Use Supermarket Courtesy Card, Review Ad Circular, Use Coupons, Stock Up On Sale Items
Use Supermarket Courtesy Card, Review Ad Circular, Use Coupons, Stock Up On Sale Items
We save between 15 and 35% on each supermarket-shopping trip using the courtesy card, buying and stocking up on sale items, and using coupons. The supermarkets in my area print the discounts totaled on the paper receipt you get at checkout. It will show what you saved on sale items that did not require a courtesy card, what you saved on items with the courtesy card, and what you saved with the coupons you presented at checkout.
I had a rude awakening when I went to a major supermarket where I did not have a card and went to the checkout with a few sale items from the circular. The bill was about double what I thought it would be and noticed that the sale prices were not ringing up as each item was scanned. I told the clerk that the items were on sale and the prices were wrong and he told me I needed to use their courtesy card to get each sale and that I could go to the courtesy counter and get one in a few minutes. It was late at night and I felt that I already was carrying too many courtesy cards and thanked the clerk, and told him I was sorry, but I had to decline and I walked out. It was aggravating to spend the time shopping and then to be surprised at the checkout. I have not returned to that store since.
I carry courtesy cards to Shoprite, Pathmark, Foodtown, and Stop & Shop. Most now are the small size that can be carried on a key ring. Shoprite generally will double the face value of coupons up to $1.00 and sometimes will triple coupons several times each year. Most supermarkets also offer free turkeys or hams during the major holidays of Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas if you purchase $300 worth of merchandise within a certain time period. We almost always earn a free 18 or so pound turkey each time. One year we earned 2 turkeys during a holiday and were given another turkey by someone. Foodtown carries some items that we like that the others do not.
In our area, we get a bag of store circulars each Thursday thrown in the driveway or steps with the sales of several stores, which usually begin the next Sunday morning. Usually the same stores also have ads in the Sunday newspaper. We at least review the ads for Shoprite and if we are ambitious will scan the others, too. We obtain most of our coupons from the Sunday paper, also.
We are also flexible in substituting items. We usually will buy the store brand instead of the national brand because we find no difference in them. We will buy the milk, bread, soda, frozen pizza, ice cream, and some other items that are on sale that week. For commodity type products like extra virgin olive oil we will buy the cheapest we can find at the size we want to buy.
When an item is on sale we will try to stock up on it for as much as 2 or 3 months, but sometimes a sale is limited to only one or a few of that item. Occasionally, we will go back to the store the next day and buy the limit again. And we have storage limitations primarily on freezer items. And we like variety, so don’t think we will buy certain foods and eat them everyday.
We also found that some items are always cheaper at warehouse clubs, but most are cheaper at supermarkets or local produce stores especially when items are on sale there.
If you follow this kind of strategy, you can probably save at least $1,000 from your annual supermarket bill. Would it not be better to remain in your pocket instead of giving it to the store?
We save between 15 and 35% on each supermarket-shopping trip using the courtesy card, buying and stocking up on sale items, and using coupons. The supermarkets in my area print the discounts totaled on the paper receipt you get at checkout. It will show what you saved on sale items that did not require a courtesy card, what you saved on items with the courtesy card, and what you saved with the coupons you presented at checkout.
I had a rude awakening when I went to a major supermarket where I did not have a card and went to the checkout with a few sale items from the circular. The bill was about double what I thought it would be and noticed that the sale prices were not ringing up as each item was scanned. I told the clerk that the items were on sale and the prices were wrong and he told me I needed to use their courtesy card to get each sale and that I could go to the courtesy counter and get one in a few minutes. It was late at night and I felt that I already was carrying too many courtesy cards and thanked the clerk, and told him I was sorry, but I had to decline and I walked out. It was aggravating to spend the time shopping and then to be surprised at the checkout. I have not returned to that store since.
I carry courtesy cards to Shoprite, Pathmark, Foodtown, and Stop & Shop. Most now are the small size that can be carried on a key ring. Shoprite generally will double the face value of coupons up to $1.00 and sometimes will triple coupons several times each year. Most supermarkets also offer free turkeys or hams during the major holidays of Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas if you purchase $300 worth of merchandise within a certain time period. We almost always earn a free 18 or so pound turkey each time. One year we earned 2 turkeys during a holiday and were given another turkey by someone. Foodtown carries some items that we like that the others do not.
In our area, we get a bag of store circulars each Thursday thrown in the driveway or steps with the sales of several stores, which usually begin the next Sunday morning. Usually the same stores also have ads in the Sunday newspaper. We at least review the ads for Shoprite and if we are ambitious will scan the others, too. We obtain most of our coupons from the Sunday paper, also.
We are also flexible in substituting items. We usually will buy the store brand instead of the national brand because we find no difference in them. We will buy the milk, bread, soda, frozen pizza, ice cream, and some other items that are on sale that week. For commodity type products like extra virgin olive oil we will buy the cheapest we can find at the size we want to buy.
When an item is on sale we will try to stock up on it for as much as 2 or 3 months, but sometimes a sale is limited to only one or a few of that item. Occasionally, we will go back to the store the next day and buy the limit again. And we have storage limitations primarily on freezer items. And we like variety, so don’t think we will buy certain foods and eat them everyday.
We also found that some items are always cheaper at warehouse clubs, but most are cheaper at supermarkets or local produce stores especially when items are on sale there.
If you follow this kind of strategy, you can probably save at least $1,000 from your annual supermarket bill. Would it not be better to remain in your pocket instead of giving it to the store?
posted by God Bless America - Bob at 8:07 AM
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