[Ashlei]

In another thread many people said that they spend $150 or less a month on groceries...How do you do it? All I have is Walmart & Warehouse Market..there is also a Homeland about 11 miles away. Does anyone have any tips? And what kind of food do you usually buy?

[SophiesMommy]

what helps me is my local grocery store doubles up to .99 i think thats what helps a lot of people. sorry im not much help

[foxx07]

Man i wish the doubled out here . Im not down to 150.00 a month yet but i am working on it!! All I can say is make a list and be organized!! Also, dont be afraid to go to many stores to get what you need. Yes it might mean an extra trip but the savings can be worth it.

[brownie16]

Easy, plan your menus around what's on sale and when you can combine the sale w/ the coupon. Unless we eat out, we don't ever have a meal when I haven't done that. Eventually, you'll have a stockpile of sale items and can more freely choose menus.

Don't buy soda, that helps too.

[knw2860]

My stores in FL do not double but I wait for the ads to come out. I shop at Publix, Winn Dixie, Walmart, and Sweetbay. Publix and Winn Dixie always have BOGOF. When they have stuff that we will use and it is BOGOF I get a lot of it. This week I will be getting Zatarain rice products for dh for about .62 each. I will also be getting Ragu for the same price. I have a lot stockpiled so I usually only get the BOGOF or anything else that is really cheap after q's and that leaves me to just get meats. HTH
Nicole

[MorganGabriel]

I am very curious about this too. Our stores do not double, at least not that I know of.

[wannasavemoney]

once you get a good stockplie bit up you can buy more of certian items as they go on sale and end up saving more money.

[sherrym]

Does anyone know if Shaws or Hannaford doubles coupons?

[foxx07]

I love BOGO sales! Thats money right there!! I stockpiled on meat from albertsons because it was all BOGO. I paid 150.00 but man is my freezer full!!!

[chimpmandee]

I'm also in the mind-boggled category. I'm pretty new to all of this couponing stuff, and have never really gotten a good hold on it...

...does it help to be good at math? Because I'm not at all.

[foxx07]

You dont need to be good at math, but I carry a calulator with me when I shop As with anything in life you want to be good at this takes time. Only you can figure out what works for you and what you need. I am still working on stockpiling stuff but my bills have been going down as I get it together. Patience and practice. Thats all it takes!

[LACECOUPONS]

When an item we eat goes on sale I buy a lot of that item match with q of coarse,I have kroger and lowes that doubles q.I shop for meat once every 2 months not in between ,I found a great store that sales good quality meat and a reasonable price.

[ChristineV]

When you have a stockpile it gets a lot easier. I buy meat on markdown or when it is at the lowest price only. I buy my fresh fruits and veggies at the smaller markets that are cheaper but the quality is still good. I always combine sales with q's and stockup on the rock bottom prices for the items we use. I also make a lot of food from scratch and we do not eat out much at all.

[KMP1976]

Since you shop at Walmart, have you ever comped your prices? I think most Walmarts match competitors prices. Ours does it as long as the store is within 50 miles of the store I'm at. So, I have a cousin who lives 33 miles out of town who'll bring me their little grocery store ad, plus I can get Kansas City's ads cause they're only 45 miles from me , too, so they match them too. I don't know if you could get ads mailed to you from areas around you, but that might help you out. Good Luck! Oh, and all you'd have to do is call your Walmart and ask if they match and how far of a distance.

[bjanddee]

I am new to stockpiling too. What I want to know is there a list anywhere on here that has the average regular (not sale) price on items from store that most of us have, like Walmart? Reason I ask is I got free crest and free dawn at Dollar general by using $1 off coupons. The crest and dawn were regular price $1. Not trial size but not the huge containers, but hey they were free.

[Easrthartisan]

Come on.. some of us just live off Free Pizza rolls and Chef Boyardee

Just kidding... basically what I do is, stock up on frozen veggies when I can get them for .35 a bag or less. Meat, i try my best to buy from managers specials. Sometimes I can get ground chicken for .99 a lb, ground chuck for 1.99 lb, ribeyes for 4.99 lb, boneless pork chops for 1.49 lb.

If I am not doing so good with veggies I hit up Save a Lot for canned veggies. In the summer I will grow a patio garden.

Snack foods are snack foods and are unneccesary. I don't buy them unless I find a really great deal.

