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.

HubMob

I've mentioned the site HubPages before, and how occasionally there are different contests and incentives going on to help inspire new Hubs. One that I found recently is called HubMobs. Each week they select a new topic and then make a Request where you can answer with your hub or hubs on the topic. One user creates a list of all of the hubs (this week it is St. Patrick's Day HubMob - Better Than Green Beer!) and it goes from there.

My contribution this week is The 2009 St. Patrick's Day Parade in NYC. Check it out!

How to Save $419.50 in Less Than One Hour

Great tips on how to find places to save money in your budget.

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9 Ways to Save Money While Staying Fit

Two of the most popular New Year’s resolutions are to get in shape and save money. It’s unfortunate, then, that these two goals often seem to contradict each other. After all, it costs money to join a gym, to eat healthy, and to buy fitness gear. These nine easy ways to get started without breaking your budget.<

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Tax season!

It's that time of year again! For those of you who like to get your taxes done early, this is a great time to get going! You have until April 15th, but why wait?




And for those of us in California, it's best to get them filed before February 1st to avoid refund delays! The state is out of money, so any refunds after the 1st may be delayed.

"Nickel and Dimed"

I had some free time at work today and read a book that I had been meaning to read for some time now, but probably wouldn't have remembered I wanted to read it if I hadn't seen it on the shelf in our mini-library. It's called Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in Americaby Barbara Ehrenreich, and it tells her story of an attempt to get by on a low-wage job and find a place to live in a new town. She moves to three different locations as part of her "undercover" journalistic study, and in each place she learns lessons and sees the realities faced by people who do not choose to live a low-income lifestyle, but nonetheless find ways to survive.

The book got me thinking of my own situation in work and that I should probably be looking at ways to make a higher wage, but the idea also hit me tonight as I was typing this that if I had time to read the book while at work, my job probably isn't all that bad!

Let the new year begin!

It's 2009! And it's going to be a great year!

This is the year that I accomplish my goal of $300 in 30 days. This is the year that I finish the year closer to being out of debt than I began it. This is the year that I take charge of my personal finances and apply the lessons I have learned. This is the year!

As I have been thinking about ways to approach the new year, I am somewhat torn between two approaches. This afternoon I have been sorting through all of that stuff that you pile away and plan on sorting through someday, and separated out all of my bank, credit card, and other financial statements. The plan was to organize everything and figure out what exactly happened in 2008 and then come up with a plan of attack for 2009. But as I was in the kitchen preparing my mac & cheese dinner (I've learned to budget, but haven't quite hit the healthy part yet!), it hit me that maybe I should just throw all of it away and start fresh. Start from today. That doesn't mean that I don't have to face my debt and my past mistakes, but I don't need to dwell on them and categorize them to death - just recognize them, establish exactly where I am at today as I start the new year, and move forward.

Kiplinger: The Six Best Budgeting Sites

With the slow economy and fast-approaching holidays, keeping track of your money can be like a stomach-churning roller-coaster ride.

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SingleGuyMoney Savings Challenge

A new challenge to put money away in a savings account, and then being able to use that money to give yourself a "loan" when needed.

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