The economy isn’t as bad as it could be, but it has definitely been flat. The rising cost of gas and food has pinched your pockets. The good thing is that it’s teaching people to be more frugal with their money without having to read tons of personal finance blogs. The bad thing is that most people only practice a frugal lifestyle when they need to. They don’t make it a way of life. My encouragement to you this week is to start developing frugal habits that last a lifetime. Obviously, your goal is to become independently wealthy, so you can enjoy some of the finer things in life and give back to others, but the only way to get there is to live a modest and frugal life on every day necessities.
Going to the grocery store can be an expensive adventure if you don’t know what you’re doing. Planning and preparation for the trip to the grocery store can save you a ton of money. If you fall into the grocery stores’s trap, you’ll find yourself buying on impulse and being lured into deals that aren’t really deals. There are a few moms out there that have dedicated their life to helping you save money at the grocery store.
Here is a list of some of the best websites out there for deals and coupons.
Always remember not to fall into the coupon trap. The reason that maufacturers produce so many coupons is because they know it will encourage you to buy a certain product that you may not have normally bought. If you do this, the coupon is used in vain. You must only use coupons on products and brands that you normally buy. For instance, Charmin might have a $1.50 off coupon for a 12 pack of toilet paper with the retail price at $8.99, but the store brand or a lesser brand such as Angel Soft might have a 12 pack for $6.99. In this case, it’s still 50 cents cheaper to get the lesser brand, unless you normally buy Charmin brand, because of your personal preference. So, check out those websites and see what you think. The idea is to start finding ways to save at the grocery store for the rest of your life, not just when gas prices are out of control.
