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7 Money-Saving Secrets to Dramatically Slash Your Grocery Bill

Slash Your Grocery Bill (Updated 3/2021)

In today’s post, we are going to be discussing how to slash your grocery bill in seven steps. Cutting food costs may sound difficult, but with these tips, you will see it can be as simple as staying organized and paying attention to the stores you shop. To find out more, keep reading…

Learn how to cut your grocery bill with these seven easy steps.
Learn how to cut your grocery bill with these seven easy steps.

 

In today’s world, it is hard to get by with the mess of clutter that envelopes our heads. Everywhere you look there is a different company trying to advertise something. Most people are walking around 24/7 with “clutter-head” and this clutter from billboards, television, social media, and even e-mail ads are literally clogging up productivity and leaving us feeling overwhelmed.

If we are being honest, as this clutter seeps in, it is easy to go off-budget. But with some careful planning, we can learn to slash our grocery bill and get things back on track.

Oftentimes, the noise and the clutter causes frustration. And if we are looking for an organizational system with bills, it is best to try to organize our lives as well. Think about the last time you wasted an hour searching for your keys in a messy house. This is super frustrating and can happen to anyone, but if we have systems in place for our bills, budget, home organization, and time management, we can simplify many things in our life and learn to save money on bills including food. So let’s take a look at how you can save more money on food and keep track of sales to maximize your food budget.

Our goal here is to dramatically slash our grocery bill. What would you do if you had extra money in your budget? Above all, you could pay down debt and create a workable budget.

Surveying people in a Frugal Living group I belong to, I found the biggest frustration with budgeting is not having any money left over when the bills are paid. I’m here to tell you, you can find extra money with some organization and planning before grocery shopping each week.


 

Looking for a great way to earn cash back on groceries? Try Ibotta and get paid to shop:


 

This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you, so thank you. This site uses cookies for a better user experience. For more information read our disclosure policy here.

How to Slash Your Grocery Bill

In today’s post, we are going to discuss how to slash your grocery bill. You can first take a look at where your money is going, so you can create a budget for your food.

Hence, when you start organizing your world – house, car, bill payment, budgeting, money – you will be able to see where the money is going and if you are behind, you can use savings to help you catch up. The good news is, food is one of the easiest ways to cut costs. You can then create a workable plan and begin to slash your grocery bill drastically.

Finally, the leftover money you have saved from your grocery bill will be well spent on repaying debt and/or saving for an emergency fund or retirement.

Careful planning and a bit of work are key, but you will be on track to obtaining your money goals.

Learn how to slash your grocery bill by using these seven tips. The steps are discussed in detail below.

  • Shop sale cycles
  • Pay attention to product placement
  • Stick to a list
  • Buy in bulk
  • Stay organized
  • Use coupons
  • Use rebate apps like Ibotta
Slash your grocery bill and save
Slash your grocery bill and save

Slash Your Grocery Bill – Seven Easy Tips

Tip #1 – Organization

Like most aspects of life, it is best to stay organized. As I talked about the clutter above, an organizational system is a must in today’s world and will play an intricate role in staying on budget. Just like you are budgeting your money, try budgeting a little time to set up your meal planning and grocery list because taking a little time to plan will save you time in the long run.

Don’t fall into the time-wasting trap. For instance, running back to the store every other day is a time-waster. Another time-waster: thinking of something to make for dinner. Also, fiddling through coupons at the store when you do not prepare your coupon plan will cause stress and waste more time. “Work smarter, not harder,” my friends. In order to avoid these time-wasting mishaps, Therefore, I suggest meal planning and organizing your coupons.

Organize with Meal Prep

Personally, I like to do my meal planning at the beginning of the month. (Here is one of my most popular posts with a meal plan example.) My calendar is essential because I use it to plan meals and mark dates I may have a party to attend or a cook-free night, like a Holiday at a family member’s house. Then I include those days on my meal plan so I do not buy extra food that may go to waste.

Also, I recommend keeping your coupons organized, which will be discussed further in the post. Target’s dollar bin is a great place to shop for a couponing organizer. A great way to organize coupons is by areas of the store, i.e. Produce, meat, cereals, etc. When I pick up an item, I place my coupon in the front of my organizer so I am ready when it is time to check-out.

