Grocery Store or Super Center

[mommy2010]

Does it make sense to shop at the grocery store with my coupons or in the end is it cheaper to shop at a super center such as Sam's Club?? Has anyone done the math??? Just trying to save money and stock pile but wanting to know which way is really the cheaper route.

[monkeywrangler71]

Prices tend to vary widely between regions, so it's probably best if you compare the prices yourself in your own area - you may not get the same results as others. It will depend, too, on what you buy. If you buy a lot with coupons, or if you have stores that double coupons, you will probably do better at the regular grocery store.

[Luckybustert]

We do both. We buy some items in bulk....items such as dog food, coffee, some canned goods, and some meats (Costco has the best steaks of anywhere around here, including the pricey meat market). Other items we'll buy at the grocery store. I would never buy bread in bulk because we just don't eat much of it. Same thing for milk, it'd go bad before the Costco-sized purchase could be consumed. I also like to shop the grocery stores for their loss leaders. I can get some really good deals that way as long as I'm able to limit my purchases to those super great deals!

[mamamia]

Well I can tell you that for me it's the grocery store all the way. The 1st item that comes to mind was paper towels that my DH aunt bought at Sam's. They were 5 cents cheaper per roll than the grocer's. I use coupons, AND wait for the sale to combine them with, and I'll pay about $.50 less per roll than at Sam's. That's when I stock up my ever-running stockpile. Of course that's the "magic"! Now if you're only using coupons for regular priced items at the grocer, than I'm gonna guess you'd do better at Sam's. Some people also like the idea of "bulk shopping" at Sam's, and doing it all in a monthly trip because it keeps them out of the stores. That alone can save you lots, plus your time and your gas.

Soooo, I guess it's a matter of the way you shop. If like me, you're exclusively buying sale items with matching coupons, go for the grocery store. If you're wanting to save by buying in bulk, than the Club Stores are for you.

HTHs!

Theresa

[Neeley]

For us, it's a combination of Costco, regular grocers, and drug stores.

Costco is much cheaper for us on certain items. Our annual rebate check from Costco covers the membership fee we pay.
*Bottled water - we save about $0.75 per case (x 4 cases/month = $3/month savings)
*Hamburger meat - we save an average of $0.25/pound (x 30 lbs/month = $7.50/month savings)
*Milk - $1.50 cheaper per gallon (x 15 gallons/month = $22.50/month savings)
*Eggs - we save around $0.50 per dozen (x 12 dozen/month = $6/month savings)
*Turkey Bacon - we save around $2 per every 3 lbs (x 6 lbs per month = $4/month savings)
*Oranges - we save an average of $0.10 per pound (x 20 lbs per month = $2/month savings)
*Dog Biscuits - we save $1/per pound (x 14 lbs/month = $14/month savings)
Every week we also get things like:
*3 lb bag of salad mix for less than $3 - way cheaper than the grocery store;
*4 lb of strawberries for around $5.00
*3 lbs of bananas for $1.32
*Fresh chicken, Roast and other meats - unless one of the grocery stores has a good sale.

I shop the sales, combined w/coupons to get things for free or next to free from Publix, Winn-Dixie and other grocery stores like:
*Pasta noodles - I never pay more than $0.50/box
*Tea - never more than $0.25/box
*Cereal - rarely pay more than $1/box
*Cheese - usually less than $1/8 oz
*Butter - free to $0.30/tub
*Cat food - free to $2/bag
*Canned goods - $0.50/can at the most
*Snack foods - free to $0.25 per box, bag, etc for things like cookies, fruit snacks, chips, crackers, nuts, etc...
*Cleaning supplies - free to $0.25/each

I shop at Target, Walgreen's and CVS for all of our H&B. I never pay more than $0.50 for anything (and actually, 90% of what I get is free, or they are paying me to take it).
*Body wash
*Shampoo
*Conditioner
*Toothbrushes
*Toothpaste
*Dental Floss
*Deodorant
*Feminine products
*Make-up
*Shaving Cream
*Razors
*Some OTC medicines, pain relievers

Then anything I was not able to get from any of the above, I get from Wally World. They are our cheapest grocer. But, I normally only need a couple of things from there.

[happymomof4]

You can use coupons at Super Centers like Costco or Sam's Club. I shop at both supercenters and grocery stores.

[Darlene]

The only way to really know where to save is to keep a price book that helps you keep track of prices of items you use most often at various stores. It will take some time and work on your part but after a while you will remember what a good price is without having to look back on your price book. You'll also be able to see patterns in the way stores do their sales so you can stock up on things when they are at their best price. Here's a template to help you get started. Print several copies of this page to make a Price Book!

[mommy2010]

Thanks that print out will be helpful when I make my list to shop each month!!

[Libby]

I find its more cost efficient for us to shop at the grocery store vs Costco. We can't consume the food fast enough before it spoils. Plus the sales at the grocery stores are sometimes better pricing/unit.

All depends on your area, how many people you need to shop for and how fast you can use up these items.

[Grainlady]

As Darlene posted, it's a Price Book all the way! It's your road map to REAL savings.

No matter WHERE you shop, it's all about purchasing EVERYTHING possible at the lowest price, not WHERE you purchase it.

You can't stack savings at Sam's Club, which is a major disadvantage. By stack savings, I mean the item is already on sale/discounted/reduced/loss leader, etc., AND you have a coupon and/or a rebate on the item/s, AND you get double or triple value for your coupon.