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

[planning06]

Someone else asked about a good price for tyson nuggets. Ours are normally 3.00 a box now. (They were 2.59 a box when I stocked up last year at the BOGO sale.) They are BOGO this week so 3.00/2 - 55/1x2 - 1.90/2 boxes. This is high to me based on the past but seems like the best deal that I will be able to get. If I get a nice cashier I can use 2 of the 55/1s & get them for .80/2 boxes.

If you can't double coupons then I would wait to get them when they are on sale BOGO if you can.

Yeah, 2.44 still seemed expensive to me. I'm confused at your numbers though. I come up with 0.95 per box if you can use 2 of the 0.55 coupons.

My numbers would be 1.50 per box (3.00/2) with one 0.55/1 coupon = 0.95 per box. Right?

 

[lbgraves]

That is the same thing. Since it is BOGO I can't get just one box so I figure it with both of the boxes. 1.90/2 boxes = .95 per box The second figure is what the register will allow me but current policy isn't suppose to...but it isn't enforced by every cashier.

 

[geetey]

When stockpiling frozen items how do you prevent the ice build up that occurs in the freezer? For example - Eggo Waffles are on sale at Schnucks but if I buy more than 2 boxes, the waffles have a small covering of ice by the time we use them. Since they go into a toaster oven, they come out soggy and the kids don't like them. This is stored in the box with the plastic liner sealed inside.
Any tips?

(BTW, the refrigerator is just a year old.)

 

[lbgraves]

IDK about that. We haven't had that problem. I usually get the best deal on the pillsbury waffles & pancakes. I take those out of the boxes too so that they can store better. I keep them in the large chest freezer until we are ready for another bag. I keep the opened bag in a zip lock back.

 

[geetey]

Perhaps it is the chest freezer. So you don't get any of that 'ice crystal' stuff on your stockpile of frozen foods? On frozen veggies it isn't a big deal - you have to add water anyway when you prepare it. I have noticed it the most on waffles and pancakes (get the Pillsbury brand of those). What about on your frozen chicken breasts though? This happened in our old refrigerator/freezer (top/bottom style) but I notice it more in our new side by side.
Hmm.....

 

[eeyoreforever]

Perhaps it is the chest freezer. So you don't get any of that 'ice crystal' stuff on your stockpile of frozen foods?

I have the same problem with things in our freezer. I think it is because the freezers on the refrigerator/freezer is always self defrosting. Everytime it warms up a little and then refreezes, I think it causes more of the ice crystals on the food. In a chest freezer, you don't have this happening. I don't have a chest freezer, but I know people who do and keep it well stocked and never have this problem.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

When stockpiling frozen items how do you prevent the ice build up that occurs in the freezer? For example - Eggo Waffles are on sale at Schnucks but if I buy more than 2 boxes, the waffles have a small covering of ice by the time we use them. Since they go into a toaster oven, they come out soggy and the kids don't like them. This is stored in the box with the plastic liner sealed inside.
Any tips?

(BTW, the refrigerator is just a year old.)

I do a TON of freezing so I have a very large upright freezer.

The KEY is to get a manual defrost freezer. The freezers in all refridgerators are SELF defrosting, which sucks all the moisture out of the air. This sounds like a good thing, but it isn't if you want to keep things for longer than a month.

If you are going to be doing a lot of freezing, invest in a manual defrost freezer. Yes, once a year I have to defrost it, but it is so worth it. I keep things in there over a year and they are fine. I could never do this with my refridge/freezer.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Here is my grocery game questions for this week. I might post it over there too but I thought some of you might know.

1)Do they track store brands? I know they are matching coupons with sale flyer prices but sometimes store brand can be on sale without a coupon and be pretty cheap. Anybody know?

2)Also, do you grocery game shoppers plan what you want to cook each week before shopping? Or do you just keep stocking up on what's on sale and assume you'll have whatever you need in your pantry for whatever you decide to make? I'm not at the point where my cupboards are full yet so I have to give some consideration to what I might want to cook before I shop and that means my savings won't be as great because I'll likely have needs that don't appear on the list. Does this change over time or do you still think about what you might want to cook for the week?

Looking forward to my list tomorrow! I wish it would come up tonight so I could head out early in the morning though.

