Grocery Shopping-How often, Habits, Pros/Cons,Tips

[barkley]

today marks the 3rd month I will 'power shop' for all our monthly groceries w/the goal of only doing a few quick shops for dairy and produce until next month. it's not what I've traditionally done but the last 2 months have shown it to reduce our monthly costs such that while it's daunting to spend 5-6 hours running around to 5 different stores it's worth it in the long run. it's becoming my new habit.

Pros-spending less since i'm at store less often so not prone to impulse purchases, 'one and done'-just one day of multiple trips to the car lugging stuff into the house, meal planning is based on what we have.

Cons-it's REALY hard resisting the 'come on' deals in the weekly grocery ads so I've taken to avoiding reading the ads unless we need produce or dairy in which case I just look to see who may have those items on sale.

Tips-
during the current month keep a running list of items run out/running low on then prune it down to what's actually needed for the following month. tell family members to list stuff as well-including 'wants'/then prune it down by eliminating the 'wants' you already have (but they were to lazy to see in the cabinet) or just don't want to get. when making the master shopping list put any current special prices next to an item to price compare.

(if possible) organize trip so you can price compare-for me that means go to Walmart first b/c they usually have the lowest prices on most items UNLESS there's a good sale at another store i'm going to in which case I look to my list to price compare at Walmart and decide who gets the sale.

go through and organize pantry/freezer/fridge before the trip to catch any forgotten needs, make space for incoming items.


share please-we don't have good deals w/coupons where we live so any ideas on how to save are appreciated.

 

[TCB in FLA]

I have two teen athlete sons, so multiple grocery shops are just part of the deal. However, I do make good use of my Amazon subscribe and save monthly order. You get most items 15% off if you order more than 5 items, so that’s usually better than my local grocery. This month, I’ve got coming dishwasher detergent, granola bars, Hint water, beef jerky and contact solution. You do need to pay attention to how much you have left so you don’t get a backlog, but it’s easy enough to skip a month. I also look through the coupons area of S&S to maybe add a great deal to my order (and then cancel it for the future months). Yes, it takes some effort but I’d rather grocery shop while watching TV than go to an actual store.

 

[bravestmerida]

I go once per week (to one store) on Sunday mornings to shop for 2 adults and a child. I go to the store with the best prices for our area, though it is always crowded compared to more expensive competitors across/down the street.

Sundays work best for us, our budget and eating habits because I can capture all the new weekly promotions and stock up on perishables like produce and milk that are used up weekly (yes, we go through about a gallon of milk each week). The circular is released on Thursday, and coupons come with the Saturday paper, so I compare deals on Saturday afternoon/Sunday morning, clip coupons, print any extra coupons online, look over rebate apps and in-store digital coupons and I'm ready to go. This does take a few hours, but I average no more than $50/60 per week at the grocery store, and we DO NOT go out to eat because we are on an extremely tight budget. For what it's worth, I live in a very high cost of living area and coupons don't go too far, but I feel it's worthwhile if I can save $5-20 per week because it means I'm focusing on our budget and managing healthy foods and eating habits for me and my family.

I've tried going every other week but end up paying more vs. doing a big stock up on sale items and depleting those until the next big sale on that item. I almost never buy items that are not on promotion or have some other discount (coupon, rebate), with the exception of milk and certain produce (really just bananas and perhaps lettuce). Our meals are entirely planned around fresh produce that's on sale and what's in the freezer, and I tend to cook almost everything from scratch. When I get home I meal plan for the week based on what I purchased, and then make all lunches for the week and dinner for Monday and Tuesday nights depending on what I need to defrost. We have a chest freezer full of bread and tortillas, meat, butter and a few frozen odds and ends like peas or a pizza. Almost nothing goes to waste in our house.

