PART FOUR
THE PRICE BOOK

As you have been following along with Parts 1, 2 and 3, you have probably noticed that I use various tools to save money. The price book is another important tool. Since I can’t remember every price of every item in every store that I go to, I rely on my price book. Creating a price book does take time. But it will come in handy time and time again.

You can create your price list by simply doing your shopping! Make a list of all the items you need to buy. As you shop, write down the price next to the item on your list. Each time you shop and buy something that is not listed in your price book yet, write it down. When you are in a different store, bring your price book with you. Look for the items you normally buy and see what the price is. If you find a cheaper price at that store, make a note. Your price book can be a small notebook that fits in your purse. Or it can be part of a larger notebook that holds your coupons, etc. (see Part Two for photos of my shopping book)


If you forget to write down the purchases, just look at your receipt when you get home. Be sure to write down the package size, the price and where you bought it. I also write the date (as prices do change over time). This is a good exercise for children – it will help with their math skills – figuring out what the cost per ounce is, etc. Add to it each week and before long you will have a price book.

Now, I must warn you that store managers don’t like price books. They might think you are working for a competitor. Or they may not want you to know that their price is higher than the other stores. Be discreet when you get your prices. It is not illegal to have a price book but if you are discreet it could prevent embarrassing moments.

One day while I was shopping at the grocery store, the manager saw me and my notebook and he was curious as to what I was doing. At the time I was just looking through my coupons to see if I had one to match up with an item that was on sale. I willingly showed him my book – I pointed out my shopping list and the pages of coupons that I had. His curiosity was satisfied (before I got to the price book section) and he left. I shop at this grocery store every week and the manager sees me in his store on a regular basis. I am not trying to put him out of business. I am just trying to be a good steward.

Once you start comparing the prices of similar items in various stores, you may be surprised to find some stores are cheaper than you thought they would be. Walmart isn’t always cheaper than your local grocery store. So, a price book is very useful to make sure you are getting the best deal for your money.


I shop at 3 different stores each week. They are located near each other so I do not have to go out of my way (and use up the money I am trying to save on gas). If that isn’t an option for you, you may need to plan a shopping trip to maximize your mileage. You don’t want to drive 30 miles to save a $1 because it will cost you more in gas and you won’t be saving anything. Utilize the stores in your vicinity. If there is a store you want to go to that is out of the way, then try to plan your visit around a time when you may be going somewhere else and that store would be on the way. You don’t have to shop at every store. If you just want to utilize one store for groceries, you can still save money. It is a matter of learning how to maximize your savings at that store. Check with that store to see if they price match. If they do, then just shop at that store – be sure to have all your sales flyers with you as the stores won’t price match without them. Happy hunting!

Stay tuned for Part Five!

PART THREE
THE INVENTORY LIST

The first thing we should do is look at what we have. Some people have great memories and they can glance into their pantry and have a visual picture in their minds of what is in there. Maybe you have a photographic memory. I do not . . . . I guess there was a time a long time ago when I could do that . . . but that is no longer true. So, one Saturday, I spent about 1 ½ - 2 hours creating a list of all that we had in our pantry and freezer. I found things that I didn’t know I had. I found doubles and triples of things that I didn’t know that I had that I just kept buying more of because I thought I was out of them.

Making a list does take time. Maybe you have someone at home that can help – like a spouse or children. If you homeschool, this could be an activity for the kids to help with their counting and writing and finding matches. One person can call off the items and the other person can write them down. Or maybe your spouse can take the kids outside and give you some free time to get it done by yourself. In addition to using coupons and sales to buy groceries, saving money means not buying something too.

This isn’t something that you “have” to do but I have found it be very helpful for me. Even if you only do it one time to get a feel for what you have (and never update it again), it will be time well spent. It has saved me from buying stuff that I didn’t need and that has saved me money.

My list isn’t professionally done. It is simply a list of what I have on hand. I try to update my list every so often. Most of the time, it isn’t up to date. But at least I have an idea of what I have. I put the date on it the last time that I updated it and that gives me an idea of what I could have used since then. You don’t need an absolutely-totally-accurate-up-to-the-minute list. You just need a good idea of what you have.

So, when I am looking at the sales flyers or walking through the store, if I see a sale on something that I use, I will check my list to see what I have. If it looks like I have enough to last me another 2 or 3 months, I will probably pass up that sale. However, if I only have 1 or 2 bottles left of something that I use a lot of and it is on sale for a great price, I will take advantage of the sale – even if I don’t need it for that particular week. Part of the way to save money is to stock up when things are on sale. My goal is to not pay full price for my groceries. I will not be able to meet that goal 100% of the time, but I want to do it as much as possible.

For example: Let’s say that I am going to have a BBQ in 2 weeks and I know that I will be needing some BBQ sauce. Now, let’s say the sauce is on sale now - wouldn’t it be a good idea to buy it when it is on sale? If I wait 2 weeks to buy it only when I need it, chances are that I will pay full price. Planning ahead is a key element in saving money.

