How much do you save using grocery coupons? Update! I saved 72% last week!

[Ka' eo]

Okay, so I signed up for the GG for the free trial. It is a bit overwhelming at first, but I like a challenge. CVS has huge savings and I can already see how I would save a ton.

You all sound like smart cookies. I think we should be able to save money not just on groceries, but household things like batteries, etc. Being disciplined here appears important too.

Thanks for all the replies so far!

 

[jodifla]

Using coupons and the Grocery Game website (which is a subscription), we have consistently saved 40-45% off our grocery bills since last summer. I'm sure there's some items that we might do better buying store brand - and we still do buy some store brand items -- overall, we've been saving a LOT of money off our bill.

Some GG members consistently save closer to 70% but we've only hit that type of savings a few weeks.

My husband went to the grocery store yesterday and spent $186 (cash out of pocket). Our savings on the receipt, between coupons, frequent shopper club discounts and all, was about $159.

It is a lot of effort though, even using the Grocery Game site, looking at the lists, cutting the coupons, etc. But if I didn't do it with Grocery Game, I wouldn't do it at all because it's just too much work to me to figure it all out with the store flyers.

It took a couple of months, but now we are really seeing successes with The Grocery Game. I spent $20 last week on groceries for the whole week, and it was mainly buying milk and some produce.

I like the GG because it does most of the work for me. The first four shopping weeks were lengthy....I wasn't used to stockpiling. But now we have a pantry and freezer full of stuff we eat all the time, and weekly shopping is more about the perishables.

To me, it's less about the coupons, although GG does a nice job of telling you where to find the coupons. It's more about the list....including having the ORIGINAL price, so I can see how much I'm saving.

Even with our first huge GG buy, while we were stockpiling, we saved a third of the grocery bill.

 

[puffkin]

I get THOUSANDS of dollars of free stuff shopping the drugstores (CVS/Rite Aid) with coupons and their programs. Food, soda, toiletries, OTC drugs, paper products etc. So I save a LOT with coupons.

For the grocery store I save $20-$50 a week. I try to only buy things that are on sale AND I have a coupon. Unless we need an item immediately I will hold my coupons until the item goes on sale. I hardly ever buy store brand as the name brand plus sale/coupon is almost always cheaper 9not always the case, but usually). If there is not a sale/coupon and I need an item then I buy store brand. I also buy smaller packages. That way you can use more than one coupon so usually the per unit price is much cheaper.

I treat it as a hobby/game rather than a necessity (even though it is) and it really does help make me want to do it more. I may be weird, but I get such a kick out of saving so much money!

 

[Ka' eo]

I treat it as a hobby/game rather than a necessity (even though it is) and it really does help make me want to do it more. I may be weird, but I get such a kick out of saving so much money!

I am your twin. I just love saving money. I get the rush saving money that some people get going on a spending spree.

I did just join the Grocery Game for their 4 week trial membership. After an initial peruse of CVS, Walgreens and Shaws, I can see saving a TON. The concept of stockpiling really makes sense. I am going to have to find space in my pantry and kitchen to do this.

 

[MarilIncredible]

We probably save about $40 - 50 a month using coupons.

 

[amylynne01]

I spend about $325 a month for a family of 4 including all diapers, wipes, food, hba, paper products, etc. This is a savings of 65-70% off of the retail price. I could easily buy only milk and produce for 2 weeks and not need anything else.

Couponing is as time consuming as you make it. If you want to save $10-$20, your time invested will be less than if you saved $90-$100. There are tons of sources for coupons. My favorites are ones you can print from the internet!

 

[dillydaleri]

I had a budget of about $150 a week for my family of 5 and now it seems to be closer to $200 a week I am spending! Ugh! I looked online at the Grocery Game website and it only has one grocery store in my town listed (Cub Foods). Our Cub won't accept coupons that are printed out from the internet though , so I guess GG is pretty much out for me, right? We have a Wal-mart Supercenter, but it wasn't listed as a store for GG in my town.

I used to shop at Cub, but then a Supercenter moved into town so I have been shopping there to save money. It's not my favorite place in the world to shop, but I do save money and being a SAHM to three kids I HAVE to save money. Does anyone know if Wal-Mart accepts coupons printed from the internet? I really need to start knocking this grocery bill down. I would love to shop at Cub again because it is usually not as crowded at WM, but I wish they would accept more coupons!