 

[lbgraves]

Most days I don't know what I am cooking for dinner until 4 pm. There is always something there to defrost & fix up. Today I ran to the store for more nuggets & water. I passed the seafood department & saw that they still had crablegs for 2.98 even though the sale was suppose to end Tuesday...and I didn't get there to buy more. That was our dinner tonight.

I remember back when I was starting out someone advised to just work on stockpiling a few items at a time until you were stocked up. It is going to take you 4-6 months to reach that point, especially for those who can't double coupons. Don't get discouraged though. It will happen.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Florida is up

My GG list is small this week--nothing too eye catching....especially after my B1G1 Godiva ice cream experience at Albertson's earlier.

Also--disappointed in coupon quality today---seems an even higher amount of things that I don't buy this week. But oh well!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Smart Source 7/31/05

Is anybody else having problems with coupons from this date?

Last week--and again this week....coupons referenced for smart source on July 31--do not exist . I have smart source--but they don't match.

Nevermind--I had my coupons mis-labeled (or maybe I didn't)--but the ss I had marked 7/24/05 matches up with the 7/31 coupon listing.

Weird, I thought I was paying attention--but maybe not.

 

[cruisnfamily]

OK, my list was up early and so was I. OUt and back from the store by 10am. That's a record for me! I actually prefer to shop on Mondays for an extra 5% off at Winn Dixie but last week and this week, monday is too busy so I had to do it Sunday. I didn't do as well this week at all but I'm pleased with some of my purchases like meat that was $1 off or $.50 off because it was becoming dated(I don't care, just throw it in the freezer). These were obviously not GG list items but I will benefit. I'm also beginning a stockpile in some areas and buying extra to do so at low prices so I spent more than I would have liked but it should work out down the road. So, here's this weeks numbers:

Publix
Retail Price $43.18
I paid $21.28
Savings $21.90(51%)

Winn Dixie
Retail Price $219.49
I paid $156.36
Savings $63.13(29%)

Totals
Retail $262.67
Paid $ 177.64
Saved $85.03(32%)

As a point of interest, 2 different items at Publix were not marked B1G1 although my list said they were. I took them up to the register and indeed, they were B1G1. I would never have known if it wasn't for my list so that was great!

How'd everybody else do today?

 

[cruisnfamily]

Smart Source 7/31/05

Is anybody else having problems with coupons from this date?

Last week--and again this week....coupons referenced for smart source on July 31--do not exist . I have smart source--but they don't match.

Nevermind--I had my coupons mis-labeled (or maybe I didn't)--but the ss I had marked 7/24/05 matches up with the 7/31 coupon listing.

Weird, I thought I was paying attention--but maybe not.

OK, not having this specific problem but am having a coupon matching problem. It said I should have 3 inserts today which I did. It said I should have a specific coupon for some pretzels in this weeks insert and I did not have that coupon. I had that insert but the pretzel coupon did not exist. Weird. I guess some things are regional or something.

 

[InstImpres]

OK, my list was up early and so was I. OUt and back from the store by 10am. That's a record for me!

I'm jealous. I waited until today to join since I had been traveling and was ready to go to the store but apparently my list doesn't go up until Tuesday! Not sure that this will work for me in the long term, as Sunday morning is when I usually shop.

 

[ReneeQ]

This is the second Sunday of my Grocery Game trial, and I am again not overly impressed with the list. For my area there is only Publix. There are only ten things TOTAL on the list that use coupons, and only five of those are in blue. Of those five in blue, three are items we would actually use. Again this week, nothing is in green. The majority of the list is B1G1, as listed in the Publix ad. Every week I use the Publix ad (before the GG) and always bought the things we use that are B1G1 for that week. I joined the GG thinking (from what I had read) that I must be missing pairing coupons with these sales, as I admit I rarely used coupons.

I know the GG can't control what Publix puts on sale, or what coupons come out. I know you all say sales go in cycles, typically 12 week cycles. I'm wondering, do the good deals also seem to cycle? Like is there usually a really slow couple of weeks or so, and that's just when I happened to join the 4 week GG trial?

Thanks..

 

[lbgraves]

Cruisnfamily, yes. The coupons do vary by region for brands & amounts. That is why I just order what I need/want.

There will be weeks where there is nothing that you need or want on sale. I have gone two weeks without going into my store. The cashiers always say that they must have a good deal when I go back.

