3
 Change Your Mind, Change Your Cart

Let’s take a minute or two and go back to the beginning of our journey. Way back to the part where we all admit we have tried using coupons before and it just didn’t work. No excuses, no finger-pointing; it just wasn’t successful. I mean, otherwise why would you be reading this book?

Honey, I’ve heard it all. Seriously, I already know what you are going to say, and I can probably tell you what the problem is before you say a word.

Let’s see if I’m close. In fact, I’ll take things one step further and say here’s how to fail for sure:

Waaaiiiiittt . . .

Do you see the flaw in this logic? Shopping this way means that we are expecting the coupons stuffed randomly in our purses to magically match up with the items we toss in our carts on a weekly basis. That is, when we remember to use them at all.

Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over yet expecting a different result. So it’s time to break the cycle, try something new, and change our thinking. Time to rewire the way we shop and take advantage of all those amazing savings we always hear about but never seem to find.

In this chapter we are going to talk about the importance of changing your mindset in order to revitalize the way you shop. Then we will take things one step further as we leverage these changes into real and lasting savings. It might not be easy; these are ingrained habits that can be hard to break. If you stick with me on this, you will finally see the difference in both your grocery bill and your pantry.

Change Your Thinking

How do you typically shop for groceries? What do you do when you need toilet paper? When you need salad dressing, cereal, or dishwashing detergent? Let me guess. You write it down on a list and go to the store, right? Well, you’re in the majority. Most people shop that way. But when you want to decrease your spending and increase your savings, you have to change your approach.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have to tell you that this is probably the hardest part for most people. The reason being that we have all been trained to shop a certain way. Basically we go to the store every week with a list based on what we need right then. A list made up of the items we feel we will use in a given week that are not currently in our cabinets or pantries. The problem with this approach is that it doesn’t allow us to capitalize on sales, special pricing, coupons, or any other type of deal. It is a need-based approach, pure and simple.

Now, what I challenge you to do is to stop shopping based on what you need and start shopping based on what you use. Believe it or not, there is a pretty big difference between the two!

When you shop based on use, you are taking advantage of the various types of sales to find that rock-bottom price on the items you know and love. Instead of starting in your pantry and making a list of all the empty holes, you start with the sale ads and work your way back to the pantry.

At this point I want to walk you through a few examples to fully explain what I’m talking about. Keep in mind that while we will dive into the basics of “Couponing 101” in the next chapter, for now we are focusing on why the strategy works. We will get into how it works very soon, but first I have to explain the method behind the madness.

For example, let’s say that Publix currently has Yoplait YoPlus Yogurt on sale BOGO. These particular yogurts are normally $2.00 each and your kids love them. In fact, they love them so much that you find yourself tossing a pack or two into the cart each week whether they are on sale or not. Today, when you see that they are only $1.00, you might buy an extra pack as a special treat.

Does this sound familiar? Yep, that was me just a few short years ago!

The above scenario describes need-based shopping. You buy two or three packs because you will need two or three packs this week. And what about the future? Well, you’ll need more next week, so you’ll probably find yourself walking down this same aisle again whether yogurt is on sale or not.

Now let’s look at this same scenario from a use-based approach.

As you are looking through the sale ads you find that Yoplait YoPlus Yogurt is on sale BOGO for $1.00 each. You know that your family uses this yogurt, so you flip through your coupons to find that there is a $0.50 off one Yoplait YoPlus, which Publix will double to $1.00 off one. Meaning that you can combine the store sale (the BOGO) with the manufacturer’s sale (the coupon) to bring home free yogurt for your family this week. And if you happen to have five of the same coupon, then you can bring home five free packs of yogurt. This takes care of what your family will need this week and what they will use next week. It also takes yogurt off your shopping list for the next few weeks and frees up part of your budget for something else.

For another example let’s look at Peter Pan Peanut Butter.

If you were to need peanut butter this week, then it would cost you roughly $3.69 for a small jar.

But did you know that last week Peter Pan Peanut Butter was BOGO? That same peanut butter that you will pay almost $4.00 for today you could have purchased for less than $2.00 just seven days ago. You didn’t need it then, but you do use it and you could have used that sale to save you money.

