Some Things Aren't For Everyone

And that's okay.

There are millions of different methods one can use to save money on groceries, but if you select a method that you hate or that forces you to buy foods you do not enjoy, then your money-savings will not last.

For example, I hate grocery shopping.  I hate making lists and thinking about budgets.  I try to do it as little as possible, which is why I switched to Once-A-Month Cooking.  It ensures that I only have to think about lists, budgets and grocery shopping for two consecutive hours a month.

Recently, I decided to give couponing the old college try.  I studied and researched and I scanned websites and newspapers but it did not take me long to realize that this method is not for me.  It required me to focus on groceries, lists, and budgets weekly, sometimes daily, and forced me to purchase items I never would have purchased sans coupons.  We wound up with products we did not enjoy, and in some cases, made me feel like I was sacrificing nutrition by substituting the unprocessed foods I normally buy with preservatives and fake alternatives (like butter substitutes and bleached flour).  Also, I live in the country, about forty minutes from most stores, so many coupons expired before I could even get to town to use them.


But there is nothing wrong with that.  It is great to try many different styles of grocery shopping.  That is the only way you will find the style that works best for you.  If you enjoy coupons, live in town, and don't mind thinking of your groceries often, I strongly urge you to check out the ever-amazing Mavis at 100 Dollars a Month.  If you live in the country, prefer making meals from one-ingredient foods, and are not the type to dwell on your grocery budget more than once or twice a month, Mary at Owlhaven is the blogger for you.

There are millions of blogs and websites devoted to millions of techniques.  Try them all.  Try your own variations of them.  Learn the style that works for you and go with it, but never be afraid to revisit techniques.  At the very least, you relearn your priorities and what does not work for you.  The idea is to find something you can stick with that does not make you feel like you are sacrificing time, money, or health.

Go, try, learn, grow.  Save money and don't sacrifice.  There is a method out there for you.

Do coupons work for you?  Check out: