shoppingonabudget

Although many Americans shop for groceries on a weekly basis, others shop only once a month. I am one of those shoppers. Once a month, I will have one big shopping trip. Throughout the month, we will have to pick up a few extras, such as milk or bread, but most items are bought on a monthly basis.

If you are considering making the switch to once a month grocery shopping, I have a few helpful tips.

1 – Shop at Multiple Retailers

Grocery stores and department stores, like Wal-Mart, are often located close to each other. This means that you can price compare and visit different stores, without having to spend too much money in gas.

To find the best deals, view weekly sales fliers ahead of time. Create a list for each store and what you intend to pickup.

2 – Use Thermal Shopping Bags

Thermal shopping bags, also commonly referred to as hot / cold bags can be a money saver. If you rely on once a month shopping, it is not uncommon for you to spend hours out and about. This is particularly true if you do visit multiple retailers. To keep your frozen foods frozen and your cold items cold, use reusable thermal shopping bags. They are available for sale in most grocery and department stores.

3 – Organize Your Coupons Ahead of Time

Once a month grocery shopping is nice, but it can be difficult with coupon use. If you collected coupons throughout the entire month, you may have up to a hundred grocery coupons. A coupon organizer can come in handy.

It is also important to review expiration dates. I have noticed that some manufacturers, like Proctor and Gamble, have coupons with short expiration dates. This means that the coupon may expire before I am able to go shopping.

4 – Pick Up Extras While Out Running Errands

As previously stated, there are some extras that I need to pickup throughout the month. Due to freshness, we often need milk and bread. Instead of making a special trip to buy these foods, buy them when you are out. Whether you are returning home from work or a doctor’s appointment, you can save yourself time and gas.

Although I do usually cover ways to save money on groceries, I also try to focus on other aspects of shopping. After all, shopping on a budget involves more than the grocery store.

Whether you are looking for cheap clothes, movies, books, home décor, or toys, you may turn to eBay.com. eBay.com is a great place to find good deals online. Why? Because there are so many items and auctions for you to choose from. Although eBay.com is a great way to save money with shopping online, you need to proceed with caution, especially where the cost of shipping is concerned.

Always examine the cost of shipping when buying on eBay. Many eBay sellers are fair in their shipping costs, but others charge much more than needed. Most eBay sellers will outline the cost of shipping for you. Just make sure you are getting a fair rate. For example, a children’s purse that weighs less than one pound should not cost $5 or more to ship, unless you order express or priority shipping.

To make it easier for you to examine and compare shipping costs, perform a search for an item. Towards the top of all listings, you will see a “Customize View,” link. Click on that link and add shipping.

I, as well as many other shoppers, like to stock up when we see a good deal at the grocery store. Unfortunately, I am limited on freezer space. I was able to purchase a standalone shelf for boxed and canned goods, but my hands are tied with the freezer. Although I cannot buy a standalone freezer (from being a small apartment renter), you may be able to.

The Pros of Buying a Standalone Freezer

1 – You Can Stock up

This benefit is most commonly seen with meats. When fresh meat is one sale, you can save around .50 cents to $1 a pound or even more. That is a lot of savings that will significantly add up over time. A freezer allows you to store these items.

The Cons of Buying a Standalone Freezer

1 – Costs

If you are shopping on a budget, you may not have the money needed to buy a freezer. You can price compare to find the best deals. If you really feel like you are missing out, set aside a few dollars each week and you should be able to make the purchase in a few weeks or months.

2 – Space

As stated above, I am limited on space. If you have a large apartment or own your own home, you can make space. And, standalone freezers do come in a number of different sizes, which gives you a little bit of freedom.

I have said before that free product samples are a great way to save money on groceries. For starters, they are free. Secondly, they give you the opportunity to try a new product first. Should you not like the product in question, you did not waste money on the full-size.

Online, you can find a lot of free samples for many items. If you are looking for health and beauty products, I recommend visiting Dove’s website. There, you will find free samples offered almost all year round.

As of 9/10/08, there is a free sample available of two different types of Dove shampoos and conditioners. Also, under the heading of “Offers,” you will find coupons available for Dove products.

Health and beauty products are the products most commonly given away in free samples. Dove has these free samples available the most, but you can still visit the websites of your favorite product manufacturers. Even if you don’t find a free sample, you may find free beauty tips or moneysaving coupons.

On a personal note, I will occasionally buy canned vegetables. I like them as they are easy to cook; however, they can be costly.

One of the best ways to save money on canned vegetables is to buy the store brands. My local grocery store has cans of corn, green beans, and peas for about $1 each. I stock up when they have a sale, as the price is reduced to .50 cents each.

Another easy way to save money on groceries, namely canned vegetables, is to shop at the right store. If I don’t find a store brand on sale, I visit my local Dollar General or Wal-Mart.

If canned vegetables are too expensive for you, consider fresh or frozen. In fact, you may find the store brand frozen vegetables to be the best deal, as you get more.

I have stated in the past that coupons are one of the best ways to save money on groceries. For that reason, I have been buying extra newspapers to save the coupons and give to a lucky reader. Below, you will find a sample of some of the coupons included.

There are slightly over 150 coupons included and many are for $1 off. Only a few coupons expire on 10/4/08, but most have expiration dates for later in October, November, and even further.

You will likely not use all coupons, but there are a lot of great coupons for food, snacks, health food, health and beauty products, cleaning supplies, and more.

All coupons are manufacturer coupons, so you should be able to use them in any store that accepts coupons.