Here is how the math breaks down:

Need-Based Example: Peter Pan Peanut Butter

Need peanut butter $3.69 regular price
Coupon? Yes! $0.50 off 1
Final price: $2.69 if the store doubles
   $3.19 if the store doesn’t double

Use-Based Example: Peter Pan Peanut Butter

Need peanut butter $3.69 (BOGO) = $1.85 each
Coupon? Yes! $0.50 off 1
Final price: $0.85 if the store doubles
   $1.35 if the store doesn’t double

So pay $2.69 out of pocket (OOP) today when you need the peanut butter, or pay $0.85 a week earlier when you only knew that you would use it. Which would you choose? The lesson here is simple. Why pay more for something later that you can pay much less for today?

Let’s go one step further. To fully take advantage of these types of savings, we need to purchase enough to last our family about twelve weeks, or until the item goes on sale again. (Remember the whole twelve-week sale cycle? This is where that comes into play.) How much you purchase depends on how much your family uses. Plus, I encourage you to look beyond your family and pick up extra where you can just for the purpose of giving.

It’s time to look at our peanut butter example one more time, but now we are shopping to stock up for twelve full weeks. Let’s say that your family uses one jar of peanut butter per week.

Stock-up Example: Twelve-week Supply of Peanut Butter

Peanut butter on sale $1.85
Jar per week x 12 weeks $22.20
Price after coupon savings ($0.85 each if store doubles)

($1.35 each if store does not double)

 $10.20
$16.20
Regular price for same product ($3.69 each) $44.28

See the difference? By shopping ahead based on what your family will use you saved $34.08 on one single item. That is $12.00 of savings from using manufacturer’s coupons if your store doubles coupons, or $6.00 if it does not double coupons, and an additional $22.08 from taking advantage of the store’s BOGO sale. I point this out to say that it isn’t one type of sale or the other that really makes the big difference. The secret to saving the most is using the two together.

So what if you changed the way you shopped? Imagine multiplying these types of savings throughout your entire weekly grocery list. Instead of need, usage should determine what goes on your list. If you start thinking differently about what you use, you will see results instantly.

Still not convinced? Let’s look at a few more examples.

Item Regular Price BOGO Sale Price Coupon Final Price w/Doubling* Final Price w/o Doubling
Crystal Light $3.30 $1.65 $0.50 off 1 $0.65 $1.15
Rice-A- Roni (2) $1.50 $0.75 $1.00 off 2 (2) $0.50 (2) $0.50
Pasta $1.60 $0.80 $0.50 off 1 FREE $0.30
Frozen veggies $2.85 $1.43 $0.50 off 1 $0.43 $0.93
Cereal $4.22 $2.11 $0.50 off 1 $1.11 $1.61
Total OOP $13.47 $6.74    $2.69 $4.49

*Store doubles coupons up to $0.50.

The examples in the table above represent recent sales in my area. I didn’t just pull them out of thin air and slap them down on paper. They are real numbers and real savings that anyone can take advantage of. Just look at the totals; do you see the huge differences between the amount of money it would cost to bring home the exact same groceries? The only difference? Shopping smart and being willing to shop based on what you will use rather than what you need.

Here is the cost breakdown for these items purchased four different ways:

Regular price total $13.47
BOGO sale total $6.74
Sale total + coupons $4.49
Sale total + double coupons $2.69

In this example, shopping based on use at a store that doubles coupons would save you over 80 percent. That’s huge! And I realize that not everyone lives near a store that doubles coupons. Don’t let that discourage you! In the same example you would still save over 65 percent off your total bill without doubling the first coupon. Still a substantial savings and still a number to get excited about.

Now, what if you bought enough of each item to last you until the next sale cycle? (Remember, twelve weeks—or about three months from now.) Do you realize what that would do to your grocery bill? Moreover, do you realize what that would do to your weekly shopping list? I sure hope so! It would change . . . drastically! At this point you don’t and won’t need pasta, rice, frozen veggies, cereal, Rice-A-Roni, or Crystal Light for at least the next three months. These items are off your list and you now have the luxury of waiting for another fantastic price before you buy them again.

