Help! I Need to Be More Cost Conscious!

I love ALDI and I love couponmom.com too.
Personally, I am beginning to think that the Foodperks/Fuelperks at Giant Eagle are a racket. Just plan ahead and buy what you need.
Also, are you a Dave Ramsay fan? He's got awesome books on saving money and dumping debt!

I found that placing my order online helps. We shop at Giant Food Stores and they have an online ordering system. It is great, I can log on and order what I want & compare prices & not have my 3 darlings find extra things that are not on my list. It works out great for us, I place the order on Sunday night for pick up on Monday evening. My husband stops by and picks up the order (along with any other small things I may have remembered after I placed the order).

This is a link to the website. I hope it helps - I know it works for us =O}
https://www.giantfoodstores.com

Hi C.,
My advice would be pretty much the same that everyone else has already said. I save a lot of money with coupons. I sort them by month, and I buy quite a bit at Walmart. I also buy in bulk at Sam's club once a month. Also, I saw someone else mention Dave Ramsey. I highly recommend him. He has an online talk show and he has books and cd's out. Try the Total Money Makeover. (it's on book or CD if you can't find enough time to read) This man honestly changed our lives for the good. He will teach you how to save on everything and turn your life completely around.
Good Luck with everything!
Kristin

Hi C., There are a bunch of easy things you can do to make your grocery bill smaller and still take advantage of fuel perks and the best prices. The first thing you should do is sit down with your cookbooks and figure out a menu for the week (or two weeks). Write down your choices and make up your grocery list from what you have vs what you need for the recipies you choose. Then go through your coupons & sales papers to decide where you will get the best price. Frankly you need to plan on shopping more than one place. Giant Eagle is great for some of their specials and their deli, but for general stuff they are WAY over priced. For example a jar of Ragu pasta sause is around $1.90 at Wal*Mart and is over $2.50 at Giant Eagle. A can of General Foods International coffee is #3.99 at Giant Eagle and is $3.00 at Wal*Mart. Yesterday I was at Giant Eagle and a head of lettuce was $1.99 and at Wal*Mart a head of lettuce is $1.00. Fuel perks are great, up spending a dollar more for the same item doesn't make them worth it. Now in Giant Eagles defense they do have better prices on some things like some shampoo's and their sales on pop are great. You just need to take the time to shop smart. Putting together a menu is a great way to keep your dinner's varied, elimate spur of the moment shopping (impulse buying always increases your spending), and actually gives you more free time in the long run. It also keeps your pantry better too since you are not storing a lot of junk that you may never use. Always watch for sales on meat (Shop 'n Save has great sales if you watch for them), pop, frest fruit and veggies. Some stores double coupon, some places price match items from ads as long as you don't have to have a card to get the sales price (like the advantage card). Remember the P's. Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance. By planning not only are you cutting your budget, but you are saving time, effort and gas! It will take you longer the first few times you do it, but like anything new the more you do it the better you get at it and the quicker you get with it. You may also want to keep a blank list on the frige for staples. Like I always keep an extra bottle of ketchup in my pantry when someone opens it they put it on the list so we never run out. Good luck!! Best wishes.

When grocery shopping the first thing to do is to make a list of what you need so you do not buy what you don't. I use coupons but i also go to different places to shop. I pretty much know where I live who has what and how much it is in another store. One place I love for grocery shopping is walmart. I save a good amount there. the downfall with them is the chicken and the steak prices. the ground beef and turkey is very reasonable. I can get steak and chicken cheaper in the local grocery store. There is no shame in buying reduced meat and saving a dollar. Put it in the freezer when you go home if you do not use it that day. meat is one place that can take a crunch on the wallet.
take your time at the store,take coupons with you and look at the circulars. good luck

C., i spent money and did not really worry til i got married and had children. I bought a house two years ago and have really been trying harder not to spend frivously. I do food shop at Aldi and save a ton. I am married with two kids and on average i spend $65 to $75 a week. For the most part i am able to get everything i need there. they do not have baby food or formula. everynow and then i will go to the local, name brand store, to pick up a few things but that is only on occassion. you need a quarter for the shopping cart but get it back when you return the cart. they sell bags or you can bring your own. i have been shopping there for two years and am pretty pleased. every now and then there are name brand items for sale at cheaper prices. hope this helps.
instead of going out to eat every Sat. why not send the kiddies to the grandparents and you two stay at home and cook together. maybe go out to eat once a month instead. just a suggestion.

