Guest post from Alex of Good Steward Club
Two goals my husband and I are always working on are saving money and eating healthier At a glance, it appears these two goals are at odds. But our use of coupons has actually enabled us to meet both of those goals in an unexpected way.
Here's what we do:
1. Clip coupons for all toiletries and household expenses.
I watch for deals at CVS and Target on paper products and stock up when I can get them below my price points. CVS will often send me coupons that I can add to my card for dollars off my entire purchase, such as $5 off $15 or $10 off $30. This sweetens the deal when I already needed toilet paper! Using Target's Cartwheel app often results in further savings on cleaning products as well (and just about anything else you can think of).
I've found that while there is sticker shock when you look at the price tags for cosmetics and personal care items at drugstores, they are the absolute best place to shop for toiletries. Between the cashback programs (ExtraBucks at CVS, +Up Rewards at Rite Aid, etc.) and the store coupons that can be added to your card or printed to stack with manufacturer coupons, I have walked out of the store with countless free and moneymaker shampoos, body washes, and facial care products. Yes, please!
2. Use discounted gift cards.
This is one of my favorite savings methods because it doesn't require much work at all. Gift Card Granny is a great search engine for available gift cards at discounted prices. Because grocery store gift card discounts are on the lower end (1-2% off), I like to purchase drugstore gift cards to further save on toiletries and household expenses.
At the time of this writing, CVS cards are selling at more than a 17% discount!
3. Shop the manager's special section.
Meats are some of the most expensive products you can buy. Even as we have removed grains from our diet and begun purchasing more meats, our grocery budget is lower than it has ever been because I load up on the manager's special meat cuts and plan our meals accordingly.
I've gotten grass-fed beef, steak, seafood and more for 30-50% off the lowest price marked. Since meat coupons are few and far between, this is the best way for me to use coupons on your actual food purchases.
We have cut out all processed foods (with the exception of an occasional carton of ice cream when we have company), and I've been amazed to see that our grocery expenses have actually gone down.
Even though I'm no longer using coupons on most of our food purchases, I'm saving so much money by using coupons and discounted gift cards, that I've been able to allocate more of our budget toward eating whole, healthy foods. Our wallets and our waistlines thank us!
How have you been able to save on healthier food choices?
Alex is a full-time homemaker and blogger at Good Steward Club. She is passionate about educating others on the many ways to save money as an act of good stewardship out of love for God.
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