No doubt, it helps to set aside time to find coupons and organize coupons so you are ready for your shopping trip. Here is an example of time-budgeting to stay organized:

Sunday morning

9-9:30 Match coupon deals to stores (Use coupon bloggers to save time)
9:30-10 Create a meal plan for the month using items that are on sale (Example of a meal plan)
10-11 Go grocery shopping
11-11:15 Organize rebate apps like Ibotta and Checkout 51 (Do this before you put away your groceries – more on this topic below)

You have now spent 2-2 1/2 hours of your day planning for an entire month’s worth of groceries. Create a time frame that works for your schedule and when you budget your time, you will not feel guilty for being unproductive. I usually grocery shop twice a month (If you stay out of the store, you have fewer impulse buys).

Tip: Meal plan for two weeks and double your plan for an entire month’s worth.

(Check out my $40 meal plan for the bare bone’s budget)

Tip #2 – Shop sale cycles

Ask your local manager how often sales cycles occur for items you often buy or start keeping track on your phone calendar. Stock up when an item is on sale. For example, cereal is a staple at our house. A good deal for cereal would be $2 or below per box. When this sale happens we buy enough to last until the next sale. Most store sale cycles are between 6-8 weeks. Pay attention to how much you go through in a sale cycle. Of course, it is best to buy more the first time around so you don’t end up running back to the store to buy your item at full price.

On the other hand, it may sound counterproductive to spend more money stocking up, but once you build up your stockpile for the next 6-8 weeks you can cut those items from your next shopping trip.

Tip #3 – Placement of grocery

First and foremost, one secret many grocery stores don’t want us to know is they strategically place items to tempt you to buy more. I guess it’s not so much a secret anymore because I saw it in the news last week! However, knowing this will help you avoid falling for the marketing trick. Brands actually pay a fee for premium placement at eye level or lower level where kids will see sugary cereals and treats. Additionally, it is not a coincidence you have to walk to the back of the store to grab milk (picking up five other items on the way.) Then you have to walk to the other side of the store for meat or bread. Accordingly, the rotisserie chicken is next to the register where you can capture the smell after building up an appetite while grocery shopping and is easy to grab on your way out.

Store placement of groceries
Store placement of groceries

More Grocery Money Saving Tips

Tip #4 – Stick to a list

Honestly, I’ve said this before in my blog posts but making a list and sticking to it can save you tons of money! Nonetheless, it is easy to grab items off the shelves if you are in a hurry or hungry, so use your time budget as mentioned above. Stick to your list as much as possible, but give yourself a $5-10 allotment of wiggle room for a sale or item you cannot pass up. In this way, you do not feel restricted and if you do not spend this money you can carry it over to the next week.

Tip #5 – Buy in bulk on sale

Have you considered buying in bulk? Many times the price per item is much cheaper. Not to mention, some of the bulk stores like Costco have great deals on food bought in a larger amount. Furthermore, I find snacks such as Skinny Pop, applesauce pouches, and bulk water are much cheaper at Costco. Yes, you can shop at Costco even if you do not have a membership. Buy a Costco gift card and you will be able to use it. Find discount gift cards at cardpool.com.

Remember, you really need to stick to your list at big stores like Costco because it is easy to go overboard. All of the free samples are hard to pass up buying after trying. Yet, if you can stick to your list when buying in bulk will save you in the long-run. Target even offers bulk items for a discount.

Have you considered buying a whole chicken and using it for a few meals? You could use it as a main course and then make homemade chicken noodle soup to have for the next few nights. Again, shop the sales and stock up on items like this that can be frozen and will keep.

Tip #6 – Rebate Apps

There are several rebate apps out there but my three favorites are Ibotta, Checkout 51, and Ebates (more for shopping online).

Ibotta

This is an amazing rebate app that offers you money back for submitting your grocery receipt. For more about Ibotta read here: Ibotta

To sign up and receive a $10 bonus click here: Ibotta

Checkout 51

This app is similar to Ibotta. Find items on the list of rebates and upload your receipt after shopping.

This app is like Ibotta in that you scan your receipts. So why not use Ibotta and check out 51? One perk to Checkout 51 is that your items don’t have to be store-specific. You can use a receipt from any store, even your local grocery store.
Sign up and start earning money back on your groceries.

Fetch Rewards.

Fetch Rewards is easy to use and can earn money back on items you buy. It works on a point system and you can get 2000 bonus points for signing up using this link.

