Proof that generic isn't always cheaper...

Ever since I really got into couponing a few years back, I quickly learned that generic is not always the "cheapest" option.  In fact, most of the time, if a name brand is on sale AND you have a coupon for it, it's much cheaper than the generic option (which typically never has coupons out for them - unless your grocery store rocks at putting out store coupons). 

Here's proof that even with NO coupons - the generic option would be the most expensive:

So what am I showing you?  Sour Cream.  16 oz. Sour Cream to be exact.  This picture was taken at the Hingham Stop & Shop just yesterday.  Here's the price breakdown if you just walked in to buy some:

Stop & Shop brand - $1.79

Breakstone's - $1.67

Daisy - $1.50

Hood - $1.50

Now Hood has $1/2 MFCs out there right now from the paper - making it possible for you to score 2 16 oz. containers for only $1 each.  Daisy usually throws out some MFCs two times a year and Breakstone's usually does a campaign ad or two throughout the year - but it's typically more for their flavored cottage cheese treats and whatnot. 

Now is this always the case?  No.  But just throwing out the friendly reminder that if you typically just grab the generic brand of products (which has no shame at all!), you actually might not be saving the money you think you may be.  But for the average Joe walking into Stop & Shop this week - their best bet would be to grab the Hood or Daisy brands. 

Say none of the sour creams were on sale - but you still had your Hood $1/2 MFC.  Hood would actually be cheaper than the Stop & Shop brand because the coupon would bring it down to $1.50 per container.  But if you only needed one container - then obviously you'd grab the Stop & Shop brand. Why drop $3 on sour cream to just throw half of it away when you could only spend $1.79 for half the amount but actually use it all?

If, for example, no sour creams were on sale and there were no MFCs out there floating around in couponland, then yes, the generic would be cheapest option. 

Now go!  Buy cheap sour cream and eat tacos all week!

2010 Is Coming - Learn to Save Money at the Grocery Store!

I recently met a very nice lady who told me that she spends about $1,000 a month on groceries.  She lives near me, has 2 young children like me and wanted to know how to reduce her spending.  $1,000 a month boggles my mind.  I don't think I could spend that much a month if I tried.  So I figured for the New Year, I'd write up some tips to help you save in 2010.  Sure, probably all these things have been mentioned in the hundreds of thousands of other articles posted in grocery store savings, but whatever.  Sometimes people just need a crazy redhead to tell them how things work.

Saving Money Without the Hassle of Coupons

Not everyone is motivated by coupons.  Changing some habits could help you save.  Here are some:

-  Give up brand loyalty.  Sour cream is still sour cream whether it's Daisy, Breakstone's or store-brand.  Buy what's the least expensive (and suprise, it's not always store-brand).  Obviously there are some things you personally want to stick to.  Me, I prefer Coke over Pepsi.  I won't buy generic coffee - not like Maxwell House and Folgers is high-class or anything, but I can't do the store brands. 

-  Make a list each and every time you go to the store.  And stick to it.  This year, I made a list up almost every single time I went to the store.  I really think it helps curb the impulse purchases. 

-  Do not go to the store hungry.  Do not go to the store when it's busy.  Try to go without distractions (i.e. KIDS!).  If you're hungry, you'll buy stuff just because you're hungry.  If you go when it's busy, you will get frustrated and might not be able to take the few seconds it takes to scan prices on certain items to see what is the better deal.  If you go with kids, you end up buying things like Watermelon in the middle of December (probably it's most expensive price). 

-  Use the circular as your shopping list.  The weekly circular could be your best friend.  The front and back pages usually always list the "best" deals.  Usually the front page is a great combination of meats, produce, dairy and some grocery items that are on sale.

-  Try to not do a big grocery trip one week (maybe just pick up milk, bread, eggs) - and live off of what you have in your house.  If you are spending a few hundred a week, you must have a pretty full pantry and freezer.  Not only will you purge your cabinets and refridgerator, but you'll save $100-$200 by not doing a weekly shopping trip.  You'll also get creative...

-  Save and eat leftovers.  Sounds crazy - but I think most people save their leftovers - but end up tossing them after a week because they get hidden in the refridgerator.  I recently made a lasagna.  It probably cost about $8 to make - but it provided 4 meals (9 servings).  So it was .88 cents a serving.  If we didn't eat the 6 remaining portions and just tossed it after a week of rotting in the fridge, those first 3 servings would have cost $2.66 each. 

-  If you are spending upwards of $1,000 a month and WANT to reduce it (you may be perfectly happy spending $1,000 a month), maybe you should just sit down and think about what in the heck you are buying.  Sure, if you have a baby, you might have to factor in diapers and formula.  Are you buying all organic things?  If so, you might want to check out THIS LIST of things that DON'T need to be organic. 

