Thanks to Shopping Tips and Tricks for this wonderful Guest Post! Enjoy!
So, how much can you save with coupons? Sometimes, I think that we get caught up with shows like TLC Extreme Couponing or articles online and we think that we should all be saving 90% of our grocery bill all the time. We may even begin to feel discouraged because we aren't saving like we think we should. Do I have shopping trips where I save 90% or more. Yep! Does it happen every time I shop? Nope! "Why not? I thought you were a Coupon Queen, Shopping Tips &Tricks!" you might say. Well, I think I am! :) Yet, let's look at it realistically. Here are some basics that I start out with each week.
First, there are several items that I get on a weekly basis that I rarely can get coupons for. Let me show you what my basic list starts out with each week.
4 Gallons of Milk - $2.98/gal. = $11.92 (that's if I can get it for this price!)
Ingredients for salad: @ $10-$15
Fruit: @ $5
Potatoes: $3.50 *We like our potatoes. :)
I start with about $30-$35 of basics that I need every week. We like to eat salad at least twice a week and my kids drink a lot of milk. We also like to have fresh fruit for the kids to snack on. Plus, I try to stock up on meat when it's on sale, but I would say I spend $5 to $10 per week on meat. So, for my family of 6, for food and personal items, I spend about $75/week + or - depending on sales and coupons. That to me is a HUGE savings. I used to have a budget of $200+/week for groceries! So, does couponing save me a ton of money! Absolutely! Most couponers will save 50% to 75% on their grocery bill. That's a very realistic savings and attainable goal.
I spend about $30 to $40 each week doing my "stock pile". Those are items that I get on sale with coupons and stock up for several weeks or months. Items like paper goods, cereal, canned goods, frozen food and so forth. Items that I like to get super cheap. :) These are the items where I want to get 80 to 90% savings. So, in essence, I have two budgets. One for weekly items that I need and rarely can get coupons for, but feel they are important to our family and then the stock pile budget.
I guess what I am trying to get across is to not be discouraged if you aren't saving 90% of your grocery bill each shopping trip. Whatever amount you do save is a help and blessing to your family, so persevere. Remember that if you save $25/week on groceries, that's $100/month or $1,200/year! Every little bit counts! :)
Thanks Shopping Tips and Tricks! Please feel free to discuss below!
I think this is THE most helpful couponing article I've read. thank you very much for sharing a realistic budgeting idea. I love how you broke down the stock piling budget and weekly needs budget. thank you SOOOOOO much!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with what you just said....I don't run out and get every deal that there is to be had. I buy what I can afford to buy with my coupons and when it is on sale. I have never cleared a shelf out, not have I thought about doing that.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this, this let me know i was at the advance level. I have our grocery budget down to about fifty dollars a week and that includes everything. Today I cleared the shelf at two Walgreens and at Harris Teeter for the six cup nescafe coffee. That was an awesome deal for someone who loves coffee
ReplyDeleteWith this article u make feel so valuable it was driving me crazy the idea that I was doing something wrong reading of people saving a lot n I'm not, but u right people does not post their basics, I will continue my hard coupon work, cause I know I saving tons 4 my family and they r enjoying stuff that before with out coupons I was not able to afford 4 them.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great reminder. I am one of those that saves 90% MOST of the time, but, as you said, when it comes to milk, produce and meat, 50% savings is all you will get, IF you are lucky!!!
ReplyDeleteI treat my couponing/shopping like a second job. We are able to take a 10 day vacation to Hawaii every other year....not too shabby for a couple of extra hours clipping and shopping a week (which I enjoy, by the way).
I love your blog - you rock!!!
This is a great article. I think many people get caught up in that way of thinking, my husband did! When he had me watch the TLC show the first thing I said was "It's not a fair trip, they didn't buy regular groceries!" I had to explain that while I may have got a stellar deal on Hamburger helper, I still needed to buy the meat and salad and bread to go with it....which means I don't get out of the store for under $10 like they did. I can hit a drug store and walk out with a low OOP, but I only buy the sales there.
ReplyDeleteLove your blog!
~L