Going to try a new grocery expirement

**my4littlebuffaloes** · 07-01-2009, 02:22 PM

I normally shop the sales and stock up when things are cheap, matched with coupons, and going to several stores a week. I am tired of it and am going to try an expirement for July. I am going to shop at Super Wal-Mart for everything and give myself $75 a week to cover all food items. This will be $100 lower than my regular budget, but I really need to be saving money right now, not stocking up on sale items.

I will go once a week and get exactly what I need for the week to go along with what I have on hand. I am curious to see how much of my stockpile is depleted. I am also curious to see if changing the way I shop will save me money in the long run. My sister does much better shopping at Super Wal-Mart once a week for everything than trying to shop the deals elsewhere. Now it is my turn to try.

There will be one exception. I have been saving mustard and BBQ sauce coupons for awhile now in hopes of my double coupon store putting them on sale, which would result in free or almost free condiments. If these items go on sale during July, I will go and get them. I am hoping to get enough to last me the year, for free.

Does anyone else shop this way? Do you find you spend less?

**jlaporte** · 07-01-2009, 02:58 PM

i hear ya. scence moving down here to fl i have also been using super walmart. and im gonna stick to it. this am i went to the save alot up the street. now i do not care for this store but they have the bbq beans we like. so i got a few stuff on my list while there. while yes i saw a few things cheeper and i stress few...over all wal mart has cheeper stuff.i reorganized and made a new list for the store and i have to say that in my household stuff is cheeper for us there and they take Q's. aldies is iffy again it depends on ur needs.

**Palooka** · 07-01-2009, 03:38 PM

I've often thought of doing this myself. Please keep us informed about it! I think it's a great expirement.

**i.m.cheap** · 07-01-2009, 03:46 PM

Most of my stockpile items are free or nearly so. I don't stockpile them otherwise. I do shop sometimes at Super Wal-Mart (with coupons, of course), and you can get some good deals there as well. I prefer to buy my meat at Dillon's (Kroger).

**NikoSan999** · 07-01-2009, 03:54 PM

Publix is really close to me and Walmart is about 20 minutes or so. Publix for quite awhile has had bogo free and that has been really nice. Especially with coupons but NO ONE here doubles. On the other hand they have had alot of stuff I use over the past months with the bogo. So I go in there every week ( 5 minutes away ) and pick those up. Otherwise I go to Walmart. Only thing I found them higher on is TP. Go figure. And I have no problem using internet coupons there..or Publix either for that matter. To me Walmart is cheaper. I look over Winn Dixies and Sweet Bays sale ads and if it really smacks me in the face I'll trek the other 10 minutes. But I think you'll find Walmart will win. IF you can stay out of the rest of the store. With todays finances I find that is no problem for me anymore. Let us know. By the way, if you do canned soups my husband says Walmarts brand is twice as good as Campbells Chunky and a ton cheaper for a quicky if necessary or a stockpile item.

**frugalfriend** · 07-01-2009, 03:56 PM

I'm interested to see how it goes for you. I shop at Super Wal-Mart a lot and get quite a bit of our groceries there. I wish I could just do one stop shopping there. But, I find the meat and the produce to be expensive. I wonder why that is? I mean, a lot of what they carry is less than other stores, but I find the meat and produce to be generally quite a bit more. They don't do a weekly ad with sales either.

I end up having to go to a Kroger company store (King Soopers) to get the rest of what we need.

**savvy_sniper** · 07-01-2009, 04:00 PM

I only shop at Walmart for items that my regular grocery stores don't stock. I find Walmart prices higher in general than my grocery store and their meat is awful! Walmart also doesn't carry a lot of items that I buy often.

I think you need to start a price book and compare prices for a couple of weeks at least. I cook mostly from scratch so I don't get or use a lot of coupons. I do buy mostly store brands instead of name brands.

When things are on sale that we use often, then I stock up. I don't buy things that are on sale just because they are on sale. If you don't use them or like them, then they aren't a bargain.

**Shelli_wnj** · 07-01-2009, 04:33 PM

For us, super walmart is the better option. our coupons are different than in the cities, even if you get the city paper. Where others will get a $1 off one, ours will be $1 off two, or BOGO. Also, there are NEVER bogo sales here, so you can't get free with bogo coupons. They do double up to 99cents, but rarely do you see a coupon worth having under a dollar. Anyway, we changed the way we eat, and now the things we use are all cheaper at walmart.
I realized that we weren't eating as healthy as I wanted because of the sales/coupons. Why buy hamburger helper when you can use pasta, cheese and meat and make your own free of sodium and preservatives? If I follow a meal plan and get just what we need vs what we want, I can make it with $50 a week on average. Some weeks more and some weeks less because this week I may need 10 lbs of flour and milk and cheese, next week maybe less.
Let us know how you do, and good luck!

