Wally-world

Many people don't think too much about saving money on groceries, they buy what they want, because it's time consuming to clip coupons. But I have a better way to get everything you want, Save some green in the mean-time and you never have to get your clippers out.

First things first.

Plan your meals. Even if you only make one meal a day (breakfast) at home, you can still plan your meals around the sales. Wait to make any decisions about what foods to buy or where to shop until you have the ads in front of you. Many times the ads for the nicer grocery stores come in the newspaper, but generally the Hispanic stores (fiesta, food land, etc.) will go directly to your home if you live in the area. The Hispanic stores will generally have the lowest prices, whereas the higher end stores have the best quality and largest produce.

When you have all the ads in front of you, consider that the front page or largest pictured items will generally be the loss-leaders, designed to bring you into the store so you can buy the more expensive items that you also need. Many non-staple items like razors can be purchased on eBay at a savings.

Once you have your meals planned, or at least an idea of what you are going to be making for the week (or two weeks, depending on how you shop) then look to make sure that the ads are not BOGO (buy one, two or 3 or 4 and get one free) Wal-Mart will not match those ads, and if you find that the bulk of your purchasing is going to be those items, then go to that store. Otherwise go to Wal-Mart. Wally-world will match the prices of everything on the ads, their produce is generally medium in grade, and their staple products are cheaper. Take your ads with you to the store and make the list based on those ads.


#1 Rule of Shopping

Most you already know this, especially if you have been shopping for a while, but the #1 rule of shopping is NEVER shop when you're hungry. Those instant dinner-for-4s and ice-cream sandwiches are going to find a home in your cart, and you not going to be able to think nearly as clearly about what you actually need vs. what you would really like to have.

Buying in bulk.

Buying bulk is best in most cases (remember that word "most") The price per gram/ounce/pound is generally less. If you have a large family, then Sam's club or Costco is where you will be wanting to go. but first check Wal-Mart's prices on the things you would be planning to buy there before you commit to a yearly fee. A little math now can save you a lot of time and money later. For instance, if you bake a lot of bread at home, you will likely want to go to Sam's to get flour, yeast, milk, baking powder, etc. But if you only bake a little bread, you could actually lose money in bulk buying. Here is how that works; you buy a 50 pound bag of flour, and the other items you need from Sam's, but after 6 months you have used 5 pounds, the bag is taking up way too much space, and now you're beginning to see little bugs in the flour (they WILL get in there eventually no matter how clean of a house you keep) or if you're lucky, it lasts a year and you have used half the flour, and now you get an off-taste to the flour. It happens, the oils in the flour will go rancid and you shouldn't eat it. Buy only things that you can use within a little more than the stated "best if used by" date.

Meats.

Meats can be confusing to all but the most seasoned butcher. You will very often see a cut of beef or pork mentioned in the ad and go to Wal-Mart only to find the same cut isn't represented...or at least it isn't calling itself the same thing. Don't fret, find the buzzer near the meat counter and wait for the under-appreciated meat stocker to show up. Ask him what would be the same cut. 9 times out of 10 you are going to find that they do have the same cut, but they just call it something else, and when you get up to the cash register, you can tell the uncaring cashier that they butcher told you it was the same cut, and you will see your price go to 3/4 or 1/2 of what it used to be most times.

One word about price matching: it cuts both ways.
Many higher end stores occasionally have loss-leaders are actually More than Wal-Mart's everyday prices, so LOOK to make sure. I can remember one time I thought I was getting a deal on tomatoes only to find that Wally-world already had the competition beat.

Quality vs. Price.

I have found that many items that LOOK better at the higher end stores just LOOK better and taste the same, sometimes this it true, sometimes it isn't. But when it comes to canned goods, I have found that there is generally a higher content of water than produce. so, be careful, if the off-brand is slightly cheaper than the brands you know, it is still generally better money-sense to buy the brands you know.

Produce.

When it comes to produce, look for items that are heaviest for their size, Guys, check the top of the pile; since most women do not reach as far as you might be able to, you're going to be able to find a better selection. Cantaloupes should have a slightly fragrant smell at where the stem connected, Don't worry about the occasional blemish on the tomatoes, melons, apples, or any other item that you are going to peel anyways, remember, the blemishes occur naturally and do not effect taste or nutrition, they just allow you to get it for less.

Staples.

Cereal, milk, eggs, flour, sugar, cool-aide, whatever you always are needing to buy, remember to look at the price per ounce/gram/pound and compare. For cool packaging or individual servings already split out, you are generally going to pay more, but there are exceptions to the rule. I have found that sometimes the largest containers of ranch dressing and my favorite, Pace salsa can be higher than a moderate size. Look first. And think about how much you are going to need.

Bowls, plates, linens, etc.

Wally-world can have fantastic prices on these types of items, but just look first, note their prices, and if need be, write them down. Generally the need for these items is not immediate, you can then go back home and see if eBay has a better price.

Wal-Mart can be a savings wonderland--in most places the Wal-Marts will beat the prices of the competition on a majority of the items. But there are going to be new and fun looking items that you are going to want to get right away, just try the new small Altoids, or pick up a fancy two-in-one washer/dryer sheet, but watch out. This is where Wally-world makes their money, along with the cold sodas near the registers, which are full price. Have a can of soda instead of a bottle and you have just saved at least $0.50 every time.

With these tips, you should be able to save $20-$40 per shopping trip, but come back for more because the Real Shopping secrets are still ahead.