Frugal GAB

Saving money on groceries is probably my most frugal success story.  I started out with a goal to reduce my spending of anywhere from $120-$150 a week on groceries (plus many trips to Target etc. for other household necessities) down to a more reasonable level. Now I rarely spend more than $60-70 week for all our groceries, toiletries and household cleaning and paper products.

First stop was The Grocery Game. Oh  am I ever glad I found that site. They make up lists for your favorite grocery stores and drugstores  (for me that’s Shaw’s,  CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid).  Then they match current coupons to the deals and let you know which items are FREE, a “rock-bottom deal” good for stocking up, or a good enough deal to buy if you happen to “need” the item asap.   There is a small fee for each list, but your savings of time and money are well worth it.

Another site I will frequest is Coupon Mom. There are also lists there, although a little less comprehensive for my taste, and there is a great coupon database so you can see what is available in your area. A great site if you are looking for a FREE option.

Also there are sites like A Full Cup and Slick Deals which I follow the forums for my local stores. This is  a great resource to get real feedback from other shoppers on what deals are working, what is included in a sale, more coupon match-ups and secret or clearance deals that have been found.

Then there are the store specific sites like I heart CVS or I heart Rite Aid.  They post advance copies of fliers so you can plan ahead.

Next are a few blogs I follow to check out deals, recently posted internet coupons, rebate offers, free samples and more. If you are looking for a place to see all the up to the minute info on just about every deal out there try reading Common Sense with Money or For the Mommas. These ladies focus on relaying all the info and links that one might get by subscribing to multiple newsletters or perusing the web.

Also check around for bloggers in your local area who may be posting about sales and deals at your local stores. I have a few places I go to see if they have any scoop on my local stores.

Last but not least is finding ways to stock up on coupons for your shopping. My favorite coupon clipper is Coupons by DeDe, but many people rely on The Coupon Clippers or The Coupon Master for their needs.  Do not forget eBay is also a great resource to find coupons already clipped for you!

Do you have any other sites you frequent to find deals?

What about blogs focused on presenting deals?

Any good coupon clipping sites I missed?

Taking the time to sit down and make a weekly (or monthly) menu plan can really help out your budget (and your sanity!). When you have a plan you can be sure you have the ingredients on hand, take things out to defrost on time, and avoid the money sucking lure of take out!
You can do it simply, or get really detailed…whatever works for you!

Here a a few basic steps to get you started:

• Think about what your family favorites are, what do you make often? If you are not sure then record a couple weeks of dinners on your calendar and see if you have a pattern. Use that as your base.

• Check your calendar to see if  you will be home, or if anyone has activities to keep you away at dinner time. That way you can plan a quick meal, or factor in a take out meal if it works better with your schedule . We have “Diner’s choice” on the nights my DH is not home so the boys choose their faves that night.

• Review your grocery store fliers at Sunday Saver or get your shopping lists from The Grocery Game, Coupon Mom, My Grocery Deals, or similar sites.  Plan some meals around what is on sale.

• Pull out your favorite recipes, or use a site where you can save them in a recipe box for quick reference.  Try All Recipes,  Kraft Foods, or just use the tags on Delicious to keep track of those you find on the web.  If you need more inspiration try Woman’s Day’s Month of Menus for a printable menu calendar and also a shopping list!

• Check your pantry, refrigerator and freezer to see what you have on hand before you make your shopping list so you do not waste money buying duplicates.

• Record your menu plan on your calendar, in your planner, or on Google Calendar (which is great because you can link to recipes in your entry!

Now if you are a blogger, be sure to join up with I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday and post your weekly menu!

Check out my weekly plan over at our sister site Simple GAB!