SAVE MONEY ON YOUR GROCERIES!

Ready to start saving money on your groceries?  That's what SavingsAngel.com is all about! 

Click here to here the latest interview with Scott Stine and Chief Executive Angel Josh Elledge!

Click here to go directly to SavingsAngel.com and start saving up to 50% on your groceries.

Click here to go to the Savings Angel blog for Central/East Michigan.

 Big Deals for the week of September 6, 2010:

A Food Savings Account - The Easiest 'Rainy Day Fund' You'll Ever Build.
In the 1960s, the average American saved 11 percent of their paycheck. By 2003, that amount had fallen to 2.3 percent. Lately, however, savings among Americans has actually risen to between 5 and 7 percent of their disposable income.  If there is one bright spot to our bad economy, a larger percentage of people are starting to take preparedness more seriously due to the instability.  However, there is still much work to do...

Less than 4 out of ten American adults have an emergency fund set aside to fall back on in case of a financial disaster.   25% of Americans have absolutely no savings at all - retirement or otherwise.  The fact is, saving money can mean sacrifice - sometimes at great pain.  It's difficult when the average American family also owes $2,200 in credit card debt. In fact, it may feel darn near impossible for some families.  I personally have felt that pressure on a few occasions in my life and it's a terrible pain to endure.

Several years ago, my dear wife and I took serious inventory of our spending plan.  We wanted to build up a savings account - but it seemed nearly impossible.  As we reviewed how we spent every dollar, I became obsessed with the money we were spending on our groceries and other consumables.  $630 a month on average is a big ticket purchase.  We learned some savings secrets and eventually we started shopping with coupons and building up our pantry at home by using the principles taught at SavingsAngel.com.

We were acquiring double the amount of food we originally were bringing home - for about half the cost.  About three months into our food savings journey, we were dealt a serious financial blow.  All of a sudden, we were left with very little personal income.    The food we had set aside during that first three months became our emergency savings account.  We stuck to our shopping principles and we managed to survive on a $100 a month grocery budget.  Our 'food savings account' had sustained us for several months while we rebuilt. 

Finally climbing out of the hole, we had personally realized the power of an emergency fund.   Although we had very little money in a savings account, the food we bought for 60-90% off during the first three months was every bit as helpful as cash in our situation.  It gave us a $530 a month temporary pay raise.  Since this time, we have developed a personal goal of having enough food and household products on hand to last us a year - in case we are ever dealt another financial blow.

Whether or not you are failing at building a rainy day fund at your bank, I'm going to encourage you to start a food savings account. With generous support from retailers and manufacturers in the form of great coupon/sale combinations, you'll find yourself setting aside many hundreds of dollars in food and consumables in no time!  Be mindful of expiration dates, and you'll have no problem maintaining your reserves.  You will be grateful to have an emergency food storage should you ever encounter a personal challenge.  You'll also be better equipped to assist a friend or family member with their setback.
 

The easiest way to cut your grocery bill in half is through using manufacturer coupons combined with the best sales at local West Michigan stores.  Normally, this takes a lot of work to create a winning shopping list for your family.  Each week, SavingsAngel.com combines over 2,000 products on sale at local grocery and drug stores with their enormous database of manufacturer coupons – which are found in Sunday's Grand Rapids Press and throughout the Internet.  This combination results in access to over 300 products each week for 50% off or better.  Here are a few examples of deals that are available until Saturday at midnight.  Please look in Tuesday's Grand Rapids Press each week for tips on how you can easily start cutting your own grocery bill.

CAMPBELL'S SOUP AT HAND (10.75 oz)
Regular price: $1.59
Sale price: $1 at Meijer
Coupon: $1 on 3 (August 29 SmartSource Insert)
Final Price: 67 cents
SavingsAngel says:  At this price you will always have soup at hand.

WISK LAUNDRY DETERGENT (48 loads)
Regular price: $7.49
Sale price: $6.99 at Walgreens
Coupon: $3 (August 29 Red Plum Insert) PLUS $2 Register Reward
Final Price: $1.99
SavingsAngel says: Feel better about grass stains.    

FRIGO CHEESE HEADS (10-12oz)
Regular price: $4.59
Sale price: $3 at Family Fare
Coupon: $1 (August 22 SmartSource Insert) or $1 Printable at www.frigocheeseheads.com
Final Price: $2
SavingsAngel says: Get a healthy snack for a healthy price.   

OLD ORCHARD 100% JUICE APPLE JUICE (64 oz). LIMIT 2
Regular price: $2.35
Sale price: 99 cents at Family Fare
Coupon: 50 cent Printable at www.sa2.me/oldorchard
Final Price: 49 cents
SavingsAngel says:  Drink up the delicious savings!

Josh Elledge is the Chief Executive "Angel" of SavingsAngel, Inc. – a West Michigan based company launched from his Holland, Michigan home in January 2007.  A husband and father of three, he now appears on television each week, many radio stations, and each week in the Grand Rapids Press teaching West Michigan families how to cut their grocery bill in half using the Internet.  Elledge created the technology found on SavingsAngel.com through the need to save his own family's money.  Successfully able to cut his own grocery bill from $600 a month to less than $300 a month, his message has reached hundreds of thousands of families.  SavingsAngel.com is now growing rapidly throughout the country.  You can watch a short video at SavingsAngel.com that will explain more information about how to cut your own grocery bill in half with the help of SavingsAngel.com.