The trick to saving money in Kansas City turns out to be asking for deals and doing a bit of advance planning. The KC Penny Pinchin' Mama, aka Tracie Fobes, laid out some of the simple ways you can keep more money in your pocket while shopping and eating in the City of Fountains.
The first place to look for deals is online as restaurants and destinations (like the Legends at Village West in Kansas City, Kansas) have newsletters or deals sections.
"Many times, by being a member, you can get notification of great deals and can even get coupons e-mailed to you," says Fobes. Many of the coupons are specials limited to the Web site or newsletter.
Even if you haven't thought ahead, Fobes has a trick for when you're waiting in line for a table on Friday nights.
"Ask the manager. Sometimes they will just hand you a coupon for asking. You never know what you can get until you ask," says Fobes.
Getting started
The act of coupon cutting can be compulsive, but more coupons doesn't necessarily translate into greater savings.
"You should watch to see if you have to increase your spending in order to save money," says Fobes.
If
you find you're buying items you normally might not buy solely because
you have a coupon, then you're probably extending your budget rather
than tightening it. Suddenly a 20 percent-off coupon on a $50 purchase doesn't
seem like such a great deal if you don't spend over $40 regularly at a
retailer.
Forbes recommends you start small and set realistic
savings goals -- think $5 rather than 50 percent off your grocery bill.
Tackle one store at a time, beginning with the place you shop most
frequently. Once you're comfortable tracking sales and coupon
offerings, add a second store. And that's when you can start accruing meaningful savings.
This is the second in a two-part series on saving money at the grocery store, part one is here.
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