rain check will probably be worthless to you if you can't combine it with your coupons.


The $50 Grocery Budget

Tuesday, July 21, 2009 | | 5 comments
I have been bad at budgets my whole life. I have really been trying to turn over a new leaf especially now that my husband is saving to go back to school and we have a little family. It seems to be a priority all of a sudden. Once I put my mind to it I became pretty good at it. I always thought of it as a game. Mmy family of 4 is able to spend $50 a week easily on everything we need to eat healthy and still build up a food storage. I think a family of 5 and maybe even 6 could use this budget. I have two boys in diapers and one using formula, so I imagine people that aren't in that situation could spend less.
During my first 3-4 months of using coupons I was in my "stock up phase."
I spent $50 for my pantry type items (aisles 1-17).
Then I took an additional $10-$20 for fresh food items( milk, eggs, cheese, bread, fruits, vegetables). Typically my fresh food item were the things that I needed to make my meals "realistic" healthy. Now, that it is summer time your budget could possibly be even less if you planted a garden.

After my stock-up phase it was so easy to spend only $50 for EVERYTHING.
$30 goes to replacing what I have used in my pantry whether it's food, cleaning supplies or cosmetic items.
$20 goes to buying the fresh food items and whatever I need to make healthy meals for my family.
If your new the She Shops Smart your probably thinking there is no way you could spend $50 on stock-up items. You would use all that food in one week. Well, think about it this way, when Kraft dressing goes on sale for $1.50 and your coupon is good for $1.50 off 1 that makes it FREE. If you had one coupon for every person in your home, in my case 4, that means I end up with 4 free bottles of Kraft dressing. That will easily last me until it goes on sale again in 3-4 months. Or what if Capri Suns ended up costing you .50 and you could buy 8 boxes of them. You are spending way less and building up a food storage all at the same time. Next time things go on sale for those rock bottom prices you will just continue to replace what you have used.
It seriously works like magic too. I remember being on my last zip lock bag and thinking I hope they go on sale soon, and sure enough they went on sale that very next week!

I honestly could spend $30-$40 a week, but I am trying so hard to build up my long term food storage that I spend the entire $50 budget. I hope that in a few months I have my food storage and I can cut my budget to even less than $50.

How to Budget in Diapers:
The most frequent question I get is about getting diapers for less. I have a few tips:
1) WALGREENS and RITEAID when they offer RR deals and rebate checks on their diapers
2) Using a coupon, even for only $1.50, is better than no coupon at all.
3) Know your prices. Decide that by the highest price per diaper you would pay.
4) Compare the price per diaper to the Costco comparison entry on my blog to see which is the better price.
5) Honestly, a lot of weeks when I buy diapers I am just using a measly $1.50/1 coupon, but I figure I am under $50 and still building a food storage, so no matter what I paid full price for it's okay, because the most important thing to me is to be under $50.

Be Flexible:
One other thing I like to keep in mind when I say $50 is that you need to stay flexible. Some weeks you might see that a TON of what you use is on sale. BUY it if you know you are going to need it. Don't not buy it because you'll spend over $50. The next week only spend $40 instead of $50, or if you need to spend $100 in one week and take the next week off. In the long run if you don't buy it you will spend more on it in the future when it is not on sale do it. When all is said and done at the end of the month as long as you stayed in your budget who cares if you spend $100 one week, none the next, $25 in week 3 and $75 during week 4.

Have Fun with it:
Saving money is a TON of fun. You'll find yourself sharing your new hobby with everyone you know. You may even find yourself getting excited to go grocery shopping. Just remember it's not always the most important thing. It's okay if you don't use a coupon on EVERYTHING. It's okay if you didn't get that FREE bottle of ketchup, but the lady in front of you did. You are still saving money in the easiest way possible. Always keep in perspective that you are cutting your grocery budget by 50-70%.

What Do I Need to Get Started?

Thursday, June 25, 2009 | | 0 comments
"What do I need to get started on this whole "Grocery Smarts" thing?"
The answer is simple! Sunday's newspaper!

