[nurse_reedle]

Currently our system is...

1.) Check the cabinets, freezer and fridge and see what we need that we use regularly.
2.) Go through the ads and check sales....compare to coupons we have....apply coupon to place with the lowest price or where the price will be lowest after doubling/tripling.
3.) Make a menu for the week for dinner meals and check to see if any ingredients are needed besides what we have and what we are buying on sale.
4.) Buy bulk-ish when we can. We buy hamburger in the "family" packs at Kroger and repackage it at home in proper sized packages for us. We buy whole boneless pork loins on sale and at grocery stores that will cut to order (usually paying about $1.88-1.99 per pound). Boneless skinless chicken breast on sale.
5.) Go through coupons and see what is getting ready to expire....if something we *wiill* use, then we go ahead and buy it with the coupon....if not, we lay in that stores section for someone else or toss them.

[binkybear]

If you've never really done coupons FT you'd be surprised what's out there now. Yes, most are for processed foods....but with organics and the natural isles popping up in stores so are the coupons. Half of our shopping is specialized with my diet and I use just as many coupons for myself as I do hubs regular old general mills, kellogs, and Ragu.
Produce companies are putting out coupons now left and right, along with organics (amy's, cascadian farms, "organics", muir glen), meats, cleaners like Earths Best, etc. I'm noticing more of the typically "pricier" organics and natural things having coupons and deals now...these companies aren't dumb, they know with the economy as it is they need to work the sales now too

[aclee]

Originally Posted by binkybear

If you've never really done coupons FT you'd be surprised what's out there now. Yes, most are for processed foods....but with organics and the natural isles popping up in stores so are the coupons. Half of our shopping is specialized with my diet and I use just as many coupons for myself as I do hubs regular old general mills, kellogs, and Ragu.
Produce companies are putting out coupons now left and right, along with organics (amy's, cascadian farms, "organics", muir glen), meats, cleaners like Earths Best, etc. I'm noticing more of the typically "pricier" organics and natural things having coupons and deals now...these companies aren't dumb, they know with the economy as it is they need to work the sales now too

Where do you find the coupons for the organics and stuff? the company website?

[binkybear]

Originally Posted by aclee

Where do you find the coupons for the organics and stuff? the company website?

Yes, I started out by checking out websites.

Other ways....there are little "magazines" at the front of health food stores and at the front of our supermarkets organic isles, each usually contains 3-6 copouns. The lady who stocks our isle always tells me to take at least a couple with me becuase they'll toss them out when the new ones come in. Whole foods usually has the MamboSprouts coupon booklet right at their service desk or you can check out their website (I'm in a mailer area so I get them mailed to my house too). Food Coupons | Free Grocery Coupons

The smart source coupon inserts in the regular old paper has had some good ones lately (muir glen, cascadian, organic valley just off the top of my head). And with more big name companies throwing organics lines out there you can use their coupons for anything pretty much...like hub only likes plain old Ragu, but since they make an organic I get that and he's fine with it. The coupon doesn't specify "organics", but says any Ragu within this size, quantity.

I've never done it but you can buy coupons for organics online too...like on ebay. Technically you can't sell a coupon so the listing will say something like..this isn't for the coupon it's for my time in searching for and listing. But if they've got 6 coupons for something that generally never has a coupon you can stock up on then it might be worth spending $1 in the end. Like I said I'm not that adventurous yet!

Google: "organic coupons" for printable coupons. Here's one for example. Organic Valley - Coupons - Download Coupons for Organic Milk, Cheese, Butter, more