poll: how often do you shop for groceries?

[IassaFTots]

I live by myself, and maintain a pretty good pantry supply, but still find myself going about once a week to get the one thing I forgot the last time, or something for an immediate dinner.   Meat at the Kroger goes on sale on Thursday, so I try to get there after work.  I still manage to spend less than $200 monthly, so I think that is pretty good.  That counts paper and cleaning products. 

[vesta111]

Depends on circumstances-----With 4 kids it was once a month at the commissary and we used the freezer most every day.  We froze most everything, milk, bread, pies and cakes.  We bought veges in bulk raw, steamed them then froze them for winter. 

It is difficult to spend much of ones life cooking for 5 or 6 and find now it is cooking for just 2. Now we shop every 2-3 days to take advantage of store sales.

As food gets more expensive I see most of the other shoppers using coupons. Some shoppers tell me that this has become a game for them.  They save up coupons and when that item goes on sale they use the coupon and get whatever at 3/4 off or even free.

More then one shopper I have talked to tells me they check the register tape to find out how much they have saved and take that amount and put it in a cookie jar, after 6 months they have enough " found money" to buy clothing, on sale naturally, or combine with a restaurant coupon for 2 for the price of on the entree.

Very serious game or hobby for these people, once they get into this game they will go to 3 or 4 different stores--we have 3 big ones and a Walmart all within 3 miles of each other.

There are lots of sites where one can get free coupons and print them out, newspapers and even site exchanges where if you have a coupon for something unavable in your town you can trade them with someone that can use them in their area.

BTW, there is a wonderful group for military familys that collect coupons to give to the familys that are used at the commersarys to cut their costs even lower.

Anyone out there have this hobby, if so, how has it worked for you.?

[whiffleball]

Once week.  All I have nearby is Ingles.  It's okay, but many times they are completely wiped out of things.  Don't know if it's a delivery problem or a managerial problem on the store end.

[debk]

I think for some people ...coupons are a great thing.

I used to use them when the kids were little for cereal, pop tarts, peanut butter, stuff I knew they would eat.

I found that when it was just the two of us, I bought stuff because I had the coupon, not because I really needed it. I ended up spending more money than I really needed to.

I find a lot of stuff at Big Lots. Make sure to look at the expiration date, and where it's made. It's not a place for finding the same thing all the time. Was there yesterday, and only found a box of water crackers that will work with something I'm doing for Thanksgiving. They were $1.25 and would have been close to $3 at Krogers.

I'm making corn pudding for Thanksgiving, and it takes 5 cans of corn....Green Giant was 50 cents a can yesterday at Walmart.....just in case anybody needs canned corn...

[rich_t]

On average once a week with the occassional mid-week stop for things like milk or bread.

[shadeaux]

My husband shops big every 2 weeks.  There are 3 humans, 3 cats living here.

 

[vesta111]

I think for some people ...coupons are a great thing.

I used to use them when the kids were little for cereal, pop tarts, peanut butter, stuff I knew they would eat.

I found that when it was just the two of us, I bought stuff because I had the coupon, not because I really needed it. I ended up spending more money than I really needed to.

I find a lot of stuff at Big Lots. Make sure to look at the expiration date, and where it's made. It's not a place for finding the same thing all the time. Was there yesterday, and only found a box of water crackers that will work with something I'm doing for Thanksgiving. They were $1.25 and would have been close to $3 at Krogers.

I'm making corn pudding for Thanksgiving, and it takes 5 cans of corn....Green Giant was 50 cents a can yesterday at Walmart.....just in case anybody needs canned corn...

HIMMMMMMMM at 50 cents a can that is $2.50 for 5 cans--   If you have 3 [ 50 cent ] off 2  can coupons you can buy 6 cans and buy them for $3.00  subtract the coupon value of $1.50  and you are getting each can for  25 cents. The extra can goes in the pantry for future use.

I will have to check out our Big Lots, I had no idea they sold food. 

 If you had a coupon for 50 cents off when you buy at big Lots, 2 boxes of water crackers you would have paid $2.50 for 2 boxes, minus the 50 cents $2.00 or one dollar a box.

You know Debk this is a game once it becomes organized. I like to have had to beat up my Hubby to get him involved, He says he feels like he is using food stamps.  It takes allot to out Wit a stubborn Irish/ Italian man but I just may have done it.

I made a list of what we really need, went on line and printed out coupons for just that and nothing more. Wrote down on an envelope my list and placed the coupons in that order in the envelope, all he had to do was follow the list, go to check out and hand the cashier the coupons from the envelope, he didn't even have to check them or even look at them.

Best deal we got was Jergens moisturizer cream that costs $4.00 regular price on sale for $3.00, with coupon cost was just $2.00 -

Now for this old skin flint the bill came to $35.00, less coupons he paid $25.

When he got home I asked him for the cash we saved ,$10.00 and placed that in the cookie jar.

Today I am going to the manufactures site of most products we buy as most of the time they have coupons to print out there.   

This looks like I may have a new hobby, sort of like a treasure hunt.