-  Buy your milk at Tedeschi's or BJ's.  Generic 1% gallons at Stop & Shop are $3.79.  Garelick Farms 1% gallons are $2.29 at Tedeschi's & BJ's.  That's $1.50 savings per gallon.  If you drink a gallon a week, you save $78 buy buying milk at Tedeschi's or BJ's.  If you go through 2 gallons a week, that's over $150 in savings if you just pop yourself into Tedeschi's. 

So you want to start Couponing...

-  Most grocery stores double Manufacturer's Coupons (MFCs) up to .99 cents.  So you want to pay attention to the .50s and .75s.  They could be your best friends.

-  You can use store coupons with MFCs.  Shaws.com produces weekly coupons.  Say there is a coupon for $1 off 3 Betty Crocker Brownie Mixes.  If you have 3 .50/1 MFCs, you can use all 4 coupons and save $4 off 3 boxes of brownie mixes. 

-  I subscribe to the Boston Globe.  I get just the Sunday edition delivered to me.  I think it's $13 and some change a month.  It's worth it because I get at least $13 worth of coupons that I use a month.  Plus I like to read the Sunday paper.

- The best coupon sites out there are Coupons.com, & SmartSource.com.  Redplum.com sometimes has good coupons.  Kraftfoods.com, Boxtops4Education.com & BettyCrocker.com are also good sites to score coupons on your purchases.  Set your color on your printer to "Black Only" and use a medium quality.  They do not have to be in color and if you use best quality, you are just wasting ink.

-  Don't bother cutting every coupon.  Cut the coupons for the products you use or might use if they price is right. You can score Tag cheap with sales and coupons - but if you have no desire to smell like a frat boy, just skip over that one.

-  The best way to maximize your savings is to combine coupons with sales.  Nowadays - you can use sites like WickedCoolDeals.com and Dealfindingmom.blogspot.com to help you match up sales to coupons - so you don't have to.   I try to do it from time to time - but I'm a slacker so you can't count on me.

-  Some people buy coupons off Ebay.  I have never done this, but it could be very worthwhile.  For instance, Michelle over at WickedCoolDeals.com just bought 20 .75/1 Ronzoni Smart Source Pasta coupons on Ebay for $2.  These went on sale for $1.50 at Shaw's - so her coupons doubled and she was able to get 20 boxes of pasta for free at Shaw's.  She paid $2 for the coupons - so overall - she paid 10 cents per box of pasta. 

-  Coupons can be overwhelming after some time.  I'll admit they do get a bit too much for me at times.  Sometimes I just take a breather and toss most of my stash and "start fresh".  People have different ways of organizing them.  Find what works for you.  I don't do folders.  I just have 3 small plastic bins (purchased at A.C. Moore for $1 ea)  I put all grocery ones in one, health & beauty in another, and household stuff in the 3rd.  Not the most efficient system, but it works for me.

-  Don't try to buy every single bargain out there.  Sure, there are tons of great deals to be had out there with coupons every week.  But don't try to get them all - especially if you are just starting out.  Buy what you need or what you'd eat if it was really cheap.  Baby steps is the best way to start couponing.

-  The more into coupons you are - the more you crave!  When you are psychotic like me, you'll find yourself starting to scan the isles for those little coupon machines and check packages for coupons.  Seriously - some manufacturer's put great coupons RIGHT IN FRONT of the product or even on it.  My recent good deal was the Planters Mixed Nuts at Stop & Shop.  They were on sale for "Buy 1, Get 1 Free" - at $4.79 ea.  They all had $1/1 MFCs attached to them!  Since I was buying 2, I was able to use 2 of the $1 offs.  So I got both containers of nuts for $2.79. If I bought them at regular price, it would have been  $9.58.  The sale and coupons made me save over 70%!  On the flip side - I would never have bought these nuts at regular price - so in theory - they did get me to spend $2.79 that I otherwise would not have - so that is why I say to use caution and not try to use every single coupon you have.  You may end up spending more than you really want to. 

-  I am at a loss as to what else to say.  If you have questions, comment on any of my blog posts and I'll probably answer it.

Catalina Time!

-  Some stores (Shaw's in particular) do sales from time to time called "Catalinas".  These are the sales that boast "Spend $25, get $10 off your next purchase" or "Buy 10 items, get $10 off your next purchase".  There are tricks and whatnot with these sales.  When the next one pops up at Shaw's, I'll write up how to start working it if you've never done those before. 

With that my friend, I must end this post.  Hopefully any newbies might learn how to save a few bucks at the grocery store. 

If You Are A Newbie - Here Are Some Tips!

General Couponage

- First and foremost, be organized, make a list, and plan your trip.

- You can "stack" coupons. Meaning, you can use a store coupon and a Manufacturer's Coupon (MFC) per item. You can only use 1 MFC and 1 Store Coupon per item. If you buy 3 of the same item, you can use 3 of the same coupon.

- MFCs up to 99 cents double at most grocery stores. Always check your local store though.  You can ask the service desk and they can tell you.  They do not double at CVS or other drug stores.

