… more fillet/less filler
“Nothing is free,” has always been my motto; however, seeing how card use and point redemption works for our household budget, I have changed my mind.
Grocery shopping while trying to save money is about as oxymoronic as it gets. However, if you can squeeze out the time for a little planning, it will amaze you the savings that are readily available with minimal effort. More effort equals more savings.
First step is to learn and practise some basic shopping rules that guarantee savings and some peace of mind.
1. Don’t shop when you are hungry. Guaranteed poor choices.
2. Shop from a list to keep you on track. Make an ongoing list on a pad in the kitchen. Avoid quick lists just before you go shopping.
3. Shop alone. If possible shop without your kids. May be difficult depending on the situation but a guaranteed money saver.
4. Shop the sales in the flyers. Check the flyers during wake-up coffee or bathroom time. Lots of regular prices but always bargains.
5. Use a calculator to check unit prices in small and large containers of the same product. Cross check similar products.
6. Shop on sale days. Can be more crowded but mindful choices allow savings.
7. Avoid “loss leader” come-ons where you are attracted by a reduced price product and end up buying products that are not reduced.
8. If you qualify, take advantage of any ongoing discounts ie: “seniors”
9. Wisely use a store club card. Discounts are always available as are specials. Points can be collected and on assigned “point redemption” days, the collected points can be redeemed for products with no money changing hands.
“Nothing is free,” has always been my motto; however, seeing how card use and point redemption works for our household budget, I have changed my mind. To the skeptics out there, picture two side by side shoppers, one with a points card and one without.
Over a period of time they buy the same amount of goods but only one is collecting points.
On a future points redemption sale day, the shopper with the points comes away with possibly hundreds of dollars worth of items while the non-card carrying shopper comes away with nothing. How is that not a great way to save money?
Our family points card is now linked to a credit card so all gas purchases at a particular gas bar (same cost per litre as elsewhere) also accrues these redeemable points.
Flyers for end-of-week sales at other non-grocery big box stores show discounts ranging from 10 to 65 percent off the regular price. Who doesn’t appreciate discounts like that?
As suggested, available time limits some money saving strategies, but employing a little “time management” may help with the time. Because I have both the time and the inclination. On sale I buy whole pork or beef loins, large packages of bacon and 30 percent-off dated meat items.
At home I cut, wrap and freeze these items in meal-sized portions. Initial cost is pretty high but represents a huge saving compared to the price for the same store packaged items.
