Have you heard of the Canadian Scanner Price Accuracy Code? It could be very valuable to you!
Most Canadian retailers take part in this practice. In Quebec it's the law and in other provinces, it's voluntary. Basically, if you purchase an item believing it to be a certain price but the item actually scans at a higher price then advertised, you receive the item free up to a $10 value! If the item is priced more than $10, then the retailer will give you a discount of $10 off the corrected price.
The code applies to all UPC, bar coded, and/or Price Look Up (PLU) merchandise sold in stores, with the exception of goods not easily accessible to the public (example: prescription drugs and behind the counter cosmetics), and individually price-ticketed items.
To be eligible for the Item Free Scanner Policy, the item must match the product description on the corresponding shelf tag.
Does that make sense?
Quite often the cashier won't give you the product free without you mentioning the Scanner Price Accuracy Code. So if you notice a wrong price, speak up!
At participating retailers you should see a sign on the entrance doors and at the till that reads:
Simple Ingredients to Keep on Hand for Slow Cooker Meals
Do you love using your slow cooker? It’s the perfect appliance for getting a hot meal on the table with little effort and little expense. But do you know which items to keep on hand if you own a slow cooker? There are in fact, a few ingredients that can help you get a meal on the table quickly, even if you haven’t planned ahead. Take a look at these 7 items to keep on hand for great slow cooker meals, so you can put a meal together even at the last minute.
1. Canned cream soups.
You can dress up so many cuts of meat with a can or two of creamed soup. Cream of mushroom, celery, and chicken soups all dress up chicken and pork nicely. You can pour a can over your cut along with some water, seasonings, and vegetables if you have them and have a tasty dish in no time.
2. Barbecue sauce.
Make quick slow cooker ribs or slow cooker chicken when you add in the cut of meat along with some barbecue sauce. You can also add chopped onions if you wish to add some extra flavor, but even the sauce alone will dress up the meat nicely.
3. Ranch mix.
Dried ranch mix can spice up your chicken and even a beef roast nicely. Just sprinkle the mix in and add some butter and you will have flavorful chicken or roast that your family will love. If you have fresh veggies you can add them, but the ranch mix does well on its own.
4. Onion soup mix.
No fresh onions on hand? No problem! Dried onion soup mix can really dress up a cut of meat. Just add it along with some water and it will flavor the meat nicely. Of course you can add fresh veggies if you have them, but if not the onion soup mix is quite flavorful alone.
5. Rice and noodles.
You can bulk up any meal with some rice or noodles. Add rice or noodles along with the cream soup of your choice for a fast meal. You can also use them to make quick casseroles, soups, or stews. Rice and noodles are both cheap when bought in bulk, so stock up.
6. Certain cuts of meat.
Try to keep certain cuts of meat in your freezer so when you need to toss a quick meal in you can. Simple ribs, chicken breasts, or even an inexpensive roast all do well in a slow cooker. If you see these items on sale, stock up for future meals. They are so easy to dress up and prepare in a slow cooker.
7. Dried seasonings.
Stock up on dried seasonings. This doesn’t mean just salt and pepper, but seasoning salt, garlic salt, chili seasoning, taco seasoning, beef stew seasoning, Italian seasoning and ranchand onion soup mix as mentioned above. All of these seasonings can be added to your slow cooker along with some water for a fantastic meal.
Make sure you are slow cooker ready when you keep these 7 slow cooker must haves on hand. They are sure to come in handy when you are preparing your next slow cooker meal in a pinch!
I’d love to know what you make most often in your slow cooker?
Grocery shopping mistakes that are keeping your grocery budget high.
Learning how to reduce your grocery bill is one of the fastest ways to start fixing the entire family budget. Since groceries are not a fixed expense like your mortgage or rent, it’s possible to tweak your shopping habits in order to reduce the amount you’re spending on groceries each week/month.
If lowering your grocery budget is your goal, you’ll want to read on to learn how to fix your unintentional grocery shopping mistakes. Are you committing any of these grocery shopping faux pas?
