This week marks the one year anniversary of my discovering that I have gluten and dairy intolerances.  Over the past year, I have added soy, eggs, white sugar and corn to that list.  I would be lying if I told you I was still able to feed my families of five for under $300 each month.  Because of my special diet, our food budget has gone up to around $400 – $450 a month.  It’s been a tough adjustment to make, but fortunately we are still well below the national average of $750 for a family of four.  (There is not an average for a family of five available.)   I have heard many people say a program like Coupon Sense is not worth it if you have food allergies, do not eat processed foods, eat only organic, or have some other type of special need.   Here are some things that have helped me to save money, along with being a Coupon Sense member, and still meet my family’s unique needs:

1) Buy foods that are in season. Instead of focusing on those foods that I cannot eat, I focus on foods that I can eat.  Most of these foods are found “around the perimeter” of the store.  Fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats are now staples in my home.  I shop at stores like Sprout’s and Sunflower Market where produce is a little cheaper.  When I find produce or meat at a great price, I stock up and either freeze or bottle it.  Coupon Sense makes this a lot easier for me when I am creating my shopping list.  I can click on the “produce” icon from the dashboard and compare all produce prices at a glance.  I also know when I stop at my local Farmer’s Market whether the produce prices are a better deal or not.

2)  Really good coupons + Sale = Stock up! This is something that Coupon Sense has always taught, but it has really hit home this past year.  Although there are fewer foods that I can eat, when I see a coupon for them I will stock up!  Also, I also am not shy about asking others if they are going to use their coupons or if they could print them out for me.  For example, last year there was a coupon for $.50 off any Thai Kitchen product.  I have a great recipe for coconut milk ice cream that uses one can of coconut milk.  A local store had these on sale for $1.99 and at the time they were doubling coupons.  I was able to stock up on Thai Coconut milk for only $.99 a can.  That brought my total cost for one pint of German Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream to $1.50 instead of paying $5.50 in the grocery store!  Coupon Sense has made finding these coupons so much easier with a database that includes Internet Coupons and coupons found in the Sunday paper.  I can plug in the brand names of my favorite products and see if there are any coupons out there in less than 5 seconds.

3)  My Alerts is key! Another thing I have done is entered key words into My Alerts.  I am now notified if any of my products go on sale.  This would include any special flours, bulk items, nuts and many other items.  I really like Enjoy Life! products.  They rarely go on sale, but when they do I know about it and can go stock up on any special treats (like mini chocolate chips) that I normally would not buy every shopping trip.  I also have an alert for meats and produce just to make sure I do not miss any deals.

4) Know the Sales. This is not much different than it is if you do not have food allergies.  If you are lucky to live near a store that caters to those with food allergies (like Sprout’s, Sunflower Market, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s), start tracking their sales cycle on items that you buy the most.  If gluten is a problem, you will be interested to know that  May is National Celiac Month, so Sprout’s will have all of their gluten free products on sale that month.  This is when I will stock up on special flours and other items that will last me for 6 months.  The sale cycles go a bit longer than the normal three months, so when you see a good sale you need to think six months out.  Also don’t forget about other types of stores like Asian food markets.  They will sell special flours or other items at prices you won’t see at other stores.  You may need to have someone help translate the package if it is not in English already.  You can also find great deals online such as Amazon.com for grocery items.

My overall savings during the past year was at 65%.  My previous year’s savings was 81%.  You need to be patient and realize that the coupon market is just beginning in the organic and food allergy market.  I have still saved my family a lot of money and we are eating better because of it.  I am grateful for learning how to save money on my overall grocery and household budget.   I have been able to apply these valuable saving methods when a life changing event occurs.  So whether you are gluten, dairy, sugar, corn free like me or are limited as to what you can eat in another way; these methods will help you save money!