Pay Like a Miser – Live Like a King!

Are you tired of feeling like you’re missing out on the Good Life?

Are you letting your Net Worth determine your Self Worth?

Are you always coming up short – just when it’s YOUR turn to get something good?

Then, it’s time you met . . .

The Thrifty Millionaire!

Welcome to the First Issue of The Thrifty Millionaire — the first newsletter that will show you how to mine the gold that is all around you! 

Unlike other newsletters that promise to give you free stuff, or save you money, there are no offers to complete, no courses to buy, no obligations of any kind. 

Will we recommend books that you can purchase through our affiliate links?  Sure!  But, if you don’t, you’ll still get the newsletter and all the good information. 

Will we advertise our own goods and services in the newsletter, and let our article authors do the same?  Yeah, you betcha!  But, feel free to ignore the ads (you do it on the highway, in stores and in magazines all the time!) 

Will we give you the best information possible about as many ways we can think of to get what you want for little to no actual cash?  Always.

Will we let you distribute this newsletter to all your friends and family as much as you want?  Oh, yeah!!!!  Please do!

Will we give away, sell or otherwise exploit your information to others?  NEVER.

Okay, so now you know the score.  And you’re winning. . .

So, without further ado, here’s our first issue about how to buy groceries. 

It works, too!

Check Out Saving on Your Groceries

“Coupon Queen” Clip, Clip, Clips Her Way to a Fortune!

So, the headline goes.  This Suburban Legend buys nothing but what she has coupons for, and gets the stores to actually pay her to buy food there!

. . .

Wow!  We’re impressed. She doesn’t have to work outside the home.  She has the dream of staying home with the kids, just shopping!  *sigh*  Wouldn’t that be wonderful? 

However, if you read on, you will see what she has to do in order to do get that savings.  She is, in effect, working a full-time jobs as a coupon-clipping, rebate-sending, traveling around looking for bargains, minimum-wage (if that) employee!  And half her home is jammed to the ceiling with proofs of purchase, rebate forms, coupons she’s clipped, coupons waiting to be clipped, and children with sore fingers from all that clipping. 

But, of course, the children are happy to clip, their glassy little eyes beam delightedly as they – like little Stepford children – automatically pick up the ever-present scissors and clip merrily away. 

Why?  Because most of the food that is deeply discounted by coupons is sugar-laced, ultra processed “anti-food” that fills their little bellies, but. keeps the kids on a glucose high.  

Oh, yes.  There is something else:  these people will never, NEVER run out of toilet paper – or any other paper products, for that matter.  Because that’s the other thing that manufacturers give the big coupons for – paper.  Whether it’s tissue, paper towels, feminine hygiene, picnic supplies or diapers, it’s got a coupon worth clipping!

So, unless you can live on a diet made up largely of ding-aling cakes and zip-lock bags, and a desire to change your religion to the Church of the Coupon, you really have no hope of getting them to pay you to shop.  Yeah, I know.  It’s tough.  Get used to it.

“But, you’re the Thrifty Millionaire!  How CAN I save money, if not with coupons?”

I’m glad you asked, because I’m going to tell you.  And you will be happy because:

• It doesn’t take any more work than you’re doing now, once you’re set up for it, which is also simple.
• You don’t need any extra room in your home to keep papers, offers, or any of that garbage.
• You will really save money in a real savings account to use later on stuff you actually like and want.

Sound good?  Okay, then, here goes:

1)      If you get coupons in the paper, only clip out the ones you will actually use.  Bring them with you to the store, and put them INSIDE your checkbook, so you don’t take them home again unused. 

2)      Find the cheapest neighborhood (that you will actually go into in broad daylight) in your area.  You know the one.  It’s where the people who don’t speak English live, mostly.  Yup, you know where that is, right?  If not, look up supermarkets in the phone book, watching for words in other languages, or ads touting foods from other countries.  That’s the supermarket, or just the market, you’ll be going to.  Hey, it’ll be an adventure!

3)      Make a shopping list, but make it a generic one.  Unless you are married to the guy whose father owns a cannery and you HAVE TO buy that brand, you owe it to yourself to compare.  While you are making the list, consider how often you use the particular item.  For example, I use A LOT of tomato products, and a lot of a product I’ve never seen anywhere but Texas called, “Ro-Tel,” which is a tomato and green pepper mix.  If you have a similar item, or items, put a little star next to those things as you make your list.  More on that later.

4)      Find out if that store has times when it is slow, when there aren’t a lot of people in there buying.  Make the phone call and ask the question.  You can do this, because the person on the other end doesn’t know it’s you, nor do they care.  (I am one of those people who can call absolutely anyone at any time with no qualms, but I know many people who have a hard time with this.  It’s worth doing, trust me, and it can’t hurt you.)  Go to the store at this time.

