Saving money and grocery shopping...

[luvmylittleboy2003]

Where do you find the best deals and money saving. I normally shop at King Soopers (Kroger), but, someone said they do better at Walmart - others say Target.
I HAVE to get my grocery spending down, where do you find it to be better?

 

[disneyfan55]

We don't have the same grocery stores in our area so I can't help there but what I do is look at all the local grocery store flyers, see who has the best prices for things I need/use and gather coupons and buy only on sale for the most part. In the beginning, if you don't have any stocked non perishables, you may have to buy some items not on sale/special but when things are on sale, but at least 2 so you don't have to buy when not on sale. Check to see if any stores offer double coupon as well. We have been lucky to have that for many many years. Learn prices so when you are in Target/Walmart you know what's a good price.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I only shop at Kroger. I used to shop at Walmart years ago but I really can't handle being in there for very long and I get better deals at Kroger. There's four around where I live and it's so chaotic, dirty, and crazy. I look at the sales ad's to see if there's anything on there I'm interested in or work what I'm going to make that week around what's on sale (like asparagus is $1.99 a lbs. this week so I've been eating a lot of asparagus). Then after I make my list I go through coupons or check online for printable coupons. Then I only get what's on my list. If I have something that's not on sale on my list I look through whatever brands they have for the cheapest and/or most healthy option. I don't buy anything that's not on the list.

I buy all of my cleaning products and hygiene products online from www.drugstore.com as they have a lot better variety than any store, great prices, free shipping, you get 5% back every time you shop to use on future orders and I go through a cash back website when I shop there (every few months) that I get 5% back as well.

 

[stsomewhere]

I get meat and some produce at SAm's. The Target (NOT A SUPER) has great prices on snacks, cereal, milk, juice boxes etc.

I fill in what i can't get there at a local fruit market and meijers

 

[puffkin]

I voted Kroger.

We don't have that store here, but we do have similar grocery stores and I do very well there using their sales, coupons and bonus card specials. I carefully plan my menus around the sales, know my prices, and stock up when things are really really cheap.

I buy all my toiletry products, paper products, and over the counter meds at CVS/Rite Aid. Also most of my cleaning and laundry supplies. I spend literally pennies there for that stuff by taking advantage of their Extra bucks and rebates.

I very rarely shop at Target/WalMart anymore. I just don't find good deals there plus there is way too much impulse buying. I used to shop at Walmart weekly and swore by their prices until I became educated on how to shop with coupons. Our Walmart is nasty, and I absolutely love not shopping there anymore!

 

[pearlieq]

We are devotees of a regional grocery chain called Woodman's. I would highly recommend it to anyone in WI and near the IL locations.

It's huge, so it carries an incredibly variety of products, and the prices are just amazing. Their regular prices are what I previously would have considered a good "sale" price at the local Jewel or Dominicks.

I must say I've been very disappointed with the Wal-Mart grocery store. Aside from a few of their private label products, their prices seem quite high--higher than Woodman's, anyway. I was expecting Wal-Mart to be rock-bottom and they really weren't.

I guess the moral of my story would be for people to check out their local/regional stores. It might be a pleasant surprise.

 

[Planogirl]

My Wal-Mart is spotless and well-run and I find that I can find the best deals in cleaning products and basic items there. I go to Kroger a lot too because they have the best sales.

I go to Target only because I like the store but I don't save money there and find the meat and produce usually more expensive.

 

[eliza61]

Actually I more of a "sales" shopper. Luckily I have a few stores near me. I get circulars from Acme, shoprite and CVS and scour them on Saturdays. I loathe Walmart with a passion because of how I was treated as an employee so it would dang near take an act of god for me to shop there so don't know how they stock up.

I do costco for paper goods and bulk items.

Unfortunately (or fortunately for my health) I've gotten into preservative free and free range items. so they are always way more expensive. I had some grass feed beef in January and absolutely refuse to buy any thing else now so my grocery budget is probably going to go up.

 

[sksjasams]

Another vote for Woodman's if they are in your area.

 

[flamingglobessigmund]

I shop at Walmart Market (it's mostly groceries, some HBA, household supplies and therefor smaller in size), Albertsons, and Smiths (Kroger). I consistently save more money by shopping at Walmart Market with coupons than anywhere else. I'll go to the other grocery stores when they are having a sale on somethings I can't get at Walmart Market.

However, I take my coupon binder into every store that takes coupons, in case there is something on clearance that I need and I have a coupon to match.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

Our grocery store. Without sales, it's about the same or a little less (or a little more) than Walmart, but the grocery store has sales and doubles coupons. Walmart around here has gotten really expensive, it used to be the "cheap" place to shop! Target has some deals here and there, that's my "extras" store.

 

[acename]

I said Kroger. They have great sales and they double coupons.


I can't stand Walmart because the ones around here are so disorganized. I love Target, but I can't go in there without finding a ton of other things I want.

 

[Belle5]

My Wal-Mart is spotless and well-run and I find that I can find the best deals in cleaning products and basic items there. I go to Kroger a lot too because they have the best sales.

I go to Target only because I like the store but I don't save money there and find the meat and produce usually more expensive.

Do you shop at the tollway and Park location? I go there a lot, too! It's difficult to believe it's a Walmart! The only other one I have seen that is so nice was in Fredericksburg.. My Walmart is a bit more typical (Firewheel), but I use any excuse I can find to go out to the Plano location. (My kids play PYSA soccer, so we are always out that way)

 

[DisneyWorldbuff]

OP- I'm in Colorado too and also shop at King Soopers... better prices than Safeway or Albertsons. On Wednesdays, I go to Sprouts and get a ton of produce for the week. The prices for both weekly circulars are "doubled" up on Wednesdays and you can get the sale prices for the current and previous week. I don't know what area you are in, but we have a few Sprouts close to us.

 

[gillenkl]

We do not have Krogers, Soopers or Super Walmart where I live. I go BJs Warehouse and Shoprite for my best deals. I voted under "other".

 

[bettymae1121]

Around me Meijer has the best prices (baring a loss-leader sale at another store). But I shop mainly at Trader Joes since we try to eat as natural as possible. TJ's has great prices and I find that I spend about as much on organic/all natural products there as I would regular products at other large grocery chains.

But I know there aren't Meijer's and TJ's everwhere. But for those that have one or both options near them, I encourage you to check them both out!

 

[Bren's Mom]

You get the best deals if you purchase the best deals from as many places as you can.

I work full-time, so my ability to go from store to store is limited. We have 4 supermarkets near me, plus BJs, Target and Walmart. I generally use Shoprite, as they have the best deals overall. Some weeks I'll go to one or two other places for the loss leaders or if there is a particularly good deal.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

But I know there aren't Meijer's and TJ's everwhere. But for those that have one or both options near them, I encourage you to check them both out!

I agree. I shop mainly the natural/organic section at Kroger (and the produce area) and at TJ's. TJ's is always crowded but if I can get in there during the week it's not so bad and they have some of my favorite things (all natural lime popsicles for $2 and banana frozen waffles for $2 as well).

 

[indimom]

We have two stores in town, Save a Lot and Krogers.
I get most of my pantry stuff at Save A Lot. I will look over the meat and produce and if it looks good, I'll buy there. If not, it's on to Krogers.
I get my low-cal and specialty foods (meat and produce when necessary) at Krogers.

I only do Walmart on occasion for two reasons. One, it's a 30 minute drive. Two, I do more impulse and convenience food shopping there and end up spending a lot more...

 

[Tiana]

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