How I Grocery Shop

As mentioned previously, I have been working hard at the cost effectiveness of grocery shopping for a while now - three years!

Before then I would go when I needed something and generally just bought as much as I could with my budget and made the best of it. Three years ago I lived with my mother. However, I didn't like what she tended to eat, so I had my own groceries. :P Luckily, she had an additional fridge and a stand alone freezer that was the size of a refrigerator. I ate a lot of frozen meals. :P (I missed my having my own kitchen and felt weird cooking in her kitchen.)

When I moved out, I was very glad to have my own kitchen again. A friend had been doing the Grocery Game (GG) for a while and convinced me to join too. It's taken a lot of practice to really get good at this. Between the time to stock pile (really took over a year!) as well as learning I didn't really need to clip every coupon or buy everything because it was on sale. I've also tested out and found which of the potential five stores in the area I really like to use. I also occasionally make use of Coupon Mom, but, I like the GG format better.

Where do I shop? Mostly Publix, occasionally Kroger, and even more rarely CVS. My only GG list store is Publix. I don't get enough products at the other stores to justify the expense of those lists. And with three years under my belt, I can look at their ads and eyeball if the sale is worth it or not. Plus with fewer coupons I clip each week, I know what I have coupons for.

A big question I've seen asked of couponers is how are the coupons organized? Well, I prefer the binder method. I have a binder filled with baseball card holders that I break down into categories and sections. There is a section for each type of coupon insert (Red Plum, Smart Source, P&G, etc) as well as one for the Publix only coupons and another for my Kroger catalinas. Within each section there is a pocket for each type of coupon - dairy, condiments, frozen veg, meat, etc.

I've reached what is called the "cherry picking" stage, where I only cut a few coupons each week, I can chose which brands/products I want instead of the philosophy to get everything, regardless of brand/style/product to build up the stock pile. I've found this works better because while the "get everything" mentality got me to try a lot, I found some that I really do prefer (be it due to size, taste, or what have you) than others. Sometimes that preference is for the store brand/generic sometimes it isn't. Hey, I eat and use it, that's what it boils down to instead of having things sit around so I can say I have a stock pile. :P (I'm not saying others do that!)

What does my normal week look like? Sunday morning we get our paper delivered. I amble out to get it, poke through the articles and set aside the store fliers and coupon inserts. Once done with the paper, I go through the fliers and circle items we need or want (either for immediate use or the "stock pile") and if I eyeball think the price is decent. Then I go through the coupon inserts and only cut out the coupons I expect to use. I just clip per insert, create a pile, and then sort the pile into the appropriate binder section/pocket then move on to the next insert. (If there are more than one type of insert - say two Smart Sources - I'll go through them together before sorting the coupons into the binder. )

About once a month I go through the binder pockets and clean out any expired coupons. Even with only clipping what I might use, I still don't use them all before expiration. That was another growth stage/lesson to learn was I didn't have to buy an item just because I had a coupon and it was expiring. Yes, it may be an item I would use. But, in the end it is better to wait for the "rock bottom" pricing with the coupon and to "trust the list."

Once I'm all sorted, I'll log onto the internet and check The List from the GG. I compare it against the flyer, because there are times there are "regional differences" and what appears on The List isn't really on sale. I have to go on faith sometimes and edit in the store, because it may actually be on sale but just isn't listed in the flyer. ;) Once I have my GG list and pull the coupons that I need, I'll head to the store sometime that day. A hold over from living with mom, it was easier to shop Sunday nights - less people, the store has been restocked, and I can get in and out quicker and home before my Sunday night shows start. :P

If I am going to multiple stores, I go all at once. That way I'm only out shopping one day, and saving time/gas and all that jazz by combining my errands. :P

Sometimes I'll be smart and make menu options based on the flyer. Even if it is two or three meals to pick from that week. But, it isn't as big a deal since both my husband and I are better at just going to town with what we have on hand. That is where the stock pile comes in handy. :P Both in that we buy in bulk when cheap so if we run out of ketchup while making meatloaf one night, there is still another five bottles to available for hot dogs and beans another night that week; as well as we have a wide variety of items on hand at all times.

I find that I tend to buy more vegetables than anything else unless it is an item to stock up on. We have tons of rice, pasta, and meat. We do have a freezer chest to keep things in. Now that we are home owners, we also have a nice garden that has been helping us a bit too. But, like all things it is a learning process and we'll get better with it as time passes and have to buy less veg at the store. ;)

So, this is my basic process and theories that I will use in the next month. I'll share my lists, my expenses and savings, and maybe some of the meals/recipes. ;) I don't really expect much from the All You Grocery Challenge, since it isn't a challenge to eat healthy or not spend much or us. But, it's an excuse to write more and maybe something I write will help others. ;)