Wow!!! I must gush for a moment...
Oct. 22nd, 2008 08:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Today I shopped at Walgreens, and got $41.01 worth of food and other necessities for $19.23. Later, I went to Safeway, and got $118.89 worth of groceries for a mere $59.69.
And how did I do it?
A blogging friend turned me on to The Grocery Game (thegrocerygame.com). Basically the people there compile the info for the stores in your area. For my zip code they have Safeway, Rite Aid, and Walgreens. I am just starting my 4 week free trial, which is nice to see if I'm really going to use it.
Basically they peruse the Sunday ads and coupons and each week they come up with a list of recommendations for each store, showing the prices and which coupons you should use. The idea is that you clip coupons for stuff you usually buy, each week, out of the Sunday paper. You save them and use them when they tell you to use them. Also, they have stuff out of those Easy Saver type rebate books in their recommendations. That's how I got the jumbo size of Pert shampoo for free (after rebate) today at Walgreens. Keep in mind, though, that the savings I accomplished today were done with hardly any coupons, as I only ordered the Sunday paper today! At Walgreens, I used four of the coupons from their weekly flyer (which you can get in the store) and at Safeway, I used one manufacturer's coupon that I printed off of the internet. Imagine the damage I could do if I had a stockpile of coupons!
The idea is that you stock up on stuff when it is cheap, and store it for when you need it. This assumes you have some storage space. I happen to have a chest freezer that I've been working on cleaning out, so I have room for the frozen stuff, and I just cleaned out my pantry closet so I could store all of the $1 cake mixes and $1.50 pasta that I bought today. So basically you are buying stuff you're going to use anyway, but you buy it when it's on sale, so that when you need it you have it and don't have to buy it at full price. There is a cycle of sales, so eventually you end up with everything you need for your pantry and freezer.
Does that make sense?
Anyway, I'm really having fun with it so far and I highly recommend it. If you want to try it, again it's thegrocerygame.com and if you're feeling generous you could put me as the referrer -- beckerbuns@gmail.com -- as that will get me some free weeks down the line.
Oh and after they start charging, after the free four-week trial, it's something like $.60 per week per store. Not bad considering I just saved almost $80 today!
Hope all that makes sense... I know I tend to ramble...

And how did I do it?
A blogging friend turned me on to The Grocery Game (thegrocerygame.com). Basically the people there compile the info for the stores in your area. For my zip code they have Safeway, Rite Aid, and Walgreens. I am just starting my 4 week free trial, which is nice to see if I'm really going to use it.
Basically they peruse the Sunday ads and coupons and each week they come up with a list of recommendations for each store, showing the prices and which coupons you should use. The idea is that you clip coupons for stuff you usually buy, each week, out of the Sunday paper. You save them and use them when they tell you to use them. Also, they have stuff out of those Easy Saver type rebate books in their recommendations. That's how I got the jumbo size of Pert shampoo for free (after rebate) today at Walgreens. Keep in mind, though, that the savings I accomplished today were done with hardly any coupons, as I only ordered the Sunday paper today! At Walgreens, I used four of the coupons from their weekly flyer (which you can get in the store) and at Safeway, I used one manufacturer's coupon that I printed off of the internet. Imagine the damage I could do if I had a stockpile of coupons!
The idea is that you stock up on stuff when it is cheap, and store it for when you need it. This assumes you have some storage space. I happen to have a chest freezer that I've been working on cleaning out, so I have room for the frozen stuff, and I just cleaned out my pantry closet so I could store all of the $1 cake mixes and $1.50 pasta that I bought today. So basically you are buying stuff you're going to use anyway, but you buy it when it's on sale, so that when you need it you have it and don't have to buy it at full price. There is a cycle of sales, so eventually you end up with everything you need for your pantry and freezer.
Does that make sense?
Anyway, I'm really having fun with it so far and I highly recommend it. If you want to try it, again it's thegrocerygame.com and if you're feeling generous you could put me as the referrer -- beckerbuns@gmail.com -- as that will get me some free weeks down the line.
Oh and after they start charging, after the free four-week trial, it's something like $.60 per week per store. Not bad considering I just saved almost $80 today!
Hope all that makes sense... I know I tend to ramble...

no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 04:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 04:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-25 02:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 04:37 am (UTC)But I did adopt the 12 week supply rule and I do stock up when prices are low. We never run out of toothpaste, shampoo,or toilet paper any more! Or pasta, sauce, salsa, mac and cheese.....
