One way to keep your cost down while grocery shopping or stocking up on necessities is using coupons, I am a huge fan! I am not an extreme couponer by any means but have managed to save a lot of money in a short amount of time. My rules for using coupons are:
- Do I really need the item, even though I can get it for a good price doesn't mean I need it or that I'll even use it
- Don't turn into a hoarder – only buy as many as necessary to last until the next sale – sale cycles are usually on a 3 month rotation so just because it's a good sale doesn't mean you won't see it again
- Don't spend more money in gas then I save – I will not drive all over town to get the best price on an item so I plan ahead or use price-match at store like Walmart
- Plan my shopping trip – I do my research online with store flyers and know what coupons I have and where I can get the best price for what I'm shopping for this week
- Store coupon policies – know what store allow and what they don't, you can stack coupons at some stores and others you can't so know how to get the best deal
- Stay organized – I always have my coupons up to date, organized, and with me at all times you never know when you might find a great bargain
- If I don't know ask, there is always someone out there who might know more than you on a topic so if you aren't sure what to do next, simply ask!
Here area few articles to get you started, remember this is what I do and there are a lot of coupon sites out there but I find they don't apply to us in small towns with limited stores and resources!