My shopping and cooking habits are time consuming, which I fully realize, but again, our family really needs to keep costs down. On a related note, we eat very little meat - 16 oz. of ground beef is at least 3 meals for the 3 of us, 8 oz. of chicken is 2 meals, etc. Meat is mixed with beans, rice, pasta or in a soup, rarely eaten as an entree.

Out of this I'd say my tips would be to (1) checkout rebate apps, (2) see whether your grocer has online coupons that you can stack with paper coupons, (3) don't be afraid to stock up if something is really inexpensive and you know you'll use it eventually, (4) a chest freezer can be life changing for meal planning.

 

[powellrj]

I am in love with Kroger click list. Last month our last child moved out, so I am getting use to going from a family of 5 to the 2 of us. I have taken about $100 a week off our groceries. I am in a wheelchair and no longer drive so the click list is perfect. I am also a bad impulse shopper, so on-line really works well. We also have an Amish salvage store that we go to about every 6 weeks. They have great buys on spices and bulk baking goods plus deli items. We try to hit it up when I know we are entertaining for the savings and variety.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

I go once per week (to one store) on Sunday mornings to shop for 2 adults and a child. I go to the store with the best prices for our area, though it is always crowded compared to more expensive competitors across/down the street.

Sundays work best for us, our budget and eating habits because I can capture all the new weekly promotions and stock up on perishables like produce and milk that are used up weekly (yes, we go through about a gallon of milk each week). The circular is released on Thursday, and coupons come with the Saturday paper, so I compare deals on Saturday afternoon/Sunday morning, clip coupons, print any extra coupons online, look over rebate apps and in-store digital coupons and I'm ready to go. This does take a few hours, but I average no more than $50/60 per week at the grocery store, and we DO NOT go out to eat because we are on an extremely tight budget. For what it's worth, I live in a very high cost of living area and coupons don't go too far, but I feel it's worthwhile if I can save $5-20 per week because it means I'm focusing on our budget and managing healthy foods and eating habits for me and my family.

I've tried going every other week but end up paying more vs. doing a big stock up on sale items and depleting those until the next big sale on that item. I almost never buy items that are not on promotion or have some other discount (coupon, rebate), with the exception of milk and certain produce (really just bananas and perhaps lettuce). Our meals are entirely planned around fresh produce that's on sale and what's in the freezer, and I tend to cook almost everything from scratch. When I get home I meal plan for the week based on what I purchased, and then make all lunches for the week and dinner for Monday and Tuesday nights depending on what I need to defrost. We have a chest freezer full of bread and tortillas, meat, butter and a few frozen odds and ends like peas or a pizza. Almost nothing goes to waste in our house.

My shopping and cooking habits are time consuming, which I fully realize, but again, our family really needs to keep costs down. On a related note, we eat very little meat - 16 oz. of ground beef is at least 3 meals for the 3 of us, 8 oz. of chicken is 2 meals, etc. Meat is mixed with beans, rice, pasta or in a soup, rarely eaten as an entree.

Out of this I'd say my tips would be to (1) checkout rebate apps, (2) see whether your grocer has online coupons that you can stack with paper coupons, (3) don't be afraid to stock up if something is really inexpensive and you know you'll use it eventually, (4) a chest freezer can be life changing for meal planning.

Your grocery shopping habits sound very similar to my own!

 

[DisneyHardin]

Your grocery shopping habits sound very similar to my own!

I was going to say the same thing. I am a once a week shopper and try to really stick to that. I work long hours, so the thought of having to stop at the grocery on my way home from work is terrible. I usually go either Saturday morning fairly early or Sunday after church.

 

[StephMK]

I love, love, love ClickList too! I do a big trip for 2 adults, 2 teens twice a month. Then during the month, DH goes to Costco across the street from his office, and I pick up a few odds and ends at Target.

 

[LilyWDW]

I currently shop for every two weeks, but thinking of making it weekly. The reasons I may change are:
1) Being able to make use of more sales and deals
2) I often am not "feeling" what I planned in that second week by the time I get to it
3) I often need to do a small shop anyway to get more produce

We will see what I decide to do.