Remember when I told you my ketchup story? I had no idea what I was doing back then. I was just excited to get a good deal. I didn’t even realize that I was buying enough ketchup, salsa, or whatever else to last until it went on sale again. Didn’t even cross my mind. However, what I did notice was that after a while my list began to shrink. Suddenly, items like ketchup, salsa, spaghetti sauce, salad dressing, laundry detergent, dishwasher tablets, frozen veggies, snacks, and pasta were off my list. Why? Because without realizing it I was building a nice stockpile and wouldn’t need these items again for several weeks. My shopping habits were changing all on their own before it finally dawned on me what had happened. I was taking advantage of the low price and buying enough of the items my family used, and then I could wait until it went on sale again.

I know this is going to be hard for some of you. I warned you about that right from the beginning. The truth is that we are comfortable with the way we shop. It’s probably how our mothers shopped and it’s what we know. But it’s not the way to save money. Shopping based on use is different; I understand that. I also understand that you have to try something different if you want to see a different result. The only question is, are you willing to try? I sure hope so.

In the next section we are going to talk about price tracking and how you can use this strategy to lower your weekly bill without ever using the first coupon. It takes some time to get the hang of it, but this goes hand in hand with a use-based shopping approach, one that will save you both time and money in the long run. I realize you don’t know how this is all going to shake out yet, and that’s okay. We are taking things in little bites. We can’t tackle an entire lifetime of shopping habits overnight. It’s a process, but it’s worth it.

Price Tracking

You know that you are looking for the lowest price. That part is pretty straightforward. The tricky part is knowing what that price is and how to find it. It’s not a sprint, or even a marathon. It’s a system that can, and probably will, change the way you shop. Even if you never use the first coupon, understanding this important concept has the potential to dramatically reduce your grocery bill.

First off, I want you to grab a copy of your grocery list. Take a few minutes and jot down beside each item what you think is the approximate price. Don’t worry if you don’t know; I had no idea how much items cost nor did I think it was necessary for me to know. If, for example, I needed milk or toilet paper, then the price didn’t matter. What mattered was that I needed it and my family wasn’t going to be very happy with me if I came home without it. It’s not like I can hold out and not buy toilet paper for a week or two while I wait for it to go on sale!

My savings strategy was simple. Are you ready for this? If I needed something, I simply walked up, scanned the shelf for the cheapest item that still looked decent, and dropped it in the cart. My philosophy being that I have to buy it anyway, and if I need it I need it. I didn’t even know there was another option. In my mind the price was comparable at most grocery stores and I was doing my best. That brings to mind the Scripture verse that says, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” (Hos. 4:6 NIV). I had a lack of knowledge and I didn’t even realize it. Just think of how many families right now are not merely surviving but thriving simply because they learned to use coupons effectively.

Ever wonder what thriving looks like?

  • It’s the changing mindset of the first-time mother who is working full-time while trying to balance life and save money.
  • It’s the changing attitude of the single mother of two who without any child support is able to move from running on empty and feeling hopeless to being full and feeling filled with joy.
  • It’s the changing giving habits of the older couple who used to donate only on special holidays and now find a purpose in giving to their community each week.
  • It’s the changing circumstance of a one-income family of five whose father lost his job, whose home was foreclosed, and who went from relying on food stamps to having more than enough for a whole lot less.

These stories represent just a few of the many men and women who attend Time 2 $ave couponing workshops. People of all ages, backgrounds, and financial and family situations have something to share about how couponing made a difference in their lives. And it’s almost always about more than just building a massive stockpile. It’s about change.

I have a story I’d like to share from a girl who attended one of my workshops and later was kind enough to open her heart to me.

Before I learned how to coupon there were weeks when I couldn’t afford to go to the grocery store. Our reality was that my husband was laid off in November, and three months later I lost my job as well . . . all with a small child at home to think about. For the next year it was a struggle just to keep the heat on, much less anything more than the most basic of necessities. Every week I went to the store with a strict budget. I didn’t have a choice; I just did the best I could. And I can’t tell you how heartbreaking it is to look into your child’s eyes yet again as you tell them you don’t have milk. You don’t have bread or peanut butter or whatever common, inexpensive item they are asking for, and you don’t know when you will be able to buy more. They forgive you, but it’s much harder to forgive yourself.

Couponing changed everything. Now my cabinets are full and my weekly grocery bill is a fraction of what it once was. Plus, I sleep peacefully at night not having to worry about putting food on the table, and it feels great to be able to pull a bag of Goldfish crackers out and hand them over to that sweet, smiling face anytime she asks. Our finances are better now, but this is a skill I will always use and always be grateful for.

