"Saving at the Grocery Store": Shop at Multiple Stores

Last week I posted on the benefits of making a price book as a money-saving tool for helping you learn your prices. One key benefit of a price book is to show you where to shop. As you track prices for meats, produce, canned goods, and other household items, you may notice that one store will have lower prices on paper products while another store has the best prices on organic fruits and vegetables.

The point is this: No one store has the best price on everything, so if you really want to save money, you have to shop around. Don't buy everything at the same store.

To determine where to shop, though, requires planning. When I first started grocery shopping for myself, I was a college student and didn't have a thought about making a list before heading into the store. I simply walked up and down the aisles and decided as I perused the shelves what I'd eat that week based on what appealed to my senses, not my pocketbook. Consequently, I'd leave the store with $75-100 worth of groceries for one person!

As I became a little more shopping savvy, I began to make a list based on meal ideas, and I would shop around my menu. So, if I my menu included fried chicken, spaghetti & meatballs, and chicken stir-fry, my shopping list would include all the ingredients I'd need to make those meals. Sure my shopping was less random and at times, I even used some coupons, but I was not saving very much money.

After many years of overspending at the grocery store, I have learned that the best way to save money is to plan meals based on the sales items at 2-3 nearby stores. There are three grocery stores that I frequent based on their low prices or sales items, but I usually hit only two per week right now.

Planning Your Shopping Trip 
Planning and organizing for your trip to the grocery store can be time-consuming, but when you see how much money you save on your receipt, then you know it's worth it! {Last week I spent less than $16 at Publix and saved over $35! That's over 100% in savings! I was tickled pink.} 

This is how I plan each week:

Every Sunday, I will spend a couple of hours poring over the grocery store sales ads in the newspaper. I will then make a list of the meat and produce on sale that week as well as any other foods that we need. 

Then, I will plan our weekly menu around those sales items--plus any items I have on hand in the pantry or freezer--and make grocery lists for each store. I will also pull out any manufacturers' or store coupons and put them and my shopping list in an envelope. I have one envelope per grocery store.  This helps me stay organized and keeps everything I need in one place.

The items listed on the front and back pages of the sales ads are called loss leaders because the grocery store knows that it will lose money on those items. However, the store also counts on making up for the money it's losing by expecting you to do the rest of your shopping in their store where their other items tend to be 20 percent higher! So, only plan to buy that grocery store's loss leaders and GET OUT! Don't cruise the aisles; don't look at anything but what is on your list.

Once I've planned my shopping trip, the next step is to go shopping!  Because I have small children, I try to go on weekends when my husband is home; I've found that I'm a smarter shopper when I can give my undivided attention to the task at hand and am not distracted by a grasping toddler. My cardinal rule when I go shopping is to only buy the items on my list. If it isn't on the list, then it doesn't go in the cart. Of course there are exceptions to this rule like when I've forgotten that we're having potluck at church, etc. However, I try to avoid impulse purchases by sticking to the list.

Because I have a limited amount to spend each week, I have to be very careful in prioritizing where I shop. I generally shop at the store with the best sales items first to make sure I don't miss out on those deals. {Some stores do offer rain checks, but I've found there to be too many contingencies to fool with them.} For example, if I'm low on chicken and Store A has chicken breasts on sale, then I will shop there first and buy the chicken breasts plus anything else on sale on my list. Then, I'll move on to the next store to buy their loss leaders. My last stop will be at the store with the cheapest overall prices; that is where I will pick up the remainder of the items on my shopping list (i.e., the basics).

Jonni McCoy, the author of Miserly Moms, recommends shopping at the most expensive store first where you buy only the loss leaders and ending your shopping trip at the store that you find to be cheapest overall where you buy the sales items and the rest of your grocery list.

You may be concerned that with all the driving around and the rising gas prices that I'm not saving much money. But all three of the grocery stores I shop are within a 10-mile radius, and I usually shop when I'm coming home from running another errand in that store's vicinity. Still, you will find that the money you save shopping at different stores will more than make up for the cost of gas you are expending. That is, unless you are driving 30 miles between stores.

Do you shop at different stores to save money? Or do you primarily stick to one grocery store that offers the lowest prices on most of the items you buy? 

Praying God's richest blessings on you as you grow in His glory!