Rakuten (Formerly Ebates)

Rakuten is also amazing but it is for online shopping. If you buy your groceries through an online store such as Amazon.com, it is definitely worth checking out.  Read a review here: Rakuten (Formerly Ebates Review)

To sign up and receive a $10 bonus click the button below:

Ebates Coupons and Cash Back

 

Couponing – This could be an entire post but here are the basics:

Tip #7 – Coupon 

Coupons are usually the first money-saving trick we think about when reducing our grocery bills. However, one complaint I hear is that most coupons are for unhealthy foods. Yes, Sunday paper coupon inserts are known for processed food coupons. Yet, in today’s world, you do not have to rely on the Sunday paper for all of your coupon needs. You can find a gold mine of coupons online. Check out my favorite site Coupons.com and some others are Mambo Sprouts (mostly healthy food coupons), and Redplum.com. Also, Target even has its own online coupon page.

Yet, if you are searching for household products and personal care products such as deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste, the Sunday paper will be your best friend. The Sunday paper includes coupons from Red Plum, P & G, and Smart Source.

My best tips for these products are to shop drugstores and learn how to coupon at your favorite. Personally, I love CVS because of their Extra Bucks system and if you are interested, you can read more about it here. Also, I like Walgreens’ program. However, I do not go to drugstores every week because I do not have the time, but at least once a month I replenish my stockpile of items listed above.

Target has Great Personal Care Sales

Additionally, Target has amazing personal care sales every 6-8 weeks. They offer a coupon, buy $20 worth of personal care items and receive a $5 gift card. Not to mention, you can use manufacturer coupons and Cartwheel and still receive your gift card. (Read more about how to shop Target sales here.) In fact, I buy TRESemme hairspray, Dove soap, and Pantene conditioner for 50-70% off retail.

Check out popular coupons on Coupons.com here:


Don’t overspend using coupons

Literally, I could do an entire post about couponing, and one day I will, but for now, let’s focus on the basics. Generally, one important goal I recommend is to use coupons for products you already buy and stock up when you find match-ups with your local stores’ sales. There are thousands of bloggers out there that do the coupon match-ups for you, so save time and check them out. My favorite is The Krazy Coupon Lady but there are thousands to choose from. You can also do this yourself by using local flyers but this will take more of your time.

Plan, plan, plan…This will make your coupon goals easier to meet. If you randomly coupon, you will not save much and may even end up spending more, buying items you will not use.

You Might Make a Coupon Mistake and That’s Okay

Every couponer’s plan at some point has a glitch and that is okay! It is easier to cut your losses than argue with a manager for twenty minutes about something you should have gotten free (and better ways to spend your time), but know that even the best planner, at times has something on the plan that doesn’t work out. Just do the best you can and study the store’s couponing policy so you don’t end up overspending.

I love the saying, “Everything in Moderation! Even couponing!” You can really get burnt out on couponing if you do not budget your time wisely and stay organized. Also, I recommend a coupon box and a plastic coupon holder you can take to the store with the coupons you plan on using. In short, find a system that works for you. Try transferring the coupon to the front of your envelope as soon as you put the product in the cart. This seems to keep the checking out transition easier because I have a stack of coupons to hand the cashier and I like to see if the computer is accepting them. To each their own, but I rarely use more than ten coupons in a single transaction. Although I love coupons, I prefer my coupon rebate apps and Target Cartwheel.

Side Note: One of my pet peeves is when the store shelves are cleared out of a discount item. Hey extreme couponers, leave some for the rest of us. I usually only buy up to five of one product at the same time because I don’t have room to store a large stockpile and I know, these items will go on sale again in six to eight weeks.

Note: I can’t say it enough. If you want to coupon, budget your time and stay organized.

7 Steps to Slash Your Grocery Bill Final Thoughts:

To sum up, if you are looking to slash your grocery bill, you have come to the right place. The seven tips listed above are my foolproof methods to helping you save. Again, start by eliminating clutter in your life before you change your budget. Yet, food is a basic need in your budget, but it is easy to cut spending in this category. Remember to shop sales cycles and pay attention to product placement. Be like Santa, make your list, and check it twice. Buy in bulk to save money and stay organized with your time and your couponing. Similarly, use rebate apps when you return from your shopping trip. Implement these strategies and your will dramatically slash your grocery bill.

You can now put that extra money into a savings account to pay off debt or save for an emergency fund. Take baby steps to slash your grocery bill and reverse the clutter in your budget and in your life. Until next time…

Take Care – Sarah

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Slash Your Grocery Bill 

How to Score Amazing Frugal Workout Gear

Workout gear can be expensive. Find out wear to shop for great deals on your workout clothing.
Find out how to shop for frugal workout gear.