For those that are just starting out with building their pantry, you don’t have to do it all in one week. When money is tight, we can’t buy “extra” stuff to fill a pantry. My suggestion would be to find one item on sale this week and take advantage of it. If it’s buy one, get one free – then you have 2 items for the price of one and you are on your way to building a well-stocked pantry. By simply incorporating one sale item each week, you will eventually see the difference. Your budget will determine how fast you can stock your pantry. When you have a stocked pantry, you aren’t likely to need as many items each week when you go shopping and your bill will start to go down.

A well stocked pantry will give you piece of mind. If you live in an area that deals with hurricanes, you will already have what you need – you won’t have to panic buy at the last minute. Also, if something comes up and you can’t get to the grocery store, you can probably pull something out of the pantry and freezer to get you thru. But, a well stocked pantry will not be very helpful if you don’t know what you have.

Here is a sample of an inventory list. Of course, you will have different items to put on your list but this sample is just to give you an idea. You are in control of what you want on your list – don’t overwhelm yourself. Chances are you will need to make changes as you use your list. It is a work in progress and one more tool in your money saving tool belt.

Stay tuned for Part Four!

 PART TWO
THE SHOPPING NOTEBOOK

My Best Saving Money Tool

Another way I save money is with my shopping notebook. I don’t go shopping without it. I chose a 3 ring binder notebook with a zipper – so that when I drop my notebook (and I do) everything doesn’t fall out. This particular notebook has 2 sets of 3 ring sections.





On the one side are all my coupons – organized by category (which makes it easy to find one quickly when I am shopping and find an unadvertised sale). It also has a pocket to hold the sales flyers and a see-thru plastic pouch to hold the coupons I plan on using.

On the other side is my list broken up into the different stores that I will be shopping at. I write down the item and the sale price next to it. Then, if I should be shopping in a different store and come across the item I need, I can see if it has a better price.

Behind that are sections that include the following:
1) Shopping List – not groceries (things I am looking for but haven’t found a good enough price yet to buy). Example: I needed a new office chair and a bicycle seat. When I went to various stores that might have those items, I would check the price. Eventually I will find a price I like and buy those items. But, if I didn’t write those things on my “future” list, I would forget about them. Eventually I would really really need those items and then I would be forced to pay whatever the price is at the time. I would rather not do that!

2) Misc. Info contains my inventory list (stay tuned for future post with details)

This section also contains information such as air filter sizes, printer ink sizes, etc. (because I forget what sizes I need). Nothing fancy here. I use the plastic card holders (such as a business card holder, photo pages) and write down the size of each thing that requires a particular size. I put a note with that item and size in each of the pockets. I also make a note of the operating hours of the stores – some close earlier than others. If I know their hours, I won’t make a wasted trip when they are closed.

I also have paint samples of my walls and trim so that I can make sure that what I am buying will match my décor.

3) Price Book (stay tuned for future post with details)

4) Christmas list (with the things I have already bought). I shop all year long – looking for special items that I know my family would like and buying them when they are on sale. Unfortunately, I can’t remember what I buy, so I need a list of the things that I have bought and who I bought them for! I also have a designated spot to put the gifts so that I don’t forget where they are. I shop at the “after-Christmas” sales to stock up on wrapping paper, gift bags, etc. and I keep them with the gifts. At a glance I can see what I have and I what I will need.

So many times, I have walked through a store and forgotten what I went to buy. My shopping book helps me to stay on task. I would be lost without my book!

PS: Here is my shopping list form. You can cross out the store names (or use white-out) and write in your own.

Stay tuned for Part Three!

 PART ONE 

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON GROCERIES

Paying attention and being aware of what is available is all part of saving money on our groceries. We want to trim the “fat” from our grocery bill. Cutting the grocery bill scares some people – they think it will be awful (eating "cheap" foods they don't like).  I am going to share with you the ways that I cut costs. Some of these ideas may seem “extreme” – And you may be right – But they will enable you to put a smile on your face as you put money back into your wallet instead of handing it over to the cashier.

It does take time to save money and it does require effort on your part. A fact of life is that typically we will get out of something what we put into it. There are many things that I do in order to save as much as I can. I will share the different things that I do – just find one (or more) that works for you. Each idea will save you money. Try one idea at a time and work your way up to doing more. No need to overwhelm yourself. You can simply find what works best for you in your situation. Save a little – save a lot – but do save!

Some of the ideas may sound familiar to you – you may already be doing them but you want to save even more. I’m with you! If anyone has ideas that aren’t mentioned here, please let me know because I want to continue learning more ways to do even better. There is always room for improvement!

Let me give you my disclaimer – I am not an expert on grocery shopping. I don’t know all the deals that are out there. Many times I miss deals. There is no way to know everything or do every deal that is offered. But, I am hoping that this will kick start you into the saving money mode – help you to be more aware of what is available. There is no “one” way to do it. Whatever works for you is the right one to use!

