Up next in 10
Finding the best strategy when doing a grocery shopping can help you achieve your financial goals. Watch money-saving tips shared by @KrysTheMaximizer. Learn how to set your budget and buy what you actually need, avoiding impulse shopping.
00:00 - Introduction
00:47 - About Krys The Maximizer
01:19 - Money-saving tips
02:56 - Grocery shopping preparation
03:26 - Grocery budget plan
04:56 - Budgeting and grocery apps
05:56 - Krys The Maximizer channels
06:30 - Brand loyalty on a limited budget
07:30 - Smart shopping
08:40 - How to save money on gas
10:16 - Grocery shopping tips
11:48 - Online couponing
13:38 - Expired food shopping
14:17 - Best grocery stores for money saving shopping
16:20 - Grocery shopping hacks
More money saving tips from Krystal: https://www.youtube.com/c/KrysTheMaximizer
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
My name is Michael Podolsky. I am with PistConsumer. PistConsumer is a consumer reviews website
0:11
We help consumers address issues with companies and to enable communication between companies
0:19
and consumers. My name is Crystal, aka Chris the Maximizer. I am a money savings coach and I have
0:27
been couponing for over 14 years. And my current job, my current business that I created is I help
0:34
women be more intentional with their money so that they can make progress on their big financial
0:39
goals. I help them create money-saving plans and strategies around couponing, budgeting
0:45
meal planning, and strategic shopping. And I've been doing this full-time since November 2019
0:51
In 2020, Corona came in and certainly a lot of people lost their jobs. We've had inflation
1:01
markets went down, and now we are looking at a large inflation. The economy is actually not
1:08
feeling so good today. What kind of advice would you give to consumers? What can they do to save
1:14
money today? My answer is usually not an answer most people like to hear, but it's all in your
1:19
budget. So I have people freaking out that things cost more. Okay. But if you have a sound budget
1:25
and you have a sound money-saving strategy holistically, inflation will hit you, but it
1:30
won't hit you as hard. I'm still not paying full price for toothpaste. I'm still not paying full
1:35
price for cereal. I'm still not paying full price for laundry soap. So is it 50 cents more than what
1:41
I used to pay? Yes, but it's not me paying full price for it. So the advice is you need to set a
1:47
budget and force yourself to stay under it. So that may mean that going grocery shopping at one
1:53
store, I never suggest that. One store is not going to allow you to save money like you want
1:59
and stay under your budget. But I'm also not telling you to go to 10 stores. I'm suggesting
2:04
you have a good conglomerate of three to five stores. Doesn't mean you go to those stores every
2:09
week. It means that when the things that you need are on sale at your local grocery store
2:14
you go there. When the things that you need are on sale at Sam's Club or BJ's, then you go there
2:19
So maybe within that month, you've gone to six stores, but you're not going to six stores every
2:24
week. So you have to have a sound budget and you have to have a strategy for shopping
2:30
How time consuming is this strategy to save money? How many hours a mom or a dad that does
2:38
the shopping for the family would need in a period of months to be able to keep the strategy going
2:43
I would say if you're shopping weekly, one to two hours max per week is what you need
2:49
And that includes your meal planning. So deciding what your family is going to eat, deciding what store you're going to shop at
2:55
should only take you one to two hours per week. And then you go and shop
3:00
Where should one start? If someone is feeling that they need to start saving money
3:07
couponing is probably a good option. Where should the person start to do that
3:12
You should start by looking in your past three months of shopping history
3:16
Where have you been spending your money and what have you been spending on it when it comes to groceries and household items
3:21
That will give you an accurate depiction of where to start your budget. Because if you and your family have been spending $700 per month, setting a $300 budget is probably going to be unrealistic for you
3:33
And then vice versa, right? You set a budget of $700 and you've only been averaging $350 a month
3:38