A.

C. P you got a lot of advice here, I just want to add that generic foods a lot of times are made by the same companies that brand name foods are made by just packaged differently. I believe hellmans and best mayo are made by the same company, so don't let that scare you. Try the off name brands sometime and see how you like them then you will know if you can continue buying them. There will be some things that you will not notice the difference and there will be some that just dont make it. Aldi's stores carry a lot of good items the chicken is Kirkwood and it is really good. if you use Roman noodle soups theirs is no different. Paper towels that you can make diffent sizes are strong and cheaper then the named brands by a lot. I use the friendly farmers french vanilla creamer for my coffee, this brand of yogurt and cottage cheese is also good. they have a cheddar knockwurst only comes 5 in a pack but they are real good. their stuffing mix is no different then stovetop but is cheaper. they also have fresh meats the ground meat is very good so are the ham steaks. The produce sometimes you get a good deal on also. they have bags of salad as low as 99 cents where in the supermarkets they are 2.99 if not more. Well good luck I hope you find ways to cut your grocery bill.

Have you ever heard of Angel Food Ministries? Look them up online at angelfoodministries.com. Using this has saved us SO much money. It is a once-a-month thing. You order for the next month at the beginning of the previous month, and every month has a different menu. It will be easier if you just go online and read it for yourself. But this program is for anyone, there is no qualifying, and you do pay for the food, but it is so much food for the money. It feels so wonderful to be able to stock up my fridge and freezer with such good food! Then I plan my menu accordingly.

My 81 yo friend has taught me to be a terrific shopper. I take her grocery shopping because she no longer drives, and I've learned so much by watching her. She gets the local paper and cuts out all the mfr coupons she will use. Then she sits down with the local grocery store flyer each week. She matches up what's on sale at the local grocery with the mfr.coupon for the same thing. In this way she usually buys her food for 1/2 the regular price.

So, by using Angel Food Ministries and using the mfr. coupons matched with local grocery sales, I believe I have reduced our grocery bill by at least 1/2 or even more.

It's worth the extra time for the money saved!

Plan your meals for the week. I make a complete menu and then use it. Plan even lunch and breakfast. This saves a bundle because the things you throw away are expensive. I do not use coupons because they do not apply to what I buy. Try to shop the perimeter of the store. Buy what is in season and plan your meals according to that also. This takes a little more time up front but saves a ton of time on a daily basis. I can feed a family of 5 with cleaning supplies, toiletries and very good meals for $120 to 140 a week doing it this way. My kids are all grown up, 19, 16, and 14, so they eat a little more but it is not that hard.

Hi, C. -

I've recently started planning out my meals ahead of time on a notepad labeled Sunday - Saturday. (Right now they're on sale for $1 at Michaels!!) You can plan out your dinners on that & maybe add breakfast & lunch too, if you want. Anyway, when you plan out your grocery list, plan out your meals & ONLY buy what you need for each of your meals for the week. If you stick to your list & ONLY buy what you need, you'll definitely save money. Additionally, if you look in your pantry & use recipes that require those ingredients, you'll save money by using what you already have in stock. I used to have this same problem, and it seems that if you're more organized to start with, you won't buy too much when you shop! Good luck! In times like this with the economy being the way it is, if all it takes is an additional 5 minutes to get organized, to me it's worth it!

Something that has saved us a tonne of money is to write a list of all our favorite meals and then plan them out for the whole month. You could do it for one week or two weeks if that is easier.

Meal planning makes it so much easier to save money. I spend $450 a month on groceries and I have a family of 6. I think that's pretty good.

I have never used coupons becuase with making my menus I know exactly what the cheapest places are for my groceries. I can tell if a sale is really all that good because I practically have my grocery list memorized. Also I don't want to have to run around too much so I just stick to a few stores.

I shop at Aldi to and if I try anything new I just buy one item so I can see if we like it or not. (We didn't like their mac n cheese). Cereal is really cheap there so I get it too.

