Stupid "save money at the grocery store" articles

[LuvMyHubby]

I have to have a list because sometimes I have brains like a seive however, I always have a cushion for unadvertised and marked down stuff so that I stay on track (most of the time) while still taking advantage of something I can throw in the freezer and stock up. This girls gotta have a list

[Cricketlegs]

I pretty much just buy staples, meat, dairy and produce. I buy very little processed foods --example--I may buy a box of Mrs bairds apple pies because my children love them--but my buggy has flour sugar eggs milk oatmeal in the tub not microwave etc.

I don't need a list but I do have a system of alloting a certain amount of my budget to eat food category meaning dairy, meat, produce, dry goods, canned/frozen(veggies and fruits) etc.

[xtena]

I prepare my shopping list after scrutinizing the weekly flyers, so I remember what and where the really good advertised specials are, especially on meat, fruit and veggies. If a particular store only has one or two good advertised sale items, I'll skip it unless I can save enough $$ to make the extra gas and time worthwhile. I also need to keep a running tally of things we are out of or running low on so as to avoid extra trips later. If I see a really good bargain not on my list I'll often snap it up anyway. I own my list. It doesn't own me.

[MomToTwoBoys]

My time to dissect this article:

1) Stocking up on a "great deal" - They're right about that, at least with the part about whether it gets eaten or not. Most of the time, I've seen alot of people impulse buy on things that are a great deal and it just sits in their freezer/cupboards.

2) Reaching for the "value" size - I always read how much I'm getting on value items, especially since I'm OCD with math. For example, they had Club Pack coffee creamer for 5.97 and you could get three times the amount in the Club Pack than you'd get with the regular size coffee creamer for 2.98. If I bought three of the 2.98 coffee creamer, I'd spend way more than buying the Club Pack stuff.

3) Scooping up 10 for $10 - I do this in a heartbeat. It's the best way of stockpiling unless the item does indeed cost less. But that never happens.

4) Skipping the store brand - I always buy the store brand of something. 99% of the time, it tastes way better than the name brand. Alot of people simply buy the name brand because they're either a) too proud to buy the cheaper version or b) too afraid it'll taste like dirt.

5) Shopping leisurely - I used to spend at least two hours in the grocery store and I'd spend $800/mo. I changed stores and my menu and now, I spend about an hour in the grocery store and I spent $400/mo or even less. I don't necessarily think that spending more time in the store = spending more money. Alot of the time, it depends on how busy the store is and how much time you're spending on comparing two items that takes a while.

6) Taking advantage of one-stop shopping - this certainly is a good thing, especially in Canada. Canada has an awesome chain warehouse place called The Real Canadian Superstore that you can get everything for cheaper than at any grocery store in the city...including health and beauty products, toilet paper, etc. I buy all my clothes, my toiletries, my food, etc at the same store and I save 50 dollars a week there...sometimes more.

7) Clipping coupons religiously - Apparently the guy who wrote this article has never been around anyone who has spent 800/yr on their grocery bill via using coupons as one of their main sources of saving money. Coupons are awesome!

8) Zoning in on "sale" signs - I think this method only really works (and the explanation he gives to go with it would make my point valid) if you carry a price book with you to the store every single time you go or you have the price implanted in your head.

9) Making a list - This only really works if you watch the prices each week. I do all my shopping in one store and I'll usually make my menu for that week (and the next week) on what's for sale this week. Today, the new flyer is out for Real Canadian Superstore and I'll usually add items onto my list and make meals from what's on sale.

10) Watch the scanner for errors - I do this alot and I don't lose any money out of it. I write down the prices when I pick up the item, then I show the lady at the checkout what the price was on the shelf. They'll either check with someone or just change it right there and then.

I think that article is sending some mixed signals to its readers. In a time when frugality is emerging as the better way of living in a rough economy, it's sort of telling people to be and not to be frugal.

[Lori Biever-Launder]

I read ANYTHING in Woman's Day with a grain of salt. For instance, I list my staple items that I run out of. I also list the sale items I want. Everything else? I check prices (I know them by heart!) and check the mark down bins. We eat what is on sale. PERIOD. We also eat a lot of seasonal things. For example, I never buy watermelon in January. It's not watermelon season in my part of the country in January, so it's VERY expensive. However, apples and oranges are cheap then, so those (along with bananas) are our fruit staples.

