Have you kept up with my
2009 Savings Challenge? (
Check out my sidebar for the complete breakdown).
Since Memorial Day our family has saved more than $2000! I know I've missed a few things here and there when I was tracking our savings, so it
really is more.
Our family didn't do anything extraordinarily difficult in order to save $2000 in five month's time. We just took advantage of the deals that I share with you here on
Savvy Mom Finds. Here are my three most important money-saving strategies:
- Shop the sales. Whether it's groceries, household items, or the new comforter for my son's room, nearly every purchase is timed to match a sale. Even if we're eating out, restaurants are chosen according to which one has a special that might save us a few dollars. I hate to pay full price for anything.
- Coupons, coupons, coupons! I clip them out of the Sunday paper, find them online, and receive them in my mailbox when I sign up for special promotions direct from the manufacturer. I maximize my savings by using coupons in conjunction with store sales. I generally save at least 30% on my grocery bill this way - oftentimes more like 50%. And the coupons aren't just restricted to grocery or household items - I clip them for restaurant meals and services, too.
- Stockpile. When I find a great deal on something I know I'm going to use, I go ahead and buy several of them. I never know exactly when the same deal may come around again, so I'd rather stock up now than wait until later when there's no sale and no coupon.
It does take a little bit of planning in order to employ the money-saving strategies above, but it's time well-spent. The Buy-One-Get-One-Free deals, high-value coupons, and freebies add up.
I've always known that I was saving significant amounts of money by being frugal-minded, but I never realized how much I saved our family until I started the tally. At this rate, it's easily conceivable that we will save more than $2800 by the end of the year (
in about seven month's time at a rate of approximately $400 per month).
That would work out to a total savings of almost $5000 a year! And keep in mind, I'm not trying that hard - these are easy things that anyone can do.
It's not too late - I encourage you to start your own savings tally to see how the pennies can add up. Be sure to check in regularly, and let's see how much we can save by the end of the year!
Here are the current standouts at Coupons.com:
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