 

[eyor44]

I save $15-20 per shopping trip. and I belong to a coupon train. Once you get the hang of clipping coupons, you might consider joining one.

Some stores let you combine coupons. CVS, Target and Winn Dixie all let you use a store coupon and manufactor coupon on the same item. Love the internet coupons, but you have to watch that some stores won't take them. My Target nor Toys R Us will accept them, but others will. In my area CVS, Walmart, Walgreens and CVS all take internet coupons.

Once you get into it, it's really fun and the saving kind of becomes an addiction.

 

[mykidsand_i]

yeah, hotcouponworld ROCKS! It's basiclly the same as grocery game, but it's free. In their forum, they have a long list of stores with coupon match ups. AND, they have all of the free after rebate items listed as well in their (give me my money back) section. I love that site, it saves me a lot of time and effort!

 

[flamingglobessigmund]

I have never done coupons as it seems like mostly they are brand names, and when possible we use generic, as those items are typically cheaper. Our stores here do not do double coupons.

Very curious how it works for you.

Thanks.

On average, I save about $10 with coupons each trip. Our stores don't usually double or triple off coupons.

 

[LovableGluttons]

I think there was a thread similar to this one last week.

I just went today.

Total before coupons $218.71

Total after: -$6.61

I buy organic product, lots of fresh meat and fish, dried beans, whole wheat bread, pet products, and a lot of items I have coupons for more than the value of the item. They generate enough overage to cover the cost of the items I do want and need.

About 8 years ago, I kept track of the money I spent on groceries. I justy started doing it again this year. My goal is to coupon and rebate enough, while maintaining our health eating habits, to stay in the negative.

I started Janurary 1st, 2010. So far so good.

 

[flamingglobessigmund]

I had a budget of about $150 a week for my family of 5 and now it seems to be closer to $200 a week I am spending! Ugh! I looked online at the Grocery Game website and it only has one grocery store in my town listed (Cub Foods). Our Cub won't accept coupons that are printed out from the internet though , so I guess GG is pretty much out for me, right? We have a Wal-mart Supercenter, but it wasn't listed as a store for GG in my town.

I used to shop at Cub, but then a Supercenter moved into town so I have been shopping there to save money. It's not my favorite place in the world to shop, but I do save money and being a SAHM to three kids I HAVE to save money. Does anyone know if Wal-Mart accepts coupons printed from the internet? I really need to start knocking this grocery bill down. I would love to shop at Cub again because it is usually not as crowded at WM, but I wish they would accept more coupons!

I think it depends on the manager at WM whether or not internet coupons are accepted. Where I live, all the stores take internet coupons, which is great.

 

[ilovediznee]

To the last poster, our Wal-Mart in Lexington, SC accepts internet coupons. I have found that all the stores I use (CVS, Walgreens, Bi-Lo, Publix, and Wal-Mart) accept internet coupons. You may want to check with one.

I like printing them off the internet but hate to use all the paper and ink. I usually try and print them in all black and white and if the coupon only uses the top of my page, I move the page around so I can use the bottom.

My problem is that I need to stockpile JUST what we need, not all the "other" stuff that just looks good. I don't make enough money to do that and it has gotten me in $$$ trouble, so I plan to do an inventory of exactly what we need and only stockpile those items.

Awhile back another post talked about the fact they were spending a bunch of money on stockpiling to start with and it was messing up the money they needed for immediate groceries. Another person responded with a really good idea. For one month, concentrate on one or two products for stockpiling only. That way they are not overwelmed financially. Two simple things that seem to always be on sale are toothpaste and toilet paper.

Not sure if this will help, but wanted to share.

 

[vicki_c]

Yes, I have enough toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo and mouthwash to last us about a year - I haven't purchased any of those items for at least 3-4 months!

And to the OP or PP who asked how many GG lists I have - I actually subscribe to 4 and I am considering even adding another. In my area, I am fortunate to have multiple locations of:
Walgreen's
CVS
Safeway
Giant
Whole Foods
and we are just about to get a SuperFresh store near my house as well.

