Save Money at the Grocery Store – 4 Easy Tips |Frugal Front Porch

Saving money has become an increased priority in our home. Hubby’s transition from Worker’s Compensation to Unemployment benefits demand a serious restructure in our finances. Here’s a few of my money saving strategies you can easily employ in your shopping routine.

Cook from scratch! Cutting back on the prepackaged convenience foods is the single fastest way to dramatically reduce your food budget. There’s no denying prepared food or food kits cost more. It’s easy and healthy to cook many of these things at home. If you’re not a culinary goddess in the kitchen, no worries! Stop by the library, yard sale or the book store and grab a good basic cookbook to get you started. My favorite is the Better Homes & Gardens plaid cookbook.

Supplement your grocery bill with FREE products. Yes, I said FREE PRODUCTS. Sign up with programs like Kraft’s First Taste and Vocalpoint or other vendors to get coupons for free products or even free product samples sent directly to your mailbox. Recently I received coupons for FREE Ritz Crackerfuls, Digiorno Pan Pizza, Kraft Cheese Melt Downs, KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce and an assortment of other products.

Maximize your food budget with coupons! Sites like CouponMom.com have capitalized on this strategy. Timing is IMPERATIVE. Score valuable coupons from the Sunday circular, manufacturer’s facebook fan pages, and through online printable coupon services like Coupons.com

Stack you coupons. This is when you use a manufacturer coupon PLUS an in-store coupon for the same product to maximize savings. Example: Store coupon has Peter Pan peanut butter on sale for $.99. You have a manufacturer’s coupon for $1 off TWO jars of Peter Pan peanut butter. You buy two jars of the peanut butter, use both coupons and you get the product for FREE!
Combine coupons with store sales. Let’s say you have a $1 coupon for Hunts Ketchup. The store runs a sale on Hunt’s Ketchup for $.99. Use your coupon to get the item for FREE!

If your fortunate to live near a store who doubles or even triples coupons then this is when you can actually see the store paying you significant amounts of money! Unfortunately no one within 150 miles of my doubles coupons. (sad face)

Consider shopping in a different geographical market. I know this may sound contrary with the cost of gas soaring for summertime travel but depending on price variances between markets, you just might save a bundle by changing shopping locations.

My local grocery store has about a 45% markup versus the larger city grocery store market 75 miles away. My local store has disappointing in-store sales, and limited in-store coupons. Buying locally exceeds my grocery budget. Factor in the numerable in-store coupons, increased product varieties, better in-store sales, and significantly lower price points, I actually save money driving 75 miles to shop in a different geographical market. I utilize a cooler to keep all my frozen foods frozen and have discovered gas coupons on the back of my grocery receipt so there’s no downside!

Online Resources:

Join FreeFlys for Free Samples of NAME-BRAND PRODUCTS!
Be among the first to know about special offers, samples, coupons, and sweepstakes offers from brands like Cascade®, Dawn®, Febreze®, Mr. Clean®, and Swiffer®. Sometimes, you may even receive free samples and other offers in the mail from Homemade Simple. Candian Link & US Link
Sign up and receive up to $140 in coupons for products you know and love like Clairol®, Bounce®, Crest®, Bounty®, Febreze® and more. Be the first to get special offers and coupons delivered right to your inbox each month from Proctor & Gamble. Canadian Link & US Link.
Print Exclusive grocery coupons from Red Plum-- no registration required!
Save Money - print grocery coupons anytime at Coupons.com
Receive free samples and high value coupons on Kraft products by joining Kraft First Taste community.
Get free product samples and high value Proctor & Gamble products send right to your mailbox when you sign up with the Vocalpoint community.

FFP (Frugal Front Porch) Resources

Don’t forget, I have rotating coupons on my Coupons, Discounts. & Freebie page so check this page often since it changes frequently.
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