Last week I talked about how I plan out our weekly menu. Once I have my shopping list completed I mentioned I use my "strategic shopping and coupon skills" on that list. Today I'm going to talk about some strategies to shopping and next week I will touch on couponing.
I'm going to start out with a few tips for everyone, and then go on to some strategies for your shopping trips.
Tips for Everyone:
1. Become familiar with regular prices and sales prices. Just because something is in the grocery store flier does not mean it's on a super great sale. Normally the first page is the slam dunk deals. I tend to base my "deal" prices using costco prices as my base. For example ground beef at Costco is 2.99/lb, Frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts are $2.10/lb, laundry soap is 11.5cents per load. I use this as my guage on when I should buy an advertised sale. For instance even though I may have a few weeks worth of chicken left, it would be wise for me to buy more if it is on sale for $1.49 through a Zaycon Meats sale so that way I don't have to pay $2.10/lb later.
2. Have a stockpile. I'm not talking Extreme Couponing seven rooms of your home stockpile. I have a very simple stockpile consisting of toiletries, paper products, pasta, cereal, meats, and some canned items. I do have stuff stocked in random places but that is mostly because I don't even have a pantry in my house. No need to go over the top - even a small stockpile will save you a lot in the long run. I set limits such as "I will only have as much shampoo that will fit in this space."
3. When making your budget have a "weekly groceries" category and a "stockpile" category. It's super easy to go overboard on a sale and then realize you just spent your entire budget on Chicken but have nothing to go along with it (I have done this). When your stockpile money runs out, stop buying for your stockpile.
4. Try not to depend on convenience items. You pay more than you realize to buy chips in little baggies and baby carrots. Buy the big $1.50 container of carrots and chop them, Baggie up your large costco sized bag of chips. Try to avoid fully prepared freezer meals for every night of the week. I'm not saying convenience isn't sometimes worth it - just make sure to at least evaluate if it is worth it for your family.
Once you have the above in mind you then go on to your weekly grocery trips. When I go through my fliers I see what great things I should get for my stockpile, but I also see if any of the things I need for my menu are on sale too and then I implement my shopping strategies. There are several ways to attack your grocery shopping so I will highlight them below for you to pick what works best for you.
1. One stop shop - You have probably heard that Walmart does price matching. If you have no time or enegry to go to more than one store than this is probably the best method for you. For this method you take your shopping list and all the store fliers and go through your list and write the price match next to each items. Example: La Victoria salsa - 1.50 at Albersons for 12oz jar. You do have to bring your fliers into our store (although the policy says you don't have to). And you list off all your price matches to the cashier and show them the flier as you check out.
Advantages: One stop! Big Savings! Lower prices on regularly priced items typically.
Disadvantages: There are restrictions on certain items and sales so you need to know the policy well. Walmart doesn't carry as wide of variety as grocery stores so some sale items might not be available. Long checkout time. Must be way organized at the register.
2. Multiple Stop Shop - Divide your list into store categories and shop at the stores that seems to have the best sales for what you need. I used to shop this way. I would seperate out my list and note next to everything the price of the item in the flier. Then I would first head to grocery outlet and see what they had that was on my list. I would buy as many of my "non advertised sale items" there as well as any "sale items" where the price was lower there. Then after that stop I would look at my list and see what stores I still needed to go to. Now if my list of store A was significantly shortened by my trip to grocery outlet - then I might just skip that store and pay for it full price at store B if they had a lot of my sale items.
Advantages: you don't have to go to Wmart. Great for people who live in the Orchards and don't want to trek to Clarkston. Probably the most savings on groceries.
Disadvantages: More shopping stops. Not very kid friendly. More Gas usage. Easier Checkout.
I have done both of these shopping methods and have seen great savings with them both! My biggest encouragement would be to start paying attention to the prices you see at different stores. Once I realized how much I was saving by being a bit more intentional with my shopping I was hooked!
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