 

[debk]

Vesta....I don't know if Big Lots takes coupons or not. I find lots of stuff there. Pasta, and they have a pasta sauce that I like that is at the Fresh Market and I won't pay their price. Crackers, Quaker Oats oatmeal packs, Progresso soups, Ghiradelli chips -dark, milk, and white, juices. These little flat wafer cookies that I use to make cheesecake crust that are several different flavors and atrociously expensive at Kroger's. Like I said, it varies.

I never think about going on line for coupons. I sometimes look at the ones in the Sunday paper but they rarely have what I want.

I know this is probably a dumb question, but does Walmart even take coupons?

[Lord Undies]

Yes, Walmart takes coupons....lots and lots of coupons....even other store's in-store coupons, if you press them.

[Lord Undies]

HIMMMMMMMM at 50 cents a can that is $2.50 for 5 cans--   If you have 3 [ 50 cent ] off 2  can coupons you can buy 6 cans and buy them for $3.00  subtract the coupon value of $1.50  and you are getting each can for  25 cents. The extra can goes in the pantry for future use.

I will have to check out our Big Lots, I had no idea they sold food. 

 If you had a coupon for 50 cents off when you buy at big Lots, 2 boxes of water crackers you would have paid $2.50 for 2 boxes, minus the 50 cents $2.00 or one dollar a box.

You know Debk this is a game once it becomes organized. I like to have had to beat up my Hubby to get him involved, He says he feels like he is using food stamps.  It takes allot to out Wit a stubborn Irish/ Italian man but I just may have done it.

I made a list of what we really need, went on line and printed out coupons for just that and nothing more. Wrote down on an envelope my list and placed the coupons in that order in the envelope, all he had to do was follow the list, go to check out and hand the cashier the coupons from the envelope, he didn't even have to check them or even look at them.

Best deal we got was Jergens moisturizer cream that costs $4.00 regular price on sale for $3.00, with coupon cost was just $2.00 -

Now for this old skin flint the bill came to $35.00, less coupons he paid $25.

When he got home I asked him for the cash we saved ,$10.00 and placed that in the cookie jar.

Today I am going to the manufactures site of most products we buy as most of the time they have coupons to print out there.   

This looks like I may have a new hobby, sort of like a treasure hunt.

 

The other day I paid 19 cents for a half gallon of milk.  I love the game. 

[debk]

I think you two have given me some ideas....

I hate spending money on food....as much as I love food and to cook for people.....you shop, you cook, you eat, you clean up the kitchen....you poop.

[Thor]

I think you two have given me some ideas....

I hate spending money on food....as much as I love food and to cook for people.....you shop, you cook, you eat, you clean up the kitchen....you poop.

Food and beer are merely "rented"........

[LC EFA]

Once a month for general goods and meats and once a week for fresh fruits and vegetables.

[vesta111]

Vesta....I don't know if Big Lots takes coupons or not. I find lots of stuff there. Pasta, and they have a pasta sauce that I like that is at the Fresh Market and I won't pay their price. Crackers, Quaker Oats oatmeal packs, Progresso soups, Ghiradelli chips -dark, milk, and white, juices. These little flat wafer cookies that I use to make cheesecake crust that are several different flavors and atrociously expensive at Kroger's. Like I said, it varies.

I never think about going on line for coupons. I sometimes look at the ones in the Sunday paper but they rarely have what I want.

I know this is probably a dumb question, but does Walmart even take coupons?

Sure and they match the price of other stores.    Say Kroger has a sale for 50 cents a can  for beans and some other stores has the same thing for 45 cents a can, bring in the ad for the other store and you get the canned goods at 45 cents at walmart.   You have a coupon for 50 cents off 2 cans then if you buy 6 of them with 3 coupons for 50 cents off that is $  45  cans x6 or $2.70-- with the coupons that is $1.50 0ff the price or all costs you come out with  about $ .20.   for 6 cans of beans that is 20 cents a can.

Kikkoman  had a sale for 2 bottles for $5.00. I had a coupon for $1. off 2.  When I got to the store I noticed a tab on the top of the bottles that said " save 55 cents now.

That is for 2    $1,10 in savings and the coupon  took another dollar off,  darn near got it free,

This is a game or hobby that that is deadly serious.

It will take me a few weeks to organise my Treasure hunt. figure out what is best for me and how to take advantage of the offers,

Kind of fun, some shoppers get to know the store checkers and what not and get a head up on what will go on sale next week.    

Had I been friendly with a worker at Home depot I would have held off buying my washer and dryer, darn that thing went on sale 60 days after I paid $1,500 for the 2.  Had I known about the coming sale  I could have gotten both for  $900.0

This does not have to be a heavy job, once you get the hang of it that cookie jar will be full with enough to send you on a vacation and after all----- it is found money.

 Please give it a try Debk and let me know what bargains you find.

[Hawkgirl]

My brother and SIL play "the game"  they save huge amounts of money...they even use coupons (2) on the buy one, get one free deal.   Me, not so much.  Mainly because I end up buying crap that I don't even use, or that is unhealthy.  I do use coupons for formula, diapers, wipes...and things of that sort for the baby.
Maybe one day, I'll have motivation for the game.