Comments on: Saving Money Shopping

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:02:33 +0000

Hi,

I noticed your posts about frugality and wanted to send this along for possible story consideration on Holiday strategic shopping that conquers budgets with bulk shopping and “buddy bonding”…

There will be a great deal of “making a list and checking it twice” to maximize budgets this Holiday season, and one strategy is in “buddy shopping” – it’s all about the “power of two” for cost-effective and strategic warehouse club shopping for the Holidays. We work with BJ’s Wholesale Club and shoppers can save while taking advantage of the benefits of bulk and multi-pack savings. In addition to their own coupons, BJ’s accepts manufacturer’s coupons – the only warehouse club that does – that allows for multiple coupons to be redeemed on multi-packs of “individual for sale” packaged items. An example would be: BJ’s sells a 2 pack of mouth wash that is normally sold and packaged as individual items in other major retail stores; you could use up to two coupons on this type of packaging in addition to many other items – and then split the cost and items in half between shopping partners – for even more savings.

Items great for divvying up include paper goods, toiletries, produce, meats, candy, cookie and muffin variety packs, juices, soda, bottled water, soap and cleaners…just to name a few. By splitting big packages, Holiday shoppers are also spending less per item than if purchased at a local grocery store (more than 30 percent over supermarket prices).

Besides savings on money, time and gas, shopping partners can finish off the “savings experience” with their own kitchen-side “packaging party,” to divy up the purchases and then settle back knowing they’ve checked off their lists with the best savings possible.

Thanks for your consideration,

Tracy Tilson
561-998-1995

By: Margaret

Margaret — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:14:09 +0000

Rising prices is the top for me.
Quantity is next–I have a hungry husband and three growing boys (and I don’t eat like a bird either).
Then there’s the refusal of anyone in my family to like beans. Hmph.

By: Spring

Spring — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:02:34 +0000

Rising food prices, food allergies/particular needs of kids, and how much they eat. Like a lot of people, we no longer eat out, do more planning and cooking, and sometimes still spend more than we did a year or two ago.

By: Caroline

Caroline — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:36:00 +0000

I would say the rising cost of food. In addition, I have a 9yo boy who has started eating like he’s a grown man! For our family of 3, our grocery bill is probably $500/month.

By: Shalee

Shalee — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:54:23 +0000

Cost is our issue. I make most of our meals, so it’s the ingredients that make up our food expenses. And I don’t shop for name brands! I try to use Aldi for the most part and I shop the sales at the other stores. My main gut wrenchers are meats and dairy products. Holy cow… they have soared a bit as of late. We’re eating many more meatless meals or the cheaper cuts. We’re not starving by any means, but we don’t make as much of the fun homemade meals like we usually do.

By: CC

CC — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 21:28:28 +0000

The rising prices are killer. We had to stop buying organic b/c of costs. We plan really well and never buy ready-made. But everything is so expensive!

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:13:30 +0000

My biggest problem is a busy schedule. I do fine when I sit down to plan the menu, write my grocery list and coordinate what I already have with what I need. I can usually stay in a reasonable budget. But when I get busy, we tend to order out, go out, and do impulse shopping. Bad, bad!

By: AmyDe

AmyDe — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:29:45 +0000

The grocery bill has always been pretty ok – even though we buy organic – it’s the eating out that kills our budget. Lack of planning on my part and lack of discipline (maybe those are one and the same) do us in everytime.

By: Mandy

Mandy — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:29:35 +0000

Honestly our grocery bill is as low as it possibly can be. We just ran out of beef in the freezer so that is a BIG part of our grocery bill now that I have to buy beef. Hopefully the hubby will get some deer soon!!

By: Tracy

Tracy — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:05:20 +0000

We never eat out, and I only buy “convenience foods” like pre-made meatballs or frozen pizzas if they are on sale. I’d have to agree with rising food prices. Especially the dairy and produce — which are things you just can’t stock up on when there’s a sale. I shop all the dry goods at the store first and feel like I’m doing pretty well, only to realize how quickly I’m going to spend all the money in the dairy department. It’s frightening how much that stuff costs.