I want to share some of my sale shopping tactics with you.
It's only a sale if it's:
- something you would need to buy in the future at full price
- something you currently need
- something you will need in the near future
- more than 25% off
It's NOT a sale if:
- you're only buying it because it's cheap
- it's not something you usually use
- it's something you don't need
- it's something you're trying to find a use for because it's cheap
- it's less than 25% off
- it's more than you can reasonably use before it goes bad
Pay attention to generics. Most generics are the same exact thing for less money. Even if Tylenol is on sale, there's a good chance that the CVS is still cheaper every day. Always check labels to see when you can get the same product as a generic.
When something is on sale 2/$5.00, you don't have to buy 2 to get the price. You can buy one for $2.50. Because spending $5 when you only need one is NOT saving you any money! I guess that crazy store Kroger will even apply this to "buy one, get one" deals. You only need to buy one, and you'll get that one half price. I will investigate this in the Boston area for you, but it could never hurt to ask!
Keep a list of household items you use. Make note as soon as you realize you're running low. This way, when something goes on sale, even if you're not out of it, you can take advantage of the sale. For example, when I know we're running low on garbage bags, I make a note of it in my head (or on a running list). Then, for the next few weeks I watch the sales at CVS, and when they go on sale I buy them. If I hadn't kept note of that, I would have discovered I was out, and been forced to pay full price for them. The same goes for everything you use! Pay attention in your household, and you should never have to pay full price for household goods again. Plus, there's nothing better than running out of dish soap and just opening the cabinet and taking out a new one! This is a great technique for:
- Toothpaste (often goes on sale 2/$5.00 at CVS)
- Toilet Tissue
- Dish Soap
- Dish Detergent
- Garbage Bags
- Paper Towels
- Plastic Wrap
- Aluminum Foil
You get the idea!
Make a meal plan when you shop, and only buy things that fit into the meal plan. Also, you should aim to purchase items that do double duty. For example, I can buy 2 cans of tomatoes, take a few out for a pizza and use the rest for sauce. Another example is how I can buy a package of mozzarella cheese and make both a pizza and a baked ziti with it. Bacon is another great one. It's so fun to have bacon for breakfast, but then you can also make BLTs and Bacon Corn Chowder!
Bulk up when things go on sale, but make sure you use them! If I buy $30 worth of tomatoes when they go on sale, and then continue to grocery shop for everything else I usually buy, then all I did was spend $30 extra dollars. Instead, I try to make a committment to cook with those tomatoes at least once a week, thus lowering my overall grocery cost for the week!
I don't really purchase meat, but from what I can tell a great strategy is to buy in bulk on sale, and to break it into portions and use as needed. A while ago I bought a package of chicken strips, and used half in a pot pie, and the other half on sandwiches for dinner. I can't stress enough how important it is to buy ingredients that you can use for more than one thing.
Oh, and ALWAYS eat your leftovers...it's such a great way to really stretch your grocery dollars. Even if there's only a little left, I always save it, and a few times a week I just make it a point to have a lunch of all leftovers. It may be a small cup of soup, a few bites of pasta, and a piece of fruit, but I used up all the leftovers and am fed!
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