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Have you ever heard of a price book? I hate using coupons…I’ve tried it in the past. It was just too crazy to try to keep track of coupons and kids at the same time…the kids always won!
Maybe using coupons would be easier now that I do most of my shopping without multiple kiddos with me…but I found an easier way to save money on my grocery bill. Two words…price book!
I can look at a price and know whether or not it’s really a good deal by looking at my price book. Then I know for sure if I want to stock up or not.
You can create a price book on your phone, in an excel spreadsheet, or in a notebook. I’ve done all of them…but right now I prefer pen and paper!
Think about your personality and choose the method that will work best for you.
What is a Price Book?
Using a price book is a way to keep track of grocery prices and sales on the items you buy most often. I use a composition book and use one page for each type of food. I like to make a note of what store the item is from and the date.
Here’s a tip for your price book….It’s important to write down the price per unit (such as price per ounce or price per pound)…it makes it easier when comparing prices of different sized containers.
I know that you think you can remember the lowest price of the 50 most common grocery items you buy…but why fill your brain space with such information (there are so many more important things to remember!)
Let your price book remember all those numbers for you!
Next to meal planning, a price book can make the biggest impact on your grocery budget! It can help you determine which store to purchase certain items from.
How do I Create One?
When I get home from the grocery store, I pick out a few items on my receipts to add to my price book. I write down the date, the store, the item, and the unit price.
I don’t always have my price book with me in the store (which is an advantage to keeping it on your phone) but I do use it when looking over the grocery ads and making my grocery list.
Do you use a price book? What method works for you…phone, computer, or paper based?
What Items Should I Track?
Look at where you spend the most money. Diapers can be a major expense for families with very young children….this might be a good item to track.
I like to track toilet paper, paper towels, canned goods, and meats,. I don’t track produce or other seasonal food items. (For example…I don’t track the price for the corned beef that I purchase for St. Patrick’s Day)
Focus on the items that you purchase the most or the items that you spend the most money on.
Make it Happen!
- Grab a notebook and put it by your cookbooks or wherever you usually sit down to write out your grocery list.
- The next time you go shopping…sit down with your notebook and your receipts for 5 minutes. Look at 3 items on your list and create an entry in your price book for these items. Start small!
- Do the same thing each week…write down the price of 3 items on your receipt and watch your book grow with price information!
Share Your Ideas!
- What are your grocery budget saving ideas?
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3 comments on “Cut Your Grocery Bill With a Price Book!”
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Well this is new to me! Ill have to check it out. Always down for saving a dollar!
#twinklytues
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing your money saving tips with us at #overthemoon link party. I’ve pinned and shared.
This is a really good idea, not just for keeping track of prices in various stores, but also for tracking the rise and fall of prices in general. It sounds really, really helpful! Thank you for sharing with us at Hearth and Soul.