I must warn you that saving money on the grocery bill does take time – especially in the beginning. It is not a 5 minute plan that will save you hundreds of dollars. But, it is time well spent. Don’t get discouraged if things start out slowly for you. It will get better and you will see the fruits of your labors over time. Think of it like a mini part time job that you can do while in the comfort of your own home. By putting in the time you can save $50, $100 and even more off your grocery bill. In the beginning, it will take more time but, again, it is time well spent. I have found that it is worth my time to do this. And, to the best of my knowledge, the money we save isn’t taxable!

Let’s take the first step!

1) Do you have a grocery budget? Do you stick to it? First, we need to know how much to spend on groceries. If you don’t already have a budget in place, you will need to figure out an approximate amount. If you have saved your grocery receipts (or credit/debit card charges on your statement) – add up all the ones for the last month. Get an idea of what you are spending on groceries. Look at the bottom of the receipt to see what your savings were. This will give you a starting point and help you define what your goal is for the next month. In order to see how far you have come, you need to know where you have been.

2) Do you plan out your meals for the week? Having a plan is very important to reigning in the cost of groceries. You wouldn’t build a house without a plan, right? Start with a plan. Will you need breakfasts, lunches and dinners this week? Or just breakfast and dinner? How many dinners – one for every day of the week? Will you have time to make complete dinners from scratch or will you need some frozen dinners for those busy nights? Do you take lunch to work or school? Determine what you will need for the week ahead.

3) Do you make a grocery list? Check your cabinets or pantry and see what you have to work with. Go online and check out what’s on sale in your store (or stores that you shop in). Write down any ingredients that you will need to make whatever recipes you plan on using in the coming week. Don’t forget to check the staple items (things we use without thinking about it – sugar, flour, salt, etc.) and snacks. Don’t shop when you are hungry or you will throw any and everything into your cart!

“Clip” some coupons while online (save them to your account that you will create for that store). There are also websites where you can choose the coupons you want and print them out. Coupons.com is a good one. But, using a coupon doesn’t always save you money. If store brands don’t bother you, check the item’s price (minus the coupon) and compare that amount to the store brand or another brand. Which one is the better deal? Buy the better deal.

When you make your list, it helps to list the items in the same order that you will find it in the store. Get acquainted with the layout of your store – it will save you time when you don’t have to keep back-tracking to find what you need. I will typically go down each aisle in the supermarket – that’s how I find unadvertised specials. It will also remind me of something that I forgot to add to my list. But, if going down every aisle will cause you to overspend – then skip that part. Are there certain aisles that cause you to overspend? Avoid those aisles, if possible. Or, bring a friend to hold you accountable. If you can shop without the kids, that would be ideal. But, I know that isn’t always possible. Kids do have a way of adding things to the cart. If they are old enough, maybe they can help you look for the best price on the items you need – great training for them too!

You now have a plan – a place to start.

Stay tuned for Part Two!

HOMEMADE FRAPPUCCINO

Who doesn’t like a nice chilled coffee drink after dinner on a hot summer night? I know that I do! I used to buy the Starbucks Frappuccino. It was about $6 for 4 bottles – 1.50 per bottle (only 9.5 oz. in each bottle). I decided to make my own. For the price of one Starbucks bottle, I can make 3 (16oz) cups. Almost double the amount of the Starbucks bottle! Keep an eye out for sales and you can probably make this even cheaper.

Ingredients

4 tsp sugar free caramel syrup (roughly 2/3 of an ounce) (or any flavor you prefer)
Sugar Free Caramel Syrup – 12.7 oz bottle costs about $4.27. You will get about 19 batches from one bottle.
Cost per batch is .23 cents

4 packets Truvia sweetener (or use regular sugar if you prefer)
Truvia – 80 pk box costs about 5.88. 
Cost per batch is .30 cents

1 dark coffee pod
Folgers Black Silk coffee k-cups– 24 cups cost about $12.94.
Cost per batch is .54 cents

6oz of Heavy Cream
Quart of heavy cream, store brand - $3.12.
Cost per batch is .59 cents

Water to fill blender – up to 5 ½ cups

Total = 1.66 for one batch (3 cups) = .56 each cup (I used prices from Walmart)



Store bought Frappuccine – 1.50 per 9.5oz bottle
Homemade Frappuccino – .56 per 16oz cup (almost twice as big as the store bought size)

Directions

Make a cup of coffee (1 k-cup and 16oz of water) You can also use a regular coffee maker – be sure to make it strong.

After it is brewed, pour into blender. Add the Truvia and the Caramel Syrup. (add the Truvia while the coffee is hot so that it dissolves quickly)

Then add the heavy cream. Blender will have about 2 ½ cups filled so far.

Fill the rest with cold water up to the 5 ½ cup line. (could also add ice) Leave a little room so it can blend.



Blend the mixture for a few seconds – it doesn’t take much. If you add ice, it will take longer to blend.

Makes 48 oz and will fill a 32oz mason jar and a 16oz mason jar. Put the caps on and chill in the refrigerator. Enjoy later!