That's a waste, right? Now you're just spending to spend. So you first need to look at how much you're spending. And then you have to decide, like, is this the amount that I want to continue spending or do I want to cut it? And if you want to cut it, I always say cut by 30%. And then from there, that's when you start your strategy, which will look like what stores are in my area and what are the things that we need
4:00
You should always have a list of things that you need for your family So that way when you are looking at the stores when you looking at the ads you can clearly see like okay we are getting low on paper towels and trash bags That should be at the top of our list or our spices cabinet needs to be refilled You should always have a list of what you need and then buy those things
4:20
Any good apps for smartphones that you would recommend that would help with budgeting and shopping lists
4:27
For budgeting, I honestly do not use any apps for budgeting. I use good old pen and paper for budgeting, but it also depends on the type of budgeter that you are
4:36
There are apps like EveryDollar and you need a budget. Those are apps that you can use if you're a digital person
4:42
You can use an old school Excel spreadsheet to put all your income, expenses, what have you
4:48
When it comes to saving money, you should be downloading the apps for any stores that you're
4:52
shopping at. So I don't care if it's Ulta, Sephora, if you're buying tires
4:57
If that store has an app, you need to download the store app
5:01
You need to create the free rewards account. You need to see if they have coupons
5:06
And then as far as rebate apps, I use Flues. I use Fetch Rewards
5:12
I use Ibotta. I use ShopKix. And I use the Coupons.com app
5:18
So there's a lot of different apps. And I have tutorial videos of all of those on my YouTube channel
5:23
But those are apps that you use in conjunction with the store apps
5:27
Got you. Thank you. Tell me a little bit about your YouTube channel
5:31
What goals are you pursuing in running your YouTube channel? Well, if I'm being honest with you right now, I use my YouTube channel as my long form content
5:40
So I have a lot of tutorial videos on there. I have a lot of shopping strategy videos over there
5:45
So I use it as a reference. It's like my library, my bank of content where I refer people to
5:51
But my main two forms of content right now, my social medias are TikTok and my podcast
5:57
So I have a podcast called Couponing with Chris Maximizer, and I share a weekly tip
6:02
As the person embarks on budgeting, does budgeting require you to switch brands
6:08
No, you can have brand loyalties, but you just have to have them within your budget. So like my
6:14
husband, he only likes dial body wash and he only likes degree deodorant. So when Target has the
6:20
degree deal, I buy enough for six months so I can get four of the twin packs and that will last him
6:27
for six months, but I'm not paying full price and I'm getting a gift card back. So I do that deal
6:32
twice a year for him. And if there's any like at Walgreens or CVS, I'll also grab them for the
6:37
shelf, but I'll do that for four pack, twin pack. So that's eight containers that'll last them for
6:43
six months. Do that twice a year. So it's okay to have brand loyalties. You just have to find a way
6:48
of how can I get the things that I'm brand loyal to without paying full price. So when there's a
6:53
deal at a store, when there's a coupon, when there's a promotion, if you earn a gift card
6:58
from a rebate app, use that gift card to buy your brand loyal items that you may not have coupons for
7:04
What's your recommendation about to avoid impulse shopping, to avoid buying things that you don't
7:09
need? So first you have to always shop with a list. It has to be on the list and you have to
7:14
know how much the things are going to cost you and you have to set your budget. So I encourage
7:19
my clients. If you are new to budgeting, you're new to trying to not overspend, you need to take
7:25
that money out in cash or you need to put it on like a prepaid debit card or something that's
7:31
going to decline if you go over. So if your grocery budget for the week is $100, I say give
7:36
yourself 20% for cushion. So bring $120 to the grocery store. You have your list. Maybe your list
7:44
of items cost $105 plus tax. If you get anything else that's not on that list, you have to either
7:51
steal or put something back. Most of us are not going to jail for stealing groceries, so you're
7:56
going to put stuff back. So you have to be very rigid with yourself in the beginning and train
