Shopping Observation

**mikandmari** · 04-14-2007, 10:56 AM

I went to Costco Thursday night. I was well-behaved & only bought what I absolutely needed.

At the checkout counter, with my 4 items, I couldn't help but be amazed at all the people with carts loaded up sky-high and overflowing! One guy had his cart so full that his little girl was carrying a couple of things that wouldn't fit!

Oddly, instead of feeling deprived, I felt kind of smug, like I'm SMARTER for living a frugal life. Who needs all that crap? How much gets thrown away? How much money are they wasting?

What has happened to this country?

Even more amazing, I receive the Everyday Cheapskate email, and Friday I opened it to read that the author had almost exactly the same experience, also at a Costco.

Have any of you felt this way while watching others shop?

**Libby** · 04-14-2007, 11:05 AM

I totally agree - when at Costco/Sams I noticed that families buy all prepackaged snack items when they can just buy one bag and put them into individual portions themselves for much less of the cost. I dont get it, I really dont. I buy in bulk sometimes but its usually at the regular grocery store and portion things out myself. I find its actually cheaper then buying it in bulk at Costco/Sams.

Makes me feel proud that I can be frugal and not feel like Im missing out on a thing!

**annymoll** · 04-14-2007, 11:10 AM

Watch how they pay for it- will make you even sicker.

**Marie78** · 04-14-2007, 11:20 AM

I have noticed this now when I shop too. Even at the regular grocery store, but especially at Aldi or whenever I venture into Walmart. I always wonder how much money people are really "saving" by shopping at Aldi when their carts are piled high with the more expensive items like prepared snacks and frozen convenience items. I am sure these things are less expensive at Aldi than a regular grocery store, but they can still make a dent in a grocery budget. I understand some people stock pile and some only shop a couple of times a month, but I doubt everyone is doing this, and the majority of carts I see are full to capacity. On a side note, every other year the shopping carts at the grocery store I shop at get larger (even the smaller carts). I am sure there is a connection, when so many people fill their carts to the brim. If the carts are even larger they are buying even more!

**geckoace** · 04-14-2007, 02:51 PM

its awful, i used to shop that way every month at BJs cart filled up to heaven and half of that stuff went bad or wasnt the flavor i thought and there was tons of money wasted on processed crap. im not going to say i dont buy some processed food, but we are very selective and specific about the things we buy now and i find that i shop smarter and better when i buy things more often then when i bought in bulk. its awful to see

**peanut** · 04-14-2007, 02:53 PM

This is why we don't shop Cosco. They really aren't a bargain if you're the type of person who cooks from scratch. I've compared their dairy, meat and produce, and it's all more expensive than our local Superstore. I don't buy canned goods much, so I don't care about the deals they have. And I mega-cook my own spaghetti sauce and such, for a fraction of what they charge. No thank-you! I'll keep my money in my pocket!

**frugalfriend** · 04-14-2007, 03:06 PM

Bravo to you Marianne! I have made this observation myself many times. People "think" they are getting a good deal and just keep throwing things in the cart and don't even know what they are doing. Unless they are comparing the unit price, they are misled in most cases. So much of it is processed, individually packaged items that cost more too.

**frugalwanttobe** · 04-14-2007, 04:20 PM

I call places like Costco, Target, Walmart etc....... Dream Stealers. They get in the way of our dream of being debt free. I avoid these places now except if I am going there to buy a specific thing. Warehouse stores would suck 100-200 dollars of my money in 5 minutes. Target and Walmart would suck 50-60 dollars of my money in 10-15 minutes. I used to live my life by Target's clearance. I no longer do this. My husband said to me yesterday that things appear to be getting easier financially. I think it has since clearance is now a bad word in my house. I think the problem with clearance for me was I thought I could buy a lot of it because each individual thing was inexpensive but in the end I bought a lot of things that were unhealthy (food items) and not desirable. (clothes)(Noone else wanted it. And that maybe why they had to reduce the price. I do know that sometimes it is because it could be an odd size or the company bought too much but some of the things, were just plain ugly, and my daughter let me know that.)