Someone asked about store brands going on sale being less than what they will be able to get with the GG or super couponing. I have found that the only things I buy that are store brand are at WM...milk, crackers, and whales (instead of goldfish). Other than that, every brand item that I buy with a coupon & on sale is cheaper than the lowest sale price on the store brand item. This might vary by store, but it has been my experience. I use to buy generic all the time before I started this.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Winn Dixie
Retail: $43.26
I Paid: $23.16
Savings: $20.10 (46%)


Publix
Retail: $84.10
I Paid: $55.57
Savings: $28.33 (33%)

(cruisinfamiliy--I notice that you and I do the reverse of each other--for me, WD is gg only and Publix is my regular trip).

AUGUST TOTAL:
Retail: $632.94
I Paid: $388.80
Savings: $244.14 (39%)

Some notes:
We only buy organic milk--and now SILK (DD loves soymilk)--and organic yogurt products. Also--only buy whole wheat pasta (100%). These items will very rarely if ever appear on the GG. I was expecting a down day as I looked at my cart and saw all the non-gg items. BUT--was amazed that I still saved 1/3 of my bill at Publix.

I've also noticed--that my pantry is getting more full--and what is soo weird....I was not a starving child--far from it...but when rare items came in the house--I devoured them as though I was never going to eat again. A few items have been sneaking their way through that I wouldn't ordinarly buy (*ahem* OREOS and snack chocolate candy bars). I am GUILTY of the same ol' practice. However--as I look at the amount of food I have--I think I have the ability to change my psychology--the stuff is going to be there as long as it is eaten properly. So YAY for me!!! I am even trying new products (after reviewing the ingredients) that I would not have tried before. There was a seasoning--I am sure on the list--but I hid it b/c I didn't think I would buy it. But I saw the B1G1 tag and checked and sure enough--my family could use it.

My renewal is up this week--and I will be maintaining both WD and Publix. Also making sure I date my coupons properly---I can't believe I mislabeled a batch! Albertson's is now a part of my shopping as well--just b/c they have some can't miss deals that make it worth the trek.

Before GG I was a "why waste my time enthusiast"---but now I know---that even minimal time is money.

If you are one of the "it takes too much time so why bother" people, I do highly recommend at least the $1 trial period even if you have a restricted diet.

My goal this month is to hit under $500--not sure if I will make it. We'll see!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I know the GG can't control what Publix puts on sale, or what coupons come out. I know you all say sales go in cycles, typically 12 week cycles. I'm wondering, do the good deals also seem to cycle? Like is there usually a really slow couple of weeks or so, and that's just when I happened to join the 4 week GG trial?

Thanks..

Perhaps--I do not have the time personally to try to match coupons--but one day I might.

I believe cruisnfamily hit a slow spot last week where it was just not a noticable difference.

For me--it has called my attention to things that I did not pay attention to in the past.

My biggest fear is to not use a coupon at the right time--and miss out on what would have been a phenomenal bargain (today's rock bottom was a certain toothpaste----way over 70% discount by the time I was done!).

You can always post your question on the gg board.

 

[lbgraves]

So glad to hear that this is helping you! It is especially nice to see those on restricted diets being able to see a difference.

 

[cruisnfamily]

I believe cruisnfamily hit a slow spot last week where it was just not a noticable difference.

Not last week but the week before was a very bad list week for me.

this was week 4 for me and 3 out of 4 weeks I've been very pleased. I'm not spending any less at this point, but I'm getting way more food for the same or slightly more money. I figure that eventually(probably kind of soon) I'll actually be spending less. I kind of need to build up my stock. I used to just buy whatever I needed and when it was gone, I'd buy more, whatever the price.

Now that I am trying to stockpile, I find myself actually spending more sometimes than I would have but I know it will save me in the long run. Today for instance, between a raincheck, a B1G1 at Publix and a B1G1 at WD, I came home with 6 pkgs of cookies. Never in my life would I ever have bought 6 pkgs of cookies in one week before. But now, as we use up the cookies, I won't have to buy any, they'll be in my stockpile. See what I mean?

(cruisinfamiliy--I notice that you and I do the reverse of each other--for me, WD is gg only and Publix is my regular trip)

.Yup, I only go to Publix for the sales and do the rest at WD. My trial expires on Saturday so on Sunday they'll charge me for the regular fee. I'm going to drop Publix and just stick with WD. I know I'll miss stuff at Publix but I figure eventually it'll come around to WD and I'll get it then. I find that overall, WD's prices are better and they run more sales.