Keri

For comments or questions, contact me at: growinginhisglory@gmail.com

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Attitude: It's Everything!

Some days it seems that life is running smoothly: the kids are playing well together, everyone is rested, the chores seem to get done effortlessly, and our cares seem far away. There is a flow to our routine and everything is jiving very nicely. It's in those moments, when I catch myself smiling, that the negative thoughts enter my mind:

"This surely can't last much longer. What bad thing is going to happen next and when?"

Instead of enjoying and reveling in those precious moments, though, I ruin them by forecasting the impending doom that will inevitably arrive very soon because we all know that " nothing good lasts," right? 

Wrong.

It's all about attitude. How I respond to the ups and downs of day-to-day life affects everything.

The way I handle myself when the three-year-old refuses to nap or the baby wakes up before sunrise affects the way the children treat each other.

The way I approach my household duties--with a smile on my face and a song on my lips or a scowl and lots of grumbling--affects how much work actually gets done and ultimately how I feel about it.

The way I talk to my husband and girls--whether in a sweet and encouraging voice or an irritated and gloomy tone--affects how my family responds to me and even to each other.

My attitude has considerable power over how our days go. Maybe it isn't just that life is running smoothly because the wheel of Fortune has chosen to favor me. Instead, maybe my attitude has something to do with my family's happiness and camaraderie.

Maybe if I smiled instead of grumbled when the work piles up and I feel buried alive, then I would accomplish everything of true importance and feel good about my efforts.

Maybe if I spoke in a loving, gentle tone to my potty-trained child who has her third "accident" of the week, then the accidents would stop occurring.

Maybe if I stopped complaining about my children and sat down and played with them, then they might start showing more love to each other.

Maybe if I changed my outlook on life, then each day would look more like a treasure, a gift, a reward, instead of a burden, a challenge, and a trial.

Do you ever need an attitude adjustment? If so, what do you do about it?

Blessings to you as you continue to grow in God's Glory!

Keri

For comments or questions, contact me at: growinginhisglory@gmail.com

Find Growing in His Glory on Facebook.

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What is Meal Planning?

Last week I started my new series on "Saving Money at the Grocery Store" and gave you a how-to-guide for making a price book.

Today, I want to offer another super practical way to save money each week at the grocery store:

 Create a Meal Plan

Meal planning involves planning in advance the meals your family will eat.  

Here are some questions people often ask about meal planning and my answers:

How often do you meal plan? Do you plan breakfast, lunch, snacks, & supper or just supper? 

First of all, some people meal plan each week while others plan on a bi-weekly or monthly basis. The decision is up to you. I like to plan my meals a week at a time so I can plan around the grocery store sales ads each week, but planning meals a month at a time saves a lot of time and money. 

I usually only plan suppers but I know a lot of meal planners who list everything their family will eat each day. I know that helps with grocery shopping and organization. For me, it's a tad stifling. I don't like all my meals planned out, but the decision is entirely up to you.

The point is that meal planning is supposed to make life simpler for you. So, how often and how many meals you plan is a personal choice.

 

 

Meal planning sounds time-consuming. How long does it take you to plan meals for the week?

Honestly, when I first started meal planning, it stressed me out a bit. I hated to think about what we'd eat every night because I felt like I was fixing the same recipes every week and I was bored. But when I tried new recipes, the children would balk, and I got frustrated fast. 

So, I started a running list of favorite recipes in my household notebook (or you could jot down recipes and page numbers in your cookbooks). That way when Sunday meal planning time rolls around, I simply pull out the list and make the menu for the week. I also ask my husband for input: What does he want to eat this week? What does he not want to eat?

Now, meal planning takes at most 30 minutes and as little as 10 if I'm not searching for new recipes.

Where do you find recipes?

I have a collection of cookbooks that I pull from on a regular basis. In addition, I like to find new recipes on Pinterest or one of the following websites:

My Recipes

All Recipes

Food Network

Epicurious

The Pioneer Woman Cooks!

Southern Living

Martha Stewart's Every-Day Food

If you aren't sure how to prepare a vegetable or a certain cut of meat that is on sale, look in the index of your cookbooks or online.

Plus, just because you always make meatloaf or hamburgers with ground beef doesn't mean you have to! There are multiple ways to prepare even basics like ground beef: Spice it up a little bit and try Hungarian Goulash or Moussaka. You never know: Your family might love it! 

