I used to coupon all the time, stocking up on things we use a lot like mustard, chicken stock, cans of beans, pasta sauce, and gluten free pasta. I would get them all while they were Buy One Get One at my Publix, then throw coupons right on top of the BOGO to get a super great deal. I’d research carefully, print coupons, go shopping, and come home feeling like a winner! But my life has drastically changed since my Hashimoto’s diagnosis so I’ve been putting things into perspective and trying to figure out what it means to save money while purchasing high quality foods.

When I first started this blog, my vision was to fill this site with great money saving ideas and tips — ways to stay fabulous while not breaking the bank. Since my situation has changed, I have been avoiding posting anything in the Saving Money section of my blog. My whole shopping methodology had shifted! Suddenly, my grocery bill doubled and it was hard finding coupons and deals on the things I needed, like organic veggies and grass-fed pasture-raised meats.

There was a lot of guesswork at first, but I think I’m finally getting a hang of things. I’m able to really focus in on saving money on health and grocery products that I need. It took a little while but I got my grocery bill back under control.

Over the last few months, I’ve been learning to shop Paleo and not break the bank. Here are my top five money saving tips!

Shopping & Saving as a Paleo Girl (or Boy)

1. Make time to plan and research. I often save $40 to $50 or more on my Paleo grocery bill. To me, that’s worth an hour each week! Time is a valuable asset and in this case, the time-money balance makes sense. I spend about an hour looking at my local supermarket deals online and making lists of good Paleo deals. I tend to shop at the same 3-4 places, so I just look up those stores and jot down the deals with prices.
2. Plan on shopping at more than one store. Once I make my list of deals for each store, I’ll choose the stores to shop at that particular week. Now, this is where I really have find that time-money balance. If time is limited and I can only go to two stores (which is often the case), I’ll cross out the stores that have the least amount of deals. This means paying a bit more for a few items, but it beats having to run myself ragged. In the true spirit of being frugal, I could go make four runs but this is not a fabulous use of time for me. My goal is to be both fab and frugal and I find this a pretty happy compromise.
3. Think outside the box. Items that have a longer shelf life (like coconut oil, canned or jarred goods, and seasonings) don’t have to be purchased at a supermarket. Recently, I’ve started shopping at Thrive Market and I’m so impressed with the savings! Also, when I visit my local HomeGoods or TJ Maxx, I stop by the gourmet food section. You wouldn’t believe what you can find there! I’ve bought virgin coconut oil, organic flaxseeds, whole cinnamon sticks, Himalayan sea salt, and lots of other goodies for half the price of a supermarket. And don’t forget about Asian or ethnic grocery stores. You can often find all kinds of spices, herbs, and basic groceries for a lot less than traditional supermarkets. On my last trip, I got a big bag of tapioca starch for $1.20 and fish sauce for under $2. It’s also a great place to get hard-to-find items like fresh lemongrass, miso, and (authentic) kimchi.
4. Connect with your favorite stores. Sign up for everything you can at the places you frequently shop. This includes mailers, email newsletters, apps, and social media. This is the best way to receive notification of unadvertised deals and get coupons that aren’t available anywhere else. This week at Whole Foods, I saved $10 on a $40 meat purchase by using their mobile app coupon. When I checked online for their printable coupons, it was not available! This is why it’s important to stay connected through multiple channels with your favorite grocers. Also, don’t forget to stop by the customer service desk for coupon booklets! My local Publix and Whole Foods both offer them and I’ll grab a couple so I can have multiples of like coupons.
5. Stock up on sale goods. It’s hard to find coupons on healthier choices so when I’m able to stack coupons on top of sale prices or find an incredible deal, I’ll buy extras to stick in my pantry for later use. Same goes for meats… Buying organic pasture-raised chicken on sale doesn’t mean you have to eat it all week long for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Make good use of your freezer and save it for next week or next month. This might mean going over budget one week, but you’ll save on a future week. You’ll eventually need to spend the money anyway, why not buy it when it’s a good deal?

Honestly, I do spend a lot more than I used to in previous years because I’m buying a lot of organic products and high quality meats. But I can at least say that I am getting the best items at the best prices by shopping smart, planning, and researching.

Happy shopping! Hope you score awesome deals at the grocery store. If you have any money saving ideas, please share them with me! ?