Shopping with Coupons: What The...

Have found in our area Kroger is less expensive that Wallmart - they have them beat on most everything. Plus they have weekly "digital" sales and mail a "best customer" coupon book every month that usually has only the items you normally purchase and a $20 or $17 off coupon for a single large purchase. Love those coupons...lol
Wow... Kroger, I never would have guessed, I've shopped there a couple of times and was impressed with the size of the store and the variety. I didn't pay much attention to prices, because they just had what I needed that wasn't available other places. But the nearest Kroger is an hour's drive for me. Everything is a long drive for me, at least by most people's standards, but that one is just a bit out of reach. But the information is useful. I may give it a try and do some comparing or prices.
 

i don’t mind canned goods but i don’t like keeping things like ketchup, peanut butter , mustards ,etc that are open and sitting for long periods of time .

there is just so little at costco we can actually buy that it isn’t worth it
We write the date of purchase on the label with a magic marker, before we put the ketchup, peanut butter and mustard in the fridge. Do you not refrigerate these items ? JimB.
 
I like coupons over digital because you can go to the store of your choice. I've found at times that even with coupons, some stores were still higher than Aldi or Walmart. I'll use digital coupons, but sometimes they have too many restrictions on them. Best plan for me is to go with a list & stick to it.

About the only thing I buy at Kroger's regularly is their dry cat food. I will buy their whole rib eye if it's on sale, but not much else since their prices are some of the highest in the area. My stores of choice is Aldi, Walmart, local IGA & bulk food store. If I have to spend more, I'll support my locals first.

I stagger the purchase of items we keep on the shelves so the expire date are spread out. The "best buy" & "expire" dates to me are guidelines & doesn't mean something needs to be thrown out. I think it's a way to get people to waste money when they don't need too. As far opened items that have lots of vinegar & sugar like mustard, ketchup, pickles & jams, it's hard for them to go bad in the fridge.
 

I have a list of things that I use frequently and/or have a long shelf life which I get at Costco. For example certain cheeses are often two or three dollars a pound cheaper. Even if I throw out the last 20% (I can’t remember the last time I did that) It’s still cheaper. Perhaps if the grocery situation in my area was more competing that would be different. We desperately need an Aldi or Lidl to keep the two big chains (soon to be one?) competitive. Meanwhile Costco is our lifeline.

I spend about five minutes a week scanning the digital deals to my store’s account. I purchase maybe 10%of what I scan.
 
For example certain cheeses are often two or three dollars a pound cheaper. Even if I throw out the last 20% (I can’t remember the last time I did that) It’s still cheaper. Perhaps if the grocery situation in my area was more competing that would be different. We desperately need an Aldi or Lidl to keep the two big chains (soon to be one?) competitive. Meanwhile Costco is our lifeline.
Do you have enough room to freeze your cheese? I don't use a lot of mozzarella, but I buy the small plastic wrapped bricks & it keeps well until I need it. I just pull it out letting it come to room temp if I need it that day or a day early & leave it in the fridge. An Amish lady told me you just want to allow it to defrost slowly & allow the moisture redistribute through it.
 
I get coupons monthly from fast food joints. Jack in the Box, Carl's, KFC, Wendy's, etc.
I don't use them, may be one time.

Lately, I've been mailing them to my gfriends for their kids and grandkids to use.
 
But what about the coupons? They don't turn me on at all. Even if I were to use them I'd have to fiddle with scanning, activating, or clipping. But I can just go to Walmart and buy things cheaper. I don't understand the coupon business strategy. Why not just reduce prices and people can buy what they want. Then I would go to their store.
Coupons, loyalty cards, any type of card, pay by phone or any electronic gizmo and what has happened is, you have been profiled.
A shopper profile is a description of a customer. It usually describes a business’ target or ideal customer and can include demographic and geographic information as well as interests and purchasing patterns.

Essentially, everyone shops differently and thus has different shopper profiles. Some customers enjoy browsing slowly or perhaps they stick to a list and are in and out. Shopper profiles identify different buying behaviours and what ultimately drives a customer’s decision to make purchases.

Understanding a customers’ profile, how they shop and what drives them to buy, helps cater the store’s shopping experience to their unique shoppers’ needs and increase sales. That is why coupons, cards and other teasers are employed rather than discounting.

The cynical side of profiling is that the profiles are bought and sold so that the companies who benefit from them can, and do, amass a huge amount of information about individuals.
 
Have found in our area Kroger is less expensive that Wallmart - they have them beat on most everything. Plus they have weekly "digital" sales and mail a "best customer" coupon book every month that usually has only the items you normally purchase and a $20 or $17 off coupon for a single large purchase. Love those coupons...lol
I can’t agree with that near me. The kroger store imo is more expensive
 
I always remember the old saying, "watch your pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves."
So, yes, I use coupons, get the store card for discounts, and read the store sale papers, etc. Ever since they came out with e-coupons I've saved a lot of money because the coupon just gets automatically loaded on my store card. No muss, no fuss. But I agree with others here...if I had to pay to join I'd shop elsewhere.
I think it's fine to use coupons and you can save that way and at the same time look at saving on the big items, like your car, home insurance, etc. We do both.
 
Do you have enough room to freeze your cheese? I don't use a lot of mozzarella, but I buy the small plastic wrapped bricks & it keeps well until I need it. I just pull it out letting it come to room temp if I need it that day or a day early & leave it in the fridge. An Amish lady told me you just want to allow it to defrost slowly & allow the moisture redistribute through it.
Defrosting advise from an Amish lady who doesn't have electricity or a refrigerator/freezer! I'm sure she's right...it just tickled my funny bone! :giggle:
 
I get no coupons in the mail. I don't subscribe to the local fish wrapper so I get no flyers. I don't own a printer so print 'em yourself coupons aren't an option. Hmmm, I guess I don't use coupons either.
 
Defrosting advise from an Amish lady who doesn't have electricity or a refrigerator/freezer! I'm sure she's right...it just tickled my funny bone! :giggle:
My bad big time! I meant Mennonite. There is a difference between the two & I know better :oops:. The lady worked at a large cheese shop we stopped at in Holmes County who told us about it.
 
I can’t agree with that near me. The kroger store imo is more expensive
Maybe they are all different. Know they do allow the local store managers some latitude but quite honestly nothing has touched them...including the gas prices. They also have 20% off case prices of wine - we drink wine with our dinner - its saved us so much. A large 1.5 ltr bottle is less than $7!

They seem to carry everything we need and even the pharmacy has the lowest prices on the generic meds we use. Life is good!
 
Strawberry preserves last pretty well in the jar sitting on the counter. Costco quit handling their Smuckers brand and started selling the Kirkland brand of strawberry "spread," which was sort of passable, but I left it on the counter for a week, and it filled with mold, and of course, since it's Costco, it only comes in a huge jar that would ordinary last months. You need to make room in your refrigerator, lots of room, if you want to keep it.
 
I used to do it when I was younger. My DIL had the method down pat. At my urging she even started having seminars about extreme couponing. She'd walk out of the store with $300 worth of groceries that she paid only $75 for. If one has a system, is organized (a coupon folder is essential) and takes maximum advantage, there is a lot to be saved. I don't know if manufacturers still offer double off coupons but at the time, that was another method that added to her incredible savings.
 
Not interested in being a coupon clipper. The places I shop I no longer need them. Many places have that best price offer which you can do all within your phone. We also pay on the card that gives a percentage back. At the end of the year we do a big Christmas shopping spree at Costco with the pay back money we earn. It’s nice to know these things really pay off.
 


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