More on Coupons

I have had a few requests for more information about using grocerysmarts.com. Unfortunately, the site is only good for people who live in Utah or Nevada. (The last I checked, they were working on more states so you can contact the webmaster if you're interested.) If you don't live in Utah or Nevada, there is also a website that does the same thing for a subscription fee. The site is thegrocerygame.com. They have a 4 week trial available for $1 so you can see if you save enough for the subscription fee to be worth it. I think you will find it is. Anyway, I typed up a walk-through of the grocerysmarts webpage for a friend in Nevada. I thought I'd post it here for anyone who is interested. The Utah site works the same but has even more stores and features! Here it is:

First of all, I know what you mean about the Sunday papers not having any "good" coupons. I used to feel the same way. To really save money, you need to completely change your perception of what is a "good" coupon. All brand loyalty must be completely forgotten. Instead of buying what you're used to, you buy what is cheap!! Keep in mind that that is sometimes the generic brand, but couponing usually allows you to buy brand names for even less. (However, I did have a $3 off coupon for Oil of Olay face cream and the generic was still cheaper...)

This method will change the way you grocery shop. Most people make a list of what they will eat for the week and then go out and buy the ingredients, no matter what they cost. With grocerysmarts.com, you stock up on the items that are the cheapest. Then, you have a mini-grocery store in your house. (Great for food storage!!) You make dinner out of the items you have on hand because you got them all for really cheap! The grocerysmarts recommendation is that you have 1 newspaper subscription for every person in the household. If you want to have a perpetual food storage, get 2 subscriptions per person. We have 2 subscriptions total for my husband, me, and our baby. It is enough for daily needs, but we don't have a lot of extra on hand.

So maybe the best way to do this is to have you open up another browser and go to grocerysmarts.com so you can see what I'm talking about as I explain it. I live and shop in Utah, so I have a different "passport" for grocerysmarts.com. I like the Utah site a lot better than the Nevada one - it has a lot more features like an alphabetical coupon index and a TON more grocery stores. It looks like Nevada only has the lists for Albertson's and Smith's - bummer. But, one of the things I really like about couponing is that it allows me to shop at generally more expensive stores and still spend way less than I would at Wal-Mart. (I HATE Wal-Mart!!) I still go there for non-grocery items, but now it's about once a month instead of once a week - hooray!

The Nevada passport is g89ccb - all lowercase. (If you're curious, the Utah one is g84ro1.) Notice to the left of the screen, there is a little ad for the Amazon grocery list. Amazon groceries are really good for stocking up - free shipping too! Under the Amazon ad, you will see a button for people just getting started. This brings up a one-page description of how to use the site. I think it's a little confusing, so I'll walk you through it. However, it does have a number to call to get additional Sunday papers for only .75 each, so I would call and see what that is about. Also, to the right of the screen you will find a little tool for saving money at Wal-Mart.

In the middle of the screen, you will see where is says "printable grocery coupons - Group A Group B Singles." The site makes its money off of people printing coupons from groups A and B. The Singles coupons are coupons found on different manufacturer's websites.

Scroll down the screen and you will see in red print "Best Method - A hanging file box!" I use a big three-ring binder, but the method is the same. Create a file for "SmartSource," "RedPlum," and "P&G." These are the different types of coupons that you will find regularly in your Sunday papers. Each week, take out the coupons, write the date on the front of each packet, and then stick the coupons in their corresponding files. (Make sure to keep the dates in order.) You don't even need to look at the coupons. To the right of the screen is a list of the schedule for coupons for 2008. Those are the packets you should expect to find each week. (P&G comes once a month.)

Now, scroll back up the screen and you will see a drop-down menu with "Select Your Store" highlighted. You can choose "All in One" to see Albertson's and Smith's at the same time. I usually just go to Albertson's because I don't like the hassle of more than one store and they usually have better sales. After choosing your store, you will see a spreadsheet of the items on sale for the week. (Both Albertson's and Smith's sales run from Wednesday to Wednesday each week.)

At the very top of the screen you will see "Mini list buttons!" Click on the Start button. This will turn everything gray. Now go through and highlight the items that you'd like to buy. Be sure to highlight the instructions for each sale too, or they won't print out on your list. The left-hand column has stars in it according to how good of a deal the item is. ("stock-up scale") The more stars, the better. The second column tells you the item description. The third column is how much the item is on sale for, without any coupons.

The fourth column refers you to coupons available for that particular item. It starts out with the brand the coupon is good for. Then, it tells you how much the coupon is worth (e.g. $1/2 means $1.00 off every 2 items purchased). The date in parenthesis is the expiration date. The last information tells you how to find the coupon. If it's a printable coupon, it will give you the link. (I like to do all Group As at the same time and all Group Bs at the same time. The first time you print coupons you will need to download a coupon printer to enable you to print the barcodes. A lot of times the "Singles" coupons lead you to manufacturer's websites that require you to answer a few questions or create an account in order to print the coupon. I created a junk mail email address so I don't clog up my inbox. It's a valid address, but I never check it. Also, keep the same password for all the accounts you create - I use "coupons." There are a few sites that are used frequently - General Mills, Nestle, etc. - so you will end up going back to the same ones often. Most sites, including grocerysmarts.com, have a limit of two prints per month on each coupon.) If it's a Sunday paper coupon, you will see RP for RedPlum, SS for SmartSource, and PG for P&G. Also, the date the coupon came out. The right-hand column tells you how much the item will cost with the coupon.

After you select all of the items you want to buy, click the "shrink" button at the very top of the screen. Now, you can print out your shopping list. I go through and find all the coupons I need after printing out my list. This does take a little time, but everything else is so easy it's worth it! I also write on my list how many coupons I have and how many items I need to buy. (For example - 2 $1.00/3 coupons means I need to pick up 6 items.) Now you're ready to shop!!

So there are the basics - click around the site to find some of their other suggestions and features. I know I said you don't need to look through the coupons when you get them, but I usually do. I will clip out right then the coupons for things I know I'm going to buy even if they're not on sale. (For example, baby food and diapers.) Then, if I run out of the item before it goes on sale, I still don't have to pay full price for it because I've got my coupon ready. I try to save the coupons for sales though. We also have WIC which really helps, particularly with formula. Their maximum income level is relatively high so you might qualify if you don't do it already. Like I said in my blog, there are definitely ways to get a lot more into couponing, but it would take a lot more time. This is just enough for me to feel like I'm helping my family's financial situation without being entirely consumed by it. I hope this helps out your family! Let me know if you have any other questions.