Grocery shopping is a challenge for me at times. The prices are different than they were in Georgia and there are some items I absolutely refuse to buy at this time because of that. For example, I refuse to pay .98 cent for a single bell pepper when I was used to paying no more than .50 each especially when the place at the end of the street had them fall off the wagon on the way to the packing shed for free. Would you believe that canned vegetables are on sale at most places for $1.25 per can? I'm talking peas, corn, green beans, etc.
Did I just not do that much grocery shopping while living in south Georgia? Why was my freezer full all the time and the pantry shelves full of canned goods? (I miss Sav-A-Lot for my canned goods).
But, it's getting better here. I'm learning to play the "shopping game". Every Wednesday the specials of the week come out for the three main grocery stores here - Albertson's, Safeway and Smith's. Yes, there's a Super Wal-Mart here (two in fact), but even they don't usually offer the lowest prices (only on canned vegetables).
I've learned to selectively pour over the sales circulars studying them like a general going into battle. Yes, I will drive from one store to another to pick up their advertised specials. It really pays to do so since everything is so close in proximity. And, these stores are in competition to each other and so it is possible to get some REAL bargains.
Yesterday, I launched my full frontal assault. The first one since moving here since the shelves were becoming like Old Mother Hubbard's and we have two dogs where she only had one.
Each store has its ways of enticing you into it i.e., using their store cards for "card specials"; mix and matching like items of similar cost and getting LOTS of cents off; getting cents off the pump at either their store or a chain of convenience stores, etc. My reward yesterday was purchasing $93.48 worth of groceries at one store and paying only $48.81. This included even 3 packages of corned beef brisket, two gallons of milk ($1.89 per gallon), asparagus (six bunches), jars of fancy spaghetti and alfredo sauce (and various packages of pasta) for .49 each. The other store I purchased $45.30 and spent $25.01 for fresh cabbage, zucchini and various other coupon off items.
Yes, I felt quite proud of myself, but I'm still poised for the price of peppers to plummet promptly.
Dave also has discovered the joy of couponing. I have always been a devotee of the weekily circulars. You should go to Shelly Coates blog and read her stories if you have not already. She gives some great ideas.
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