Today I went to CVS to take advantage of the $5 ECB. I had to make a purchase in order to obtain the $5 ECB at the register. I was very disciplined and I bought a $1 shampoo bottle. We will use it and it will not go to waste. I did go by the clearance Easter candy where the Robin Eggs were calling my name. I refused to give in. First of all I do not need them. They are full of artificial colors and flavors. They are full of empty calories. But most of all if I give into one bag I will give into another bag and another bag until I am there with things that I absolutely do not need or want.

I hope I have not gone on too long but sometimes I need to write this down so I can see what a difference Frugal Village and Dave Ramsey have made in my life. I have paid off 4 credit cards, 1/4 of another cc and 2/3 of another cc since January.

**Neeley** · 04-14-2007, 05:23 PM

Originally Posted by frugalwanttobe

Today I went to CVS to take advantage of the $5 ECB. I had to make a purchase in order to obtain the $5 ECB at the register.

I wasn't sure if you knew it or not but you can print your ECB off of your computer instead of having to make a purchase to get them. The CVS website walks you through the process to set it up if interested. You are also able to print off the CVS coupons (the ones you get on your receipts) from their website.

**auntie2many** · 04-14-2007, 05:34 PM

I think that it all depends on how you shop. We go to Sam's Club each month with a list. We do not vary or waiver from our carefully thought out list. We do not buy a lot processed things there, but rather things like fruits, veggies, eggs and we have found other things cheaper there like their batteries, store brand toilet paper. We set a dollar limit each month and come under that many months and seldom over it.

Plus, we got Michelin tires for our car for a fraction of what tire stores charge. Also, a car battery that the auto parts store wanted $95.00 for, we got at Sam's for $54.00.

For my family, I think that it is worth the money.

auntie

**frugalwanttobe** · 04-14-2007, 05:50 PM

Leigh
I did not know that I could print the ECBs off my computer.

Thank you

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 04-14-2007, 07:31 PM

Well, we shop at Costco...but up here it is a good deal. We don't have the benefit of Aldi's, Super-Walmart, Dollar Stores, etc. We have 2 grocery chains, plus Costco and Sam's Club. In the summer there is the farmer's market, but honestly the cheaper grocery store's produce is a better buy.

We make sure we buy the basics only at Costco (boy is it hard not to go to the movies!!)... Frozen chicken, ground beef, pasta (did the math...it's cheaper there for spaghetti noodles compared to store sales), spices, white and brown sugar, cheese. Even with the membership fee it ends up being cheaper. We also get our gas there (they have a gas station out front). Time before last when I filled up the gas tank we saved 10 cents/gallon compared to the regular gas stations!!!!

**tervsforme** · 04-14-2007, 09:15 PM

I went to Costco myself today and am continually amazed at what people buy. I am single and I try to eat lots of fruits and veggies and they are soo much cheaper at Costco than at the grocery store. I bought strawberries, pineapple, broccoli, greenbeans and lettuce today along with some chicken and I only spent about $50. Well worth it for me.

**Ceashels** · 04-14-2007, 09:41 PM

I do most of my shopping at a BJ's Wholesale (1 mile away) and for the items I buy, I am saving money. Milk, eggs, cereal, cat litter, Iam's dry dog food, pork loin are all priced better than the Giant(1mile), Superfresh (5mile), Safeway(5mile). The only place that I have found to have better prices on some meats is Shoppers (5miles). I still have to run to the Superfresh or Safeway for produce sometimes because I don't want a full bag of oranges and apples and 3 pounds of bananas all at the same time. It must depend on where you live, though the folks with the piled high carts live everywhere.

**julieb** · 04-14-2007, 09:47 PM

I am a recovering Sam's shopper and find I do much better only going once every other month for laundry soap etc.......

I am still working on couponing though.....I just don't seem to have alot of luck in that area. Once in awhile a get a good deal but it is far and few between. I do best if I just go to save a lot.