**Grainlady** · 07-01-2009, 05:14 PM

Interesting concept...be sure to post back with your results.

I live in a relatively small town, so options are few, but close at hand. If I go to one store, I have to pass by the others enroute...

I save money first and foremost by setting a budgeted amount to begin with - $50/week for 2 adults.

I make a weekly stop at Wal-Mart (Sunday morning at 7:00 a.m. when the place is "dead" - only a few shoppers - and I'm out at that end of town anyway). There are certain things I can ONLY get there. I also get all those miscellaneous things (which are generally less expensive than the grocery store), and ALWAYS check the clearance isle for bargains....

I get double coupons at Dillon's (our only grocery store in town besides Aldi), and Dillon's also has better loss leaders (which pays off when you can stack savings - on sale, using a double-off coupon, and a possible rebate).

The other place I go to is Aldi, but I don't go there very often - once or twice a month. Once again, it has some great prices and some things I can only get there at the best price, but NO coupons, so I generally stock-up when I AM there so I don't have to go very often.

I bet when you finish your project you will find you do a mixed version of what you used to do, and the new method.

By that I mean, set your new budget, use Wal-Mart as your primary store, but go to other stores less frequently. Especially when you notice an extremely good bargain like your coupons for condiments.

**Persimmon Lace** · 07-01-2009, 06:30 PM

Walmart has never been the cheapest or best option for me. Ours is rarely competitive in price and I admit to being a meat snob because I have to have the protein in my diet. Hopefully it will work better for you!

**frugalfranny** · 07-01-2009, 06:54 PM

I will be very curious to know the results. Do let us know.

I buy very few 'groceries' at wm. For me, they just don't have the good prices on what I use the most.....produce, few other things. I have certain things that I will buy there, when I am there, but don't make a special trip to go there. I often don't like the looks of their produce..don't know if they have to truck it further or what. Since we had a WinCo open up this last spring I am totally spoiled and have seldom gone to other stores. Great produce prices and selection....my stockpile is so big that I seldom need much else. (well.....okay....no family helps too!)

**imagine** · 07-01-2009, 08:14 PM

I'll be looking forward to your results.

I use to shop only a Wal-mart but have recently started shopping at more than one store - Aldi's, Walmart and great sales at our local grocery.

I found the more than one store saved me money.

**Sassyclass** · 07-01-2009, 09:42 PM

I use to shop only Super Walmart but that has changed. I now shop my Amish store first for anything we need or for stockpiling. Then I go to Giant Eagle and use my Q's under $1 on sale items since they double them. Then I buy anything I need that has a $1 or more coupon at Walmart. Like Savvy stated they are very high on a lot of their items and I will never buy their meat, it looks like it came from a K-mart blue light special!!! Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Cat

**jlaporte** · 07-01-2009, 11:59 PM

ok well i had to comment on this. ur sis has the right idea. as bad as walmart may be to some ppl depending on ur thoughts on it. here goes.i went to a grocery store today to pick up some stuff. well my jaw dropped at high some stuff was. it was nearly doubled! a bottle of bbq sauce was nearly 2.00 i can get bbq sauce at wallmart for .88!!!!! yes i didnt buy it there. no way in he!! i got it al walmart and a bunch of other things. but omg so much had nearly doubled in price. snack cracker used to b 1.00 or 1.50 now 1.89 not all that bad but still. and i am talking generic.at wally i can get name brand at that price. not that i am brand layal but sheesh it all adds up. thats my rant ty for reading....sighs

**mamamia** · 07-02-2009, 03:42 AM

Originally Posted by Persimmon Lace

Walmart has never been the cheapest or best option for me. Ours is rarely competitive in price and I admit to being a meat snob because I have to have the protein in my diet. Hopefully it will work better for you!

Meat snob here also, and Publix meat quality is hard to beat for anyone. Great CS there too..

Another reason though, that I can see how WM can be cheaper, is by the way someone shops, and what you shop for. Personally, I'm at a point where I am only buying Loss Leaders with coupons because my stockpile is so big right now.

Here at Publix, they run great BOGOs. I went tonight, and I spent $101, but saved $151, with coupons and sales. They also take competitor's coupons. So that just adds to the savings. And they let you combine store/mftr coupoons, even with a competor store coupon. Just a small sample of what I got tonight that WM would be higher than Publix, was Post Trail Mix Crunch cereal, 2 for $.39. Kraft BBQ sauce, 6 for free. French's mustard, 2 for $.39. 2lb loaf of Velveeta, 2 for $3.99. But I can shop this way because of my stockpile.

Now I know WM price matches the current sale ads, but they won't match BOGOs, or what they consider promotionals. But you can save more by bringing your ads. I used to do that a long time ago. Also WM was always pretty good on their food clearances. I remember catching quite a few goodies!

I'll be looking forward to see how you do there.

Hoping it goes your way!

Theresa