Here are the rules:

CONTEST ENDS on Friday September 12, 2008 at 12am EST. Please enter just once. There will be one person selected.

1 – Submit a Comment. It can be something as simple as I love saving money with coupons.

2 – Include your email address. You can do this in the form and it will not appear on the comment itself.

On Saturday, I will select a winner. This will be random based on the order in which your comment appeared in. For example, first comment received will be #1. I will use a random number website, like http://www.random.org/integers, to select the winner.

I will email the winner. A response email will need to be sent with your address so I can mail out the coupons. The sooner I receive that email, the sooner I can send out the coupons and you can start saving money.

NOTE: This giveaway/contest is being run by the independent writer of Shoppingonabudget.today.com and has not been reviewed or endorsed by the webhost, Today.com.

JUST A FEW of the Coupons Included

Snacks:

$1 on 2 JELL-O Pudding or Gelatin Snacks (10/31/08)
$1 on 2 Betty Crocker Cookie Mixes (11/1/08)
$1 on Any 2 Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookie Dough (11/1/08)
$1 on 3 Pillsbury Reduced Sugar Brownies, Cakes, Frosting (11/30/08)
$1 on 2 Any Size Combo Brand Snacks

Food:

$1 on 2 Tyson Frozen Breaded Boxed Products (12/7/08)
$1 on Any 2 Jars of Dole All Natural Fruits (10/31/08)
$1 on Any 2 Motts Juice Products (10/10/08)
$1 on 1 Package of Yoplait Fiber One Multi-Pack (11/1/08)
$1 on 1 4-Pack of Activia Yogurt (11/30/08)
.35 Cents on 1 Can of Hormel Chuck Meat (12/07/08)
.40 Cents on 1 Package of Hot Pockets Breakfast (12/31/10)
$1 on Any Variety of Bob Evans Sandwiches (10/26/08)
$1 on 1 Mrs. Dash 10 Minute Marinade (10/31/08)

Health Foods:

$1 on Atkins Single Bar (12/31/08)
$1 on 2 100 Calorie Pack Chewy Bars (10/19/08)
Buy 2, Get 1 Free – Weight Watchers by Whitman’s Candy (4/30/09)

Health and Beauty:

$2 on Maalox Liquid or Chewable (11/30/08)
$1 on Any Arm & Hammer Toothpaste (11/30/08)
$2 on Any Clearasil Product (10/19/08)
$1 on St. Ives Lotion or Body Wash (10/31/08)
$2 on Any Schick Disposable Razor (10/05/08)

Pet Food:

$1 on Nut-tastics Guilt Free Treats (12/31/08)
Buy One Get One Free – Cesar Canine Cuisine Entrée (12/6/08)
$3 in Coupons for Meow Mix (all expire on 10/18/08)

Home Cleaning:

Free Single Roll of Marcal Bath Tissue or Paper Towel (10/15/08)
.50 on 1 Viva Paper Towel Package (10/11/08)
Multiple Coupons for Lysol Products (Most – 10/13/08 & 11/3/08)

In our home, we have spaghetti a couple of times a month. Not only is it easy to prepare, but I consider it to be a relatively affordable meal. It can, however, be costly.

How we save money on a spaghetti dinner is buying the store brand pasta. It is usually less than $1 for a package. With the sauce and flavoring, you may not notice the taste difference if there even is one.

For spaghetti sauce, I tend to either go with Hunt’s or my local grocery store brand. If you shop at Wal-Mart, a can of Hunt’s spaghetti sauce averages about .98 cents a can.

We also try to limit our extras. Occasionally, I will toss in a can of diced tomatoes, but only if I find it on sale.

For the most part, I rely on spices to add extra flavor. We add in garlic, onion, and oregano spices. If you don’t already have these in your home, they are available for sale at most dollar stores.

If you are on a diet or if you just want to eat healthier foods, you may opt for light juice instead of regular. Unfortunately, this can sometimes be expensive, as healthier foods tend to cost more.

A great way to help you save money is to alternative between the two.

On the weeks or months when you consume the regular calorie juices, add a little bit of water. Only a small amount can reduce the concentration of the juice, as well as the calories. As long as you limit the water and stir, you should not notice much difference in the taste. This can also help to extend the life of your bottle of juice, saving you even more money on groceries.

If you must or prefer to consume sugar free juices, be sure to stock up if and when you find a sale.

Are you a soda drinker? I am and it is a habit that I am and have been trying to quit. Unfortunately, the cost of soda seems to be on the rise (from what I have seen). So, how can you save money while still enjoying one of your favorite drinks?

Cutback

If you drink a lot of soda, such as more than one can or the equivalent of a can a day, reduce your consumption. This is what I have started doing. I also think it will make it easier for me to make the switch to water only later on down the road.

Stock Up

It is usually easy to find soda on sale, but you may have a specific brand, like Coke or Pepsi, that you drink. It is rare to find the two on sale at the same time, so stock up on your favorite brand.

Whether you are a person with a headache that just won’t go away on its own or the parent of a child who has a nasty cold, over-the-counter medications may be needed. The good news is that you have a number of different shopping choices.

If you are looking to save the most on over-the-counter medicines, you will find the best prices at discount stores. We always make our purchases from Wal-Mart or Dollar General. These stores are known for their everyday low prices.

If you buy your over-the-counter medications from a grocery store or drug store, you could find yourself paying $1 or more for each item.

*NOTE: As mentioned above, children get colds. Before treating one of those colds with an over-the-counter product, speak to your child’s healthcare provider first.