A lot of us would enjoy going grocery shopping much more if we could save more money while shopping, and spend less on the things we really want.  Grocery shopping isn’t bad to do at all, we pick out all the food we want to eat for the week.  It’s just the bill at the end that kills us and makes us not want to come back.

Grocery shopping shouldn’t be thought of as a chore, but more of a game.  If you make grocery shopping into a game to see how much money you can save, you will actually want to go shopping.  There is a great website online that has made grocery shopping much more enjoyable.  It’s called TheGroceryGame.com.

So, what exactly is “The Grocery Game?”

The point of using coupons is to use them when the items are on sale.  So, not only will you save money by buying your items on sale, but you will also save because of the coupons.  For example, instead of buying laundry detergent on sale, you can go on the website and see where you can find a coupon in your saved Sunday papers.  Or, instead of just buying the detergent with the coupon, the website will tell you when to buy it by telling you when it’s on sale as well.

The whole point is to save the most money that you possibly can!  So, save each Sunday’s coupon books and hop on TheGroceryGame to see when you can use your coupons while the items are on sale.  It will also tell you when to stock up if there won’t be sales soon, and will even be able to tell you which items will end up being free!  For example, if you have a coupon for bread that says save $.50 and the bread is on sale for $1.00 your coupon will double and it will be free.  So, you can even find free items with this website!

The Benefits of Using “The Grocery Game”:

Saves money – First of all, the main point of using The Grocery Game is to save us money.  We want the items we want to be a cheaper price, and that is just what we’ll get. 

Easy to use – The Grocery Game is very easy to use, and only takes a few times of using it to get used to it.  Not to mention, when you use it once you’ll never want to go without it.

More organized – It will make your grocery shopping more organized as well. It will help you keep your coupons organized by telling you where to find them in your Sunday paper ads.

Cuts bill in half – You can also cut your bills in half when you use The Grocery Game.  My boyfriend and I always look for ways to save money, and we’ve found that several times we’ve saved more than we’ve actually spent.  So, stop spending more than you have to.

More fun - Instead of dreading shopping, it will be more fun!  We like to keep our items under $2.00 per item.  Our goal is usually about $1.50 an item.  Meaning we take how much our bill was and then divide it by how many total items we got.  If you’re not using coupons or Grocery Game you’re most likely spending more than $2.00 per item which really adds up, and can be costly!

Using coupons and helpful websites is a great way to save money.  If you save just $20.00 per week (which you easily could) you could save over $1,000 per year.  I’m sure you’re rather spend that money on something better and more enjoyable than groceries!

Saving money is something that we feel good about, and look for ways to do in a bad economy.  When the economy is bad, we look for ways to save money now more than ever.  Saving a few bucks here and there really adds up over time. 

One bill that we really hate to pay for is the gas for our cars.  Saving money on gas seem almost impossible but it’s not!  After driving to work and home 5 days a week, running errands, and sitting in traffic for hours each week, we really loose gas quick!  Once it’s gone, it’s an easy couple hundred dollars each month we have to pay.  Before we know it, a majority of our paycheck is being spent on just gas!

Stop spending so much on gas, and start saving with a couple of these helpful tips!

5 Ways to Save Money on Gas:

• The best thing to start doing now is to use a credit card.  You may say that you don’t want to open up another credit card, but really it WILL save you money for the rest of your life!.  If you pay your bill off in full each month, you are capable of saving up to 10% off each bill.  The best place to find a gas credit card is www.findgascards.com. 
• Make sure that you get regular maintenance on your vehicle.  Getting your oil changed, getting a new air filter and just taking care of your car when it needs it will save you money.
• The tire pressure also matters when it comes to gas mileage.  If your tires are low on air, your car has to work harder which then burns more gas.  If you don’t have one already, get a tire gauge!
• Try to run errands all in one trip.  Instead of leaving home to go to the store one day then the next day leaving home to go to the store, do it all in one day if you can.  Just the trips to and from your house each time add up!
• Car pooling is the answer to everything.  It saves you money on gas, puts less miles on your car, is better for the environment and causes less wear and tear over time.  Switching drivers each week will save you a bundle in gas.  So, consider doing this whenever you go somewhere!

Saving on gas is possible!  As you can see from above, there are some things you can actually start doing right now.  So, if you’re looking for more ways to save money, consider a few of the tips above!

When the economy is bad we look for ways to save money now more than ever.  We start to find cheaper ways of doing things, shop less, and look for any coupons that could be helpful for what we’re buying.  If you’re tight on money and are looking for ways to save money, one of the best ways to do so is by using coupons.  Although coupons are great, where do you find them?