Helpful Hints

When you meal plan, think about the events of the week, too. For example, on Thursday nights my husband and I attend a class together, and a sitter comes to watch the kids. Because Thursday nights are hectic, I try to fix something in advance, like a crock pot meal or casserole that I can pop in the oven right before dinnertime. That way while dinner is cooking, I can tidy up the house and prepare for our class.  

If you know you have a busy day, then plan an easy meal! This will keep you from opting for the more costly option: dinner out.

Do you menu plan? If so, what tips do you have?

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"Saving at the Grocery Store": Making a Price Book

When I first started really working towards saving money at the grocery store, I was newly married and eager to please. I had always bought whatever I needed at the store without a thought to cost, but now that the money was ours rather than mine, I felt compelled to watch my pennies a little more closely. One way I learned to do this was by creating and keeping a price book.  

The idea behind the price book came from Jonni McCoy's book Miserly Moms: Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy. I heard Jonni speak on the Family Life Today radio program and immediately ordered her book; it is a gem that I HIGHLY recommend, especially if you are a frugal living newbie. Here is what she says:

"When I started my adventure of squeezing even more value from each dollar I spent, I thought I knew what most things cost. Someone suggested that I write prices down to see if I knew as much as I thought I did. This was the most educational activity I could ever do. Prices are not about the same everywhere" (emphasis mine)(50).

That last sentence is so true. Shopping for all your groceries at one store may be convenient, but it is not cost-effective, even considering the cost of gas driving from store to store. You have to know your prices. 

Enter the price book.

First of all, you can make a price book any number of ways: on notebook paper, in a word processing document using tables, on a spreadsheet, on index cards, etc. Find a method that works best for you.  I'm a pen & paper gal, so my first price book was in a 1-subject spiral notebook. 

What's important is what goes in the price book!   You will need the following information for your price book:

• Product
• Store names
• Retail price
• Quantity (size in ounces, pounds, etc.) {This is VERY important because package sizes vary--sometimes considerably!}
• Unit price (the price per quantity: 10¢/oz.) {You can either use your calculator or look on the shelf tag directly below each product; stores now provide this.}
• Best sales price
• Best sales unit price 

How to Make Your Own Price Book

1. Make a list of 10-15 most frequently purchased grocery items. 

*Start simple. If you shoot for 50 products, you will get burned out fast and give up. I started with 15 and gradually added 10 more, then 10 more, etc.  

*Use a small notebook that will fit in your purse.

*Leave plenty of space beside each item to fill in prices.

Sample:

1. Butter

2. Eggs

3. Flour (unbleached)

4. Yogurt

2. Write down "retail prices" for each product.

*At each store, write down the regular "retail price" for each item on your list. 

* Be sure to note the size (in ounces, pounds, etc.) and unit price (cost per ounce or per pound).  This is VERY important because packages vary in size. 

Sample:

Butter (1 lb.)

	Retail Price	Unit Price (per lb.)
Store A	$2.49	$2.49/lb.
Store B	$3.25	$3.25/lb.
Store C	$3.79	$3.79/lb.

Eggs

	Retail Price	Unit Price (per dozen)
Store A	$1.19	$1.19/doz
Store B	$1.29	$1.29/doz
Store C	$1.35	$1.35/doz

Flour (unbleached) (5 lb.)

	Retail Price (5 lb.)	Unit Price (per lb.)
Store A	$1.73	$0.35/lb.
Store B	$2.49	$0.50/lb.
Store C	$2.79	$0.56/lb.

Yogurt

	Retail Price	Unit Price (per oz.)
Store A	$1.79 (32 oz.)	$0.06/oz.
Store B	$1.88 (32 oz.)	$0.06/oz.
Store C	$2.09 (24 oz.)	$0.09/oz.

3. Write down the "best sales price" for each product at the same store. 

*To determine the "best sales price," you will need to check prices for each item on your list every week until you arrive at the grocery store's lowest price. 

*The very lowest price among all three grocery stores will be your "stock-up price," or the price at which you should buy as much as your budget and pantry, fridge, or freezer will allow.  When the product reaches this rock-bottom price, stock up!!!

*I have highlighted the "stock-up prices" for each product below.

Sample:

Butter (1 lb.)

