This is a review post I wrote for Green BEAN Delivery. I was compensated in kind. This post was not edited by anyone. When I do a review, you can count on me giving you my truthful opinion. Read more on my Disclosure Policy.
Remember last week when I shared The #1 Way to Save Money at the Store? Staying out of the store might seem difficult when it comes to produce; however, for a little over a year, I’ve been utilizing Green BEAN Delivery on a biweekly basis to stock up on fruits and veggies. The site features organic produce. When possible, it’s also locally sourced. For $35 of my grocery budget, every other week I stock up on some of the best fruits and vegetables for my family. However, like any other endeavor to save money, there is a strategy involved in my shopping. Here are a few of my favorite tips.
Look for a Coupon Code
There’s almost always a Green BEAN Delivery Promo Code floating around the internet. So if you’re a first time shopper, you definitely want to locate one before you place your order. Occasionally, you might see a Groupon or other online deal for the service, too. My first Green BEAN Delivery came from such an offer. I’m so happy that Green BEAN has offered a coupon code just for Queen of Free readers. If you’re a first time sign up, you can get $15 off of your bin by using the code 15QOFml. The code expires one week from this post (7/1/14) so don’t delay if you’re interested in using it.
Customize Your Bin To Order Only What Your Family Eats
Whenever, you’re due for a new delivery, Green BEAN will alert you via e-mail. Do not delay. Immediately head out to the internet to customize your bin. This is incredibly important for a number of reasons. You want to be sure that you only order what your family actually eats. There is nothing worse than wasted produce in my book. Green BEAN selects items that are in season and popular to fill your bin. However, there’s no guarantee that your family will actually eat what is in season. So whenever that little notification pops up, you want to be sure to fill your bin with only items that will be consumed. Of course, you can be adventurous from time to time and try out something new (we’d never had broccolini before Green BEAN suggested it and now we love it); however, the majority of your bin should be filled with tried and true items so that you’re not pitching half of it in your compost bin.
Fill Your Bin According to the Lowest Price Points
Yet another advantage of customizing your bin is the ability to fill it with a larger volume of lower priced foods. I typically don’t order items like berries from Green BEAN because usually I can snag them in the grocery store at a much lower cost. My favorite lower priced items include green beans (how’s that for irony?), mixed salad greens (there are SO many in a bag!), potatoes, zucchini, apples, nectarines or peaches when in season, onion, corn, and mushrooms. It used to be difficult to see the prices of the items and involved a complicated game of me scrolling back and forth between the produce section of the site and my bin order. However, Green BEAN has recently updated its interface so that you can scan prices quickly and easily. I honestly begin my process by seeing which items are the most inexpensive and then progress to the “Will we or won’t we eat it?” question.
Try to Come in Pennies Over $35
Delivery is free with a $35 purchase, so make it a game to come in right at that amount (or just over). Last week, I managed to land $35.05. It’s easy to get carried away because all of the items sound so yummy but hedge your spending right at the bin you’ve selected to come in under budget. I typically only order produce items but occasionally add a speciality grocery item from the large selection of local vendors (yay Hunter’s Honey!) when they’re on sale.
Deduct Your Green BEAN Total from Your Grocery Budget
This is an incredibly important tip. As soon as you have placed your order, be sure to immediately deduct the exact amount you have spent from your grocery budget. It would be very easy to fall into the trap of spending $35 on top of your regularly budgeted amount. So you want to be sure to adjust amounts in your budget accordingly as soon as you place your order to prevent overspending mistakes. Also, be sure not to duplicate your purchases at the grocery store.
Green BEAN probably won’t feature the loss leader sales that your local grocery store tempts you with on a weekly basis. However, for me, I avoid overspending in other areas when I have groceries delivered straight to my home. So paying a few pennies more online keeps me from wasting dollars more when I see something in the grocery store that wasn’t on my list and even though I hadn’t planned on making the purchase, it mysteriously jumps in my cart. The time it takes to fight the crowds and physically shop is also a savings for me. I can use those minutes to do other things, like spend time with my family or work to make money. Be smart about how you shop Green BEAN Delivery and you can maximize your hours and dollars, too.
If for some reason, an item is missing from your bin or you are disappointed in the quality of your produce, I’d encourage you to reach out to Green BEAN’s team and let them know. It’s only happened to me once or twice in over a year of ordering; however, I’ve always found the customer service to be excellent in righting any issues I may have had.
Don’t forget to use the Green BEAN Delivery Promo Code 15QOFml if you’re a first time shopper and decide to try out this service.
Gain inspiration to pay off debt! Check out Inspiration to Pay Off Debt: 30 Days of Encouragement from the Queen of Free
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal or maybe even something for free, you also help our family pay off our mortgage early. And for that, we royally thank you!