I am still saving way way more than it's costing me for the subscription though. Some weeks we go to all 4 stores, depending on the deals, some weeks 1-2. All are no more than a 5-10 minute drive from my house.

 

[fofinia]

I went last night just to grab some produce. There wasn't much on sale that I thought was worth it. But I did use a few coupons. I spent $31 and saved $10 in coupons. Some of my coupons were for free pasta and I had $5 coupon I received last time (called a catalina) for purchasing certain items. At my store, Stop & Shop, if you use the hand held scanner and scan your groceries as you go thru the store there are extra coupon savings on some items in it. And you can use a regular coupon on it too.

Best thing ever.... Do the CVS thing. Walgreens and Rite Aid also have programs. We have a weekly thread right here on the budget board about CVS. I don't pay for toothpaste or deodorant or shampoo or razors, even toilet paper I get ridiculously cheap. Most of us that do CVS get so much stuff free we give it away. I'm constantly giving my sister-in-law and mother extra stuff. It's not that hard once you get the hang of it.

Also some newspapers dont' have as great of coupons compared to others. I buy the paper from Boston even though I'm over an hour away from there. They have the best coupons. My local paper might have 1/2 of what the Boston paper has.

Hotcouponworld.com has a page for each grocery store. For the poster above who shops at Cub foods here is their page:

http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/cub-foods/

Good luck!

 

[denise5374]

I save usually around 35% using coupons. Retail is somehwhere between $110-$120 and I will pay around $75

The grocery store I shop at doubles coupns up to .99 and takes internet printables, except for "free items"

 

[flamingglobessigmund]

My problem is that I need to stockpile JUST what we need, not all the "other" stuff that just looks good. I don't make enough money to do that and it has gotten me in $$$ trouble, so I plan to do an inventory of exactly what we need and only stockpile those items.

Awhile back another post talked about the fact they were spending a bunch of money on stockpiling to start with and it was messing up the money they needed for immediate groceries. Another person responded with a really good idea. For one month, concentrate on one or two products for stockpiling only. That way they are not overwelmed financially. Two simple things that seem to always be on sale are toothpaste and toilet paper.

Not sure if this will help, but wanted to share.

ITA with this philosophy. We don't have enough room to have a huge stockpile. What I do is concentrate on a few things, and pick them up when they are on sale (usually at Walgreens) and I have coupons to match.

My stockpile consists of:
dish washing liquid & dishwasher tablets
tissues
aluminum foil (stopped buying about 2 years ago, and just now getting to the last few rolls)
pasta
toothpaste

I bought everything about 2 at a time, or whatever the limit was on the Wal Green's coupon, and slowly built the stockpile.

 

[Cindy B]

I saved enough one year to go on a Disney trip.. yes I did! Now it wasn't a full out fly, deluxe hotel, dining plan vacation.. but we stayed at Pop, used old Quick and Casual vouchers (precuser to Dining plan) and had a fantastic time.. gas, food, tickets and hotel all from clipping coupons!

It is so worth it just to cut and file-- it takes all of 30 minutes to do everything and it is so worth it to me. Idon't really do the CVS things (I don't need an overabundance of things just because I can) but I do well.

 

[J3nn78]

I LOVE coupons

I save about 40% off my order every week between coupons and store bonus card. I only buy things that we need/use. I often save my coupons for when the item is on sale for a bigger discount.
Last week the store paid me $0.50 for my bag of Quaker Rice cakes.

You need to have a good way to organize your coupons and be sure to plan your shopping based on the sale flier before you go. I go shopping on Sundays. I start planning it on Thursday when I get the store flier

 

[deerhart]

how much you save with coupons depends on what you buy.

For example, my last two trips to CVS, my savings was almost $100.00 on trip and $40 the next. But my average coupon usage at the grocery store is about $5 or $6.00.

This is due to my grocery purchase being mostly things like fresh veggies, fresh fruit, meat, and other things that don't often have coupons. Of the items in my grocery cart, over 80% of them will not have eligible coupons.

But I did luck out the other day and found 2 rebates on fresh fruits and veggies!

Which reminds me I need to add my last weekends trips to my spread sheet (my cvs savings for the year is close to $300.00)