By Susan Samtur
Last month, I paid just 42¢ for $211 worth of groceries. Yup, you read that right. In fact, I save around 65 percent every time I shop, and if I really play my cards right, more than 90 percent. Over the course of the year, this adds up to about $5,000 in savings. What's my secret? My foolproof SuperShopping System. It's served me so well over the years that I'm known as "The Coupon Queen," and I've written three books about it. (My latest one, Cashing In at the Checkout in the Digital Age, will be out next year.) Now I want to share some of my best tips with you. Once you've taken a virtual walk through the grocery aisles with me, you'll be on your way to saving hundreds too.
Getting Ready to Hit the Store
A small amount of preparation goes a long way toward ka-ching!
1. Clip Those Coupons
It's the single best way to save on groceries. But finding and clipping them can sometimes seem like a chore, so diversify and simplify where you get them. The Sunday paper is a must, as are printable online coupons (make sure your store accepts them). My favorite places for online coupons are Coupons.com, SmartSource.com and manufacturers' websites. Also check the supermarket circular for special store coupons.
2. Take Stock
To avoid duplicate purchases, do an inventory, starting with the fridge, kitchen cabinets and pantry. Then check the laundry room, the linen closet (if you keep items there) and the bathroom.
Itemize what you need to buy in categories, ordered the way the store does it: baking, beverages, dairy, fresh produce, health and beauty aids, and so on. And make sure you have the store's flyer handy when you write your list. That way you can take note of the best deals that week and jot down the size and price of sale items to avoid picking up the wrong variation.
3. Know the Lingo
The supermarket flyer offers a bonanza of savings, if you know how to read between the lines. You usually don't have to buy as much as you think to get the deal. Say your store flyer advertises 10 Breyers yogurts for $4; that's 40¢ apiece. As long as it doesn't say must buy 10, you can buy any amount and still get the savings.
The same holds true with coupons. If you have some that offer a discount off a multiple-item purchase, don't assume you have to pick up an extra or two from the shelf. Look for bundled products. For instance, if you have a Colgate coupon for $1 off two tubes of toothpaste and spot a bundle pack of two tubes, grab it. Most of the time the coupon will cover the 2-in- 1 pack. And generally speaking, the bundle pack is a better savings.
4. Choose Your Store
Ask the manager about the store's policy on doubling and tripling coupon values, if they allow "stacking" (store coupons coupled with manufacturers' coupons), and how much their loyalty card deducts (percentage-wise) from your bill.
Time to Shop!
OK. You're inside with your shopping cart, coupons, store flyer and categorized list. Now what?
1. Don't Get Caught in the Maze
You just came in for a few items, but your bill adds up to $25. How'd that happen? Impulse buys! Grocery store managers know that the longer you stay in the store, the more likely you'll buy things you don't want or need. Supermarkets are designed to make you pass the most tempting items in order to get to necessities (milk, eggs, produce, meat). If you dash in for just a few staples, stick to the perimeter of the store and avoid the center aisles.
2. Avoid Unnecessary Aisles
Even if you're there to buy food for the week, don't shop aisle by aisle. Break that habit by sticking to your list. Your objective is to bob and weave: Work your way through just the necessary aisles one time only.
3. Train Your Eyes
Look for Specially Marked Packages (SMPs). Pet foods, cereals, household products, and health and beauty aids typically offer deals right on the box. Most common are things like 25 percent more product for the same price, a sample size attached to the regular size, a peeloff coupon on the packaging, and the best: a full-purchase-price refund on the product itself. Don't forget to check out blinking coupon displays attached to the shelves.
4. Examine Endcaps
Often, special deals, discounts and refund offers are displayed at the ends of aisles. But be warned- they're not always bargains. Sometimes the items are "slow movers" that the store hasn't been able to sell, or items that expire quickly and need to be moved off the shelves. So compare the price with others in the store first.
5. Do the Math
Feel foolish bringing along a calculator? Don't. Comparing prices is a surefire way to pare down your bill. Calculate how much you're spending on a single unit of an item and figure out which will give you the best bang for your buck.
Did You Know?
1. Store Flyers are Often Available on the Internet
It's as easy as Googling the name of your favorite market plus your zip code. All the specials, sales and promotions are listed in one place, and you can sometimes make a shopping list right on the site.
2. Some Supermarkets Now Accept Store Coupons from Competitors
Check with customer service to see if yours does.
3. Many Stores Don't Accept Printable Online Coupons
Before you spend any time printing them out, check your store's policy.
4. Most Stores Only Double or Triple Coupons Up to a Certain Amount
Check the dollar ceiling so you're not surprised at the register when your $1-off coupon is worth just $1, not $3.
5. When a Sale Product is Out of Stock, Rain Checks are Always Available at the Courtesy Desk
No matter what the new price is later, you're guaranteed the discount, and you can still use a coupon.
6. Forgot Your Store Loyalty Card?
Just give the cashier your phone number or zip code and she can access your file.
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