My tips:
1) Plan your meals. This alone saves me a ton of money!
2) Plan around sales.
3) Stock up when you can. It may cost more TODAY but will save you money down the road when chicken isn't on sale.
4) Check out your local ethnic groceries. Lots of staples such as rice, noodles, spices, and produce are much cheaper

 

[Eureka]

Two teen athlete boys here too. I do a big shopping every weekend, but some weeks are bigger than others, like if meat is on sale one week I’ll get enough for 2-3 weeks (we don’t have an extra standalone freezer). I usually do a grocery store and Target or Walmart (both have fresh food as well as non perishables). I also do a BJ’s wholesale club run every couple weeks for snacks, toilet paper in bulk and then some other things that are cheaper like potatoes and milk. I try not to shop during the week if I can help it because I can get carried away buying stuff we don’t need, but I do fill in the gaps when needed for milk and produce midweek. Because of work schedules, Dh and I split the cooking with him doing mostly midweek and me doing Friday, weekend and sometimes I make something ahead for Monday. He tends to cook a lot of meat (mostly chicken) and mashed potatoes so I try to do other things for variety and also to stretch the budget like soup and sandwiches or other entrees where meat isn’t the main dish.

Maybe I should add, I love food shopping. I used coupons, rebate apps, etc. so I save a lot of money. We’d be spending a lot more if Dh did the majority of the shopping.

 

[hsmamato2]

well,I personally hate food shopping...(but I love cooking and eating!) I shop Aldi, which is small,inexpensive,and has good quality OG and GF foods.(European) I like the lack of choices since it's less casual spending there. I hit Costco about once every three months for certain items I buy there (almonds,manchego,campari tomatoes) and Trader Joes about once a month for a few items that only they sell (everything but the bagel seasoning) so basically the less I shop,the more I save. Aldi once a week with a REAL list in my hand is my best option.( I also stock up on my fave brand of coconut milk cans at a local asian store, I buy one case every couple of months,use it for tons of cooking) I'm actually considering ditching costco soon tho since they stopped selling my one main item there now. I can get nuts at Aldi easily enough.

 

[Donna M]

My tips:
1) Plan your meals. This alone saves me a ton of money!
2) Plan around sales.
3) Stock up when you can. It may cost more TODAY but will save you money down the road when chicken isn't on sale.
4) Check out your local ethnic groceries. Lots of staples such as rice, noodles, spices, and produce are much cheaper

This is what I have been doing for years now. I think planning meals is a pain, but doing it once a week is better than every day.
Cereal lasts for months! I seem to stockpile tp and tissues too. If it's a good sale, and it won't spoil, then I will buy a few of them. Even when I don't need it now, like cat litter, I know I will, and I'd just as soon save a little money.

 

[LilyWDW]

This is what I have been doing for years now. I think planning meals is a pain, but doing it once a week is better than every day.
Cereal lasts for months! I seem to stockpile tp and tissues too. If it's a good sale, and it won't spoil, then I will buy a few of them. Even when I don't need it now, like cat litter, I know I will, and I'd just as soon save a little money.

Yesterday I found good prices on boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs, and salmon. Yes, I spent a good deal of money, but now I won't be buying those three items for a few months. Since I only have to feed myself, one "pack" of 2 chicken breasts (what I break them down into) can easily feed me 2-3 days depending on what I am making.

 

[2China2009]

I have an Aldi in my backyard. I shop every 2 weeks usually, but can run and get anything else we need very quickly. I go to Sam's Club about 1x month and get some other items we enjoy. I am starting the Keto lifestyle soon so I am cooking lots more on the weekends. I do not need to use paper or digital coupons b/c I shop at Aldi's.

