While many consumers bemoan the escalating costs of groceries, I have only seen my family’s grocery expenditures decline in the last year or two (and that following the adoption of a toddler!) We’re not eating less or choosing lower quality brands. I am just shopping smarter.
Coupons Are Great – Even If You Have Someone Else Do The Work!
As a child in the late 70’s, I would cut out coupons from the Sunday paper and keep them in a small file box that I would take to the store with my mother. Perhaps as a prophecy of what was to come, I would do so based on an innate understanding of the business-world concept of Return on Investment (ROI). In my case, for every coupon we redeemed, I got half the value back in cash from my mother. That return was worth my investment of the time and effort of cutting and filing. My mother (who couldn’t be bothered cutting coupons based on her internal ROI calculations) was more than happy to give me half back (which at my tender age of 8 or so was more than a worthwhile ROI). She saved something; I made something — win-win.
Don’t Need to Get the Newspaper for the Biggest Coupon Savings – The Age of Social Media
Most weeks I simply pass my shopping list through Facebook’s seach feature. In almost every case, the brands’ Facebook page has significant coupons that become available simply by “Like”ing them. Generally hitting the back key on the broswer allows you to print a second. And if you don’t want to clutter your Facebook wall…simply “unlike” after you print your coupons.
Free Loyalty Cards Are Essential
In recent years, it has become increasingly simpler, less time-consuming and more profitable to win at the grocery game and one need not ever pick up a pair of scissors. The grocery store loyalty card is a no-brainer. I can already hear the reasons not to get one – Big Brother watching over your purchase, gathering and selling personal data on you, etc. I have no doubt the store probably now knows my dining preferences, the days and times I am most likely to shop, and my staunch unwillingness to compromise on two-ply! But as I see it, that really doesn’t bother me as it only allows for more targeted deals to come my way. And come to me they do.
Don’t have a card? It literally takes seconds on line or in person and requires very little personal information at just about every grocery store chain. Not that I would suggest it, but I know plenty of people who make up names when applying for the card at the register. (Think fabulous drag queen names like Hetta Lettuce and Anita Mann!). And if you want absolutely no personal information attached to the loyalty card without compromising your ethical integrity, just partially fill out the card and leave blank any information you are not willing to provide. I have never seen anyone question or reject an incomplete application.
And then the question becomes why bother? It’s simple economics. It is not unusual to leave the store with close to 50% off the entire bill and even higher when combined with coupons. Whether stores are truly marking down items to reward loyalty or more likely just increasing the prices for everyone else, the end result is the same — I pay less to check out than most of my fellow shoppers with identical purchases. To win in the grocery game, you have to play.
Saving on Vacation Groceries
Going away for a family vacation? I always go on line and register for the card for the store(s) nearest to where I’ll be. In most cases, you can immediately print out a temporary card so it can be a last minute decision as you finish packing for your trip.
I realize that the stores are gathering data on my purchasing habits and may very well be selling that data. For me, however, it is a calculated choice and one where the ROI consistently trumps any concerns about the sharing of my shopping preferences.