Where to Buy Cute but Frugal Workout Gear

A friend of mine is looking to go to the Barr after having her baby… No, not the bar you are thinking of! Barr class to workout… Now you see where I’m going with this. Knowing I’m into frugal fashion and running, she texted me to find out where I shop for my frugal workout gear! I immediately gave her a list of several places that have always worked out (pun intended) for me!

Most women want to look cute while working out but if you are on a budget, you aren’t going to buy Lulu Lemon, Athleta, and Victoria’s Secret workout gear. Yet, there are ways to look pretty while you are sweatin’ to the oldies. (Sorry, bad old-school workout joke!) You just have to know where to look.

Frugal workout gear is easy to come by if you use my shopping tips listed below. The best part is the list offers good quality workout gear, so you won’t be literally running back to the store to buy more. So keep up your shopping pace as you read through my list and get ready to look cute while getting into shape this year!

This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. 

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How To Create a $40 Meal Plan Your Family Will Love

Plan your meals for two weeks for under $40! Your family and budget will thank you!
$40 Meal Plan Your Family Will Love

This is my third round of bi-weekly dinner meal planning! However, this time it comes with a twist! Why? A fellow frugal friend needed help. She had to find a way to feed herself and her husband for two weeks, but the kicker was she only had $35 for food. Realizing the need for low-cost meal planning, my “$40 Meal Planning Your Family Will Love” was born.

Inspired by her situation, I wondered how many others out there could use low-cost meal planning. So my challenge for this round is to keep your grocery bill around $40. Hopefully, you have some items on hand and you will spend even less, but if you do not, you will come out right around $41.

This list is a dinner meal plan so let’s see how well we can do. Be sure to read until the end and click the printable grocery list to save you time and money! My shopping for this meal plan was mostly done at Kroger.

Keep in mind, if you are saving money on your groceries, you will be able to put money away for other important areas of your budget such as an emergency fund, savings account, or retirement fund.

Cutting your food costs is one of the easiest ways to put extra money in your pocket. Not to mention, my $40 meal plan will save your sanity because you will not be rushing around your kitchen, like a crazy person, trying to throw something together when your kids are hungry. This is not a fun situation for anyone!

Suggested Reading:

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Budget Friendly Two-week Dinner Meal Planning – Under $75

Meal Planning on a Budget – Round 2 for under $75

Meal planning - 2 weeks under $75
Meal planning – 2 weeks of dinners under $75 with printables

Did you read Budget-Friendly Meal Planning? If not then click the link, but if you have followed me (hint, hint subscribe to new posts on below) then you may be getting tired of the first two weeks of meal planning and want some other options.

Just a quick recap! Meal planning is an awesome way to save on your grocery bill and save your sanity.  By planning out what you will make for dinner each night and by knowing you have the right ingredients on hand, dinner will be stress-free and you will be less inclined to order take-out.  I’ve even included an easy homemade pizza to boot!

One of the best ways to save money is to eat at home.  In my first meal-planning option I included one budget-friendly meal out, as a treat!  In this version, we will eat at home every night.

If you are only eating out once a month (if you use my first meal plan and then add this one), imagine how much money you will save! (Do the math: Average cost per dinner out = $12.17 per person at Red Robin x’s 4 = $48.68 x’s 4 (if you go out once a week four times a month) = $194.72. You will be saving almost $200 by eating in. (Source for the average cost per meal at a chain restaurant: Business Insider)

Before you go on…If you want to save even more money on food, check out my favorite cash-back apps. These apps help me earn money back on my groceries each week. All I have to do is submit my grocery receipt. Check them out below:

Ibotta is my favorite, but I also love Check Out 51 and Fetch Rewards. The best part is you can use all of them with the same grocery receipt and each offers a sign-up bonus. Check them out here:

Sing up for Ibotta here

Sign up for Fetch here

Sign up for Checkout  51 here

Your food bill doesn’t have to break your budget.  Cooking is easy, fun and budget-friendly.

So with you in mind, I devised another two-week round of meals! Listed under the meal planning is a grocery list with prices (mostly exact but a few are estimated) of where I usually shop, Target! You will notice our bi-weekly dinners will total under $75!! That is two weeks of dinner meals for under $75! Yes, you read that right!

Note: Add some bread, lunch meat, cereal or oats, and milk, and you will have an entire two weeks of meals for around $100.