8:01
your mind to like, these are the things that we need. I came to the store to get this. If it's
8:06
something that I desperately need, I'm going to have to make another trip back because I don't
8:10
have the cash right now to afford it. Are there any, gas is extremely expensive. Are there anything
8:18
any strategies to save money on gas? Well, if you have any gas rewards
8:23
credit cards that give you cash back on gas you can use those If you have any memberships like BJ and even like the Walmart membership Sam Club they offer you discounted gas There programs like Shell Rewards where
8:36
when you sign up with Shell Rewards, they give you a certain amount of cents off of your gas
8:41
There's a rebate app called Upside that you can use, and they will give you cash back on your gas
8:48
You can also purchase gift cards for gas at a discounted rate in the app Flues
8:53
you'll earn cash back and then you can use that gift card to buy your gas. So again
8:57
it's all about the strategy of how can I use the money that I have and stretch it further
9:02
And a lot of that will include getting cash back and then using that cash back on things that you
9:07
need. How big is the inflation today as compared to six months ago? I would say, I don't know about
9:13
like percentages, but I've seen most things go up by at least a dollar to a dollar 50 cents of what
9:18
it used to be. So if something used to be $4, it's like around $5 or $5.50 now. It just depends
9:25
on the item. Some things have stayed the same and some things have gone up. But I don't try to
9:30
stress over like, oh my gosh, this is so much higher. I stress over like, okay, how can I be
9:35
strategic about getting what I need? How can I be strategic about maximizing my dollars
9:40
What gift cards do I have? What coupons are available? When does this item go on sale
9:46
and I have a coupon so that I can get the lowest price possible. Prices went up
9:51
You come to the store, you're expecting to pay $4, but now it's $5.50
9:56
How do you know that $5.50 is now the lowest price? So for most of my shopping, I know how much things cost before I go to the store
10:03
because I'm looking online. I'm never just walking into a store and not knowing what I'm going to buy
10:10
if that makes sense. So you have to be informed. That's why that one to two hours per week of preparation is essential
10:17
So even if I have to walk my grocery store and take pictures of the sections of the things that I like to buy for my family, I will do that
10:26
Take pictures and then come home and decide like the meats are this price and this is this price and this is this price
10:32
Then you put that together on your list. there's really no surprises for me because I'm spending that one to two hours looking online
10:39
and I'm comparing Walmart to Target and Publix and I'm comparing the dollar store. I'm doing that at
10:45
home in my one to two hours. So that's how I'm able to tell you that Scott's toilet paper is
10:50
the cheapest at Walgreens when they have their promotion and we have a manufacturer coupon
10:55
right? Because I've done the research. I know how much it is per roll. I have a list at my house
11:00
of how much it is per roll at BJ's versus Walmart versus Walgreens. Walgreens is still the cheapest
11:05
Even with a little bit of inflation, that toilet paper is still the same price
11:10
So you have to do the work at home. The hard work of saving money starts at home
11:15
Getting to the store is the easy part. You should know the prices. You should know your budget
11:19
before you go into the store. Does couponing work with online shopping
11:25
or shopping? Amazon has coupons. Amazon has deals. If you subscribe, you can save this
11:31
There's a section in your Amazon account that says Amazon coupons. So yes, you can save
11:36
but online couponing is not the same as traditional. I have a paper coupon or digital
11:41
coupon to use at CVS. It's not the same. It's more about a discount code, free shipping
11:47
or cashback. It's not straight up couponing. Explain the difference. When you go into a store, if you're getting this lip gloss, you may have a coupon from the inserts or you may have printed a coupon that will give you $3 off of this
12:03
If the coupon's on paper, it won't work online. Amazon doesn't take manufacturer coupons
12:09
You can only use coupons from Amazon on Amazon, if that makes sense
12:14
Whereas I can buy Revlon at Ulta. I can buy it at Walmart
12:18