I would also suggest to be more creative with your dates. Maybe go out 2 x a month and plan something fun at home the other 2 nights a month. Have you ever had an indoor picnic? There are tonnes of date ideas online you can find to.

Good luck
Mum of four (almost 5) boys

This sounds alot like me. I always forget the coupons! Anyway we have a shoprite and Wegmens so they do have the card for the store sales. But recently I look for the sale food. I just walk down every aisle. And then I usually take out a few things I dont really need .I'm not big on stocking since we are just a family of 3.Only get what is necessaryand cut out the special items.Also I notice every week the food prices keep going upso it is tough.I try to buy less clothes and find myself in target more often than a better store.
Goodluck with the purchase of the house!!

Aldi's is great for many items.

I do buy on sale as I have 4 kids at home.

Giant I feel is expansive and honestly I've shopped at Weiss/Mr z's shoprites, etc and I feel I get great deals at Wegman's. canned peas, corn green beans 39 cents always.

Meat I find much cheaper, yes you can buy the more expansive meat but the regular meat is great and since lots of it is sealed the meat good for 2-3 weeks in refrigerator so if you end up not cooking it the current week, still good the following week.

I'll run into mr z's when they have cereal sales.

First off try B&B's or another discount food store. I shop there at least once a week for things like drinks. I pay half of what they charge at giant, for the same items. Meat I always buy at Shady Maple Farmers Market, I spend about 150 there on just meat and have enough to get a family of four through 3 months. Target is great for many items as well, soda is always on sale and their paper goods are as good as bounty or any other name brand I have tried. I always buy store brands when I can as opposed to name brand items. Things like frozen and canned veggies, frozen waffles, some of the breads - are just as good as name brand items and alway less money. Even at giant I buy the store brands of most things and there is really no difference in taste just price. It's just a matter of being aware of what you pay. I go through tons of baby bagels, Giant they are 3.99 at Target the same brand is 2.99. Just look for better deals, you'd be amazed how much you save. It makes it easier on those days when I go and buy 3 steaks for 35 bucks at giant to justify what I am spending.

I agree with Barb!

I was raised to be price conscious (Dad was born during the Depression and my mom was a SAHM), but here are a few more tips:

1. What do you eat the most? That's what you need to buy in bulk when it goes on sale/coupons. For us, it's cereal, soy milk, tomato sauce, pasta, soup, and yogurt. Start with the items that you eat the most.

2. Yes, buy generic. Try one trip where you only buy generic of your favorite things. As a former marketing person, I can absolutely tell you that generics are processed on the same line as major brands, then labeled differently. Over the years, there are only a few things I hold out on for "brand names" - our Heinz ketchup, Dinosaur BBQ Sauce (from the place in Syracuse, NY, at Wegmans or I make it!), and Crest toothpaste. Everything else is pretty much fair game, esp. staples likes salt, flour, sugar, sour cream, yogurt, tomato sauce, bread, etc.

3. Do you cook much, or are you dealing with prepared foods? The only prepared stuff we buy is canned soup, lunchmeat, and the occasional frozen meal for my hubby for lunch. I try to cook "too much" of some meals, freeze individual portions, and he takes that for lunch.

4. Have you tried Trader Joe's? There is one in downtown Pitt - SO much cheaper, esp. if you are trying to eat organic.

5. Get into a routine with your coupons. Get a small accordian folder to start, and organize them WEEKLY when you cut from the Sunday paper. Toss what is expired, pull out good ones that are about to expire, and paperclip them to your shopping list.

Good luck!

Have you ever heard of angelfoodministries.com you might want to check them out.

I don't have an Aldi's, but I do have a Save a lot. I buy a lot of my canned goods there (vegetables, stews, beefaroni for the kids) As well as the boxed dinners and their spices are very reasonable. Snacks there are cheap too. Don't really buy meat or produce there. Usually get those items at a farm market in the summer. Frozen goods are a reasonable price too. Try putting your coupons in an envelope and put in your purse. That's what I do and it helps me remember to use them. Also read through the giant eagle add when it comes. Make a shopping list from what is on sale that you will use. Don't be afraid of off brands. Many are the same as the name brand and cost less. If you try it and don't like it then go back to regular brand. I try not to be picky about brands. Only on 2 things. I must have Cheer detergent and Crest toothpaste. Don't really care about anything else. Good luck.

