Supermarket Savings Can Affect Your Whole Budget

There’s a lot to be said for saving money at the grocery store. If you think about it, having a fully stocked kitchen affects other parts of your budget, as well.

How many days have you looked up at the clock, gasped when you realized the day was almost over and wondered what you would do for dinner? If you have a stocked pantry, freezer and refrigerator, you can easily find a way to make something for dinner. Even if you have to opt for the occasional frozen pizza or boxed mac-n-cheese, you most likely can find something of nutritional value in your fully stocked kitchen to pair with it. Frozen vegetables, canned beans or even a salad take just minutes to prepare, cost very little and save your budget from the impromptu restaurant visits that can add up quickly when you’re not keeping track.

Here are some tips for saving at the supermarket:

Stock Up When It’s on Sale

Like a shelf life, just about everything in a supermarket has a sale cycle. Most items go on sale every four to six weeks. That’s when you buy those items – especially expensive items like meat or fish. If you’re paying $2 a pound or more for boneless/skinless chicken breast, you’re paying too much. Go to Alberston’s when family packs are on sale for $1.69 to $1.88 per pound, and buy enough to freeze and last through the sale cycle – about four to six weeks. Tom Thumb occasionally has its family packs of boneless/skinless chicken breast on sale for buy one, get one free. That takes the price down to $1.50 a pound, which is an absolute steal.

Beware of BOGO

Just because something is buy one, get one free, doesn’t mean it’s a good deal. Albertsons frequently advertises pre-seasoned, boneless/skinless chicken breast at buy one, get one free. Check the price per pound. Pre-seasoned meat is often priced higher, because it’s extra labor done by the butcher in the store before it’s sold. Also, know your prices. BOGO at one store doesn’t always make that particular item cheaper than it would be at another grocery store.

Last week, Tom Thumb had 12-packs of soft drinks on sale for buy two, get one free. Using simple math, it was easy to see this was not a good deal. At $5.99 per 12 pack, it was still costing $4 per 12-pack on sale. Eventually, those same 12-packs will be on sale for $2.50 each. That’s when you stock up.

Stack Coupons on Sale Items

Don’t just buy on sale. Save your coupons for sales as well. That makes items even cheaper, and sometimes free. And here’s a secret stores don’t often share. If something is on sale for buy one, get one free, and your coupon requires you to buy two, the free one counts toward those two. You get the free product and the coupon discount.

Saving at the supermarket can save your entire budget!