One of the biggest ways that I save on the cost of meat is by taking advantage of BOGO sales. Whenever Shaw’s supermarket offers these—and it’s been quite a lot recently—I always check to see what’s available. The options vary but I look for steak, roasts, and chicken. (The only item I skip is pork because we don’t eat it. If for some unusual reason I could get it totally free, I would pick it up and donate.)

Most meat is priced by the pound or less commonly by the package. The store will always give you the cheaper package for free, so it’s best to purchase pairs as close in price as possible. For example, if you pick up a package that is $8.00 and one that is $6.00, you will get $6.00 off your total. But if you pick up a package that is $7.90 to go along with your $8.00 package, you will get $7.90 off your total. 

That’s a good savings right there, but when you can add a coupon, it gets even better. Personally, I print every single meat coupon I can find. You never know when you’ll find an unexpected deal and it’s better to print and have, rather than need and want.

Recently, I was able to do this with Perdue chicken, paying only $1.88 per bag. I bought 6 and stocked my freezer for very little upfront cost. Another great type of coupon to look for are Manager’s mark down stickers. Sometimes I can even do a triple stack (BOGO price, store coupon, manufacturer’s coupon) which makes for an insanely low price.

While it may not seem like a few dollars matter, it truly does add up over time and if you only buy meat on sale, you can take a huge chunk out of your grocery budget.