Thu, April 09, 2009 - 7:00:18

Coupons… They’re Not Just for Grandma Anymore

If you thought coupons were just for your granny, think again.  With a recession upon us, we all need to come up with better ways to save and thanks to the trusty old Sunday circular along with a number of great new online resources, our trips to the grocery store are costing a whole lot less.  In fact, some savvy shoppers are paying just pennies on the dollar for their weekly shopping trips.  How do they do it?  It’s all in the details.

Expert bargain shoppers like Donna Freedman of the MSN Money blog, Stephanie Nelson of CouponMom.com, and Chrissy Pate and Kristen McGee of Be CentsAble Workshops, all have found shopping success by taking the time to strategize before they shop.  By reading through local grocery store circulars and combining coupons with supermarket specials, they have been able to save thousands of dollars over the years.  Sure, it takes a few extra hours during the week, but as this report from Good Morning America shows, you can’t afford not to try it.

So how can you use the POWER OF SMALL to save big on your grocery bills?  Here are a few tips:

Read the fine print. Take a minute to read the entire coupon before you make your shopping list.  Sometimes they’re good for more than just the product pictured.

Check out all of the flyers for your local grocers. See if they are running any specials that you can combine with your coupons.  When it comes to saving big, layering is key.

Stay organized. Order your coupons so that you can take advantage of every deal possible.

Stick to your list. We’re big on using checklists in many aspects of life, and the grocery store is a great place to start.  Make a detailed list before you head to the supermarket and don’t be tempted to veer off course.

Do you use SMALL strategies to keep your grocery costs low?  Let us know with a comment, send us an email, or tweet with us @ThePowerOfSmall.

Posted by Linda and Robin