Grocery Shopping Tips and Tricks

Everyone grocery shops, a lot. If you have a family, you probably find yourself getting groceries or "picking up a few things" every week or two. Here's some tips and tricks to save money, and get you through the checkout as quick as possible (because no one likes a 4 hour grocery shop trip.).

1. Plan your meals. Sit down, and do an actual meal plan. If it's for a month or two weeks, plan your meals out so you know EXACTLY what you need to buy for the meals.
   
   
2. Make sure you take a list. Yes...I know, we have all forgotten our list at least once or twice (or every single time we go grocery shopping...), but try your very hardest to take your list!!
   
   
3. Don't stray from the list. Your kids will understand if you say no to the candy bar they want, or that little novelty grocery store thing they always get. You might get a tantrum, but they can be easily distracted by other things. Instead, let them hold your coupon envelope, or let them give coupons to the cashier. If they are just starting to read let them help you read the grocery list.
   
   
4. Use Coupons. Even if you aren't a big fan of coupons, try to use as many as you can tolerate. Saving 50 cents is better than nothing. It'll also easy you into couponing so hopefully, you'll start using them more and more. Once you see how much you can save using coupons, you'll use more next time.
   
   
5. Buy cheap, price match. Scour through the flyers to find out what's on sale. Compare that to coupons, Cash-back sites/apps, and other stores to get THE best possible deal you can find.
   
   
6. Grocery shop alone as much as possible. If your significant other likes to add things to your cart, leave him/her home with the kids so you can go out and do your grocery shopping. This will not only be easier for you to stick to a budget and a list, but you won't feel as pressured to hurry up and rush through so you can go home.
   
   
7. Use all of your resources. The internet is an amazing black hole, but you can also find really good deals, coupons, new apps, etc. Find them, learn to use them, enjoy them.
   
   
8. Plan your shopping trip the day before you go out. Always keep a list of things that you run out of, but plan your shopping trip the day before. The flyer's here in Saint John don't come out until Wednesday night, but I've seen them come in other places on Fridays. In the cases that you always get your flyer's late, use the store's online flyer. Yes, it'll take longer. Yes, you'll probably rip out a good clump of hair trying to price match and use coupons.
   
   
9. Call ahead and see when X item is going to be on sale, or use the internet to find out. I know this sounds foolish, but most grocery stores put certain things on sale depending on the season. They'll also jack up the price of seasonable items. While buying shortening for 3.77 might seem like a good deal since we need it for Christmas baking, it's 2.12 the remainder of the year.
   
   
10. Learn how to shop even with distractions. You know how you're in the gocery store, and you only need one thing, but you end up getting to the checkout with 51 items and none of them are the thing you needed to pick up in the first place? Well, that's because grocery stores are made, designed, and set up for that to happen. That's why the dairy and meats are all the way in the back, you have to go through aisles to get to them. You end up seeing something in one of the aisles and putting it into your cart...one thing leads to another, and you end up getting a 200$ grocery order.
    
    
    

Holidazed and Overwhelmed

It's the Holidays...whether we like it or not. Celebrate it or not, it's still the Holidays for the majority of the world.

I gotta say, the holidays (no matter what religion you celebrate that requires you to make a huge supper and buy gifts for everyone), is EXPENSIVE. It doesn't have to be, but they are.

I'm going to give you guys some tips and tricks to keep the cost down for the holidays, by preparing you for next year.

Tip Number 1: Find a way to make an income specifically for buying Holiday gifts.
  Ok, I know it seems silly, but if you can find a way to make an additional 30 or 40 bucks a month, dedicate that money to buying a gift or two instead of spending it on....I don't know...a new purse.

Tip Number 2: Start your Holiday shopping right after the big Holiday. ex. Christmas shopping should start on December 26th. That's when most Christmas related things go on sale (usually 50% off!!).

Tip Number 3: Put away a savings, or buy a savings bond to be taken out the month of the Holiday. In my family, we celebrate Christmas, so in January we'll buy a Canada Savings Bond that automatically withdraws from my hubby's account. We cash out the bond in December, and that gives us the extra money to buy Christmas gifts.

Tip Number 4: Let your kids pick out one big gift (something that ends up costing a little more), and save up to get it. This year my 5 year old wanted an XBox game thing, I told him no (we already have a playstation box, and we don't need another game box in the house.). He changed his mind to Minecraft things.

Tip Number 5: Coupon through the year, create a stockpile big enough that if you don't buy groceries for the month of December in order to buy presents, you won't be worried out of your mind because you have no food in the house.

Tip Number 6: Buy within your means. If you're having a really hard time through the rest of the year and stress out this time of year because you can't afford to buy gifts for anyone, DON'T stress out. There are a ton of things you can make from things around your house that look like you bought them. There's also lots of places that'll sponser families around Christmas, Empty Stocking Fund, etc. that'll really help you during this year.

Tip Number 7: If you usually get little travel soaps and whatnot at Walmart (this really hurts to say...), shop around. 2$ for one travel soap at Walmart, is cheaper at Target. Which leads me to my number 8 point....


