One thing I have been doing recently is making use of digital coupons. This came about at least partly because the food pantry at our church was so short on food, so if I could pick up a couple of cans of soup cheap, that was a couple more families who would actually get a can of soup. That reminded me that I really can do well with the coupons.
King Soopers -- our Kroger chain in Colorado -- recently did a 25 days of Christmas event with a whole lot of great digital coupons. Like their Free Item Friday promotion, the idea was that you have to log in on the given day and load the coupon to your card, and then you have some time to actually use it.
This was the result of my most recent shopping trip. I certainly didn't use every coupon they had available, as things aren't always a good deal. But I will pick up anything that is free, and donate it to pantry if we can't use it.
This shopping trip cost me $13.69, and it is all stuff I will use. Some I'll need to be a bit creative about. Like what does a family my size do with ONE Cornish Game Hen?
The Blistex was the free Friday Download from December 15. The Knorr Selects was a Free download from December 18 of the Christmas deals. Everything else I paid for. But not much:
- Spectrum Organic Shortening - $2.99
- Meatballs - $1
- Sargento Sharp Cheddar Cheese - $1.69
- Cornish hen - $1.74
- Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup - $.50
- Smokies - $1.25
- Simple Truth Organic Cream Cheese - $1.19
- Pepperidge Farm Crackers - $1
- Betty Crocker Potatoes - $.50
- Bic Lighter - $1.83
The deals where you have to log on to get the coupons tend to be a lot better than many of the regular sales. King Soopers/Kroger has a tendency to do a weekend deal as well. This weekend, you can log on to download coupons for two different items each day. I'm seriously thinking about a trip to town tomorrow, when I can get Campbell's Chunky Soup for $.75 a can, and Kettle brand chips for $.99 a bag. Not sure on the chips yet.
I also have some free Friday coupons I can use, including free Barilla pasta, and the one YOU could go grab today in the Free Friday download:
I make it a habit to log in to both Safeway and King Soopers on Fridays to see what digital coupons they have, and what kind of weekend specials might be happening.
That is one way I save on groceries.