Cost Breakdown

Here is the price of a dinner at full price, and again with the price I actually paid:

Full Price Taco Salad
1 lb. Hamburger ($2.99)
1/2 Bag Shredded Lettuce (Fresh Express .75 cents)
1 Packet Taco Seasoning (Lawry's $1.19)
1 Can of Kidney Beans (S&W .95 cents)
1/4 lb. Grated Cheddar Cheese (Tillamook $1.25), 2lbs/$5.00
1/4 Bag of Potato Chips (Doritos .86 cents), $3.45 a bag

(optional: tomatoes & onion, didn't put in)

TOTAL $8.49


Sale Priced Taco Salad
1 lb. Hamburger ($1.49) reduced price at end of day
1/2 Bag Shredded Lettuce (.52 cents), Dole brand with coupon
1 Packet Taco Seasoning (Lawry's .17 cents),
on sale w/in-store coupon
1 Can Kidney Beans (.23 cents),
stocked up on a variety of beans with this price
1/4 lb. Grated Cheddar Cheese (.99 cents), used generic
1/4 bag of Potato Chips (.36 cents),
Tostitos on sale w/in-store coupon $1.45/bag

TOTAL $3.76


That's a difference of $4.73!

Watching coupons, watching sales, finding cheaper alternatives, do add up. If I take this one dinner and saved $4.73 every night, for 5 days, in a year, then I could save my family $1,800
a year. Just by shopping smart.