I was spending a ton on groceries and was throwing a ton away. I have now started shopping at aldi I highly recommend their products are amazing and a ton cheaper. Another thing that has been helping is that I write a menu for the week and only get what I need this helps with not throwing anything away. I try to buy things that turn into multiple meals. For example I make a roasted chicken one day then the next day I make a pot of chicken noodle soup with the left over chicken. It helps with cutting back on cost and seems to be keeping my fridge clean from unused foods. I am not a sale shopper or a coupon clipper either but as I said aldi has cut back my grocery bill a ton. Frozen chicken breast are $2 less a bag than Giant Eagle this is a bigger saving then the fuel perks. Hope this helps.

You got a lot of really good suggestions. I would suggest you goto a website like couponmom.com. They match up weekly ads for grocery, drug and discount stores with coupons and show you where to get great deals. Users also post deals they found that aren't advertised. They have links to rebates, online deals, etc. It is a great resource.

One of my favorite shopping tips is to check the drug store ads really well. If you use their loyalty cards or rebate programs you can get a many grocery items and health/beauty items really cheap or even free (after you use the loyalty dollars or rebates). For example, CVS might have a name brand shampoo that is regularly $3.99 on sale for $2.99 and you get $2.99 in extra bucks if you use their Extra Care savings card. The $2.99 extra bucks prints out at the end of your transaction and is "money" you can use toward a future shopping trip at CVS.

Another tip: in the Pittsburgh area you can go to many tv/radio station websites to look for half-price deals - wtae, wpxi, wdve, b94, etc. You can buy gift certificates to local restaurants, entertainment venues, hair salons, etc 1/2 price.

It does take a little time to get in the habit of saving money and utilizing the many "techniques" offered by different stores. I would suggest learning one technique, then add another every week or so - that way you won't be overwhelmed. Before you know it, looking for deals, using coupons, etc will be second nature to you. And it can become addicting. Good luck to you!

Price conscious often is in competition with time conscious, so you have to find the level that makes sense for you. I belong to www.thegrocerygame.com and subscribe for Giant Eagle and Whole Foods (about $2/week). I also look daily at moneysavingmom.com, where you can get all the info about CVS, Walgreens, and RiteAid shopping, as well as weekly deals at Walmart and Target. You can get overwhelmed, so just pick one or two stores. I really like the instructions n both websites-- they will talk you through it.

A lot of people like Aldi's, and they do have low prices, but I have concerns about feeding my family the cheapest food available. Most of Aldi's food is shipped a long way, and, well, there is a reason it is cheap. Everyone has to decide how they feel about that...

The PP was correct about Walmart usually being cheaper for many items. I buy my dry good there, but very little produce. It always seems to me that the produce goes bad more quickly for me if I buy it at Walmart. One thing that helps me with coupons is to print them from online the day I plan to grocery shop. I also only print coupons for things that I know we need and will use. Sometimes coupons can make you buy things you wouldn't normally buy - just to get the deal. At least that's the way it is with me! Do you make menus ahead of time? That's helpful for me - when I take the time to do it - LOL. The one thing that I consistently do that definitely helps is to always shop with a list and stick to it. That keeps me from impulse buying things that are on sale or look good while I am shopping. HTH!

I started saving a lot of money once I fine tuned my meal planning system. Having a plan and a set list prevents me from buying unecessary things. I spend about $100/week on a family of four. I recently blogged about it if you want to see what I do:

http://daisyandpear.blogspot.com/2009/07/meal-planning-ye...

Good luck!
C.

What we do-we shop at Aldis so we keep our recipts and we compare the recipts to the sale ads we get. Sometimes Aldis' is a better deal other times regular grocery stores.
Our main stores are Aldis, Food Basics and Shop Rite and sometimes Pathmark.
It might help you if you try to plan ahead dinners so you get an idea on what you need and go to the store with a list.
dinnertool.com is a great site for dinner ideas. You just put what you have in fridge and it'll come up with some ideaa