Does anyone use the grocery game list to save money on groceries?

[cruisnfamily]

I was surfing the net last night and found this sight to save money on groceries called thegrocerygame.com. It really sounded like something I would like to try, has any one tried this and are you saving money like the reporter says? I usually get up around dawn and get the Sunday paper, go over the coupons and sale papers and make out my shopping list. This takes about two hours. I would love to save my time and get some extra beauty sleep. Tell me what you think, Thanks,mamo

Hey mam-4-wdw! Just wanted to say a big thanks for posting this thread in the first place . I never would have started all this fun if it wasn't for you. I'm being serious by the way. It is fun and it's saving me money too. So thanks for finding this cool site for us all. Bet you had no idea what you were starting, huh? Did you end up signing up?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Breyers is 4.99 on sale and 5.99 regular...so why it is on 2 for 6 and not buy 1 get 1...I guess they want that extra penny.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

Breyers is 4.99 on sale and 5.99 regular...so why it is on 2 for 6 and not buy 1 get 1...I guess they want that extra penny.

Breyers is $2.98 at my Walmart and that is all the time, not a sale price. Sometimes it's on special for lower than that.

Sometimes it's on sale at my Wegmans for 2 for $5........I haven't hit that one in a while though.

 

[ElizaB39]

Hi All,

Giant had triple coups this week , so I went through my stash, mostly $1 off and those can't be tripped here so I had to scour for .75 and less off coups which I did find... finally. Here are my numbers.

Big shop, stockpiling cereal (GM offer buy 4 boxes get 6.00 off so I got 4 large boxes of cereal).

Initial total 155.96
bonuscard savings (store sales) 36.23
trips (triple coupons) 9.90
regular coupon (bodywash) 2.00 (start price on sale for 4.09, then 2 off)
Final Total 109.06 Total savings 48.13

Everything I bought with the exception of a few items, was on sale or a coupon.

Items not on sale
Lenders Bagels 5 to a bag 1.45
Gogurt 2.19
Apples 1.39/lb.
Bananas .49/lb (though not on sale I always buy them regardless of price)

I am assuming that this is pretty normal for others, is it?
Everything else on sale...

 

[lbgraves]

Since I'm a newbie at coupons I don't have any stored up. I don't think 2 for $6 is rock bottom since WD often does B1G1F for that but now that i think about it, how much is a 1/2 gallon of Breyers? It might be as much as $5.99 but I don't think it's that high....hmmm...now I've confused myself.

Here it is 4.99 so BOGO is 2.50 each and I use the 50/1 coupon x2 for 2.00 each. If I can get a cashier to take 2 coupons then it is 1.50. The registers take it.

 

[KristinU]

OK, I'm in! I signed up today and went on my first trip to the store this evening...I'm pretty impressed so far! My big question that I can't seem to find an answer to on the GG site is how much to stockpile - is there a formula somewhere? I mean, I know I should use common sense, but I like a laid out plan.

Thanks!

 

[lbgraves]

OK, my post disappeared. Let's try it again. Grocery stores run their ads in 8-10 week cycles. I buy enough to last us until the item goes on sale again.

 

[disney4us2002]

Finally took my list and coupons tonight to the store. Our Giant doesn't have triple weeks, darnit. However, Edy's and Breyers go on sale for $1.99 so that sounds better than many of the others at least.

So I'm having trouble gauging what gg is saving since the bonus card already saves me tons. I haven't been the greatest at finding coupons though so I guess every bit helps. I still have two weeks to decide if I'm staying in.

Tonight's receipt shows: total $152.04
savings bonus discount: 54.50
coupons: 7.50
tax: 1.87

Final total: $91.91

That's about 40% discount. Not too shabby.


PS Kristin: From what I've gathered, they recommend stockpiling the number of people in your family. We're a family of 5 and really don't have 5 toothpastes and shampoos, etc. but I'm starting to have at least 3 of lots of stuff. I can't stockpile cereal as my kids can finish a box a day. They LOVE cereal! The more I buy, the more they eat.

 

[sln88]

today at doubles, price before coupons=$61
price after coupons= -3.00(yes, negative)

I don't know what in the heck that cashier did, because I should have had to pay something. There is no overage at that store, and I did not have extra coupons, so what the heck?

I was just glad when CS came over and just zeroed it out. I was afraid they were going to re-ring the whole order!

 

[cruisnfamily]

My big question that I can't seem to find an answer to on the GG site is how much to stockpile - is there a formula somewhere? I mean, I know I should use common sense, but I like a laid out plan.

Thanks!

Did you read your "game rules"? They explain a lot of stuff there.

For toiletries, cleaning products, etc they recommend 1 per family member so a family of 4 would stockpile 4 detergents, 4 toothpastes, etc. They say for food stockpiling you have to kind of figure it out as you go. They agree with lbgraves that the stores run in cycles so you need to get enough at low prices to hold you over until next time. I think it's something we'll kind of learn as we go. Some stuff I would stockpile in greater quantities than they recommend but some stuff I might not be able to stockpile, or stockpile less due to space restrictions. For example, I don't have any extra freezer space so I can't really stockpile much frozen stuff.

 

[cruisnfamily]

today at doubles, price before coupons=$61
price after coupons= -3.00(yes, negative)

I don't know what in the heck that cashier did, because I should have had to pay something. There is no overage at that store, and I did not have extra coupons, so what the heck?

