Guest Post: Kathleen at On Living Simply on Freedom from Debt

• Coupons. I go back and forth on this one. If you can manage to only use coupons for things you would purchase if you didn’t have the coupon, by all means use them. I found that I started off doing just that and then I would see coupons for products I wanted to try which weren’t necessarily products I needed. When I realized that I wouldn’t purchase the product if I didn’t have a coupon, I returned to just using coupons for things I need.
• Organic &/or natural product coupons are a bit harder to come by. I suggest signing up at manufacturer websites i.e. Organic Valley, Muir Glen, etc. Sometimes you can print things multiple times before it won’t let you anymore.
• Mambo Sprouts is another good resource. They come out with a savings book 5 times a year. Note that products in their savings booklet will eventually go on sale in stores before the coupons expire. They also have a e-coupons which I check right before going to the store.
• Whole Foods market has online coupons specific to their store that you can print.
• Food coops. Some have coupons, some don’t. Most all have sales or specials open to everyone not just members.
• Know your grocery stores coupon policy. Some do double coupon days. Some do double coupons all the time for coupons under $1.

Sales

• If there’s room in your budget. Stock up on items that you use everyday when there’s a special.
• Two of my biggest money savers have been stocking up on coffee when it was buy one get one free at the regular grocery store and purchasing grass-fed ground beef at Whole Foods Market on special for $4/lb.
• I purchased enough grass-fed ground beef to last 3 months. Wrapped it in 1lb packages and froze it. I have yet to see grass-fed beef ground beef for that price since. (Not even from a local farmer. To find the farm that supplies your Whole Foods click here.)

Ask your local farmer

• Ask for seconds at the farmers market. This works out better if you go towards the end of the market. Some farmers will have produce they don’t want to truck back or “ugly” produce that they couldn’t sell. I got free cucumbers once because they were crooked and a really good price on a ton of bruised peaches. I personally have no problems eating ugly produce.
• If you have the time, ask farmers if you can volunteer. I volunteered to help set up and take down a farm stand on Saturday mornings in exchange for so much money’s worth of organic produce, pastured eggs, and grass-fed beef.
• Volunteer to be a CSA drop off point. If you don’t mind being home for so many hours once a week in order for CSA members to come by and pick up their produce. Some farmers will give you a discounted CSA membership. Some will let you keep any produce not picked up at the end of the pick up time, etc.
• Ask about purchasing things in bulk. You can get really good savings on meat and by buying “flats” of things such as strawberries. This is of course assuming you have the freezer space.

Other random tips

• What items do you purchase that you can you make? Do you have the time to make yogurt, granola, bake your own bread, shred a block of cheese, throw veggies in a pot and make your own stock, soak and cook dried beans or make your own mayonnaise? This can be really cost-effective but also more  time-consuming.
• Bagged produce is always cheaper than the price per pound produce. I have found this to be true even when the price per pound produce is on sale. Weigh the bagged produce, usually it’s a little over whatever weight is marked on the bag.
• Economies of scale doesn’t always work! Sometimes the smaller packages are actually cheaper per ounce or pound. Bring a calculator to the store.
• Grow your own. I live in an apartment and am hoping that I can get in on a community garden plot.
• Buy herbs and spices at a Food coop. Especially ones you don’t use that often since you can purchase however much you want/need.
• Join a CSA, the amount of produce you get for the price is well worth it. But start with the smallest share. If you haven’t ever canned or made jam or can’t eat that many veggies try splitting a small share with like-minded individuals. A CSA can be a bit overwhelming especially in the middle of summer. So. Much. Produce.