Tip - Maximize your Savings - Minimize your Time

When I teach a Savvy Savings class, I occasionally get a comment from someone who says that they don't have the time or the desire to make multiple shopping trips during the week. That they only want to go to one store. So, what can you do if this is your situation? Here are 2 solutions for you to consider.

Solution #1 - Only shop one store

If you are genuinely time pressed and have only enough time for 1 trip, I suggest that you take advantage of Wal-Mart's price matching policy. Wal-Mart will match any advertised competitor's price. You will need to bring the ad with you and it will need to be current. Wal-Mart will not match double coupons or % off sales. If you will look at all the current sales papers you can do pretty well this way, but you will spend more. Some Wal-Mart stores will also accept competitors coupons.

Solution #2 - Work your shopping into other errands or trips out.

At the beginning of the week (or even Saturday night - if you picked up the Saturday edition of the Sunday Star) find 15 minutes to take a look at the deals -especially those at CVS and Walgreens.

Make a list of the items you would like, pull the coupons and place the list for the store and the coupons in the envelope for that store. Place envelope in coupon box. (I keep an envelope for each store that I shop at in my coupon box.)

I always keep my coupon box in the car and that way if I can find a few minutes while we are on the way to do something else - I can make a quick stop in for the items I want. I find the best time for me to do this is when my hubby is along. I can dash in get the items and leave the kids in the car with him. It is much faster than me and the kids going in together.

If you work outside the home maybe you could find 15 minutes on lunch or going to or from work to make a quick stop. If you are prepared ahead of time with your list and coupons it is much faster.

The amount of money you can save by taking advantage of the weekly deals at CVS and Walgreens quickly adds up and is well worth the time to make a stop!

Update:
After I posted these tips, I thought of a few more things to add.

After the grocery ads come out on Thursday, I take a few minutes to look over them make my list and put it in the coupon box too. I do like to limit my grocery shopping to one store - unless there are deals too good to pass up.

If I find a week that there are really no items on sale that I need - I just make a quick stop to Aldi for the essentials.