You'll want a subscription to the paper so you can get all those coupons in the paper! The only day of the week the manufactures coupons come in the paper are on Sundays. The only place to get them is in Sundays paper. The awesome news is that Grocery Smarts can get you the best deal possible on papers.
At my home each week I receive 4 Sunday papers, one per person in my home. People always ask me, "What in the world are you going to do with all that extra paper." I have neighbors who enjoy getting a free paper from me, one lady told me she uses it as compost in her garden, but my favorite thing to do is donate them to the local elementary schools recycling bins. They get paid for the paper by the pound so I dump my papers there every other month or so.
After I bring the papers in on Sunday all I do is pull out the coupon inserts. The coupon insert schedule is over on the right hand side of this blog. You can see from Jan-Dec exactly what coupons you will get what weeks.
There are 3 main types of inserts:
1) Proctor and Gamble (P&G)- These coupons come once a month. They are Proctor and Gambles own coupons; Pampers, Mr. clean, Herbal Essence, etc.
2) Smart Source (SS)
3)Red Plum (RP)
SS and RP are just companies that print the coupons. One week you might see Tree Top applesauce coupons in SS and the next month in RP. There is no rhyme or reason to them. They just print the coupons.
By getting a paper subscription there are benefits too:
  • You don't have to get out of bed at 7am to run down to the gas station to make sure you'll get your papers
  • If an insert is ever missing out of a paper (it happened to me for the first time last week) you just call the paper and let them know. Monday they brought me my missing RPs. If you get your paper at the gas station and the inserts are missing, most times it because someone took them, there is nothing to do. It's sad but a reality.
  • When you go on vacation you can put your subscription on hold
  • It helps keep Grocery Smarts lists and classes stay FREE
  • It's cheaper to get a subscription than it is to buy the papers individually
  • It also helps the newspapers stay a float in a struggling economy

If you are ready to get started just give me a call and I can help you get the paper at an amazing rate!

People ask, "Does the cost of the paper really outweigh the savings?"

Without a doubt, YES! Check out my monthly savings report cards here!

For all of you that have newspaper subscriptions would you says it's been worth it?????

The only other thing you'll probably need is a place to keep those coupons! You can read my post here about how to organize the coupons. Don't worry, its not a binder with baseball card holders!

Just a Friendly Reminder

Wednesday, June 17, 2009 | | 2 comments

This is just a reminder for everyone that today is the day the grocery stores put new items on sale. Here is a schedule of where most of She Shops Smarts readers shop:

Albertsons-Wednesday-Tuesday (check for your stores hours)

Smiths- Wednesday-Tuesday (check for your stores hours)

Macey's- Wednesday-Tuesday (check for your stores hours)

Associated Foods- Some run Wednesday-Tuesday, others run Monday-Saturday(check with your store to be certain)

Walgreens- Sunday-Saturday (check for your stores hours)

The grocery stores weekly circulars come in the mail on Tuesdays. If you aren't getting them call the stores 1-800 number and request to be on their mailing list. Remember, that you don't have to have them though because that is what the grocery smarts lists are and if you want one and you didn't get it or forgot it, they usually keep them by self checkout or behind customer services desk. The ones by the door aren't the ones with the "in-store" ad coupons in them.

Step 2 & 3

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 | | 0 comments
Step 2- Maximizing and Using Coupons the right way


When I found out I had to use coupons to make this system work I was skeptical because I had used coupons in the past and had no success saving money. I remember I had a coupon for .50 cents of one Betty Crocker frosting. The normal price was 1.67, so that made it 1.17. The store brand right next to it was only .89, so I obviously purchased the store brand. Well, after I started using this system here is what happened a few months later. Betty Crocker Frosting was on sale for .67 and I used the same .50 cents of one coupon. That would make the frosting .17 cents compared to the store brands .89 cents. Imagine if you had a coupon for every person in your house. For me that meant 4 cans of name brand frosting for .68. Pretty cool!

Store ads change weekly and new items go on sale. The object is to use your coupons when those items go on sale. Grocery Smarts is a FREE website with no registration or log ins needed that will tell you exactly which items go on sale when and when to use our coupons. Grocery Smarts lists the items on sale that week and rates them between 1-5 stars. They also list the normal and sale price and which coupons to use that week so you get the maximum amount of savings possible. This website does all the work for you and its FREE!


