Cut the Couponing — Save More Money on Groceries by Shopping Smart
Everyone loves to save money. And grocery coupons seem like a quick and easy way to make that happen. To some it’s a game, and the winner saves the most money possible. But like a kid who graduates from hungry Hippos to Monopoly, it’s time to learn a better game that makes more sense and saves you money for life, This game also guarantees you success in your kitchen. It’s called Shopping Smart.
The goal of the Shopping Smart game is to buy only items that can be mixed and matched to add up to dinner success in your home. Sound good? It is. And, it’s super easy.
To start, pay attention to what your family will eat and love every time you make it. For my family, these dinners include pasta, tilapia and anything in a tortilla. So by Shopping Smart, these three items are always on my shopping list. I have at least 7 different ways I prepare each, and so right there, I’ve got 21 options I can make for dinner… typically with other Smart Ingredients I’ve already got at home. Last week, pasta was on sale for $0.79, down from its normal $1.39 where I shop. I bought 10 packages, and right there saved $6. It’s like a built-in coupon that I didn’t have to cut, plan or remember to bring to the store.
Knowledge is power, and going to the store knowing exactly what to buy eliminates impulse buys, the stress of not having on hand what you need to make a recipe, needless trip to the grocery store for ingredients, and wasting food. It will save you not only hours of time each week, but also more money over a lifetime than any coupon can. It’s a win-win game!
I am the author of a cookbook titled 70 Meals, One Trip to the Store that is the flagship book for Shopping Smart and Smart Ingredients. The book contains one simple shopping list from which you can make any of the 70 recipes, any night of the year, with what you have on hand at home.
The recipes are easy, and delicious, with variety ranging from pizza and pastas to enchiladas, soups, quiche, strata, fried rice, meatballs and gravy and much more. To learn more, visit my company’s website at www.organizingdinner.com. Through Organizing Dinner, and my Smart Ingredients blog, I provide new tips, strategies and recipes for dinner success each week. I am also here to help of you have a cooking question. E-mail info@organizingdinner.com, or post on our Facebook page.
Kelly Donlea
Owner, Organizing Dinner
www.organizingdinner.com
