VanDIY: Free Money
This afternoon, I attended a seminar called Free Money: Couponing and Other Tricks to Save at the Grocery Store. The seminar was presented by the Cuninggim Women’s Center, as part of the VanDIY.VanDIY, a monthly workshop series, sets to empower women and provide them with personal and professional skills needed in today’s world. Today’s workshop was led by Mary Hance, better known as The Tennessean‘s Ms. Cheap.
Ms. Cheap specializes in groceries, which is perfect for me as a college student. Even though we have amazing meal plan options here, one day in the near future (hopefully not too soon!) I will need to start buying my own groceries. I like to think that I am a smart-shopper, but I am always looking for more ways to save.
I got some great tips! Here are some of my favorites:
Before shopping, it really helps to know prices, make a list and beware of endcaps (they don’t always have the best advertised deals).
For a quick, easy and cheap meal, buy the already prepared rotisserie chickens. They are especially great because the leftovers can be used for anything from tacos to BBQ sandwiches.
Some stores actually accept coupons from competitors. So cool! You can call your local grocery store and ask for its specific policies. Some stores also accept manufacturer’s coupons in addition to store coupons.
Finally, I didn’t even know that this existed, but have you ever heard of rain checks? If the store advertises a sale and they run out of the sale item, you can get a coupon to extend the sale! I can’t wait to try it out!
My couponing ego may have taken a small hit. I definitely have a lot of room for improvement in my smart shopping. But, I’m up to the challenge!
Check out Ms. Cheap’s blog here. Happy Saving!