Archives for April 2011

Finding a great sale in your area is possible. You can do it! You can find the lowest price of the season by planning ahead. In the post from last week, we looked at rock bottom pricing and two ways to discover those prices. Today, I will help you start a pricing list using the simple version.

SIMPLE VERSION:

Starting your Rock Bottom Price List

1.       After going to the grocery store, bring your receipt home.

2.       Use your receipt to write down the price you paid for each item. I would include the price using a coupon.  For example: Let’s look at this Publix deal on Mueller’s pasta: 4 boxes of Mueller’s Pasta – on sale buy one get one free or $.69 each. I used 2 coupons for $1 off 2 boxes which made them $.19 each. When adding pasta to the price list, indicate $.19 as the rock bottom price.

3.       Place the date you snagged that price to help you know when that sale might come again.

4.       Continue through your receipt adding each item.

You do not need to make it complicated. You can start simple! Instead of writing down the price of EVERY item purchased, start with:

• Items you purchase every week (i.e. milk, meat, pasta, vegetables, bread, coffee, etc.),
• Any 5 items a week,
• A category a month (i.e. pasta, meats, produce, frozen foods, dairy, etc.), or
• Concentrating on 1 store (i.e. Publix, Bi-Lo, Giant, etc.)

Updating your Rock Bottom Price List

Starting your list is great! Keeping it up-to-date is better! Here are some ways to keep your list updated:

• Place your receipts in your pricing book when you arrive home from the grocery store.
• Adjust the prices when you make out your grocery list.
• Take your pricing book to the grocery store and make changes as you shop.

 

Using your Rock Bottom Price List

Having an updated list is great only if you use it! Keep it close when you make out your grocery list or as you are shopping at the store.  You can then spot a good deal and discover great deals. For example, if your rock bottom price for pasta is free and pasta is on sale for $.19, then you have some options. You can:

• Realize this is a good sale and purchase items for your stockpile.
• Notice that you purchased the free items 8 weeks ago. Since most sales run on a 6-12 week cycle, you may decide to wait for a sale to get that pasta for free.
• Compromise and get 1-2 boxes now, and then keep an eye out for free pasta in the next few weeks.
• Know that you have 4 boxes of pasta in your stockpile and bypass this sale.

Having the prices and the dates written down gives you options to consider when choosing how to spend your money. The choice is yours! You might be thinking . . . this is too complicated. I understand that this process takes time, but the benefits are worth it.

I started by having a master list of all the items I purchased at Aldi (my least expensive grocery store). As the prices increase, I do not update my list. Some items I purchase so often (like sugar) that I just know the price. When needed, I refer back to my original list. If I find a deal less expensive than my listed Aldi price, then I grab it. Lest you think that I only spend $5 per visit at the grocery store, let me put your assumptions to rest. This week, I spent $4.86 at Bi-Lo, $5.57 at Publix, and $46.84 at Aldi. My total was $57.27.

Spending money on groceries is a necessity, but it does not have to drain your budget. You can take advantage of the sales when you spot a great deal. To see these savings, start by making a pricing list and using that list when creating your grocery list. Next week, I will address the maximum savings version of the pricing list.