Comments on: The Great Grocery Experiment http://www.mylittlesoapbox.net/2008/12/09/the-great-grocery-experiment/ Welcome to my little corner of the internet! Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:48:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lynanne http://www.mylittlesoapbox.net/2008/12/09/the-great-grocery-experiment/comment-page-1/#comment-687 Lynanne Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:15:51 +0000 http://www.mylittlesoapbox.net/?p=846#comment-687 We gave up on coupons except for brand-names that we can't live without. Most coupons entice you to buy items you either otherwise wouldn't buy or are still overpriced even with the coupon. Unless you can find double coupon days (we don't have any here). We do most of our shopping at a ALDI. I shop at a newly built store (cleaner and more spacious than the old stores) on weekday mornings to avoid the crowds. My only gripe is sometimes their portions are smaller so you end up with a lot of extra packaging. For example: breakfast cerals - Malt o'Meal makes the ALDI-brand ceral. ALDI's sells it a little cheaper than the Mo'M bulk bags at Wal-Mart but you have to deal with extra bags and cardboard. Such a hassle and a waste. We gave up on coupons except for brand-names that we can’t live without. Most coupons entice you to buy items you either otherwise wouldn’t buy or are still overpriced even with the coupon. Unless you can find double coupon days (we don’t have any here). We do most of our shopping at a ALDI. I shop at a newly built store (cleaner and more spacious than the old stores) on weekday mornings to avoid the crowds. My only gripe is sometimes their portions are smaller so you end up with a lot of extra packaging. For example: breakfast cerals – Malt o’Meal makes the ALDI-brand ceral. ALDI’s sells it a little cheaper than the Mo’M bulk bags at Wal-Mart but you have to deal with extra bags and cardboard. Such a hassle and a waste.

]]> By: Heather http://www.mylittlesoapbox.net/2008/12/09/the-great-grocery-experiment/comment-page-1/#comment-685 Heather Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:09:33 +0000 http://www.mylittlesoapbox.net/?p=846#comment-685 I too have noticed that most coupons are for non-food items. That would be okay, considering how much of our "grocery" bill is for other stuff like toiletries and pet supplies, but often those are the things I'm the pickiest about when it comes to brands, and it seems the week the coupon is for never coincides with the week I run out of deodorant. I would save money in the long run if I just bought those things when they were on sale rather than when I needed them, but I honestly don't even think about soap and shampoo until I'm out of them. I've also noticed that most food coupons I find are for the more expensive brands, when I'm more likely to just buy the store brand. More often than not, the store brand is cheaper than the name brand, even with the coupon. I too have noticed that most coupons are for non-food items. That would be okay, considering how much of our “grocery” bill is for other stuff like toiletries and pet supplies, but often those are the things I’m the pickiest about when it comes to brands, and it seems the week the coupon is for never coincides with the week I run out of deodorant. I would save money in the long run if I just bought those things when they were on sale rather than when I needed them, but I honestly don’t even think about soap and shampoo until I’m out of them. I’ve also noticed that most food coupons I find are for the more expensive brands, when I’m more likely to just buy the store brand. More often than not, the store brand is cheaper than the name brand, even with the coupon.

]]> By: juliecache http://www.mylittlesoapbox.net/2008/12/09/the-great-grocery-experiment/comment-page-1/#comment-684 juliecache Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:54:53 +0000 http://www.mylittlesoapbox.net/?p=846#comment-684 Hey, one coupon clipper here. Kmart just had a double coupon week. Yes, coupons are rarely for food, but abundant for cleaners, cosmetics, dental care, gifts of chocolates, items for donating, etc. Coupons coupled with a sale gives me at least $10 savings/week for deodorant, etc. You are completely right that your spending and eating habits determine the usefulness of coupons. I also like to scan the comparison tables (there are a couple websites for our town) or read the store flyers on Tuesdays when the stores change their prices. Walgreens has rebates where you often profit from purchases made there. Our bill has dropped since I started couponing a year and a half ago. It's dropped another $25 this last month with a concerted effort to plan menus around the grocery (especially meat)sales. This is the only time of year that WalMart stocks big 25# bags of flour btw. Hey, one coupon clipper here. Kmart just had a double coupon week. Yes, coupons are rarely for food, but abundant for cleaners, cosmetics, dental care, gifts of chocolates, items for donating, etc. Coupons coupled with a sale gives me at least $10 savings/week for deodorant, etc. You are completely right that your spending and eating habits determine the usefulness of coupons.

I also like to scan the comparison tables (there are a couple websites for our town) or read the store flyers on Tuesdays when the stores change their prices. Walgreens has rebates where you often profit from purchases made there.

Our bill has dropped since I started couponing a year and a half ago. It’s dropped another $25 this last month with a concerted effort to plan menus around the grocery (especially meat)sales. This is the only time of year that WalMart stocks big 25# bags of flour btw.

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