I love hearing stories like this. It’s amazing to see how something that can seem so trivial has the power to make such a difference in the lives of others. You probably haven’t realized this yet, but here’s a secret for you: coupons = cash. Basically you have two choices: you can spend your cash or use coupons. The choice is yours.

Which brings us back to price tracking. Before I had my ketchup moment, I never succeeded in saving my family any real money. My intentions were good, but it seemed that no matter what I bought, my bill was always the same. First it was always $100 a week. Then the number started to rise, slowly but steadily, until it tipped over the $150 mark and I knew I had to do something to stop the madness. That “something” was couponing, and I have never looked back.

Back then, while I noticed that prices would vary slightly from week to week, it just wasn’t something that I paid attention to. It was more of an, Oh look! Cheerios are $3.50 this week. Hmm . . . weren’t they cheaper last week? And then the thought would be gone and I would happily move on to the next item. Why? Because it was a random thing to me. I had no idea there was a twelve-week sale cycle or that I should even be paying attention to things like that.

What? You too? I totally get it. After all, when we are going through grade school and then high school and even college, no one ever pulls you aside and says, “Hey, let me teach you how to shop.” It just doesn’t happen, and that’s where this book comes into play. We’ve already covered the twelve-week cycle, so let’s just say that if an item is on sale this week, it is safe to assume the price will be higher next week.

Once upon a time I attempted not only to price track every single item on my list but also keep track of the prices at every single store in my area. Crazy! What I quickly figured out was that I don’t have to make this process harder than it is. I don’t have to build a huge spreadsheet that tracks more variables than an air traffic controller. I don’t have to know the exact price of every item at every store. I don’t have to figure it all out on my own.

So what’s the secret to this entire price tracking thing? Well, there are two options.

First, you can go to our blog at Time2SaveWorkshops.com. We get rid of the guesswork by only posting the best deals each week. You don’t have to know in advance what to look for, but you will start to notice patterns. Certain items will be cheaper at certain times of the year while others tend to pop up more frequently. The site is constantly updated and we do everything possible to always post the best and most reliable information we have. In short, we know you’ve got a lot to handle and we want to make things just a little bit easier for you.

Second, if you don’t want to use the website you can just make a list of your core items and keep track from week to week. But keep it simple and manageable. By keeping track of only the most important items, you lower your workload and keep yourself from burning out.

Now, let go of worrying about price tracking. I know some of you are feeling anxious right now because either you have no idea what anything costs or you’re a spreadsheet person and need a concrete formula that you can see. Keep holding on; the journey will be worth it.

Think back to the last time you checked out at the grocery store. How did you feel when the cashier announced your total? Were you excited or happy? Did you feel a sense of accomplishment of a job well done? Did you feel challenged? Or did you feel frustrated, annoyed, stressed, and overwhelmed? Here’s your chance. You have two doors standing in front of you: door A and door B. It’s up to you which one you take. Door A is familiar; you already know the outcome. Door B is a little scary because you’ve never been there before and it will force you to change. That can be uncomfortable at even the best of times, but if you stick with it, you’ll see results.

The first thing to keep in mind is the end goal: to save your family money and open doors to giving. The goal is not to have the best savings average, the biggest stockpile, or the most coupons. Going to the grocery store is a necessary part of our lives; however, it doesn’t have to control us. It’s not necessary to trade sanity for free groceries. Honey, between you and me, we’ve got enough things threatening our sanity on a daily basis! Keep in mind (and if you don’t, I will continue to remind you!), whether you save 5 percent, 10 percent, or 50 percent, it’s still money that you saved. It’s still money that your family gets to keep in your pocket. No matter how much or how little you save, you are successful.

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Do your research.

Pull out the weekly ad for a store you usually shop at, or find their weekly ad online. Look for just one item your family uses on a regular basis that seems to be at least half off the price you normally pay. Now burn it into your memory, because this is going to be your first adventure in use-based shopping. This week, without even touching the first coupon, buy an extra two or three of this item during your shopping trip. Next week when the price jumps back up to normal, you can smile as you pass right on by, knowing you have plenty at home and now have the luxury of holding out for a better deal.