- Buy One, Get One Free (BOGO). 2 Different ways to use coupons on these sales. You can use 1 coupon that states "$/2" or you can use 2 coupons that state "$/1".  Same holds true for a "Buy 2, Get 2 Free" sale.  If you have a MFC that is $1 off 4 - you can use this on a "Buy 2, Get 2 Free" sale.

- If there is a sale on a product that is "Buy One, Get One Free" and you happen to have a MFC for the same item that is "Buy One, Get One Free" then you simply pick up 2 of the item and you get BOTH for free! Many people are confused about using coupons on BOGO sales.

- If you have a store coupon that reads "$ off your next purchase of $$ or more", always put this coupon on the top of your coupon stack. The MFCs and Store Coupons will bring your total down and it may fall below the minimum purchase requirement. Then the register will not accept this $/$$ coupon.

-  I do all my grocery shopping at Shaw's (Star Market).  It's just my personal preference.  Every week, they have store coupons that you can print from their website.  Click HERE for info. I recently used a Shaw's coupon for $1 off any head of cabbage.  The cabbage head was $1.75, so by using that coupon I printed from my printer, I got that head of cabbage for .75.  A savings of 57%.

- If a cashier is giving you problems with your coupons, ask to speak to the store manager or shift supervisor. The store is getting reimbursed by the companies that put out the coupon so they are getting their money (just not from you!). You shouldn't have to deal with rude cashiers or cashiers who don't understand what is so hard about scanning a coupon.

- I can't guarantee it, but in most cases (especially my favorite drug store), if there is a sale that is "Buy 1, Get on 50%", and you have an MFC that is "Buy 1, Get 1 Free" - usually the register takes off the REGULAR price. Which means you get 2 items for 50% off one!

- If you don't have coupons or can't be bothered, then you can still save money just by shopping the deals in the circular.  Almost every week, some meat is featured on the front of every store flyer.  If chicken breast is on sale this week, stock up.  If it's ground beef, stock up.  

-  Take a few minutes to scan the price difference between generic and name brand.  I recently needed egg noodles and didn't have any coupons.  The Shaw's brand was on sale - $1.59 (reg. $1.79).  But I did a quick scan of the egg noodles and noticed Pennsylvania Dutch Egg Noodles were on sale for $1 (reg. $1.89).  Generic isn't always a better deal than name brand.

-  If you print coupons off the internet, change your printer settings to "Black Only, Medium Quality."  You do not need to print these in color (it just wastes ink).  Low quality doesn't produce a good bar code, and since medium grade works, you're only wasting ink if you keep your settings on high quality.

CVS Couponage

-For those of you who do not CVS, but want to, here's a quick run down on their ExtraCare Bucks (ECB) program. They offer weekly and monthly specials offering ECBs. Pretty much, if you up front the cash, the register will print off a coupon for a certain amount off you're next order. It's kind of like Monopoly money to be used at CVS.

-The trick to score big at CVS is to use ECBs on items that generate more ECBs. Yes, in the beginning, you'll have to front some money. But once you get rolling, you'll find you are hardly paying anything.

- A lot of items with ECBs can be matched up with MFCs - and you can actually MAKE money on these items. For instance, say Colgate Total is $2.99, but if you purchase it, CVS will give you $2 ECB. Say you have $1/1 MFC. Use that and pay $1.99 for the toothpaste, but walk away with a coupon for $2 off your next order - essentially, you MADE a penny on that purchase. Now you REALLY make money if you already have ECBs and use those ECBs to purchase the toothpaste! See where I'm going?

- CVS has killer coupons! Sign up and they'll email you a plethora of coupons. $3 off a $15 purchase, $4 off a $20, $5 off a $30, and if you're lucky, $10 off a $50. Now you might be saying "How can I POSSIBLY spend $50 at CVS?" Well let me tell you - YOU can and get your total down to next to nothing!

- At CVS, always give your ExtraCare Bucks (ECBs) after all coupons. They are essentially treated the same as cash at CVS. If you have more ECBs than your total, you will lose the remainder. For instance, if you have a ECB for $10, and your total comes to $7.50, you will lose the $2.50. You might be better off using cash and use the ECB when you go over the total of it.

- Don't underestimate the power of everyday shopping at CVS! CVS has great deals on groceries and cleaning products from time to time (although their regular prices on these items are RIDICULOUS!). You can get dish soap for next to nothing when it's on sale and you have MFCs. They also run great sales on laundry detergent, paper towels, toilet paper, etc.

- Like at the grocery store, you can stack CVS coupons with MFCs! Not only do you get ECBs printed on your receipts, but the register will also spit out coupons to you. So say CVS gave you a coupon for $1 off two bags of Hershey Chocolates. If you have a MFC for $1/2 bags, you can use both and get $2 off 2 bags! If you wait for them to go on sale for 2/$4, then it's only a $1 a bag!

Order of Coupons at CVS:
-$/$$
-MFCs and Store Coupons
-ExtraCare Bucks