Special Report: Learn how to be a smart shopper

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Grocery shopping is an errand we all do. Whether you make one trip a week, or several visits to your local shopping center, buying groceries can add up to a huge chunk of our monthly expenses. 41NBC’s Amanda Castro found out how you can spend a little time “smart shopping” to cash in on big savings.

Every trip to the grocery store costs money.

“I spend more on groceries than I do on my house payment a month,” shopper Stephanie Hoffman said.

Some purchases are big and others are small.

“It’s hard to make ends meet, no matter what income you have,” shopper Jodi Jones said.

Filling your carts with food and everyday necessities can add up and smart shoppers are looking for ways to save.

“Always trying to save a dollar whichever way we can,” shopper Tom Wood said.

Valerie Fox is one of them.

“I really just started trying to figure out what ways can I do to save money [and] have resources for other things,” Fox said.

Her solution: couponing.

“I’m just trying to get the most for my money,” she said.

The mother of two works five days a week, but always sets aside time to clip, slip, and save.

“My biggest shopping trip I saved $101 and my walk out of the store was $16,” Fox said.

So how do you do it? Fox says you have to plan your trip and collect your coupons. She adds there are typically sales flyers in your local newspaper on Wednesdays and coupons on Sundays.

“When you look through here sometimes people can get overwhelmed by looking at all the pictures and all the ads,” Fox said. “You really have to look.”

She also recommends checking magazines. Sometimes coupons are hidden in the pages. Don’t forget to go online. Websites like Southern Savers make it easy for smart shoppers to check out all of the deals.

“These are everything that are in the ad that we just looked at,” Fox said. “So this breaks it down and you don’t have all the pictures to distract you. You’re looking at specifically what items do I need, what are the best deals that they’re offering.”

Now you have to organize your coupons. You can use an envelope or a binder, whatever system works best for you. This will help you see what coupons you have and which ones have expired.

Then make a list based on store sales and which coupons you’ve clipped. Many stores will double their value is they are worth less than 50 cents. According to Fox, you can maximize your savings when you use a store coupon along with a manufacturer’s coupon.

“If you get a Kroger coupon for Ragu and it’s 40 cents off, but you have a manufacturer’s coupon for Ragu as well and maybe its 50 cents off, then use those coupons together on that item.”

Fox adds items typically go on sale every 12 weeks. If you’re coupon doesn’t expire right away, she suggests holding off on your purchase.

“If there’s a coupon there’s going to be shortly after that time, if not at the same time frame, there will be a sale on that item,” Fox said.

Another great way to save is shopping clearance. You can find deep discounts on items in produce, in the meat department, and on store shelves. You can still use your coupons on these items.

“A lot of times your clearance items are things that are not going to expire soon,” Fox said. “I’ll buy those items even if I don’t have a coupon because it’s a really good deal and if it’s something I’m going to use.”

41NBC’s Amanda Castro put smart shopping to the test. Castro spends on average $60 a week on groceries, that is without coupons and checking store sales. After spending about 30 minutes clipping and looking for coupons, as well as planning a list, Castro saved about $8 a trip. If she did this for a year, she’d save a little more than $400.

Watching the price drop on your grocery bill is one of the few ways families can save.

“A large portion of the average household budget is comprised of food, gasoline, and of course your utilities and your rent,” Dr. Greg George, an economics professor from Middle Georgia State College, said. “If you’re going to save money, there’s not a lot of places you can do it.”

George agrees it is important to look for savings wherever you can, but warns smart shoppers make some common mistakes when it comes to couponing.

“It will encourage people to buy things they don’t really need,” George said. “You got to be careful not to just save as much as you possibly can. You have to buy things that you would buy anyways and hope to find a coupon that helps you out with that.”

“What is it that you hope to save when you go on a grocery trip?” Castro asked Fox.

“My goal is to save at least 50% of whatever my buying amount is, so if I’m spending a $100 my goal is to save $50,” she said.

Fox admits couponing takes time, but she believes it is worth it. Her advice for future smart shoppers:

“Start small, try not to get overwhelmed,” she said.

And watch your savings grow.

Another good tip is to check your grocery store’s website. Many offer digital coupons that you can clip on your phone while you’re shopping. If the store has a loyalty card, you can also use that for more savings.

Some great online sources to get coupons are coupons.com, redplum.com, couponmom.com, and check manufacturer websites.