Ways To Stretch That Dollar! Part One

Part One Contains Ways I Save On Groceries

• CLIP COUPONS. I do not have time to search the endless internet for all coupons. I use only three online sources: P&G ESaver http://www.pgesaver.com/Sites/PG_eSAVER/Page/HomePage , Shortcuts http://shortcuts.com/ , and CellFire http://www.cellfire.com/ . These are great because I can download them directly to my Kroger card - SUPER EASY. I get the rest from the Sunday edition of my local paper. At first, clipping coupons was very time consuming. Once I got the hang of it, I streamlined the process. Now, I never spend more than 30 minutes a week on clipping and organizing my coupons. Considering what I save it is absolutely worth my time.
• PLAN AHEAD. I make a list and I stick to it. I meal plan two weeks ahead of time so I can make a list according to my coupons and the weekly sale paper. My list helps me avoid impulse buying and the meal plan helps me avoid wasting food.
• STORE REWARDS CARDS. Sign up for a saver or reward card at your market. Many items on sale give an extra discount only to card holders. My local Kroger has a gas station. I save on food and an average of ten cents per gallon on fuel.
• SKIMP ON CONVENIENCE ITEMS & JUNK FOOD. It costs a fortune & is soooo unhealthy.
• DOLLAR STORES are a great place to save on toiletries, food storage items, and cleaning supplies. I rarely purchase non-food items at the grocery store.

These five things alone save me $20-$75 each trip plus I get the bonus of saving at the gas pump too!