Thinking about throwing in the Scissors Pt. 2
Posted: November 2, 2010 Filed under: Uncategorized 10 CommentsWell this weekend I went to Walmart with no coupons in hand. I made a meal plan for the next two weeks… lunch and dinners. I got mine from Motivated Moms for free.
The week prior I had spent $90 and gotten $180 worth of groceries. I went to Publix, Kroger, CVS and Walgreens. I spent at least 10 hours in cutting, filing and researching. I spent at least 3-4 hours shopping. I did save 50 % though…
This week I spent about 2 hours (know my “times” are skewed with a lot of interruptions!) making a 2 week menu. I researched a couple sites. I used my friend Tricia’s site a lot! She has some great EASY recipes on her site. I threw in some of our family’s staples and was set! We spent a horrific hour at Walmart… on Saturday… (I will plan better next time). For two weeks of groceries, I spent $68! I was actually shocked! I thought our total would be much higher! I was very pleased and came home with lots of food!
At first, I thought about throwing away my coupon book and canceling my subscription to Savannah Morning News. However I don’t think that is the answer. For me it is not an either or issue. The $68 I spent at Walmart was completely on food. I was able to do that because I was savvy at buying paper towels, diapers, toilet paper, razors, shampoo ect. with coupons earlier. The biggest question I had was, “is it worth it to match coupons on name brand products verses just buying the Walmart or off brand?” I didn’t want to waste my time on the coupons if that was the issue. I think sometimes that is true. But, for an example last week, I got a box of Pampers diapers and a 124 count wipes refill for $10 (by matching coupons and sales at Publix). I could never do that even at Walmart!
In conclusion, (I feel like I am back in college : ) I think the answer is the be smart, savvy and disciplined and use both methods. For me, I am going to alternate buying food and stocking up alternate weeks. I think I am going to eliminate confusion and stick to just Publix, Rite Aid and Walmart. These are also the three closest grocery stores. I get in over my head when I try to get everybody’s deals!
I enjoyed my experiment! It feels good to have the next two weeks of food on paper! I am always trying to ward off the “fast food monster”! There is so much money that can be saved in the area of groceries and food if you are disciplined and savvy with your time and money!
Happy Shopping : )
Writing about the Journey 
I threw in the scissors a while back after trying and striving. Found with the allergies we deal with – plus all the extra trips – it wasn’t practical.
But this wonderfully honest example you shared encourages me. That has been my big question too. Using coupons on the name brand versus the Wal-mart brand. (Thanks for the mention about our meal plans. That’s something that has really helped keep the costs down for us).
Thanks! Yes, I spent some time on your site! It is great!
Don’t forget Wal*Mart will match competitors sales prices so if you take Publix or Kroger ads with you to Wal*Mart, they match the price at the register. For Walgreens ad, you really have to watch the size of the item; theirs tend to be a smaller size than normal.
I too have found my time is worth something. I only use coupons for things I normally would buy. Since you use Tide, never buy without a coupon.
Also, watch out for BOGO items. How many boxes on graham crackers do you really use?
Number one suggestion – use your built-in babysitter for the next couple of months and leave Trey and Ella at home. You’ll spend less without the influence of getting something just to keep someone quiet!
Number two – eat before you go.
Number three – remember our science fair project, name brand versus generic. Especially on cereal, generic always won. When you got older and could tell the difference, I put the generic in the name brand box.
I will have to try that at our Walmart. I only by 1 BOGO item bc that means it is 1/2 off and I only buy Tide if I can get it under $3.00 … like right now… the “sale cycle” has it around $5 and I have a couple coupons I can match at Publix.
Yeah I was thinking about that science experiment the other day : )
And yes I do hope to use my “built-in-baby sitter” for my upcoming grocery trips!
I’ve been waiting on this. Interesting.
I buy generic whatever other than a very select item or two that I just really prefer name brand.
My biggest money saving tip though for myself is sticking to making a menu. I go through and make a list of what we have, the menu and see how far I can stretch what we have, then grocery list and coupons. Obviously I am not a couponer or I’d reverse some of those steps. I make a 2 week list and buy things we can use a few times in those weeks. We don’t always have meal A on Monday, but I write all the meals out and then pick from them the night before or morning of.
It’s fun when something happens like tonight we had soup and sandwiches b/c it was cold outside. The bread was free from work b/c Kroger donates it’s bread to us and the food pantry that is about to expire. (Food pantry people can pick from it first, we grab what’s left 😉 I always have a can or two of soup. So chi ching, we had a meal not on the menu and I’m still one meal up. Love that 😉
Anyway…rambling again. Glad you showed us what you came up with on both trips!!
Yeah, I have always made a menu and since I started couponing stopped. I think that is the biggest thing I took away was that I needed to bring that back! I would buy all the deals and then come home and it felt like we had nothing to eat! The menu is great! I think it is just finding what works for you and your family!
Did your Momma really put your cereal back in the brand name box. That cracks me up 😉 He he he…. Did you wonder where the prize went??
I tried to use a Target coupon at Walmart once. Asked if they took competitors, she didn’t take kindly to it and pretty quickly said no way. Oops.. I said that was fine, but I didn’t want the item. I wasn’t paying full price for whatever it was and decided to use my coupon on the next trip to Target.
And I agree with Momma on BOGO, that gets me in trouble the same as bulk shopping at Sam’s if I’m not careful. I have too much of something we can’t use up or no where to store it.
Just for the record, I’m so enjoying this. (Wondering if that means I need to get out and socialize more?)
Yeah I’m still waiting on that “tag along with Andy” to Savannah trip you have been promising : )jk
Yeah I if my mom switched the cereal she fooled me… but I never remember having name brand cereal in the first place ; )
Yeah Publix is the only place around here that accepts competitor coupons. I have heard that some CVS take ’em but not ours.
Funny thing is, before yall moved he was at Ft.Stewart all the time. At least every other month, at least. Since you’ve been there, he rarely ever goes. He changed offices a few times and just doesn’t head that way. The one time this year I think was the weekend before Disney. We actually talked about it, but I knew with Cole & I going we would spend money that needed to be saved for Disney. .. If this cold weather is staying maybe we’ll make it sooner rather than later! 😉 We do so need to make it down there though!!
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