March savings in motion

As many of you know, our family has had an economic down turn in conjunction with the country's economy. So needless to say, saving on clothes, food and anything else we can has taken top priority.

During my trip to Nashville, savings and coupons were hot topics which motivated me to Google ways to save. I came across The Grocery Game. I had heard about it from several morning shows over the last few years but again, I was not as motivated as I am now. I thought I did pretty good at shopping. I shopped the sales at the grocery stores. I shopped at Costco. If I happen to have a coupon I would use it. I even would occasionally make a list of what I was going to buy and list the sales from store mailer's next to it and to the "price comparison" thing at the Super Wal-Mart. (Wal-Mart will give you the item at the cheapest price if I could show from the mailer that another store is selling cheaper.) I sometimes would buy store brand or generic and feel like I was doing good. Well not anymore!!! I have taken to the highest level and in two shopping trips I have saved a ton of money!!!

I signed up for The Grocery Game and was a little disappointed that it only had Vons and Smith's grocery stores listed. I had hoped Albertson's and Food-4-Less would be too. But oh well, the The Grocery Game does most of the hard work for me, so picking through two mailers is not a big deal.

I happen to have clipped some coupons prior to my trip to Nashville and I printed some coupons from online. I went to Vons with my list and coupons and list of specials and only spent $63 of my $225 I have allotted for groceries for the month! I saved 39% on that trip!! There were several items that Vons was out of so I asked for a rain check for each item, as The Grocery Game instructs to do. I was so nervous because I have never asked for a rain check (I am shy and lack little self confidence in some areas). Well it went as smooth as silk and I walked out with my rain checks for $.99 Frosted Mini Wheats, $2.99 for 18oz fresh blueberries and $.88/can for 8 cans of Select Harvest Soup from Campbells.

Tonight, I needed to go make a quick stop back at Vons for a few items that were on their last day of being on sale at VERY low prices. I took my rain checks too. Tonight I walked out saving 69%!!! I bought $60 worth of food for $20.

What is so great is that I am buying only things we will for sure eat/use. I know that sounds funny but how many us buy something we don't eat for various reasons and therefore, we could have tossed x amount of dollars out the window?

Have I bought meat? No, not with my March food money. I almost did at Smith's but in looking through my freezer, I had enough meat for 11 dinners. I am holding off on meat until I truly need it or unless there is an exceptionally sale prior to my need. So yes, I am starting March out with meat in the freezer but I am only going to work with one month at a time and see how far my $225 can stretch for this month.

My other goal is to only spend $25/month on TP, paper towels, deodorant, cleaning supplies, shampoo and soap. I spent $10 Sunday for cleaning supplies and now I only have $15 for the month left. But I am good on most for several weeks but TP.

Ok, so far so good, three days into the month.

PS If you sign up for The Grocery Game, please use my email address harptrip@yahoo.com as a referral. Thanks!!