I was just glad when CS came over and just zeroed it out. I was afraid they were going to re-ring the whole order!

Wow! Lucky you! Our stores don't double ever so I doubt I can experience that kind of savings but you did great!

 

[lbgraves]

OK, here's a trick that they wont tell you at the GG. If you have doubles or triples & the item is on sale the coupon will double or triple to the retail price. For example, if you are buying something that is normally 1.99 and it is 1.00 on sale. You have a 75/1 coupon and you are doubling 1.00 sale price - 75x2 = (.50). Triples would be 1.99 - 75x3 up to 1.99 = zero. If I am buying something that does this, especially in multiples, then I grab a gift card to absorb the overage. Yes, if you had grabbed a $10 GC you would have paid an extra $7 BUT you would have gained that $3 and just use the GC on your next trip. You aren't out any money. If it is a small balance just grab a candy bar or two or a magazine to cover the overage.

 

[KristinU]

Did you read your "game rules"? They explain a lot of stuff there.

For toiletries, cleaning products, etc they recommend 1 per family member so a family of 4 would stockpile 4 detergents, 4 toothpastes, etc. They say for food stockpiling you have to kind of figure it out as you go. They agree with lbgraves that the stores run in cycles so you need to get enough at low prices to hold you over until next time. I think it's something we'll kind of learn as we go. Some stuff I would stockpile in greater quantities than they recommend but some stuff I might not be able to stockpile, or stockpile less due to space restrictions. For example, I don't have any extra freezer space so I can't really stockpile much frozen stuff.

Thanks cruisnfamily and lbgraves! I did read my "game rules" (and re-read them) and didn't find that formula/per-person guideline. Maybe that piece was just left off of the rules for my particular store, I saw it referenced as being in the rules on the GG message board, but I still couldn't find it after scouring it again. Anyway, that 1 per family member concept makes sense to me for most things so I'll start with that.

I'm chomping at the bit to get my basement pantry area cleaned out and organized! That's my weekend project and I can't wait to get going (that and looking for a freezer...after so many years of wanting one I think we're close to actually doing it)

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Gillian]

OK, here's a trick that they wont tell you at the GG. If you have doubles or triples & the item is on sale the coupon will double or triple to the retail price. For example, if you are buying something that is normally 1.99 and it is 1.00 on sale. You have a 75/1 coupon and you are doubling 1.00 sale price - 75x2 = (.50). Triples would be 1.99 - 75x3 up to 1.99 = zero. If I am buying something that does this, especially in multiples, then I grab a gift card to absorb the overage. Yes, if you had grabbed a $10 GC you would have paid an extra $7 BUT you would have gained that $3 and just use the GC on your next trip. You aren't out any money. If it is a small balance just grab a candy bar or two or a magazine to cover the overage.

This is a big YMMV! My store (shop rite in NJ) will only double up to the sale price of the item. You need the store card to get some sale prices, so theoretically you could do the store card before the coupons, but I have been told that the coupons won't double without the store card. I'm going to have to test this on a small order.

I know that when Shoprite runs triple coupons, the won't triple without a store card.

 

[lbgraves]

OK, this is one that stumps me...YMMV? It depends on how the store registers are set I suppose. This is how it has been at HT for years now. IDK why. I figure that if they wanted to stop it they could easily.

 

[cruisnfamily]

OK, this is one that stumps me...YMMV?

Your mileage may vary

 

[sln88]

OK, here's a trick that they wont tell you at the GG. If you have doubles or triples & the item is on sale the coupon will double or triple to the retail price. For example, if you are buying something that is normally 1.99 and it is 1.00 on sale. You have a 75/1 coupon and you are doubling 1.00 sale price - 75x2 = (.50). Triples would be 1.99 - 75x3 up to 1.99 = zero. If I am buying something that does this, especially in multiples, then I grab a gift card to absorb the overage. Yes, if you had grabbed a $10 GC you would have paid an extra $7 BUT you would have gained that $3 and just use the GC on your next trip. You aren't out any money. If it is a small balance just grab a candy bar or two or a magazine to cover the overage.

I did frantically look around for something to cover the overage, but it really caught me by surprise. This store does not have card prices- whatever is on sale is how it rings up, so that does not explain things. I just felt bad because CS was kind of telling the cashier that you have to be careful because people try to use too many coupons- like I was trying to pull something, but it was all legit!

 

[planning06]

One of the stores in my area is tripling up to 8 health and beauty products this week up to $0.99. The flier says specifically they will only discount up to the price of the product.

They are also doubling other coupons up to $0.50. It was pretty small print at the bottom of the flier and I almost missed it. It says see store for details. I have no idea what the rules will be. Kind of makes it hard to plan.

 

[lbgraves]

I did frantically look around for something to cover the overage, but it really caught me by surprise. This store does not have card prices- whatever is on sale is how it rings up, so that does not explain things. I just felt bad because CS was kind of telling the cashier that you have to be careful because people try to use too many coupons- like I was trying to pull something, but it was all legit!

This can still happen without a card. If you know what coupons you had, and go over your receipt I will bet that there were items on sale for less than the total of the coupon that you had for it doubled. It's a whole new world. What store did this happen at?

 

[cruisnfamily]

bumping up
Today is list day for me!