Understanding Couponing

Learn how just one hour a week can help you cut down your grocery bills. Whether it’s through store reward cards, reading store circulars or considering the brand of items you buy, spending a little time preparing each week can help you reduce your out-of-pocket expenses.

Read the posts below to start saving!

Understanding couponing: Requesting a rain check

A rain check is a slip of paper that entitles the buyer to a sale-priced item at a later date if the sale product was out of stock.

  1. Be aware of restrictions. You cannot get a rain check on clearance prices or limited time offers (doorbusters, Black Friday sales, liquidations, etc.) The majority of stores only issue rain checks for current ad sale prices, not everyday ones.
  2. Ask an employee if they have extra stock in another spot, such as an end cap or in the back of the store.
  3. If the sale product is out of stock, let your cashier know at the beginning of your transaction that you would like a rain check. This notifies the cashier ahead of time and helps you to remember your request.
  4. The appropriate employee will fill out the slip of paper, including the product, its description and the quantity limit. The expiration date (if applicable) will be in the fine print. Time windows usually are 30, 60 or 90 days from the issue date.
  5. If the store is still out of the product at the rain check’s end date, have them write you an additional one to extend the time to get the product.

 

Never miss a deal again! “Like” Superhero Savings on Facebook.

9 ways to get the biggest ‘bang for your buck’ at the grocery store

Here are 9 ways to get more bang for your buck at the grocery store:

1. Buy produce in season. Check the food section in your newspaper to find the best buys for the week, based on fresh produce in season. Food in season is usually priced to sell. Also, shop your local farmers’ market for great deals on local produce.

2. Brown-bag it.  Making lunch and taking it with you is a great money-saver and an excellent use of leftovers for meals at work, school, or wherever your destination.

3. Think frozen, canned or dried. Next time you’re gathering ingredients for a recipe, try using frozen, canned or dried foods. They may be less expensive than fresh, yet are equally nutritious. Produce is typically frozen, canned, or dried at the peak of ripeness, when nutrients are plentiful. Fish and poultry are often flash-frozen to minimize freezer damage and retain freshness. With frozen foods, you can use only the amount you need, reseal the package, and return it to the freezer.

4. Save on protein foods. When possible, substitute inexpensive, vegetarian sources such as beans, eggs, tofu and legumes for more expensive meat, fish or poultry. Eat vegetarian once a week or more to increase your consumption of healthy plant foods while saving money. Eggs are an excellent, inexpensive source of protein that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

5. Waste not, want not. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that Americans generate roughly 30 million tons of food waste annually. Using leftover vegetables, poultry, or meat in soups, stews, salads and casseroles minimizes cost and demonstrates your creativity in the kitchen.

6. Go generic. Consider buying store brands instead of pricier national brands. Many grocery companies buy national-brand products made to their specifications and simply put their own label on the products. Read the ingredient list on the label to be sure you’re getting the most for your money. Also look for simpler versions of your favorite foods.

7. Buy prepackaged only if you need it. Buying prepackaged, sliced or washed products comes with a higher price tag. Still, people living alone may find that smaller sizes of perishable products or bags of prepared produce eliminate waste and fit their needs best, despite the extra cost.  You can also save money (and boost nutrition) by passing up the aisles with processed foods, cookies, snack foods and soda.

8. Buy and cook in bulk. Joining a bulk shopping club, like Sam’s, Costco or BJ’s, can be cost-effective if you frequent the club regularly. Bulk purchases can be a great way to save money — as long as they get used. You might also look in your community for shopping cooperatives that sell food in bulk at a substantial savings.

9. Plant a garden. For benefits that go beyond cost savings, plant your own produce. There’s nothing better than a summer-fresh tomato from the garden. Tomatoes even grow well in containers if you don’t have space for a garden, and some neighborhoods offer community gardening spaces. Start small, and see how easy it is to grow fresh herbs or a few simple vegetables.

Source

 

Never miss a deal again! “Like” Superhero Savings on Facebook.

How long does food last? A quick guide on what to keep or toss

One easy way to stock up on everyday essentials is to buy in large quantities when items are at their lowest prices. That way, you’ll have tons readily available. Worried that the items might go bad? Here’s a good list from All You magazine on how long items last depending on where you store them.

 

Never miss a deal again! “Like” Superhero Savings on Facebook.

Understanding Couponing: Save money using cash

It’s so easy to buy extra things when it all it costs you is a swipe of a card. But what if you paid for the same item in cash? Would you even make the purchase at all?

Paying for items in cash, such as groceries, going out to eat, clothing, etc., allows you to “feel the pinch” of the cost of the item since you’re handing over the cost in cash, rather than just swiping your credit or debit card.

A great way to keep your budget under control and prevent yourself from buying all those extras is to take out your monthly allowance for each category you budget for and keep each set of money in a different envelope. I LOVE these printable envelopes from Today’s Nest, which let you record your spending right on front so you know how much you have left. And when the money runs out? Your spending stops, too.

Here are some pointers Today’s Nest offers:

Things to consider:

  • Be sure to budget wisely. The idea is to have some limits, but if you are too ambitious you may have to go without or go get more money which could leave you feeling defeated.
  • Understand that there will be exceptions. This does not always keep you from spending money, but it does raise the level of awareness.
  • If you go a week without using your debit card, take that time to balance your checkbook register. The absence of $3 coffee purchases will make it easier to tackle.
  • This method and template could easily be adopted to dole out allowance or holiday shopping money. It is a great way to show kids how to manage their own money.
  • If you are thrifty enough to actually have money left over at the end of the period, reward yourself by adding it to the next period’s pot or, better yet, tuck it away in savings.

Never miss a deal again! “Like” Superhero Savings on Facebook.

5 easy ways to save money at the grocery store today

Saving at the grocery store is about beating the system at its own game. But there are easy ways to save money just by preparing yourself and your list before you head into the store.

Here are some suggestions on how you can easily save money on your next — and every — trip.

  1. Make a list before you go — and stick to it when you shop. Grocery store totals can rise quickly with impulse buys. And the stores know that, too. Try to avoid items on the displays located at the end of the aisles (known as end caps). Stick to what you know you’re going to get.
  2. Don’t shop on an empty stomach. EVERYTHING smells and looks good when you’re hungry. Make sure you’ve eaten before you shop, and consider taking along something to eat or drink while you’re shopping. And don’t just take it from me, who’s filled up the cart with random impulsive items; even the Mayo Clinic says you shouldn’t do it.
  3. Don’t be deterred by the store brand of an item. Name brands come with a price. Think what you’d be willing to buy an off-brand, or generic item, for. Not being brand loyal will save you a fortune — from canned good items to toiletries and more. According to the latest Consumer Reports study, buying a generic brand saved customers an average of 30 percent on their grocery bill annually.
  4. Sign up for the store’s membership rewards program. For details, click here.
  5. Check the various store circulars for the week’s promotions — and then choose a store to shop at. You might think 10 cents here, 30 cents there might not be much, but it all adds up. Often, the same item — even of the same brand — will be on sale at different stores during the same price, and they can often be drastically different prices. All the stores I shop at have their store circulars online; take an extra 10 minutes to reviews the sales and then decide where to shop.

 

Shop Sanuk.com Today!

On Sale Now at The Knot Wedding Shop