Step #3 Planning out your Shopping Trip




Now ever one knows how to organize the coupons from Step 1 and everyone knows not to just use your coupons any old time because of Step 2, so now lets talk about Step3, planning to use the coupons.

Once a week new items go on sale at the grocery store. They are advertised in their weekly circulars that come in your mail, typically on Tuesdays. Sometime during that week log on to the grocery smarts lists and plan a trip to the store. All grocery stores in the state are on the lists, so no matter where you like to shop you can use grocery smarts! Cool huh!

Every week the lists are update with the current sale items, prices, and what coupons to use to get items at rock bottom prices, or even FREE. Every week since I have been using grocery smarts, something has been FREE.

Here are some of the stores that She Shops Smart readers normally shop at and their sale dates: Albertsons-Wednesday-Tuesday (check for your stores hours)
Smiths- Wednesday-Tuesday (check for your stores hours)
Macey's- Wednesday-Tuesday (check for your stores hours)
Associated Foods- Some run Wednesday-Tuesday, others run Monday-Saturday
(check with your store to be certain)
Walgreens- Sunday-Saturday (check for your stores hours)

When you log on to the list plan your shopping trip out. My budget is $50 and I do not go over it, unless it's a BIG week (I'll get to that in the next step). I use the list, I like to say religiously. I stick to my plan and don't let the signs at the store lure me into buying things that aren't really on sale. A lot of times I will have people call me and say, "You missed this buy 3 tombstone pizzas, get 2 free deal that is advertised in the circular!". I just remind people that just because it's being advertised in the ad, doesn't mean its a sale! They are called "eye catchers" and they are there to get you in the store and buy their products. Don't let that happen to you!!!

After I go through and plan out what I am buying I print off my list. Then I go through and figure out how many of each item I am going to buy. I normally buy as many items as I can with my coupons. For example, if Captain Crunch cereal is on sale for $1.67 and my coupon is for $1.50 of any box I could buy 4 at .17 cents a piece, because I get 4 Sunday papers. If Darigold yogurt goes on sale for .50 and the coupon is for $1/2, then I would be able to buy 8 Darigold yogurts, because my 4 coupons each buy me two yogurts for free.

After I plan out what I am buying, how much of each product I am buying, I just quickly jot down my expected amount I am going to spend. I like to do that, so then when I am checking out, if the bill is way off I will know to ask if something didn't ring up the right way.

And the last thing I do is cut out the coupons from my hanging file. The coupon location tells you exactly where to find your coupons. Here is an example; the Captain Crunch cereal coupon for $1.50 of a box is located in RP 5/15. So I would know to go to my file, find Red Plums insert from May 15 and cut out the $1.50 off Captain Crunch cereal. I would repeat the process until all 4 coupons were cut out from my 4 inserts.


Now, lets shop!
Look for the upcoming Step 4- How to Shop

DND

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 | | 1 comments
Here is a GREAT question I got today!

What does DND really mean?
It means-DO NOT DOUBLE!


What does Do Not Double mean?
It means that when Albertson's sends out the "Twice the Value Coupons" that coupon can't be used. Newbies-Click here to read my previous post about what "Twice the Value" means. It doesn't mean if you have 4 coupons for $1 off Suddenly Pasta you can't buy 4 boxes and use all 4 coupons. It just means you can't double the coupon and get $2 off. I hope that clears up some confusion!

Step 1

Wednesday, June 3, 2009 | | 0 comments
Step 1-Getting and Organizing the Coupons
The only day of the week the manufactures coupons come in the paper are on Sundays. The only place to get them is in Sundays paper. I taught a class where a girl raised her hand and told me I was wrong and that she bought hers on e-bay. I asked her how much she was paying for them. She quickly responded $3.00 plus shipping and handling. I then told her news she wasn't excited about. "The newspapers are only 2.00 at the local newspaper stands on Sunday and most weeks they have multiple inserts in them." Her and I both laughed. The awesome news is that Grocery Smarts can get you an even better deal than that on papers too!
At my home each week I receive 4 Sunday papers, one per person in my home. People always ask me, "What in the world are you going to do with all that extra paper." I have neighbors who enjoy getting a free paper from me, one lady told me she uses it as compost in her garden, but my favorite thing to do is donate them to the local elementary schools recycling bins. They get paid for the paper by the pound so I dump my papers there every other month or so. After I bring the papers in all I do is pull out the coupon inserts. The coupon insert schedule is over on the right hand side of this blog. You can see from Jan-Dec exactly what coupons you will get what weeks.
There are 3 main types of inserts;
1) Proctor and Gamble (P&G)- These coupons come once a month. They are Proctor and Gambles own coupons; Pampers, Mr. clean, Herbal Essence, etc.
2) Smart Source (SS)
3)Red Plum (RP)
SS and RP are just companies that print the coupons. One week you might see Tree Top applesauce coupons in SS and the next month in RP. There is no rhyme or reason to them. They just print the coupons.

