How to save money with weekly ads
Shopping can affect your budget without you realizing it, so knowing how to save money on your daily shopping trips is a must. 
Where to find weekly ads?
If you’re not receiving weekly ads in your mail, try contacting your Post Office and work it out with them. Besides finding grocery ads in your mail, you can also discover them in your local stores, or even online.
You probably noticed piles upon piles of something that looks like newspapers sitting on the desks of clerks. The next time you go shopping, don’t avoid these papers – grab one instead, and you’ll see every discount the store has for that week!
Your last resort is looking up the ads online. One of the websites where you can find these weekly ads is frequent-ads.com. This is a great way to find what you’re looking for quickly, without accumulating extra garbage. Just find the website of your preferred store, if they have it, and the weekly ads section should greet you on the front page.
What to do with weekly ads?
Okay, now you’ve got the ads you were looking for, but what are you supposed to do with them? For starters, you should know that these ads are not the same thing as a coupon. Coupons have barcodes that the clerks scan once you reach the cash register. In the case of ads, they just show you which of the items in the store are currently on a discount.
Besides finding the price of the items they’re selling, the weekly ad papers will show you the location of the store, the payment methods they accept, and their working hours. This is all valuable info if you want to save up some cash! Plus, the papers will inform you how long those products will be on sale, which is arguably the most important piece of information.
Some weekly ads also have coupons, recipes that can help you plan your meals according to their sales, and BOGO products, or buy one get one free! Tread carefully around BOGO products, because sometimes you can spend more money buying multiple packs, thinking you saved up. This rings true if the items are near their expiry date, and then you’d just have a fridge full of items you won’t be able to use.
Your best bet on saving money with these ads is to carefully monitor the groceries and products that interest you the most. Write them down, circle them, or use helpful grocery apps! This way, you’ll never miss out on your favorite items at a discounted price.
Extra tips on meal planning with weekly ads!
Weekly ads give you the chance to both save up on money and organize your meals ahead of time! This way, you’ll have some extra cash and extra free time.
Arguably, we spend most of our weekly budget on meat (unless you’re vegan, of course). When you notice your favorite kind of meat is on sale, make sure to grab a few extra pounds and freeze it!
Monitor fresh produce too, especially veggies. Imported vegetables can be quite expensive, so if you grab the chance when they’re on sale, you’ll be going home with extra cash. During winter, fresh produce tends to be even pricier, so your best bet is buying frozen veggies – they’re on sale quite often, and those lovely weekly ads will show you when to buy them.
Most important of all, make your meal plan according to the ads. Grab the papers, check what’s on a discount, and create a meal using those ingredients! Some ads have recipes that make this super easy. Before you head out to buy the products, check your pantry. You don’t want to buy the groceries you already have, even if they are on sale!
Once you make your shopping list, be extra sure to actually stick with it. Impulse buying is the quickest way to blow all of your money on things you don’t really need. You already made your weekly meal plan using the ads, so why deviate from it? Of course, buying a few extra treats is okay (especially if they’re on sale), but avoid shopping on an empty stomach, and you’ll see how much money you will manage to save.
Besides monitoring weekly ads, look for coupons and deals. Most stores have coupons that pair very well with the items on sale, and you’ll save even more money when you combine them together!
The trickiest part about all of this is actually getting started. You never looked at weekly ads before, and it might feel strange pouring your energy into combing for the right products. But you better believe that your budget will improve greatly if you start doing this! Combine this with meal prepping and meal planning, and you’ll have more free time, more money, and a healthier body, all thanks to the help of weekly ads!