I can buy it at Target. If I have that manufacturer coupon, it works at those stores
12:24
Whereas online, you're at the mercy of like Amazon's doing 10% off this item today
12:29
Buy it now. Or they're having Amazon Prime Day and they're slashing their prices by 30%
12:34
So online couponing online saving money is possible but it not in the same mindset of going into a store handing over a coupon or using your store app to get those digital coupons Guys I remind you that I talking
12:49
to Crystal Sharp, Chrissy Maximizer, who is a specialist in couponing and budgeting
12:57
how to balance family budget. Please subscribe to our channel. Please like this video. Also
13:03
So please visit Chrissy Maximizer's TikTok and YouTube channel. Like and subscribe to her channel as well
13:10
Very often stores put on sale in groceries, food that is about to expire
13:17
So it could be dangerous depending how long it stays at home
13:21
Are there any advices on that? I am the person who buys the meat that's 24 to 48 hours away from expiration and I freeze it
13:29
So I say buy at your own risk. but I wouldn't buy produce or anything, but meats definitely. Cause I know, um, within 48 hours of
13:38
you taking it home, as long as you put it in the freezer, it'll be okay. But if you let it sit in
13:42
your fridge for five days and it's not, but personally for me, I will buy it and I will
13:48
freeze it. What is a good grocery store memberships, not pharmacists, but grocery store memberships
13:53
What are grocery stores that you go to? I would say there's not really grocery store memberships
13:58
They have rewards programs, but I don't know if any grocery stores where you have to pay to be
14:02
a part of their club or what have you. But I do most of my grocery shopping at Walmart, BJ's
14:11
Publix, and sometimes at Target. But Walmart is the lowest threshold for me. I compare all my
14:17
prices to Walmart. I don't really go to chains except for Publix. When I am in Maryland, we go
14:24
to Giant, sometimes Safeway, sometimes Food Lion, but there isn't one status quo. The best grocery
14:32
store for you to go to is the one that's going to give you and your family the lowest price possible
14:37
Because if you're in Nebraska and I'm in Utah and someone's in California, that's going to look
14:42
different. So when it comes to the strategy, you've got to do the math and say, all right
14:46
this lip gloss is $10 at CVS, it's $7 at Walmart, it's $8 at Target, and it's $9 at Ulta
14:54
I'm going to get it from Walmart. Or I'm going to get it from CVS when I have a $5 coupon and
14:59
it makes it $5. So you have to do your own individual research of like, if your family
15:06
loves orange juice, a specific brand, you've got to look online to see where is the lowest price
15:12
for this orange juice at what store, you know? So yes, I have my favorites
15:18
but my favorites are going to be completely different from someone who lives in a completely different state
15:22
How often do you buy items not on sale? There are very few things in this world
15:26
that I pay full price for. So like experiences, beauty care, like getting my nails done or like a wax or something
15:34
But even still, I try to find some sort of like promotion or discount, but very rarely do I buy something
15:40
at full price, very rarely. We are finalizing this conversation. Is there anything you would like to add for our crowd, for people that visit our channel, read our website
15:54
Always buy what you need. So have a list of the things that you need and set your budget before you leave the house
16:01
I don't care if you're buying food, clothes, a car. Decide how much money you want to spend before you leave the house and stay true to your guns
16:09
because what I teach my clients is we focus on our big financial goals
16:13
And if your big financial goal is to invest $1,000 in the stock market
16:18
going out and spending an extra 20, 30, $40 every time you grocery shop
16:24
does that get you closer to your investment goal or further away? So you've really got to hone in and decide
16:29
like if my financial goals are here, impulse shopping and spending an extra 20, $30 every time
16:36
it's going to add up. And you could have reached your financial goal months ago had you just been focused. So stay focused, buy what you need, set that budget
16:46
and ask yourself, does this get me closer to my goal or further away
16:49
Chris, thank you very much. It was a pleasure speaking with you. Have a great day
#Consumer Resources
#Coupons & Discount Offers