1. Visit the store several times each week.
I’m guilty of this one more times than I’d like to admit! Going to the grocery store more than once a week can be a real grocery budget killer. After all, going to the store for “just a few things” almost always means you’ll be picking up more than “just a few things” because admittedly, grocery stores have enticing sales and products. So by sticking to shopping once a week you can avoid many impulse purchases, especially if you’re prepared with a list and meal plan.
2. Go to the store around meal times or when you’re hungry.
One of the golden rules of grocery shopping on a budget is to never shop when you’re hungry. Trying to stick to a grocery list when you’re hungry is nearly impossible. Soon you’ll find bags of chips or expensive granola bars hopping into your cart because they’re easy to eat as soon as you get to the car. The best course of action is to shop right after you’ve eaten a good size meal.
3. Don’t plan a menu
I’m a firm believer that planning a menu each week is a big key to sticking to your budget. When you have a plan laid out, you will know exactly what you need to buy at the grocery store in order to execute the meals you have chosen. That way, if something jumps into your cart that isn’t needed, it’s easier to put it back in order to stay within budget because you know that your eating needs are met with your meal plan.
4. Never use a list
Going hand in hand with planning a menu, creating a grocery list is crucial to staying within your budget. I keep a running grocery list on our fridge so I can write down pantry items that I need to replace as soon as the item runs out. As I’m planning our menu for the week, I grab the list from the fridge and jot down everything I need to buy to complete each meal. Sometimes my list is small because I have many items already on hand in the cupboards thanks to some sales in previous weeks on staples.
5. Don’t bother looking at the store flyers for sales.
Reviewing the grocery store flyers and noting what is on sale will save you tons of money. Especially when you buy the sale items and then plan your menu around them. Over time as you regularly buy items that are on sale and stock up on them as much as you can, you’ll always be eating “cheap” food, and your grocery budget will be very happy.
6. Take the kids with you.
Kids can be pretty good negotiators (at least mine can!), especially if you want to be as fast as you possibly can in the grocery store. Sometimes it’s really tempting to buy them something (anything!) just so they’ll be quiet. Even if it’s something little, it all adds up and may not be a good healthful choice.
7. Don’t take inventory of what you already have on hand.
Buying unneeded items can be wasteful. Especially if they’re fresh items that can spoil. Take a few minutes to review what you already have in your pantry and fridge and you can save hundreds of dollars each year.
8. Don’t pay attention as the cashier is processing your purchase.
Put down the magazine and pay attention to what is being rung through. I was recently charged for two watermelons when I had only bought one. Thankfully, I noticed and it was fixed right away. But imagine if each week there was an error on your bill, that could add up to hundreds of dollars that were literally spent on nothing. So do yourself a favor and pay attention as the cashier is processing your purchase. Also, if you bought items on sale, watch closely, you may get several items for free if they scanned wrong since many stores have a scanning code of practice.
9. Throw the food into the fridge without any rhyme or reason.
By taking the time to carefully put your perishables away and dividing items you bought in bulk into smaller portions will save you money in the long run. Washing and storing produce properly will make it last longer in your refrigerator. Make sure you have designated spots for each item so you can easily find your purchases, or your grocery budget will be wasted on moldy, forgotten items.
10. Throw away leftovers.
Not a fan of eating leftovers? Well, that will have to stop if you want to lower your budget! If you’re throwing away leftovers, you’re almost literally throwing your money in the garbage too. There are plenty of recipes online that can help you reinvent leftovers into something tasty. Maybe it’s not that you don’t like leftovers, maybe you simply forgot they were there. One solution is to put leftovers in clear containers with a dated label so you can visually see what’s there.
Are you guilty of any of these grocery shopping mistakes? I know that I am. It’s constantly a work in progress for me! But knowing where you’re making mistakes is half the battle to getting your budget on track. Knowing the ways in which we’re ruining our grocery budget allows us to focus on one area to fix at a time. Baby steps 🙂
10 grocery shopping mistakes you are making that keep your grocery bill high.
Grocery shopping on a budget doesn't have to mean you only eat rice and beans each day. You can have a wonderful well rounded diet of fruits, vegetables, meats and great sides when you plan accordingly. While I always recommend you menu plan to help stay on top of your pantry and freezer supplies as well as your shopping list, these tips are really where the savings come into play.
