Photograph Credit: Flickr (Kim Smith-Miller)
As I entered the checkout station, I was warmly greeted by one of my favorite cashiers, Miss Daisy. We chatted about the weather, the weekend activities, and upcoming excitements. While conversing, the girls and I unloaded our cart’s contents onto the conveyor belt.
My Conversation
Miss Daisy scanned my two Publix cards (school proceeds and UPromise) and our items. I then handed her my stack of coupons. On this occasion, Miss Daisy paused a moment, then asked, “Are these all your coupons today?”
With a “Yes, that’s all for today,” I rechecked my Publix envelope to be sure I had used all my coupons.
Miss Daisy responded, “This is a short stack for you.”
I agreed and informed her that most of my coupons required the purchase of 2 items and that the sales were excellent without needing coupons. As Miss Daisy deducted the coupons, I watched my savings increase and my total decrease. I love that Publix displays your savings at checkout on a big monitor in front of you.
At the end of the transaction, my total came to $37.51 and my savings rose to $58.01. When Miss Daisy saw my 61% savings and the small amount of coupons used, she was amazed!
My Saving Tips
Hopefully, through this series you are discovering that you do not need coupons to save at the grocery store. Coupons increase your savings, but you can save by shopping the sales. If you are in a season of life where coupons do not fit into your using time wisely schedule, then choose to save in other ways:
- Purchase enough Buy One Get One Free (BOGOF) items to last your family for the next 3-6 weeks. Everything I bought at Publix was a BOGOF item.
- Do not purchase more than one of a sale item – unless that item is never offered as a BOGOF option, e.g., lasagna noodles. If you need an item and it is on sale, then purchase one. Keep an eye on the sales. When that item is BOGOF, then stock up.
- Whenever possible, shop after a meal. Refrain from adding items to your cart because they look tasty. You will tend to purchase more if you shop hungry, so try to schedule your shopping exploits after a meal.
- Use a grocery list. Having prepared your list, stick to it. Gather your items and go to checkout. Do not pass the bakery, do not spend $200! 🙂
- Know your budget. By using more money on weeks with great sales and saving money on weeks with little to no great sales, I can adjust my spending from week to week. Keep your goal obtainable, but challenge yourself with your food budget. Saving money becomes a game. Are you ready to play?
With these strategic tips and tricks, you are on your way to saving a bundle on your food budget. You don’t need to clip every coupon or spend hours preparing for your shopping trip. Utilizing these five keys to saving more than you pay can have your cashier amazed as well. Happy savings!
Question: What was your largest savings this week? Please add your answer to the comments.