For those who have decided to take more control of their finances and begin living more frugally, it can seem like a daunting task. I know I wasn't sure where to begin when we made the decision to start spending less. Now, after months of money saving, here are five key steps I have seen are important for those just beginning the frugal journey.
1. Start clipping coupons.
Clip nearly every coupon you can get your hands on, even if you don't typically buy the product. You just never know when you may be able to buy a product, use a coupon worth more than the purchase price, and apply the overage to the rest of your purchase. This will save you money on your other non-coupon groceries. Need help finding coupons? Check out this post
You also must learn your store coupon policies. Most Kroger stores double coupons to a certain value, Food Lion stores don't, etc. So check out your local stores, so you can gain a handle on how you can use your coupons to get the best deals available!
2. Begin a coupon organizational system.
If you try to carry around too many coupons while shopping without a good system in place, the results can be terrible, time consuming and very frustrating. Find a sytem that works for you. Need some help getting started? I use a coupon box. You can check it out here. There are also tons of other suggestions in this post at Keeping the Kingdom First.
3. Pick one drugstore to begin with to start shopping bargains. Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, etc.
Get a customer card (if the deals require one), and familiarize yourself with the system, how the store runs sales, if they have a rebate system, customer rewards, etc. Then start shopping at the drugstore of your choice once a week, combining the coupons, sales, and customer rewards to score toiletries, cleaning supplies, medicine, diapers, make up, and more for free or very close to free. Want to get the scoop on CVS shopping? Check out this post. Have a Walgreens in the neighborhood? MoneySavingMom.com has info here for you. Sue Stock with the News and Observer has a great article for Rite Aid beginners as well.
4. Kick brand loyalty to the curb.
Bottom line, your brand of preference of (insert product here- soup, juice, etc.) may not have many coupons available, and it may be much more expensive to continue buying that item rather than another. Evaluate whether the extra cost is really worth it. Honestly, I find the differences between brands to be pretty minimal. Other than a few products, I buy the best deal I can find rather than a particular brand.
Next, stores typically make it seem like their store brand is the best buy. And often times it is the best deal- if you aren't shopping sales and using coupons. But by bargain shopping, you'll be able to get the national brand for much cheaper than store brand 9 times out of 10. Want to read more about store brand vs. national brand? Check out Erin's article over here at Blissfully Domestic.
5. Change the way you think about shopping.
Evaluate each purchase before you make it. Why are you buying it? Do you need it? Is it a "want" you can afford and should buy? Can you make do with what you have at home instead? Cut out the excess junk and impulse buys in your shopping trips. It really is often necessary to change the whole mindset of shopping in order to save. Often, when I stop to think about it, I realize that we don't "need" the item, or I already have something at home that will work just as well.
Dana is married to her high school sweetheart Ryan and is a stay-at-home-mom to a baby becoming a little girl. She blogs daily on Frugal In Virginia where she helps families live on less while becoming better stewards of what God has given.
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