My Process

I can't emphasize enough, the importance of meal planning to help you stretch your grocery budget! Take this one step further and make a list of ALL consumables (I will share mine at the end to get you started) so you know when something is at its lowest price.

Resources:

• Boston Sunday Globe- for the coupons and all the store sales flyers. I used a Groupon offer to get a very good price. Many stores will sell their papers half price after a certain time of day. Ask around to see who gets the Sunday paper and if they will share their coupons with you!

• Coupon Mom - to match sales and coupons, also has a coupon database and TONS of information about couponing and saving money.

• Betty Crocker account - exclusive weekly coupons on Thursdays, plus tried and true recipes to help with meal planning.

• Two computers and printers - you can print 2 coupons per computer in most cases, and you can usually only use 4 identical coupons per shopping trip. I am only one person, but when there is a really good deal I will get as much as I can so I can donate to the food pantry.

• Coupon Binder - this was the best way for ME to stay organized. I need to be able to see the coupons and their expiration dates. Very simply sorted by food, personal care, household, pets and store coupons.

• File Crate - Houses the coupon inserts for the past two months, scissors, spare folders and the coupon binder when not in use.

• Grocery and drug stores in every direction. I live within a 10 mile radius of 3 Market Baskets, 2 Hannafords, 2 Shaws, 2 Walgreens, 2 CVSs and so on. Target is the only store that is not a quick trip so I have to plan accordingly.

Because I have been doing this for a few months now, my cupboards and closets are pretty well stocked. I have the freedom to wait for my favorite toothpaste or deodorant to go on sale. It is very overwhelming at first, and the urge to put something in your cart because it's on sale, and you have a coupon for it, and it has a rebate offer is very strong! The rules I have for myself are as follows: #1. Make a list #2. Stick to the list! Each week, I try to set aside a few bucks to buy things for the food pantry so I am a little more lenient with myself. It's also easy to rationalize putting something on my list for this purpose, it's a slippery slope! Very often I have to remind myself that if I don't have the money for it, I won't be able to help the food pantry.

Thursday - Check Betty Crocker account and print weekly exclusive coupons. Last chance to grab deals at Shaw's for this sale.

Friday - check my mail and hopefully get the Shaw's and Market Basket sales flyers. Not sure why, but I catch things in the printed flyer that I don't when looking online. I like to write lists, so I'll start a list for each store on scrap paper.

Shaw's sales start on Friday, and most previews are up by Friday, so I usually start getting my list together Friday evening. This enables me to buy anything that is still on sale if I need it on Saturday, or wait for the new sale to start on Sunday. CouponMom.com is my go-to website for finding deals and looking up coupons. It is an incredible resource and I encourage you to explore it when you have a few spare hours. Coupon Mom does not have sales info for Market Basket or Hannaford, but these stores offer their flyers online at least a day before the sales start. 

Saturday - Last chance to grab anything I missed at other stores sales. Bring stuff up to the food pantry, get weekly infusion of happies. Possible Target trip if deals are good enough to warrant.

Sunday - Receive newspaper with coupon inserts and most of the sales flyers, the only one I never get is Hannaford. Act like a little kid on Christmas morning going through the coupons. I clip the ones I think I might use as I go and file the inserts in the file crate. If I haven't already, I take out any expired coupons from the coupon binder and put them in the envelope I have started for Coups to Troops. Then I add the coupons I just clipped unless I know I'll be using them that day.

I use the sales flyers for inspiration on my weekly meal plan. Once my meal plan is complete, I go through my binder and shop through my coupons. Shaw's will usually have at least one really great deal on their 3 day sale, and they usually run out by Sunday so I end up getting a rain check for that item. They do this on purpose to get you in the store and buy other things. Don't fall for it! Get the rain check and go back another time. Since they are the only store around that doubles coupons, I usually find a good deal on random things that I post on here. They also have unadvertised deals to clear out stock or just because. Keep an eye on the end caps towards the back of the store. Again, I *only buy sale items at Shaw's* as much as possible. When Market Basket was on strike, I went shopping there once and spent almost twice as much.

Go shopping! I have switched to a cash diet, so it is all the more important to stick to my list. If I get to the store and the deal I wanted isn't available, it's okay, the world will not end. It's really exciting to watch your total come down to significantly less than it started at, let me tell you! If I notice something on sale that wasn't in the flyer and I know I have a coupon at home for it, it's okay, I can go back another time. It's easy to rationalize buying things because they are on sale, but if I wasn't planning on buying it when I left the house, then I definitely wasn't planning on the expense of that item either. Once you run out of money a couple of times, your mindset will change :-)

 

	Prices listed are the last price I paid for the item
	net of coupons
	rebates/gc promos not included
	Item	Brand	Cost	Store	consumed in
Personal Care	toothpaste	crest pro health	2.00	Walgreen's	2 months
	deodorant	mitchum	0.97	Walmart	2 months
	Pads	Always	2.29	Target	1-2 months
	shampoo/conditioner	Biolage	46.00	Ulta	4-5 months
	body wash/soap	Tom's	1.00	Target	2 months
	razors/shaving cream	Bic Soliel	3.99	Rite Aid	3 months
	face moisturizer	frenchie	32.99	Amazon	4-5 months
	mouth wash	Crest pro-health	1.90	Walgreen's	2 months
	face scrub	Neutrogena	5.20	Amazon	2-3 months
	vitamins	one-a day(store brand)	4.00	CVS	200 days
	chapstick	Nivea	0.99	Rite Aid	2-3 months
	First Aid supplies	various	14.00	Rite Aid	year
	Friction Defense	Gold Bond	5.23	Walmart	3 months
	zit cream
	foot powder
	pain relievers	store brand	3.00	Market Basket
	body lotion	Aveeno	6.00	Target
Household	foil/wraps/baggies	Ziploc	1.50	Rite Aid
	tissues	puffs	0.75	Dollar Tree
	q-tips	store		store
	laundry detergent	All	2.00	CVS
	dish soap	7th generation	0.99	Target
	dishwasher detergent	target brand	2.00	Target
	rinse agent	finish	2.00	Target
	toilet paper	Cottonelle 12 pack	2.99	Walgreen's	12 weeks
	paper towels	Scott Naturals	3.44	Walgreen's	12 months
	sponges	O-celo	1.00	Target
	trash bags	Glad	6.00	Walmart	6 months
	dryer sheets	All	1.00	CVS
	cleaning wipes	Lysol	2.00	Shaws
	bathroom cleaner	Scrubbin Bubbles	2.00	Walgreen's
	Toilet cleaner	Lysol	2.00	Shaws