Online – The Internet is great for many things, one being coupons.  All you need to type in is “coupons for …” and then whatever you’re looking for.  You’d be surprised at what you can find!  Places like restaurants, shopping stores, and many others will give you discounts if you look hard enough.

Sunday paper – The Sunday paper is also a great place to check.  Each Sunday when you get your paper, be sure to check for the coupon area of the paper.  Take these out, and start using websites like Couponmom.com or Thegrocerygame.com for ways to save money at the grocery store!

Buxr.com – Buxr.com is a great place to get coupons!  It will rate which coupons are the best, and allow you to print them from your computer.  They have a wide variety of great coupons to choose from.

Coupon codes – Coupon codes are a helpful way to save money online.  If you’re booking flights, hotels, or are buying big items online, check out coupon codes.  Simply type in “airline coupon codes”, “hotel coupon codes”, etc.

Entertainment Book – The Entertainment Book is one of my favorite books!  They have all the fast food places, stores, services, and more all for your area.  You can save money on all of these!  This book can easily save you hundreds, if not thousands each year!

Finding coupons isn’t hard to do if you have great resources.  Consider a few of the tips above to start finding the coupons you’re looking for, and to start saving money almost instantly!

If you’re a frugal shopper like me, you probably love to use coupons just about anywhere you go.  In fact, it’s a great habit to have, when you don’t buy anything with coupons.  Whenever I go out, and shop, I always have to have the coupons on me, or I feel like I’m not getting a great deal.

So, if you’re looking for those free coupons when it comes down to grocery shopping, I wanted to give you some pointers on how it can be done properly.

Look to your friends and neighbors - Most people think coupons, and instantly think of newspapers, and the Internet, but many overlook friends and family.  How many of your friends and family get the paper?  If they do, ask them if you can use the scraps.  Many people don’t often use the paper, and you can use it to your advantage.

Don’t forget the magazines! When you ask your friends and family about coupons in the paper, the same goes with magazines as well.  Ask them about those, or go to your local library, and browse through the selection they have.  You may find that there are simple inserts that you can take out, and no one will need to know.

Use the wonderful Internet - The Internet is filled with tons of deals.  Places like Buxr.com and Coupons.com both lead you to some great coupons that you can download online.  Keep in mind that many stores won’t accept online coupons, but you can always call up ahead of time just to make sure.

Your grocery store - Yes, your grocery store will generally have coupons.  From the aisles, all the way to the newspaper ad that they carry.  Be sure that you pick one up, as well as look for those little blinking items in the aisle that are usually packed with some good coupons.

When using your coupons to your advantage, try sites like CouponMom.com that are 100% free, and show you where you can find coupons, as well when to use them at stores.  This process alone can save you up to 50% or more!

Once we have children, we realize just how expensive they can be.  From the time they’re born, until they move out of the house they can be a great expense.  If you’re looking for tips on how to save for your child’s college education early, that is a great thing.  A lot of parents wait until the last minute, and then fail at helping them.  I say the sooner you start, the easier it will be!

Realistic – First of all, you need to make sure your goals are realistic.  If you have a child that is five, and you’re starting to save now you’re in pretty good shape.  Although, if your child is 16 and goes to college in two years, it may be hard to reach your goals.  So, take a look at your scenario and make a realistic goal.  Not to mention, you should always think about yourself first.  Don’t stop saving for your retirement or make them your first priority.

Each week – Once you’ve found a realistic amount to save for, you will be in better hands.  Think about what your goal is.  Lets say you want to save $20,000 in 15 years.  You will want to figure out how much you have to save each week to get there.  So, if there are 52 weeks each year, and you’re saving for 15 years you will want to times the two together which gives you 780 weeks to save money.  Now, you will divide the $20,000 that you want to save by 780 weeks.  This number is around $25.  So, what that means is you will need to save about $25 each week for the next 15 years or 780 weeks.

Figure out your situation, and find out how much you need to start saving each week.  The best way to save is by contributing a little bit each week.

Avoid – Avoid making purchases that you want instead of need.  Yes, it is good to spoil yourself sometimes, but if you can avoid making just one purchase each month, that will be more money to save for a better cause.

Money market – The money that you’re saving shouldn’t be in just an ordinary savings account.  Instead, you should be saving by using a money market.  Let your money do the work for you, and have the interest add up over the years.  That will be even more money for their education for free!

Saving for your child’s future college education can be stressful to think about.  Although, the sooner you start the better off you’ll be.  Consider a few of these tips above, and just remember that you always come first.  Don’t sacrifice your savings for them.  You will need them first!