While on bedrest I had time to evaluate the way I was shopping. It was not effective. I never made lists. I bought on impulse. I never had a budget for the month or for my shopping trip. I had never considered coupons or sales. I knew though that I wanted things like paper towels, toilet paper, diapers, wipes, frozen meals all stock piled to last us the first few weeks after my son was born. I designated a place in our hall closet to house our 4-6 weeks worth stock of life's little essentials.
When I was first put on bedrest I started surfing the web. I stumbled onto message boards about budgeting. I found links to tools I never considered using to help me keep track of money, to help me plan meals, to create grocery lists, that listed sales prices ect.
I also found blogs to help me effectively take advantage of sales and coupons and often times links to freebies. I signed up for every free sample of formula and diaper and baby product I could. If I did it often meant a coupon or several coupons came with the item.
If your put on bedrest and worried about money I suggest you make a budget if you don't have one. I use Mint.com but there are several tools out there. Make sure that they are legitimate before you give any old website your information though. First consider how much you have spent on things like food, gas, utilities, over the last several months to determine the average. Then consider if your spending too much. If you are, see where you can cut back.
I make a food and shopping budget for the month. I divide that by four to give me a rough idea of what I want to spend weekly. While I was on bedrest I'd take (or later I'd send my husband) on 1 small shopping trip a week I have kept this habit up ever since- its easier because we always end up needing to make a weekly run for milk and eggs.
Every week on Sunday I had someone pick me up a paper. You don't need a paper but you get the bonus of the coupons. Target, Walmart and your grocery store probably have their weekly sales ad posted online. I liked the paper because I would read through the sales ads and circle the products. Then I used that to create my list. After that I went through the grocery store flyer to determine what was on sale and what meals I could make from those sale items. I tried to keep my meals as easy to make as possible- that didn't always allow for sale items.
I considered my coupons and stacked them with sales where I could. I do admit at the store I would look over the clearance items but I stayed sitting in my little electric cart and I didn't spend a lot of time looking. If you are allowed a day to go grocery shopping save your sanity and TAKE IT !! but don't take forever and do not stand if you are told not to, use an electric cart. Don't forget to make and take along a list!
Write down what the price is when you get a good deal on an excel sheet or in a notebook. I had a list of products like angel soft, bounty, pasta, Pepsi, and the best price I could get these items. This way I knew when to stock up. I found if I waited long enough I could get pasta for 50c and Pepsi for $1.90 a 12 pack. I was able to create our stock as cheap as possible this way. You don't need a hoard but its nice to have a stock for the 1st few weeks with your new baby.
Finally I suggest you surf the web for links to freebies and sign up on all the formula, diaper and baby product websites. They will send you samples and coupons. Even if you don't plan on using them you can trade them at your local mommy groups for ones you do or you could donate them to your local homeless shelter.You can find links to coupons, freebies and the best sales for the week on some of the popular deal-finder blogs.
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