Tips on Saving Money When Buying Organic Products

When I started buying organic & eco friendly products about 7 years ago, trust me…my household expenses went up. However, I really didn’t give it a second thought. The economy was great (remember those days?), we had everything we needed & more, & the research I was doing convinced me that organic was the way to go, so I simply went with it.

Then 2009 happened. The economy had taken a toll on my family & I needed to start saving money. I refused to give up purchasing organic & green products, so I had to get creative & pay less for what I needed to buy. There was a learning curve, but I was able to drop our grocery budget by 25-40% while still buying the same brands I had previously been paying full price for.

If you have been thinking about purchasing more organic & green items for your family, don’t be afraid to do so! There are ways to save on organic & eco friendly products, although it does take more work. Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Always take a walk through the organic section of your store & keep an eye out for peelies, blinkies, tear pads, etc. Fred Meyer & QFC (my local Kroger affiliates) both put out a magazine that has great coupons for organic products. Grab a few & build your coupon stash.

2. Don’t forget to check the website of every product that you want to try. Newman’s Own, Organic Valley, Earth’s Best, & many more have coupons you can download. Sign up for any newsletters they offer because they often include coupons as well.

3. Take a second look at coupons for non-organic items. Many brands offer both organic & non-organic products. Unless a coupon specifically excludes the organic item, you can use it on the organic product. For example, if you see a coupon for $.50 off any S&W canned beans, use it on their organic beans.

4. Shop Trader Joe’s! Most of their items are their own brand, however if they carry a brand name product, they will take your coupon for it.

5. Shop Costco. Costco is always stocking more organic & eco friendly items from brands like Earthbound Farms, Hanna Andersson, & more.

6. Shop online. Amazon, Drugstore.com, & Alice.com all have wonderful selections of organic or green products & often have rock bottom prices. Take advantage of those stock up prices! In October of 2009 I bought enough organic tampons & pantiliners to last me over a year & spent around $50 doing so. I paid less than I would have for conventional cotton products that contain nasty chemicals!

7. I am going to contradict myself here, but shop locally. This not only reduces your carbon footprint but allows you to get fresher products. Additionally, you will be supporting your local economy. Weather permitting, shop farmer’s markets. Or buy directly from a farmer & buy in bulk. Obviously you will pay more up front for a quarter of a cow but it will save you in the long run. Try joining a CSA (community supported agriculture) & get fresh produce right from the farm.

Purchasing organic & eco friendly products costs more; there is no way around it.. However, by using your savvy shopping skills, you can minimize the impact on your budget.

If you have any other tips, feel free to share them with us! If you have any questions, leave a comment & I’ll do my best to get back to you in a timely manner.