Photograph Credit: Flickr (Karen Brockney)
If you happened to be at one of our local grocery stores on Tuesday and heard some high-pitched giggling and occasional screaming, then that was my family. Yeah, those were my kids.
With my son running ahead of the car cart and the girls “driving” to run him over, we made it through the shopping trip in one piece. I am thankful for the small grocery list this week. Even with the raucous and my repeated, “please keep it down,” our shopping trip was a success.
At checkout (which we will begin covering next week), my son asked me, “How much do you need to pay?” After all the sales and coupons were tallied, I owed $7.33. (The subtotal was $34.98 with the sales and coupons subtracting $27.67, and adding $.02 in tax for a total of $7.33.) When I answered my son, he responded, “You did great, Mom.” The nice cashier agreed with him as we celebrated our 79% savings.
Savings occur because of deliberate choices made with a plan of action. Thus far in our Gathering your Savings series, we addressed the first two steps for shopping our grocery list in Part 2a, the next two steps in Part 2b, and today, the final three steps will complete Part 2 of 3 in the grocery shopping process.
STEP FIVE: Choosing Deals
As I gather the items on my shopping list, I check to be sure that my family will eat the flavors offered. If the store’s shelf for a needed item is bare, then I circle the item on my grocery list and write “rain check” and the flavor desired on the side of my sheet. I will use this information after checking out to get the rain checks needed.
If I have a coupon for an item on my list, I may check the coupon in my envelope to be sure the item I want to purchase meets the coupon requirements. Sometimes the sales flyer does not specify which brand items are BOGOF. In that case, when I get to that item in the store, I view my coupon, the sale stickers on the shelves identifying which items are BOGOF, and then make a decision on whether or not to purchase those items.
STEP SIX: Bypassing Not-So-Great Deals
When the deal is not what I thought it was, I cross the item off my list and move to the next deal. Just because the item is on my list does not mean I will purchase it. Seeing the deal will either sell me on the deal or nix it from my list. Be ready to bypass deals that do not fit your family’s current needs. Remember that another sale will be coming in a few weeks. 🙂
STEP SEVEN: Noting Menu Planning Options
Often I get menu planning inspiration while grocery shopping. As I place the pasta in the grocery cart, I may reminisce about a favorite comfort food – baked macaroni and cheese. Whether or not I have the ingredients at home, I will still jot down this idea on my grocery list. Later, I can check to see what additional items I will need to make this family favorite.
By choosing deals, bypassing not-so-great deals, and noting menu planning options, I complete my shopping trip and prepare for checking out. In using time wisely, I repeat this process at each store. The more often I repeat, the more efficient I become at completing my errand. Though grocery shopping is a necessary stop each week, I execute my plan to increase my savings while using time wisely. You can, too. Just take it slowly and learn from each shopping trip. Happy savings!
Question: How is your shopping experience different from these steps? I am curious to know if you have a plan when you grocery shop.