My biggest downfall are drinks. I have tons of Koolaid packets, tea bags, hot chocolate, french vanilla mix... but do I make it... no Instead I end up buying juice boxes for the kids.

[Easrthartisan]

Oh forgot to mention... I know you shop Walgreens... so use your RR at Walmart to get meat

[MammaCat2]

Originally Posted by Easrthartisan

Oh forgot to mention... I know you shop Walgreens... so use your RR at Walmart to get meat

OMG you can do that? I had no idea? Can I use RR anywhere else? How am I just finding out about this now? WOW!

[mom22seans]

Originally Posted by foxx07

Man i wish the doubled out here . Im not down to 150.00 a month yet but i am working on it!! All I can say is make a list and be organized!! Also, dont be afraid to go to many stores to get what you need. Yes it might mean an extra trip but the savings can be worth it.

As long as the price of gas for the extra trip doesn't exceed your savings!!

[joshmamabear]

I can say I get to spend reasonable amounts on food when I find meat, produce and bread winetags. Ad matching Aldi prices on produce help a lot since I can use WTs at WM whereas Aldi don't take coupons. Otherwise, I still spend an average of $60 to $75 per week buying just these items. Our milk, eggs and cereals are courtesy of WAG RRs so I don't spend money on those food items. I budget just for food at this stage since we have a stockpile good for several months. If I spend $50 on food that all of us eat, that is the best I can do.

[mom22seans]

Originally Posted by joshmamabear

I can say I get to spend reasonable amounts on food when I find meat, produce and bread winetags. Ad matching Aldi prices on produce help a lot since I can use WTs at WM whereas Aldi don't take coupons. Otherwise, I still spend an average of $60 to $75 per week buying just these items. Our milk, eggs and cereals are courtesy of WAG RRs so I don't spend money on those food items. I budget just for food at this stage since we have a stockpile good for several months. If I spend $50 on food that all of us eat, that is the best I can do.

Oooh - I never thought of asking WM to price match Aldi's meats/produce. I always only pricematched items that were specific brands - didn't think they'd do meat and produce! Great idea!!

WAG RRs? These are the coupons that print out with your purchase receipt, yes? I don't think I've ever seen milk/meat/produce RRs... is the RR based on what you're buying? So, I'd have to first purchase these items at WAGs to get the RR? Does Walmart accept WAG coupons? I know they don't take other competitor coupons but are they affiliated and therefore accept WAG RRs?

[joshmamabear]

Originally Posted by mom22seans

Oooh - I never thought of asking WM to price match Aldi's meats/produce. I always only pricematched items that were specific brands - didn't think they'd do meat and produce! Great idea!!

WAG RRs? These are the coupons that print out with your purchase receipt, yes? I don't think I've ever seen milk/meat/produce RRs... is the RR based on what you're buying? So, I'd have to first purchase these items at WAGs to get the RR? Does Walmart accept WAG coupons? I know they don't take other competitor coupons but are they affiliated and therefore accept WAG RRs?

on ad matching, just make sure your WM carries the same generic item i.e., 3 lb bag yellow onions @ .99 per bag which my WM also carries so I can use a $1 produce WT on those and get it free. its the same for per lb price of grapes, apples, bananas, etc. Produce which are priced per bag that WM don't carry with same lbs per bag cannot be ad matched.

our WAG sell milk, eggs, cheese so I can get those with RRs. Just make sure you're in a state where its NOT illegal to use a coupon on milk and dairy products. There are states where they do NOT take RRs for milk and dairy. I don't think any WAG sell meat and produce. Our SWM does not take WAG RRs so I use my RRs at WAG.

RRs are catalina coupons that print from a separate catalina machine near the register. It does not print in your receipt. It is a separate coupon that you redeem on your next purchase. HTH.

[mom22seans]

LOL more acronyms I don't understand... and I thought I was up to date on all this internet lingo!! WT? SWM?

But, yes, that does help joshmamabear! Thank you very much for taking the time to explain. I'll have to remember to check Aldi's ads before my next trip to WM (figured that acronym & the WAG acronym out all by myself! hehe)

[Cheri]

WT=wine tag found on some wine bottles for *any* meat, cheese, produce
SWM=super walmart

[goodgreatfabulous]

Is it possible to stockpile without double coupons?