Note: If you are really low on cash this month, check out my $40 meal plan for two weeks worth of dinners.


Other Budget Posts You Will Enjoy:

 

Grab your free Meal Plan and Menu Template

Click here to grab your free meal planning packet! Meal Planning Packet!

This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you, so thank you. This site uses cookies for better user experience. For more information read our disclosure policy here.  We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

For more money-saving tips subscribe at the bottom of this post or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Take my advice and only visit the store twice a month. Stock up on all of your grocery needs and you won’t be tempted to head back to the store, where the advertisers will be working their magic to test your impulses and lure you into a spending splurge.


More Budget-Friendly Food Posts:


Have you heard of Meal Plan Magic? They take the “guesswork” out of meal planning and make it easier for you to learn how to meal plan. If you don’t have time for meal planning, why not check them out?

Check out my absolute favorite crockpot you can use for meal planning. It has lasted me eight years and counting!

So without further adieu, let’s get cooking!!

Meal Planning Week One

Click here to print in PDF format: Meal Planning Round 2

Monday: Smothered Pork – This slow cooker recipe is so easy and yummy! Serve on top of rice. This will be updated in few days to include a link to the recipe. Check it out. Here is the recipe: Smother Pork  (updated 1/24)

Tuesday: Cheap and Yummy Bean Burritos – Use one can of Market Pantry refried beans. Next heat up the beans on the stovetop and add them to your wrap.  Then add shredded cheddar cheese and your favorite toppings! We like salsa and light sour cream. Optional: Make a rice packet and add it as a filling!

Wednesday: Grilled Chicken and Veggies – Thaw overnight and season up your chicken with salt and pepper and/or Italian dressing. Next pan-fry it on your stovetop for around 8 minutes on medium-high heat. (Always check your meat is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit). I usually buy frozen vegetables and steam them, because they are cheaper than fresh and they still hold a lot of nutrients.

Thursday: Sloppy Joe’s– Use Ground Beef and Manwich Sloppy Joe Mix! Brown up your meat and add the mix! Serve on a bun with a side of veggies. Yummy!

Friday:  Freezer Friday – We like fish sticks (Gorton’s is a good option) or spinach ravioli and veggies but feel free to cook up anything you have meant to eat in the back of your freezer.

Saturday: Homemade Cheap and Yummy Pizza – Make a basic pizza dough (Here is one from The Food Network that I like. Also you can freeze the extra) and add pizza sauce and your favorite toppings. We like black olives and onions. Another easy option for pizza crust is the Market Pantry thin crust, which sells for only $1.49.

Sunday: Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos – This is such an easy meal. Just add 1/2 cup water, 1/2 onion, and three thawed chicken breast to your crock-pot. Add 1/2 a packet of taco seasoning and 1 cup of salsa. Next, cook on high for around four hours (depending on your crock-pot) and shred the chicken.  Then mix well and drain if it seems too runny. Lastly, serve on wraps with your favorite toppings.

Check out my absolute favorite crockpot, which has lasted me the past eight years, here!

Want to save even more on groceries and earn $10? Sign up for Ibotta and Checkout 51 and get cash back for your groceries. I use these EVERY time I shop!

Meal Planning Week Two

Monday: Leftovers – Use the leftover chicken from last night’s meal to make more yummy tacos or serve on tortilla chips with cheese for chicken nachos.

Tuesday: Pancakes and Eggs – Breakfast for dinner! Why not?  You will get your protein from the eggs and carbohydrates from the pancakes. Best of all, my kids will eat it! They usually refuse to eat and get up fifteen times, but that is beside the point!  With pancakes, they lick their plates clean.

Wednesday: Cheddar Turkey Burgers – Mix one package of ground turkey with 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Next season with salt and pepper and a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce. Lastly, cook your patties and serve them on a bun with veggies as a side dish.

Thursday: Mozzarella Grilled Cheese and Tomato Bisque – I use sliced mozzarella for the grilled cheese and a side of Campbell’s Tomato Bisque. The grilled cheese is great for dipping.

Friday: Freezer Friday – Pull something out that will expire soon! If you are extremely good at using everything in your freezer, try Market Pantry Frozen Ravioli!  They have a few varieties!

Saturday: Pulled Chicken Sandwiches and Veggies – Another simple crock-pot recipe! This recipe will be added soon and is a very simple way to make your pulled chicken in a slow cooker. Updated 1/26 Pulled Chicken Recipe

Sunday: BBQ Chicken Pizza – Make a basic pizza dough (should have some in the freezer if you made the recipe above) and add leftover chicken from last night, plus red onions and mozzarella cheese. Bake for around 20 minutes! YUM!

