Well, I finished my month long grocery challenge. While it wasn't too hard to stay under the budget needed ($100 per week for 4 weeks), it was hard to come up with healthy and creative ways to save. A lot of times with couponing, it's hard to meal plan when all that's on sale is cereal and soap. I mean, come on, one can only live on Cheerios for so long. And even with cereal, you have to buy milk! And I don't think I've ever seen a coupon for milk! :) But I did it. Our average was less than $50 per week for groceries. That's half of what my budget was. And we did not starve. We actually ate quite well. Finding deals on eating out stretched my creativity the most. But I even got through that. Here's the top things I learned this past month.
1. Strategic Couponing: I've been couponing for a while now but a lot of times I spend money on things that we really don't need or want. For example, a couple weeks ago Tony's frozen pizzas were on sale for $.50 when bought with a coupon. We don't like frozen pizza. But I just couldn't resist the $.50 price tag. So I bought 4 and gave them to a neighbor. Now, I'm all for blessing the neighbors or people in need but I spent $2 on someone else that I'm not really close to and I don't think they're really in any need. This is what I'm learning to curb. I wish I had saved that $2 and bought more ground turkey that was on sale this week at Kings. Learn a lesson for me, people. Unless it's free or a moneymaker, don't buy it unless you think you'll eat it.
2. Waste not, Want not: I'm learning to eat leftovers. I still don't really like them but it's wrong to waste the amount of food we do when there are people all around the world who are dying of hunger. All You posted a bunch of great recipes on how to use leftovers and there are literally thousands on the web. One night, I baked a bunch of chicken breasts and we had salad one night, chicken and mushrooms another, and then chicken quesadillas the following. Not a single breast was wasted! I'm quite proud of myself!
3. Be Flexible: You really can't be brand loyal when you get into serious couponing. I've never really cared what toothpaste or deodorant I use but my family sure does! I've had to break them out of it. Right now, we've got kids' Crest Bubble Mint toothpaste in our bathrooms because I got it for free :) It's all the same stuff, just flavored differently.
Well, that's what I've learned. Oh, and I'm also learning to not be afraid to walk away from a deal if it doesn't work out the way I thought it would. I had to do that today at King Soopers. Don't feel guilty if it happens to you! It's your money and we all need to be wise shoppers.
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