Tip Number 8: SHOP AROUND. Walmart, Target, they both price check. If you're looking through the Toy's R Us flyer, and the toy that your kid wants is on for super cheap, but they don't have any more left in stock (most places won't hold toy's, it's limited quantities, and call ahead to see if they have any more of X thing in stock.), go to walmart or target with the flyer in hand and buy the toy. You'll save money by getting the toy at a discounted rate at another place that price checks, and your kid get's the toy they want. Win. Win.

Tip Number 9: If you're like me and have children with birthdays both before and after Christmas, don't have a big party every year. I have a harsh opinion about people who give their kids birthday parties every year anyway (my opinion is don't....it's silly.), but having a big birthday party right before Christmas is costly. Celebrate the "big" years (1,5,10,16,18), but unless you NEED to give them a birthday party every year (I don't know, maybe you're rich, but I doubt it.), start celebrating in your own way. Having a few family member's over is enough for a child, and you could do things that you couldn't do in a big group (like stay at home, watch a movie, in your pj's, and eat mass amounts of popcorn.).


Finally, Tip Number 10: Remember that the most import part of the Holiday's is spending time with Family and Friends. If you buy them (or make them), a scarf, they'll love it all the same (even if they don't wear it.). Instead of stressing out, look forward to spending time together. 

Egg Shelling Out The Love

Egg shells may just be the key to getting amazing veggies every year. I swear, it's a secret I keep in my back pocket all year around, because it literally takes me the off growing season (or dead season as I like to call it...), to collect enough egg shells for one garden (our garden is a little less than 1/4 acre).

This process works for ANY garden though, so if you're an apartment dwelling balcony tomatoe grower, or plant any type of veggies (or as I recently found out...Fruit!) inside in planters, this is a great tip for you too!

I'll start with why this is so great for gardens. Egg shells pack a powerful punch of Calcium, which as we all know helps us strengthen bones. Aside from the obvious health benefits (later on that.), Calcium in the garden can help moderate the acidity of the soil (you can even add it in your fertilizer if it's homemade!). The Calcium in the eggshells is going to help with things like blossom end rot on tomatoe plants, or tip burn in cabbage.

Bascially all you do is rinse the egg shells, dry them out, and crush them up into a fine powder or meal.

If you're feeling especially lazy that week, you can always make an egg shell water for your plants, simply get a bucket of water, some rinced eggshells, throw them in and let them steep for a good few days (I like to wait at least 4 so I know I'm getting as much of the nutrient out as possible.), then you can just pour onto your plants. You'll notice them perk up after getting a big drink of eggshell water.



BONUS Health Benefits:

Sterilize your eggshells in a 200 degree oven for half an hour, crush them up into a fine powder and add a teaspoon into a glass of water and drink it! The Calcium in the shells help with things like cartilage and bone, a great benefit for people with osteoporosis or arthritus! The same process can also be applied to dogs!


Store everything in airtight containers or a large ziplock bag. They should preserve forever, but I doubt they'll last that long! 

Newest Coupons to Hit the Web

There's some great coupons going around the web these days! Here's some of the best that I've found:


Spend 10+ Dollars or more on Glade products, get 3.00$ off!

Target.ca Coupons :

• Save 0.75 on any International Delight Product (Perfect for classing up a boring old hot chocolate!)
• 1.00 off Maple Leaf Bacon 
• 1.00 off Milupa baby cereals
• LOTS of coupons that save 2.00$ on Olay products
• 3.00 off of Energizer Max batteries. 
• 1.00 off of Duracel batteries
• BOGOF Saran Cling Plus (not glad brand)
• save 50 cents on Cascade or Dawn product (better use for Dawn Products)
  
  

Kraft Coupons:

• Save 50 cents on Kraft Shake and Bake
• Save 1.00 on select character Kraft Dinner
  
  
  

Of course there's always LOTS of amazing coupons on Smartsource.ca as well. So when it doubt, head there!!

Websaver Coupons:

• Save 2.00 on Garnier Clean+ facial cleanser
• Save 3.00 on one Garnier Renew product
• Save 1.00 on Hershey's Drops
• Save 1.50 on 2 Tenderflake products
• Save 1.00 on Rice Krispies
• Save 1.00 on Jergens Moisturizing product
  
  

GoCoupons.ca

• Save 1.00 off of any Del Monte or Oasis Juice
• Save 0.75 on Oasis Organic Juice 
• Save 3.00 off of any Almay product (8.00 or more.)
• 1.00 off of any Nair cream

I hope you all enjoy these coupons, and if you find another great deal and would like to share it, leave it in the comments section!!

Homesteading for Beginners

Homesteading is something that everyone should start doing. Not just because it'll save you money, but it's full of fun family oriented activities. Seriously, 3 year old's can help a lot.


What is homesteading? I guess I would personally define homesteading as preparing and being self sufficient. It's widely accessable to everyone, even if you don't have a large amount of land (or any land), which means even apartment dwellers can get on the homesteading train (WOOOOOO WOOOO!).