 

[pfp258]

I meal plan for the week and then typically shop on Sunday morning. I bring $160 cash for two adults and a college student home student teaching. After shopping on Sunday, I come home and prep individual reusable containers of veggies and fresh fruit (usually grapes, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries). The $160 is not just for food but also dog/cat food, paper goods and any needed cleaning supplies. Here is our meal plan this week:
M-hamburgers, potato wedges, fruit salad
T- sheet pan chicken fajitas, sour cream and guacamole
W-quiche, romaine lettuce salad
Th-penne pasta, homemade marinara sauce, Italian sausage
F-leftovers
Sa-Pasta fagioli soup, bread, mixed green salad
Su-salmon, roasted broccoli, rice pilaf

 

[tvguy]

As I have posted before, we do better financially shopping weekly, Sunday morning. 2 stores. Our meal planning is based on what is on sale.

My FIL was retired Air Force and he used to go shopping once every 2 months for the bulk of his groceries. But the closest BX was a 90 minute drive away. He would fill the shell on his pickup up, and had ice chests to keep frozen items like meat and veggies cold during the drive home. He had a huge freezer at home. Only thing they ever picked up locally was milk in between those trips.

 

[neatokimmo]

I am a once a week shopper at Kroger. I only buy sale items and mark downs. Sometimes we will go to the salvage store but only if they have a big shipment in (they do walmart and Kroger stuff). Last week I got 12 bundles of asparagus for $5.

 

[Eureka]

well,I personally hate food shopping...(but I love cooking and eating!) I shop Aldi, which is small,inexpensive,and has good quality OG and GF foods.(European) I like the lack of choices since it's less casual spending there. I hit Costco about once every three months for certain items I buy there (almonds,manchego,campari tomatoes) and Trader Joes about once a month for a few items that only they sell (everything but the bagel seasoning) so basically the less I shop,the more I save. Aldi once a week with a REAL list in my hand is my best option.( I also stock up on my fave brand of coconut milk cans at a local asian store, I buy one case every couple of months,use it for tons of cooking) I'm actually considering ditching costco soon tho since they stopped selling my one main item there now. I can get nuts at Aldi easily enough.

The problem with my Aldi is the produce looks awful. I buy a lot of other things there but very little fresh food.

 

[FireflyTrance]

I've started doing online grocery shopping and I have it delivered once a week. I've found it to be cheaper because it cuts back on impulse purchases. I also dislike going grocery shopping and it saves me at least an hour to just have it delivered. Once a month or so I go to Costco and stock up on bulk items.

 

[mousehockey37]

Haven't read the responses, but we've tried a few ways... 1 was a big trip every week or so, now we've changed over to smaller more frequent trips getting what we actually need. In any event, I have the store apps (which you can load coupons on), print paper coupons, and use Ibotta. We do "stock up" some on items when they're on sale.

The biggest problem I have is that coupons anymore are junk. Buy 3 cereals at 4.00/box and get .50 off... well, I only need 1 box and yea... So that's my gripe with going to the store, coupons give you the same discounts as 20 years ago, or it's a good sale, until you realize you have to buy all 5 of something.

 

[happymommy]

I've started doing online grocery shopping and I have it delivered once a week. I've found it to be cheaper because it cuts back on impulse purchases. I also dislike going grocery shopping and it saves me at least an hour to just have it delivered. Once a month or so I go to Costco and stock up on bulk items.

I do this exactly, and not due to budget, but to time!

I order from Safeway mostly once a week. I can add to my order as I please, and almost always get free delivery. It saves me 30 minutes each way plus the time in the store. Plus, like you, I don't have impulse buying. I stick to what we need, and it's so easy.

Then, I go to Costco for fish, meats, and other things I need. I have a Foodsaver vacuum sealer, so if I buy roasts, I can either cut one up for stew meat and freeze, or just freeze whole (if I cut it up, I put it all on a cookie sheet with nonstick reynold's wrap, in the garage freezer, so the pieces freeze without sticking, then put it in a ziploc bag).

No way would I find going to several stores a savings, as my time is to valuable these days!