Planning a Meal around Coupons

How to Save Using Grocery Store Discounts, Sales and Specials

© L. Marie Dubuque

Aug 25, 2008

If it’s not on sale, don’t buy it. If you don’t have a coupon for it, don’t put it your cart. Words of wisdom…or just plain not doable? You decide. But if you can plan a meal around coupons and sale items, you can save yourself a bundle.

How to Plan a Meal around Coupons:

1. Gather grocery store sales flyers. To do this, you don’t have to run to every store in town. Simply go to each supermarket’s web site and print out their sales circular, the same one located at the front of the store. Then compare all the sale items for the week. If you find rump roast on sale at one store, but boxed mashed potatoes are half price at another store, you don’t necessarily have to go to each supermarket. Simply bring the competition’s flyer to your closest store. They should match the price. If the cashier won’t budge, ask to talk to the manager. Price matching is common practice. After all, grocery stores want to hold on to loyal customers.
2. Check for coupons in the Sunday and Wednesday newspapers. If you don’t subscribe to either one, you don’t have to go out and buy a paper. Many of the same manufacturer coupons are available online. Simply do a search for the product you are looking for. Also check the manufacturer’s web site. If they don’t offer a coupon for your favorite product at the time, you can get on an e-mail list, and the company will notify you when one’s available.
3. Go shopping! Once you’ve gathered up your coupons and you know which items are on sale, it’s time to hit the road (but make sure you go on double coupon day .) Try to combine manufacturers’ coupons with store sales. You’ll realize some big savings. It might be a challenge to come up with a menu based on nothing but these items. But if you’re creative, it will be easy. Once you have all your groceries, but you’re not certain how to use them all in a recipe, do an online search for recipes using those ingredients. You might be surprised at what you’ll find. Also, try to use items you already have, like spices. They are really expensive and can run up your grocery bill very quickly.

Finally, if you are completely stumped and can’t find the items you need on sale at the grocery store, broaden your search. Try other places like farmer’s markets where produce is often cheaper, and drug stores, where frozen, boxed and canned foods are often discounted.

Plan a dinner using ingredients that are on sale.

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