Coupons come weekly, except on holidays. On Holiday weekends no coupons are sent out. This is why. Newspaper companies do not like to pay employees overtime to sit and stuff coupons in the paper, so what they do is make up for it by doubling the coupons up either the week before or after. Cool huh! Another thing, occasionally the papers are human and make mistakes and forget an insert. When you are a subscriber all you do is call the paper and let them know you were missing and insert. They will bring one to you!
After I pull out all 4 sets of coupons I take them and with a sharpie marker, just mark Sunday's date on the inserts. Super easy huh! No clipping or filing away by category!
My picture shows RP inserts from 5/3, 5/10 and 5/17.
Then I file them away in my hanging file!

My files are listed like this:
SS Feb
SS March
SS April
SS May
SS June
RP Feb
RP March
RP April
RP May
RP June
P&G Feb
P&G March
P&G April
P&G May
P&G June
(If you blow up the picture you can see that I have other folders in the back. I just use those to help me organize other coupons I find in the stores, mail or on the ground! My husband calls me a coupon magnet! It really is true too. I find coupons in parking lots, peoples cars, at the store, on prodcuts themselves, online, you name it I have found a coupon there. Those folders just help me keep all the EXTRA coupons I find organized. I also use to just have ONE folder for SS, RP, and P&G, but they got so big it was hard to take inserts in and out, so by having them divided up by month too it helped me pull them out fast and locate them quickly.)
(I can't believe my expensive camera couldn't get a nicer picture than this!)
Occasionally mother companies will send out additional insert such as General Mills or Kellogs that are specific to their products. I just make an additional file for inserts like those.
Last thing-The last coupon in the booklet doesn't expire until about 5 months. So after you have been getting around 5 months worth of papers, plan on putting one in, and taking one out!
If you have been using Grocery Smarts for a while take this opportunity to clean out your box and make sure your coupons inserts aren't expired and easy to access.
After I file them away on Sunday I sit back and do NOTHING! So easy huh! No binders, scissors, or even baseball card holders. A system like this makes coupons easy, quick and manageable for busy moms like me!
Until our next step.......

Newbies

Tuesday, June 2, 2009 | | 0 comments
Okay, so I have noticed I have been getting a TON of new people, or newbies, on my blog with GREAT questions about how to use Grocery Smarts. A post showing all the awesome stuff we have gotten for free stirs up quite a bit of curosity! A lot of the questions I have answered for the people who have been to my classes, but I thought I would share the info again. It's never a bad idea to have a refresher for those have already been using what I have taught. So, I am going to post this crash course and over the next few days I am going to break it down step by step for everyone! Let's get started shall we? Here is a quick overview for today's post!

How to Get Started with Grocery Smarts 101
Getting the Coupons
To make this system work you need to have one set of coupons per a person in your family. The coupons inserts are found in Sundays newspapers. For our family that means I receive four Sunday papers. I know that sounds like a lot, but to be able to buy in bulk you’ll want them. I personally tried using the system without the coupons and I wasn’t nearly as successful after ordering a newspaper subscription. I highly recommend 1 paper per person in your home, even babies. Grocery Smarts has negotiated with the papers to get us a good deal on papers, so if you are interested I can place an order for you so you can start getting the paper quickly and save big! I highly recommend one per a person in your family, even babies.