1. Make a list before you shop.
Going into a grocery store without a list is setting yourself up for failure in the biggest way. A list is vital to making sure you are grocery shopping within your budget. Divide your list by aisles and categories. If you know approximate or sale prices on items, list those to the side so you can easily track your expenses while you shop and verify prices are as stated in sale advertisements.
2. Use Cash
It's so incredibly easy to go over budget at the grocery store when you're paying with a debit or credit card! When you are forced to use cash, it's harder to justify buying items that aren't on your grocery list. You know, that last second bag of chips or the candle that's on sale. Having your grocery money in a cash envelope is a fantastic way to stay on budget.
3. Keep a calculator on hand while you shop.
As mentioned before, sale prices are important when grocery shopping on a budget. Make note of what is suppose to be on sale and watch not only for that price to be reflected on store shelves, but also at the checkout counter. For all other items on your list, use the calculator you have on hand to make sure you aren't going over budget. Make notes as you add things to your cart and add up your purchases as you go so you know when you may need to choose a different size or brand because you are nearing your budget limits.
4. Utilize coupons as much as possible.
Using coupons is a pretty obvious suggestion coming from Simply Frugal. But while using coupons is a great way to save money, it can also cause you to spend more when you are buying things you don't need or won't use. Use coupons only on items you would normally buy, and always verify pricing on generic equivalents to make sure you are getting the ultimate best deal possible.
Sales are a great way to save money on big purchases like meats and of course, produce. There are things called loss leaders often in these sales. These items are usually far below regular price and are designed to entice you to come into the store and make a purchase. They believe if they entice you with a low price on one item you are more likely to purchase additional items. These can often be great prices to stock up your pantry for things like pasta, sauces, soups and other pantry staples. Also consider stocking up on seasonal sale prices of meat and produce to freeze or can for off seasons.
6. Sign up for reward clubs and programs.
Many grocery stores offer reward programs. These can give you high value coupons specifically for their store, points that you can redeem for free products, great VIP day discounts and insight on upcoming sales. They are a great way to be in the know and get rewarded for shopping at a favorite store.
7. Buy in bulk when possible.
Bulk purchases are often a great way to manage grocery shopping on a budget. Just make sure to check the unit prices to make sure they really are cheaper to buy in large quantities versus individual packages. Read here to learn how to buy in bulk toactually save money.
These tips for grocery shopping on a budget are great reminders for how to make the most of your money in the grocery store.
I'd love to hear your biggest tip for saving money at the grocery store. Let us know in the comments below!
Your grocery budget probably needs a little revamping like mine does, and so I came up with a few tips for creating what I believe, is a functional grocery budget. This method of dividing up your expenses will help you to make sure you aren't overspending, and of course, help you to make the most of your money.
3 Steps to creating a grocery budget:
Track your grocery spending. Track your spending over a couple of months and come up with an average. Or look at your receipts from the last couple of months to figure out an average. You will want to look at what you are spending at the grocery store and restaurants. It will be a big help to have these separated so you can see where you need to cut down your spending most.
Set your grocery budget - Because you now know the average amount you spend at the grocery store and restaurants each month, you can set your goal for your grocery budget. For example, if you've discovered you spend on average $800 a month, you might want to set your goal at $700 by cutting down on restaurants and prepackaged grocery store food. I don't recommend drastically trimming your grocery budget right this instant. Give yourself some slack and don't put pressure on yourself to come up with an impossible-to-stick-with number. You'll get discouraged and may end up giving up.
Make your grocery list with your new grocery budget in mind. Having a plan for your grocery budget is how you are going to succeed. Pick recipes and ingredients that are simple. Plan for leftovers to stretch the budget.
In addition, here are some practical tips to help you stay within your newly created grocery budget:
Don't forget to budget for all meals and snacks, not just dinner.
Many menu plans include only 1 meal a day – the evening meal. This doesn't help you to create a shopping list or functional grocery budget when it doesn't provide for breakfast, lunch or snacks. You need to focus not just on the menu plans that give you low budgets for one meal a day, but also plan for your breakfasts, lunches and snacks.
Make healthy foods a priority.