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Date: 2008-10-23 04:43 am (UTC)I also noticed that there were a few things that I could get for less at Walgreens, and I did that instead.
We'll see how it goes for the four week trial. I am so lazy about checking ads that it might just be worth it to me to go with what they list rather than doing it myself. Guess I'll find out!
I did stock up on dishwashing liquid today at Walgreens. I got four of them (they were buy one get one free). And a lot of $1 cake and brownie mix at Safeway. I have a feeling it's the start of a hugely stocked pantry/cabinets/freezer/refrigerator. Not a bad thing! As long as I remember to use stuff.
I knew I had heard about the site before, but didn't try it at that time. Maybe it was in your LJ.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 04:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 04:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 11:08 am (UTC)Our public library started a coupon swap that meets once a week during the day (so I can't go alas) - but maybe you can interest one of the libraries you work in to do the same? Maybe you can give Ricky or Andrew a project to work with (clip, keep track of) the coupons and let them keep some savings as a reward?
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Date: 2008-10-23 04:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 04:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 05:10 am (UTC)Also they are getting more online coupons, and special online offers only which I watch for.
I've also noticed if your careful you can predict certain types of sales and buy for the year when they are at the cheapest.
Because I have a huge freezer I do that with Turkey's, Hams and Roasts.
Because online is often free delivery with buying certain things, I often see if the certain things can be treats for the kids. Money I'd spend on getting the food delivered anyways.
Now if only I could figure out Farmers Markets for fresh produce once a week.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 02:06 pm (UTC)Isn't it nice to have a freezer? It has really proven to be a life saver for us.
I have heard you can use food stamps at the Farmer's Market now, but I wouldn't know since I haven't qualified for food stamps (which I find ironic considering I can't even afford to pay the rent). I think that is rather progressive, though -- encouraging people to buy fresh fruit and veggies!
no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 05:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 05:32 pm (UTC)We like the juice coupons, but fruits and veggies are good too. Probably healthier. We do go through a TON of apple juice.
We always end up with way too much peanut butter and way too many eggs. I need to find more recipes to use those. The cheese is borderline, but I am becoming more creative.
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Date: 2008-10-24 06:10 pm (UTC)If it was just Ladybug eating I'd have a stock pile of peanut butter but the other kids take care of it. You know what we have the stock pile of? Cereal....
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Date: 2008-10-24 06:34 pm (UTC)We manage to get through all of the cereal, as long as I stick to Kix and Corn Flakes. It took me some trial and error to figure that out!
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Date: 2008-10-24 07:45 pm (UTC)I know you can't, I do one month peanut butter, one month dried beans.
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Date: 2008-10-23 05:34 pm (UTC)I'm not sure I'd be willing to live without my freezer. At least not as long as I have children home. I really should use it better. As I could cut down the shopping expensive even more if I made enough for two meals and froze one. Keeping a list of course so it didn't go to waste.
I also plan meals from a week to three weeks in advance, keeping in mind what I have and what is likely to be on sale. So that limits how often I need to shop, and makes sure we don't eat out as often.
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Date: 2008-10-23 05:59 pm (UTC)Perhaps on one of the weekends when Misty is with her dad, I could try some of it. Maybe not OAMC but maybe once-a-week cooking. :)
Here is a good link about OAMC:
http://www.frugalmom.net/once_a_month_cooking.htm
I can envision you getting the kids involved and making a weekend of it, doing up meals for a week or month! :)
no subject
Date: 2008-10-24 06:21 pm (UTC)For Thursdays I try very hard to do all the pre-work for dinner on Wednesdays. Like this week, while we got the Stir Fried Sweet Pork & grains done, I tossed everything for Thursdays in to the crock pot so all we had to do in the morning was take it out of the fridge and put it in the cooker. (note some people say you shouldn't store the food in the cooking base in the fridge, but another bowl and dump it in...) So when we got home Thursday I stirred the pot added a few spices and we had Chicken Vegetable on the table in 5 minutes. Tiger boy wanted noodles so he cooked some noodles but everyone was at the table and free to start eating.
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Date: 2008-10-23 10:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 02:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 01:57 pm (UTC)Here's one thing our supermarket has, that my other CA friends are jealous of -- BABYSITTING! Yep, a nursery for kids age 3-10. Cool, huh? Who would have ever thought Pennsylvania is progressive?????
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Date: 2008-10-23 02:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 02:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 06:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 06:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 10:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 11:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-24 06:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-25 03:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-25 02:06 pm (UTC)