How To Save Money While Shopping! | A Guide

So if y’all know anything about me and the husband, you know we love to save some money. We are always looking for great deals on everything we need to purchase from groceries to clothing and even home accessories. Check out my crafts page for some great ways to save money and create some awesome items 🙂

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Coupons!
Ok, I am not the crazy coupon lady you see with the giant binders who get their entire cart and then some for $1.17, but I always have a good many coupons in my little organizer when I head to the store.  I have a small little accordion organizer that I just adore because it is quite portable and even attaches to the bar of the cart so I can easily find what I’m looking for. I divided mine into stores that we frequent & split manufactures coupons into “food” items and “products”.

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Also, Hobby Lobby & Michael’s always have things on sale, but they also have great coupons you can get right on your phone by using their app!

Also, at places like Winn-Dixie and Target, they generally print a good many coupons at checkout if you use your discount card. Always check these out because they usually are for something that you just bought and are likely to get again in the future!

And one of the best places is in your mailbox. Grocery stores, Bed Bath & Beyond (which NEVER expire despite the dates on there), Kohl’s and a few others always send out coupons and even free money sometimes. (Kohl’s always sends out $10 off cards that are only good for a about a week, but you only have to spend $10 to use it – no catch, just have to have a total that is over $10 – even by one cent – so that they can take the $10 off. It’s delightful.) The crazy thing is that people throw away all of these coupons all the time! Next time you’re at your mail center check out the open space people tend to throw mis-addressed mail and you might just find a few gems.

Reusable Bags!
I know I have said this before about using reusable bags to save the environment, but did you know it can also save you money? Some stores, like Target, take off money (it varies at each store) for each bag of your own that you use. It really adds up!

Compare Prices!
Just because it says it’s on sale doesn’t mean it’s a great deal. Stores always try to catch you with the giant SALE sign, but sometimes it’s just marked down a penny! A PENNY! Also, just because it’s generic doesn’t always mean it’s the cheaper item. Taking the time to compare prices of the items you buy most will save you a great deal in the long run.

Savings Cards!
Grocery stores and pharmacy’s pretty much always have a savings card that is completely free and quick and easy to sign up for. Some examples are CVS, Walgreens, Winn-Dixie…the list goes on! Also, Winn-Dixie has a great new program that saves you money on gas. Buy groceries, save money on filling up your car. Easy peasy. Also, I’m sure you’ve heard of the Target Red Card, but you may not be aware that they have a Debit version as well as the Credit version. And if you’re anything like us, you might be a little weary of having a billion credit cards. Well, with the Debit version of the Red Card, there is no annual fee, no sign up fee, and it is completely free. It just takes out from your checking account like any other debit card would, only you get 5% off and free shipping online. And you get awesome special coupons mailed to you for items and % off total purchases.  We have saved hundreds of dollars already in less than 2 years of using it just with the 5%, not even counting the coupons! Yet another reason Target is perhaps one of my favorite places on this planet.