I know that using coupons, shopping deals and making out a menu plan can really seem like a daunting task when starting out.

I remember a time when I laughed at my younger sister, thinking she was so silly for writing out a grocery list.  I NEVER wrote out a grocery list.  I just went to Walmart, bought what I wanted within some kind of reason and then couldn’t figure out what on earth to make for dinner.

Oh and trust me, if I didn’t make a grocery list I sure didn’t make a menu plan!

However when I started learning how to save money I discovered that both menu planning and writing a grocery list were very important details in the money saving game.

Whether you are a family of 1 or 10, implementing both of the above items into your shopping routine will help you to drop your grocery bill before you even begin to start using coupons.

Menu Planning

I menu plan for one week at a time.  I am not organized enough to go any farther at this point in time.  I shop once a week for groceries.

I begin by checking my fridge freezer and cabinets.

I determine what ingredients I have on hand that I could make a meal with.

Do I have meat left in the freezer or plenty of pasta, rice or beans left over from a sale?

If I have enough ingredients to make any meals I go ahead and write them down. Then I determine whether or not I have items to make a partial meal.  Do I have all the ingredients to make chili except for chili beans?  If so I add chili to the menu plan and add chili beans to my grocery list.

Once I have filled in as many days of my menu with items I have on hand I turn to the Kroger ad.  I see what is on sale and finish up my menu from there.

I personally only write a menu for our suppers, however I do keep in mind what we will eat for breakfast and lunch when writing my grocery list.

Because we cut out the majority of processed foods here our breakfasts are usually eggs, oatmeal, homemade muffins, fruit, toast and occasionally organic cold cereal if I can find it for $2 or less.

For lunches we eat things like tuna, salmon or peanut butter sandwiches.  Fruits, veggies, boiled eggs, cheese and wasa crackers, nuts, cottage cheese or yogurt.

For supper ideas you could check out some of our Menu Plan Mondays.

Whatever your family eats putting together a plan will make a difference in your budget and how much easier you daily life will be.

The Grocery List

After I decide what we will be eating for the next week it is time to write out my list.  I write down all things that I know we must have to make it through the next week, including items I need to complete any of the recipes planned for our menu.

My grocery list will look something like this:

Milk

Bread

Eggs

Cheese: shred and block

Fruits & Veggies (check sales)

check meat aisle for sales or mark downs

cottage cheese

yogurt

nuts

Peanut Butter

Tuna

These are some of the basics I am looking for every week.  They are the items my family eats most every day of the week.  Then I will add specific things I need to make a recipe.  For instance this week I had leeks, sourcream, whole wheat tortillas and frozen cauliflower.

As I make my way through Kroger I mark each item off the list as I put it in the cart.  I also keep a running talley down the side of my list so I know pretty much what I have spent.

My budget is $175 a payday (every 2 weeks) and that includes all groceries, household, health and beauty and dog food.  I have also been adding many other small things into the budget as well.

Having a list is really a must!  It keeps you from forgetting items you really need and ultimately keeps you from heading back to the store to purchase said item.  For me it is a really great guideline to follow.  Do I ever stray from my path?

Of course, who dosen’t!  I try not to but sometimes I find an unbelievably good deal I just can’t pass up.  Other times I give in to the temptation of a small impulse buy.   Even though I may occasionally stray from the list I have only went over budget 1 time since I started my couponing adventure.  Having a plan and a list can help keep you within your budget constraints everytime.

Preparing for the Shopping Trip

Once the menu plan and the grocery list have been written it is time to prepare for my shopping trip.

Usually on Thursday I check my favorite blogs or check what I have written up that week to decide what stores I plan to shop at.  Some weeks I just head to Kroger and Walmart and other weeks I shop everywhere.

Around Sunday or Monday I try and post my favorite deals at the stores that week and those are usually the items I am hoping to get.  Some other great blogs that I like to check out are in my blogroll on the right side.

As I go over my blog as well as the others one more time I determine what coupons I made need to clip and see if there are any online coupons I need to print.  After that is done I will skim through my coupon binder to see if there are any other coupons I may need to clip for this shopping trip.  However I always take my coupon binder with me in case I come across a great sale or clearance that I have a coupon for.

If certain stores are having some really good deals I will add to my list, go to Walgreens for this specific item or go to Target for this specific item.  This helps me to remember what deals are at each particular store I happen to be shopping at that day.

I realize that all the planning to shop may seem like a lot of work. Writing out a menu, a grocery list and preparing for the shopping trip itself.  I will admit that when I first started using coupons 1 1/2 years ago it did take me a little while every week to do this.  Now it is a breeze!  I can have all this stuff done quite quickly, maybe 30 minutes, if I have a lot of clipping or printing to do maybe a little longer.  The more you do it the easier it gets and the more it becomes second nature and trust me, it is worth it.

Knowing Your Store

No matter how much you plan if you don’t know your store you are not going to get the best possible deals.

There are many important things you should learn about your own specific stores:

-When do their sales cycles run?

-When do they mark down meats and produce?

-Do they have a specific clearance area or is it scattered about the store?

-Do they accept internet printable coupons?

-Do they double coupons?

-If so do they double up to 50cents, $1 or more?

-Do they offer store coupons?

-Do they allow you to use a store coupon with a manufacturers coupon?

I am sure there are more but this was just off the top of my head.

You see if you know the stores you shop intimately you will be able to maximize your savings.

Some stores have national policies like Walmart and Target.  However not all cashiers or Managers seem to know their policies.  I know people who carry printed versions of the policy in their coupon binders in case a problem arises.

I know that my Kroger allows internet printable and manufacturer coupons.  My Kroger marks down their meat in the mornings and they have clearance and markdown items throughout the store.  My Kroger doubles coupons up to 50cents.

Target, CVS and Walgreens all have store coupons that you can stack with manufacturer coupons.  What does it mean to stack?

Lets say I have a Target Coupon for $1 off Tide and a Manufacturer coupon for $1 off Tide I can buy 1 bottle of Tide and use both coupons to get $2 off the bottle of Tide.  Same for Walgreens and CVS.

Target, CVS, Walmart and Kroger in my area all take internet printable coupons.

Fred’s, Dollar General and Family Dollar takes coupons but not the printable kind.

In my area basic weekly sales ads run from Sunday through Saturday but I know that is not so for all areas.

Learn about your stores,  check out their websites, talk to the Meat or Produce Mgr at your grocery store, talk to the cashier and see if they accept printable coupons, don’t be afraid to ask.  In the long run it will be so worth it.

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