I use whatever brand is cheapest. If a name brand is cheaper with a coupon than a store brand is without one, I buy the name brand. If the store brand is cheaper and I have no coupons for the name brand, store brand it is.

I make a lot of things from scratch, but to avoid going out to eat, I keep some convenience things on hand. For example, we like pizza out. However, we don't always have the $ for it, so I keep some frozen pizzas on hand. No, it's NOT as good as one from the pizzeria, but it gives us our pizza fix and we are waaay better off financially as a result!

I stockpile whenever I can. I am using up a six month supply of detergent right now that I got as a loss leader. The dog food was a torn bag at 25% off. The cat litter was out of the markdown bin at half off. I didn't necessarily need all of these things right then, but I bought them because I knew the prices weren't going to be lower. As a result, I have more money left at the end of the month!

[rachelMcK]

I'm sorry but that is a stupid article. Someone please explain how you would spend more shopping with a list?

I shop with a list, religiously. I usually keep my bill down to $30 a week that way (and by purchasing sale items). If I didn't use a list (because I never used to) I'd be spending double that or more a week. That to me, is ridiculous advice! Also, if you can walk, shopping at different stores is way better due to the variety of sales. Shopping in one place often results in spending more (for me anyway).

[Frugal Nurse]

Um, we go through around 60-72 cans a month. For 2 people. Another vice. In my defence, the water out of the tap here is disgusting to drink. Tastes like algae or bleach 90% of the time. It's all built into the food budget.

I hope I'm not out of line here. and I apologize if I am...
but soda is really really really bad for you. In the long run - it will cause a great deal of health issues - which will negate any savings.

Our water tastes of bleach too (or the by-product of bleach). All you need to do is let it sit for a couple of days in an open bottle/container. All of the chlorine, etc will dissipate into the air.
That's how water is distilled. Which is the ONLY way I drink it.

I would never drink Boston water unless by reverse osmosis.

[Frugal Nurse]

I must have been reading this article differently.

There is a point to all of this.
For instance, just because something is 10/$10 doesn't mean you should buy it - just because it's on sale. "
Hun! We don't even eat that stuff!" - "ya but the price was so good! I couldn't pass it up!"

Shopping from a list. - Neophytes who don't have a clue about stockpile and the 'list' will be shopping from a list that they think they need to buy this week's groceries to make this week's meals. So, not using this list refers to that. Be open and flexible about what you'll prepare based on this week's sales.

Unit price. Good idea

I don't agree with the 'don't stock up' thing - unless you are certain you will in fact eat it. Period. But neophytes haven't mastered that yet.

Coupons - don't save you money. Sorry. If you're buying the crap that the coupon is selling - you've put yourself at risk for longterm issues as well. Stick with the basic food that was meant to be consumed.

Scanner watch that darn thing.
And I agree with the one stop shop issue.

So, my bone of contention is this; why is grocery shopping such an issue?

If we would just remind ourselves of the basic food needed for sustenance- we would not need to write stories like that.
Do we really 'need' twinkies for sustenance? (notice I didn't say chocolate! lol)

[MTS04]

I can't believe they advise to not make a list. How crow, if I went without a list, I'd have to go back to the store 3 or 4 times to get all of the things I need.

I can see why they wrote the article the way that they did. They have a hand in keeping their supermarket clients. The author (My recipes) is part of the Souther Progress corp is(the folowing is taken from their 'About us" page:

The SPC Custom Publishing group and the Sunset Custom Publishing group have produced titles with a wide variety of partners over the years, including Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse, Publix Super Markets, Safeway, Cisco Systems, Acura, and the State of California.

Bolded the names for emphasis. Hmmm...

[DonnainME]

OMG they are acting like they want to help but really in a dirty handed, sneaky way are PRO Grocery stores.

anyway, I have a list but sometimes go off it if there are special deals My list is different though. It only lists things we are almost out of - like a reminder AND a generic catch all of something like MEAT or VEGGIES