5)      When you arrive at the store, go right to the customer service counter and ask to see the manager.  When he gets there, introduce yourself by name and tell him you’ve been shopping around for the best grocery store in the area, one that will get your exclusive business, and you’ve chosen his based on the recommendations you’ve gotten (mine, and the phone book’s – but don’t actually SAY that!).  Congratulate him and shake his hand.  Ask him for his business card.  Then, ask him if he can make some recommendations about what is a good value right now, and whether he gives discounts if you buy in bulk, say, by the case or carton.  Tell him you’re interested in canned goods by the case, and fruit and vegetables by the box, especially the items you’ve marked with a star (told you we’d get to those!).  If you have a large freezer, you can also ask him about bread items in bulk, since they freeze well.  Get his input, thank him, and do a trial run.

There have been times I’ve done this when I have ended up with a guided tour of the store, free items, and an on-going cordial relationship with the manager.  (I think he thought I was a “mystery shopper.”  I didn’t correct him, because in a way, we all are.  We just report our findings to a slightly more limited clientele!)  If this happens – if the manager or a checker or stock person is particularly nice or helpful —  be sure to mail (no, not e-mail, only snail-mail will do for this!) a thank you card, calling him by name, with a copy to HIS/HER boss.  One hand washes the other and you’ll never want for better service anywhere.

6)      When you go to the check-out and pay your bill, ask if you can write a check for a little bit more.  Then, round up to the next dollar, and get the change.  You will put that in a jar at home until you have enough to start a savings account, and then that’s what will go in the account.  You will be surprised at how effortlessly it grows and how convenient that jar can become when Junior tells you at 11PM that he needs $5.00 at first period tomorrow morning, or they won’t let him graduate, or some such thing.  (After 5 kids, I’ve heard it all. . . )

7)      On your trial run in the store, if you haven’t saved any money, then move on to another store in the phone book that meets the same criteria until you find the one that saves you a lot of money.  You may end up using brands you never heard of.  That’s fine, because there are – unbeknownst to many people – only a few canneries in the US, which turn out all the brands.  Depending on who buys the product from them, after it’s canned, they just put different labels on the same products!  Of course, just as with produce and meat, there are different grades of food, but all of it must meet the same cleanliness standards.  The higher grades’ biggest difference over the lower grades?  The higher grades are prettier to look at.  That’s it.  So, if it’s already in a can, or you’re putting tomatoes in your soup, that’s not a big deal.

8 )      The one place you DON’T want to go for a lesser grade is when you buy meat.  Meat should be purchased as freshly as possible.  A good quality meat market that only deals in meat would be my first choice.  Another great choice is to contact an agricultural school and (going in with other families, if you are pressed for space in the freezer) buy a whole animal or two, on the hoof.  It’s usually not very expensive, they butcher it to your specifications, and you know it’s good quality.  AGAIN, don’t try to save money by buying cheap meat.  There’s only one exception I know of:  if the meat market you go to is closed on Sundays (and some are, thank God!), buy your meat Saturday afternoons.  They can’t save the meat till Monday, so they have to discount it, or lose all the money.  You can haggle at these places, and depending how late you get there, you can get some great meat cheaply.

9)      On produce –

a)      Contact your local garden club for the names of people who grow their own vegetables or fruit, and sell them.  The produce will be fresh, and you will make a new friend.

b)      Call your Chamber of Commerce, and ask about any upcoming Farmers’ Markets.  Go there and buy great produce.  Plan to stay till the end, when the discounts will be made because these folks don’t want to pack it up and take it home.

c)      Get in touch with the local Agricultural Extension (it’s in the phone book, under Government), and ask about local produce farmers, and when and where they sell their produce.

d)      Look into the possibility of growing some of your own easy produce.  (Zucchini comes to mind, but there are others.)  Again, the folks at the Agricultural Extension will not only help you with advice, they often have free literature, classes and Master Gardeners who will help you with soil preparation and choice of location for the best possible crop!

So, there you have it!  This is how the Thrifty Millionaire grocery shops.  It’s fun, it’s easy, and you make friends all over the place with very little effort.  Now, go and shop like crazy, using any or all of these tips, and you’ll see how much you’ll save on your groceries!

A Penny For Your Thoughts

God has deposited more gold between your ears than exists anywhere on earth.  All you have to do is mine it.  Pay your way with THAT gold, and you’ll never want for anything.  Just remember Who gave it to you, and never, ever forget to send up that thank you note!

Till next time, I am . . .

Theresa Hartman

The Thrifty Millionaire