	Retail Price	Unit Price (per lb.)	Best Sale Price	Best Sale Unit Price (per lb.)
Store A	$2.49	$2.49/lb.	$1.88	$1.88/lb.
Store B	$3.25	$3.25/lb.	$2.25	$2.25/lb.
Store C	$3.79	$3.79/lb.	$2.50	$2.50/lb.

Eggs

	Retail Price	Unit Price (per doz.)	Best Sale Price	Best Sale Unit Price (per doz.)
Store A	$1.19	$1.19/doz	$0.98	$0.98/doz.
Store B	$1.29	$1.29/doz	$1.00	$1.00/doz.
Store C	$1.35	$1.35/doz	$1.19	$1.19/doz.

Flour (unbleached) (5 lb.)

	Retail Price	Unit Price (per lb.)	Best Sale Price	Best Sale Unit Price (per lb.)
Store A	$1.73	$0.35/lb.	$1.73	$0.35/lb.
Store B	$2.49	$0.50/lb.	$1.99	$0.40/lb.
Store C	$2.79	$0.56/lb.	$2.49	$0.50/lb.

Yogurt

	Retail Price	Unit Price (per oz.)	Best Sale Price	Best Sale Unit Price (per oz.)
Store A	$1.79 (32 oz.)	$0.06/oz.	$1.79 (32 oz.)	$0.06/oz.
Store B	$1.88 (32 oz.)	$0.06/oz.	$1.66 (32 oz.)	$0.05/oz.
Store C	$2.09 (24 oz.)	$0.09/oz.	$1.69 (24 oz.)	$0.07/oz.

My goal is to try not to buy an item for more than the "stock-up price" or the "best sale price" that I've seen. This price becomes my target.


A price book--whatever it looks like--should help you accomplish your goal of saving money at the grocery store.  Mine has helped me to see three very important things:

1. Of the three grocery stores, one was consistently more expensive than the others. (I determined not to buy anything at that store but the items on sale.)
2. Another was consistently the cheapest in prices for most (not all!) of my basic purchases. (This store is where I do the bulk of my shopping each week.)
3. You really have t0 pay attention to the unit price. (I thought I was getting a good deal on yogurt at Store C until I realized the quantity was much smaller than at the other stores.)

While tracking prices, I also saw a pattern emerge. I noticed that grocery store sales operate in cycles. At least once every six weeks, an item's price will fluctuate from full "retail price" to "sales price" and then to "stock-up price." I only had to wait 4-6 weeks for that price to hit rock-bottom at which point I would stock-up for the next 4-6 weeks.

My price book has since evolved considerably. Today, it is more like a "Grocery Price List," consisting of only my "stock-up prices."   Yet, it still accomplishes my same goal: saving money at the grocery store.


Sample:

Grocery Price List
Item	Quantity in Oz	Price	Price per oz.
All-purpose flour (unbleached)	80	$1.93	0.02
Apples	48	$2.89
Artichokes, marinated	12	$2.29	0.19
Avocados	1	$0.49	0.49
Baby carrots	16	$0.49	0.03
Baking spray (canola oil)	6	$1.99	0.33
Balsamic vinegar	16.9	$2.59	0.15
Bananas	16	$0.39	0.02
Basil (Spice)	1.125	$0.99	0.88
Beef broth	32	$1.19	0.04
Berries (Frozen)	16	$2.99	0.19
Black beans	15	$0.55	0.04
Blueberries (fresh)	6	$1.99	0.33

I take my Grocery Price List with me on every trip to the grocery store to check to make sure I'm getting a good deal. My goal is to never pay the full retail price unless absolutely necessary. Of course some products like milk, dried beans, and baking goods (flour, spices, and sugar) are rarely on sale, but I know where I can get them at the cheapest possible price so that's where I shop for them.

Yes, making a price book is time-consuming and requires some effort on your part.  I would recommend starting with 5-10 of your most frequently purchased and most expensive grocery store items. Then, add to your price book on subsequent shopping trips.  You don't want to be stressed out, or you'll give up.   

Trust me! If you commit today to set up your price book, then, given time, you will come to know your prices and really begin to save money at the grocery store.


Have you ever made a price book? What has been your experience with it?

Join me again next Thursday as we look at another way to save money at the grocery store.

Blessings to you!

Keri

For comments or questions, contact me at: growinginhisglory@gmail.com

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