Need more meal planning ideas? Check out the Ultimate Healthy Meal Planning Bundle from my favorite bundle company here!

Meal planning - 2 weeks under $75
Meal planning – 2 weeks under $75 with printables

Grocery List for Your Budget-Friendly Meal Plan Under $75

To print the grocery list in PDF format, click here: Grocery List Meal Planning Round 2

On hand: salt, pepper, salad dressing (Italian), flour, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce

Meat:

1 lb. Pack of Pork chops $4.99, 1 2.5 lb. package of Market Pantry Frozen Chicken $7.99, 1 lb.pack of Jennie-o Ground Turkey $4.99, 1 lb. Market Pantry 80/20 Ground Beef $2.99, 1 lb. pack of fresh chicken $4.99: $25.95 (If you are lucky, Target often has a sale of $5 off $20 meat purchase. Be on the lookout! You will need a coupon from the flyer. They offer this sale about once every two months)

Produce:

1 white onion $1, 1 red onion Total: $2

Pantry:

MP = Market Pantry brand (Target changed some of the brand name items to Good and Gather)

Market Pantry Cream of Mushroom Soup 10 oz $.99, MP white rice package 14 oz. $1.69, MP Chicken broth 14.5 oz. $.79, MP refried beans 16 oz $1.17, MP Wraps (8 10 Inch) $2.14, Pizza Sauce $1.50, MP Taco Seasoning $.69, MP Chunky Salsa 24 oz. $2.27, Simply Balanced Tortilla Chips $2.99, Bread $2, Campbell’s Tomato Bisque 11 oz. $1.59, Yeast pack of three $1, Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce $1, Market Pantry Pancake Mix 32 oz. $1.99, Optional MP pizza crust $1.49 Total: $21.81

Dairy:

Sour Cream $2.59, MP Shredded Cheddar Cheese 2.49, 32 oz. MP Mozzarella Cheese $4.99, MP sliced mozzarella cheese $2.49, Eggs $1.99 Total: $14.55

Frozen:

1 Simply Balanced Frozen broccoli $1.66, 1 Frozen Simply Balanced mixed veggies $1.66, Gorton’s Fish Sticks $2.99, package of MP frozen ravioli 2.99  Total: $9.30

Grand Total: $73.61

How I save more on groceries and bring my price under $70:

But wait…I have a Target REDcard and I receive 5% off all of my purchases at the register. This brings my total down to $69.93

Want even more savings? Look up your items on the Target Cartwheel app. Target Brands such as Market Pantry and Good an Gather are always in the app. Furthermore, I never leave home without my Cartwheel app! To learn more check out my Target saving secrets here. Don’t forget you can stack Target coupons on top of the app savings!  Just check the Target website before you shop and print any relevant coupons.  They often have a $3/15 Market Pantry or Simply balanced brand coupon. This is where the real deal savings come in at Target.

You may also stack Target coupons with manufacturer coupons. Print coupons easily at coupons.com, one of my favorite coupon sites!

To make meal planning even easier, check out Meal Plan Magic. Meal Plan Magic teaches you how to meal plans and stay healthy by taking your individual needs into consideration. You can check it out here.

Budget-Friendly Two-Week Meal Planning Conclusion

I hope you enjoy your meals and the time you saved is spent doing something else you love without stressing about food!!  I’ll be spending my free time playing trains with my boys!  Leave me a comment and let me know if you received any extra savings! I would love to hear from you!

The question of the day: If you had an extra half an hour of free time today, what would you do with it?

Have a great weekend my friends! Until next time – Sarah

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Play the drugstore Game at CVS and Save a Ton

Saving Money at CVS

Play the drugstore game and save a ton!

What is the drugstore game? Saving a ton at your favorite drugstore. When we think about saving money, most of us do not think “drugstore” as our go-to place. In fact, just walk into any given drugstore and you will find products with a high markup and you can usually find said products much cheaper at your regular grocery store or big box stores. Yet, if you play the drugstore game, you can not only save on groceries but toiletries and household products as well, and sometimes get your favorite products for next to nothing or free.

For the purpose of this post, I am going to teach you how to save at my favorite drugstore, CVS. However, you can play the drugstore game at other big drugstores such as Walgreens and Rite Aid.

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