There's something so satisfying in eating something that you've grown (or raised), knowing that it's organic and GMO free, and all that crappy stuff that we've come to hate. After all, these aren't just tomatoes, they're your babies. You grew these from seeds and watered them, sheltered them from the bugs and such...and they don't just taste like tomatoes, they taste like hardwork and determination.

Now that it's fall, and you can't grow a whole lot outside (thanks Canadian winters....I couldn't have been born in Florida?), I put together a list of homesteading activities you can do inside during the cold winter (school breaks) with the entire family!

1. Plan your garden for next spring.
   
   It seems silly to plan something that's a season away, but you'll be thankful when the time comes and you have a clear decisive plan and you can just jump right in. If you buy soil and fertilizer, now is the time to start putting a little bit of money away from each payday to pay for your supply of soil.
   
2. Prepare.
   
   Preparation is key to literally everything. Now is the time of year to start stockpiling things like rice and dry beans (you can get both at places like the Bulk Barn), toilet paper (you can never have enough toilet paper), and non parishable food items (water is something you can never have enough of!!). Not only is this great for an emergency situation where your power goes out, which we all know is pretty common in the Maritime region, but it's also really great if you run into financial problems.
   
   You can also prepare things for your garden next spring by doing things like starting a compost pile, or drying out your eggshells and crushing them up for an amazing vitamin powder. Your veggies will be more flavourful, and brighter than ever! As gross as it sounds, a worm compost system will work best for apartment dweller's with balconies.
   
3. Refine a skill.
   
   Do you knit or crochet? Now is the time to refine that skill, or start to learn how! People underestimate the power of being able to knit or crochet. Instead of buying that baby shower gift (estimated at about 20$), you can make a baby blanket, a tiny sweater, or teeny weeny baby booties (cost of yarn could be as little as 2$ if you find some at the dollar stores!). You can also make and sell things, giving you a little extra cash for things like Christmas gifts, prepping, starting your emergency fund, savings, etc.
   
   My favorite book for beginners: The Complete Idiots Guide to Knitting and Crocheting
   
   My favorite website for FREE knitting and crocheting patterns: Ravelry.com
   
4. Make something delicious!
   
   These are the days where you're inside more than you're outside....turn your family into guinea pigs and test out some new recipes! I have a bunch of cookbooks that were handed down from generation to generation (to generation to generation....), that are seriously from like, the thirties, that are literally full of depression eta recipes that are both frugal and tastey. Refine them and make them your own!
   
5. Grow some food indoors!
   
   There's a lot of veggies and fruits you can still grow inside even when the temperature reaches -30C. You can always buy seeds online (heirlooms!!!), and start your own little garden. I've pinned some great space saving gardens (vertical ones too!), that you can do inside your house or apartment all year round.
   
6. Declutter and Simplify.
   
   That box of socks you can never find mates to? The 70+ bottles of nail polish you barely use? The 17 bags of cans and bottles that you've just neglected to bring in to the redemption depot? The books that you've read (or haven't), that are laying around?
   
   Now's the time to get rid of the crap in your life that you don't need. Sell your junk online and make a few bucks, or better yet, get a few friends involved to share the cost of a hall and have a big indoor yard sale! Just because there's snow on the ground, doesn't mean you can't enjoy summer activities!
   
7. Work on making your home's interior efficient and thrifty.
   
   Sometimes the simplest update can make a world of difference. A new coat of paint, a homemade couch cover, finally getting around to putting up all of those pictures that you put in frames and then got busy doing something else......
   
   You can make your home less....costly, by putting a water saving head on your shower, or making some new curtains that retain heat so you can turn your thermostat or baseboards down a little. Replace the old energy sucking appliances in your home to more energy efficient ones. There's so many things you can do, Pinterest is a great place to find energy saving projects.
   
8. Try using a new product that you've never used before.
   
   Soap nuts. I've always wanted to try doing my laundry with soap nuts. They more cost efficient than a box of regular old Tide, and you get more use out of them than 1 box.
   
   This is a great time of year to try that product that you've been itching to try for a while now.
   
9. Find a way to make your spare time profitable.
   
   Once again, I find myself talking about Swagbucks. It makes all of the spare time I'd usually use watching TV, profitable. I can make money and not miss General Hospital, New Girl, or Forever. Sign up here and use referral code thriftygalnb for an additional 70sbs just for joining.
   
10. Start a hobby, and get family in on it. 
    If you're awesome at couponing, or just starting out, get some family and friends involved with couponing. Start a knitting support group, or a Mommy group. If you're passionate about something, share it with the world. It doesn't have to cost a lot. and it'll keep you from getting cabin fever!

If you have any questions or concerns about the content on this, contact me by e-mailing me here.

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Introducing....

INTRODUCING.....the ThriftyGal NB Pinterest board!!!

I'm going to fill this Pinterest board with all sorts of fun thrifty things that ANYONE can do! Whether you're 8 or 80, there will be something for everyone!

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