Grocery Savings with Coupons

So, it's been a few months since I posted about my use of coupons at the grocery store. I am a huge fan of coupons! I am a subscriber to the Sunday edition of the LA Times at a discount rate, since Sunday is the day the coupons are included. Each week I save the ads, clip out my coupons, and store them in envelopes based on where I plan to use them and what they are for. I basically shop at two places - Target and Ralphs, but sometimes there is a trip to Vons or Wal-Mart. I think I have a pretty good idea of which place gives me a better deal on certain items - it would be easier if our Target was a SuperTarget and had a full grocery store, but those don't exist in all areas of California, so I have to split my shopping.

Today I went to Ralphs, and if I hadn't been a Rewards member or used coupons, my total would have been $72.59. After my savings, I paid $35.27 - a savings of over 50%! And combined with a few things I have at home, I figure I can last for a week or so with what I bought.

I know some people out there are able to say "I spent $20 a week on food", but I think I've made significant progress over what I used to spend. I used to think that $60-70 a week was good, and that was when I was eating out more and the $60 didn't cover all of my meals. Now I am down to $40 or so and covering just about every meal. It's exciting!

If you want to subscribe to a newspaper, click here. The Sunday editions are usually the best, but other days may include coupons as well.