Organizing the Coupons
Once you get your coupons the best way to organize them is in a hanging file. I date every ad that comes in with Sundays date, file them in the appropriate file and don’t even look at them until the Grocery Smarts website tells me which ones to cut out.
Using the Coupons
When I found out I had to use coupons to make this system work I was skeptical because I had used coupons in the past and had no success saving money. I remember I had a coupon for .50 cents of one Betty Crocker frosting. The normal price was 1.67, so that made it 1.17. The store brand right next to it was only .89, so I obviously purchased the store brand. Well, after I started using this system here is what happened a few months later. Betty Crocker Frosting was on sale for .67 and I used the same .50 cents of one coupon. That would make the frosting .17 cents compared to the store brands .89 cents. Imagine if you had a coupon for every person in your house. For me that meant 4 cans of name brand frosting for .68. Pretty cool!
Store ads change weekly and new items go on sale. The object is to use your coupons when those items go on sale. Grocery Smarts is a FREE website with no registration or log ins needed that will tell you exactly which items go on sale when and when to use our coupons. Grocery Smarts lists the items on sale that week and rates them between 1-5 stars. They also list the normal and sale price and which coupons to use that week so you get the maximum amount of savings possible. This website does all the work for you and its FREE!

Shopping
The next step is going to buy your products. A lot of people are hesitant to use coupons thinking it will make checkout difficult and slow, but that is not the case. You send your items through the check stand and then you hand the checker your pile of coupons. You don’t need to place the coupons separately with the item your purchasing. The checker will SCAN in the coupons. They do not need to manually type anything in anymore. The process takes an extra 30 seconds. Usually the people behind you are curious any way and ask how you save so much money. Share your secret with them!
Show and Tell
This is my favorite part of the entire process. I bring in the loads of groceries I purchased and ask my family, “how much do you think this costs?”. They are always so far off! I then organize it, take a picture and share my savings with everyone. I would love for you all to e-mail me with your savings so I can feature you on my web page!
Putting it Away
After I check out my loot I begin putting the items away. The last few months have been incredible to watch. I recently cut my budget to $50 a week from the usual $150 and my pantry shelves have been filling up so fast I keep thinking I will need more room soon! I feel so confident in know I am building food storage and preparing my family for the worst case scenario. The best part is I am able to build a food storage with less money than I was spending weekly without putting items away for storage!

Tracking Your Savings
To me the system wasn’t worth it unless I knew I was truly saving money. I began tracking my savings in an excel document and couldn’t believe how much I was saving weekly, monthly and yearly. Take a few minutes after you put away your groceries and write down how much you saved.
A fun and exciting process
This system truly changed my life. As soon as I started receiving my coupons I started seeing the savings. At first it was hard to say my budget was only $50 a week because I was having a hard time planning a menu around only sale items, but eventually I had so many meals sitting in my pantry and freezer the possibilities became endless. This system is for anyone who wants to save money. It easy to follow and a lot of fun. It will save you money and help build your food storage.

Duncan Hines Brownies

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 | | 0 comments
Be aware that if you plan on mailing in a rebate for the Duncan Hines Brownies your purchase must be made between 4/5-5/5/09 and postmarked by 5/5/09! That is Tuesday next week!

In-Store Ad Coupons

What does in store-ad coupon mean?
The grocery stores change their ads weekly. They come in your mail on Tuesdays. If you aren't receiving them, ask to be put on their mailing list, or pick them up at the front of the store. Sometimes they are kept at customer services desk, or near the self checkout!

Responses to your Comments

Thursday, April 23, 2009 | | 0 comments
Hey Girls!
I love that we are starting to get some comments on the blog! I love to hear from you guys! It helps me to know that all the time I spend on here is really helping people out! Never hesitate to make a comment and introduce yourselves to me!
Also if you make a comment with a question for me, I am unable to personally e-mail you unless you leave your e-mail address in the comments. The only way I am able to respond is by commenting underneath yours. I hope that makes sense.
Tori

Smiths SLC 3/22

Hey Girls,
I just opened my e-mail inbox today and had about 50 e-mails with the question what does smiths slc 3/22 mean?
I figured it was a question worth addressing on the blog!
Sorry girls-I can't reply to all of you,so here is the answer!
In The Salt Lake Paper on March 22nd their was a coupon booklet with Smith's name on it, that had about 2 pages of manufactures coupons. They do not have Smith's name on them, so some of them you are able to use other places around town! Cool uh!
Hope this makes sense.
Happy Shopping!
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