Grocery Store Savings Tips from AOL Readers
Grocery Savings Strategies from AOL Readers
We recently shared 5 Tips for Grocery Store Savings and invited readers to let us in on their own shopping strategies via our blog. As always, we were overwhelmed by the smarts, savvy and generosity of the AOL Food community and now highlight some of the best of the 100+ tips we received. Grab a cart, 'cause you're gonna want to stock up. >>
GO AGAINST THE FLOW
"When I started shopping against the usual flow of traffic in the store, my average bill went from $110 to $70. If you don't have a bunch of people pushing behind you also looking at cheese & milk, you can make a smart decision, rather than a quick, but more expensive one." -- Karla Carrington
SPRINT FOR SAVINGS
"Race yourself in the store. See if you can get out in under a half hour, and then try to beat your time each week. The longer you stay, the more you spend!" --MGD Cindy
AISLE BE THE JUDGE
"I have found the best way to save money in the grocery store is to not go down all of the aisles. Most products we really need are on the outside edges of the store--produce, dairy, deli, meat, frozen, etc. The ends of the aisles are where the stores stock sale items so I check those out and then, if I need other items that are down an aisle, I simply walk down that particular aisle. That way I'm not picking up things that I don't really need and I am eating better because I'm buying mostly fresh food and not prepackaged food." --EMacKie
GET THE LOWDOWN
"Shopping the bottom of the aisle can save time on price comparisons and save money. Most grocery stores stock the name brand-higher priced items at eye level for a medium height woman (5' 5"). Usually the things higher are novelty items, and the things lower are the generic store brands or bulk items." --AD
CHECKS? OUT!
"I make my list then add up what the costs will be. I take only cash into the store. I leave my check book in the car so I do not overspend. It works every time." --JYL
COO-COO FOR COUPONS
"In order to keep coupons organized while I am shopping I tuck them into the clear notebook sleeves used to collect baseball cards. It makes it easy to see exactly what I need to buy without trying to hassle with a huge stack of coupons. It's also a great way to store them until I'm ready to take a trip to the grocery store." --Maggie
"Once I'm done clipping coupons, I put remaining ones in an envelope and pass it to my neighbor on my left. She does the same and so does a third neighbor whose coupons come to me. We each do it again, so we all can take coupons the other two have discarded." --MGD Cindy
COO-COO FOR COUPONS (cont.)
"Crazy as it may sound, you can buy coupons on eBay (or rather, purchase the service of someone else collecting the coupons). If you have items that you must buy regularly like diapers or cereal or such, search eBay and you will be shocked by the number of coupons available."
"If you have double coupon days at a store, that is the day to go. BEWARE coupon clipping when it causes you to purchase items that you normally would not get, or when the coupon "savings" is actually costing you more than a store brand would." --Jennifer
A WELCOME CHANGE
"Starting on January 1st, ask the cashier to subtotal before taking off any coupons. Write down the amount. After scanning the coupons, write down that amount. Subtract it from the subtotal. Take the difference and put it into a one gallon pickle jar. Don't touch the money for any reason. On December 1st, count the money. Last year I saved $680, which totally paid for Christmas presents for 4 family members (plus shipping costs)." --Allison
KIDDING AROUND
"When my children were old enough, I gave them their own list and they took a cart and got what was on the list. Very VERY rarely did they have something that was not on the list. This made them feel important and made the shopping go much easier!" --Melissa
Recent Comments
asterlekar 07:59:49 PM Oct 19 2009
CLAP YOUR HANDS THREE TIMES AND SAY THE NAME OF THE PERSON YOU WANT TO BE WITH FOREVER...AND THIS MONDAY THAT PERSON WILL SUDDENLY REALIZE HOW MUCH YOU MEAN TO THEM...YOU DONT DO THIS ON A PERSON WHO WILL THINK THE OPPOSITE. iT WORKED ON ME! JUST TRY IT!!!
tanisparis 06:07:25 AM Sep 05 2009
@jlstar-in the interest of intercepting misinformation, the video clearly showed Advil or Ibuprophen. Not quite the same thing. While the effect of mixing it with alcohol may or may not be the same, I suspect that the headache came from cheap vodka more than anything else.
vbrucefam 09:02:31 PM Sep 04 2009
All I know is Wellmark BCBS won't let me use brand medication on my daughter (she needs it due to faulty metabolizing) as it is necessary to keep her well, but Wellmark advised everyone and their mother not to buy produce from the grocery store unless it is organic because that is safer and fresher - local too - by golly! That was in their Blue magazine, the same edition that says doctors who hand out samples of brand prescriptions are EVIL. Just kidding, they didn't say "evil" - just "stupid". Oh, it wasn't "stupid". I meant to say Wellmark thinks their policy holders are stupid, and Wellmark wonders why the policy holders all just don't go ahead and die instead of using medication to stay alive - or at least well. After all, if you use medication Wellmark has to use money you paid them to COVER that medication - how dare you BAD bad policy holder. I am obviously out of my mind with sarcasm. My apologies. I know Wellmark doesn't want people to die before Wellmark actually has to spend
craigc1958 07:31:43 PM Sep 04 2009
thanks SO much for having a headline and story that have farking nothing to do with each other. WAY TO GO AOHELL.
jlstar1979 05:38:09 PM Sep 04 2009
In the video, I like how they end their alcohol drinking with some generic motrin. Anyone with medical experience knows you NEVER take acetominaphen or motrin with alcohol. It's a recipe for liver and kidney damage. I'm surprised they didn't compare whether or not Doral Cigarettes did an equal amount of damage to your lungs as Marlboro's at a savings of $2 a pack. Or instead of taking 2 MDMA(1's a booster) tabs at a party , try one MDMA tablet and 2-20mg Prozac to keep your high going at almost half the cost.
marvelux 02:26:36 PM Sep 04 2009
Looks like my comment didn't make it. I use the 99 cent store for certain items. I also try a house brand of an item I use; if I like it I make the switch. Also use the weekly supermarket flyers from the internet; You can print the list and (by section) and take it with you.
marvelux 02:20:09 PM Sep 04 2009
I will usually try a house brand of an item I use a lot; if I like it I will make the switch. Not every item will pass the test so you have to pick and choose. I have tried the 99 cent store and have been very pleased by most of what I have purchased there. When there is a buy one, get one free at my local supermarket or an especially good buy at Walmart or Target, especially on name brands of canned vegetables, pasta sauce, pasta,frozen fish fillets, apple juice, I stock up. It takes a little bit of homework and a departure from store loyalty. I have found that by accessing the internet grocery flyer from the supermarkets (try it, it's great) I can also know where and when to buy the items I use most. You can print out the list (by section) and take it with you.
grandmasylvia12 06:33:54 PM Mar 18 2009
THIS IS FROM A GELSON'S SHOPPER....THE TOP OF THE LINE MARKET.Try the produce at the 99-cent store. BUT pick your items, check them over carefully. Replace the 1 or 2 pieces that should be. If you can get past that, you can be very happy with the fruits, the packaged romaine (great price),etc. The celery and scallions are not always a better price than the regular market. They also carry some familiar canned brands. I buy "made in USA" as much as I can. I'll go along with Made in Canada or South of the border. Distributed by a company with a USA address is not the same as MADE by a USA company. The milk and eggs are good. Some refrigerated items may surprise you. Juices and soft drinks are a good buy. Reading glasses....sold at other places for $12.99 and up.