One thing often seen in a grocery budget is not enough room for healthy foods. If you are sacrificing your health to save a few dollars each month, it isn't worth it. Feeding your family great nutrient-dense meals and snacks isn't an option – it is a necessity. Consider the 40/30/30 rule when shopping for groceries. 40% of your grocery budget is fruits and vegetables. 30% of your grocery budget is lean meats and dairy. 30% of your grocery budget are things like dry beans, rice, spices and other items to fill in gaps in the menu plan.
Use coupons only on items you need.
While I'm a fan of couponuse, when it comes to your grocery budget it is important to not get carried away. The thrill of the coupon hunt can quickly become a reason to spend more money for the sake of the “deal”. Make sure you are couponing for items that truly are needed and the best deal possible. Just because there is a coupon available doesn't mean that they should be used.
Plan meals that can be used multiple ways.
Not only do you want to plan low-cost meals, but you want to plan for things that will provide you with leftovers for lunches or a second evening meal. You may also want to look for meats and protein sources that are versatile. Things like a roast or hamburger can be used in multiple recipes making them easier to buy in bulk packages and stretch further. A roast cooked on Monday can have leftovers used in a quick beef and vegetable soup, stew or even tacos or chili. A whole chicken can be shredded and added to soups, casseroles, salads and sandwiches. Using every bit of the cheaper cuts of meat throughout your weekly menu plan can easily make your grocery budget manageable.
Follow your local sale cycles to stockpile as needed.
Sometimes it's beneficial to buy extra of select items when they are at their lowest prices. This could be vegetables and fruit in the summer months to freeze for later, or could be canned goods in winter months. Watch your local stores' sale cycles and stock up accordingly to provide your family with food at the best prices possible year round.
These tips for creating a functional grocery budget are just the beginning. To really do well you also need to take into consideration your area, sale cycles and your family needs. A functional grocery budget is one that provides your family with great meals while staying within the expense plan you can afford.
Budget meal planning is vital to the health of most household budgets. Nobody looks forward to rice, pasta and beans for every meal, but sometimes a financial strain means you have to really look closely at your food intake as a place to eliminate extra expenses. These tips for busy moms to help budget meal planning become easier, are perfect for keeping you well fed and your finances in order.
Stick to what your family loves.
One of the biggest budget meal planning blunders around is trying out too many new recipes each month. Unfortunately, what looks great on a blog, television or in a magazine may not meet your families taste preferences. Stick mostly to those tried and true recipes and flavors you know everyone will eat so you aren't wasting money on food that ends up in the garbage. Try 1-2 new recipes a month and if they are enjoyed, add them to your rotation. Here's a list of our family's favorite meals.
Keep accurate track of what you have on hand.
A pantry and freezer list is a must when you are budget meal planning. Your meal plan should include items you have in stock in your pantry. Knowing what you have on hand keeps you from spending too much on items you don't need. Basically, it will keep you from making last minute stops at the grocery store and spending extra because you forgot an ingredient.
Get to know your butcher.
Whether you use a traditional butcher shop or your local grocery store meat counter, knowing the butcher is a great way to find the best deals on meats. Not only can you talk to them about the end pieces of meats that are perfect for stews and chili, but you can find out when they are running a sale, or when something is about to be marked down because it is near the end of its shelf life. These little things can save you a ton of money on meat purchases.
Create a core base of ingredients.
Many families like specific flavor profiles more than others. When you figure out what your family tends to gravitate toward, you can easily start shopping for those items in bulk. Whether it is a type of meat, produce or base like pasta or rice you can find most groceries in bulk for less than individual servings would cost.
Plan meals for leftovers.
One of the best ways to save money while meal planning is to actually plan your menu for leftovers. Not only can larger batches of some meals save money on a second evening meal, they can save money on your lunch expenses. Soups, casseroles and many one pot meals are perfect for leftovers. If your family doesn't like eating the same thing multiple times in a row, you can easily create the double batch and store it in the freezer until later in the month. Then all you have to do is thaw and reheat in the oven or slow cooker.
These budget meal planning tips are perfect for moms who are busy juggling kids and work. Not only will they help you stay on budget each month, they will provide you with great meals your entire family will enjoy.
Moms, how do you stay on budget each month when it comes to groceries? What are your tips for making food stretch further?
