Question of the Day, Saturday, December 23

[Winchester]

Happy Weekend!

When you go for groceries, do you have a list? Do you use coupons?

I haven't shopped without a list in years, unless it's a run-in for milk, eggs. etc. As I run out of something, or even if I get down to the last jar or container of something, once I open it, it goes on my list immediately. My list is on the side of the fridge. I add to it as I go.

Particularly if we're going to Sam's Club or Costco, my list is with me. I go through the flyers, figure out which store I want to hit and take it from there. We go to Sam's more often than Costco as our "local" Costco is about 60 miles away. But when Costco has good buys for us, we'll take a morning, stop for breakfast, and then go to Costco. Make a mini-trip out of it. No coupons there, but I try to use any coupons I can find at our Giant store. I'll go through the Giant flyer online, hit their coupon section and figure out what I need. For Sam's or Costco, we take our large cooler with us for cold/frozen items. Get it all home, go through the FoodSaver thing and put it all in the freezers. Sometimes I think it takes longer to get it all sorted, FoodSavered, and frozen than it does to go for groceries!

If Rick is running to the store for me (he went to Sam's earlier this week because he was taking the car to the garage anyway and I couldn't go with), my list is completely detailed. That way he knows exactly what I need, what size, etc. Should he have any questions, he'll call me. He's been known to take pictures of something at the store, text me and say, "This it?" He's really good about the whole thing.

Do you use a grocery list?

 

[bobkater]

Yes, I always shop with a list, otherwise I forget things and/or get things I don't really need. Even so, I still sometimes get carried away by spontaneous buying of unnecessary items.

And yes, I make use of discounts, but only when belonging or worth adding to the list beforehand, not decided on the spot, since what I don't need is expensive at any price.

 

[denice]

I am bad I no longer shop with a list. When the kids were still at home I always went with a list and coupons, it does help stop impulse buying. I know I should still be doing that but I don't. I know I will need to get back in the habit when I retire. Also, when I retire it will be one big trip a month because that will be the way my income will be so yes, I will need to get back to using a list.

 

[iPappy]

I always have a list, and I use coupons when available. I remember my Mom going to the store back in the 90's during double or triple coupons and saving a TON of money. I used to go to the store once or twice a week, but now, I go every 2-3 weeks (especially around the holidays...)

 

[Jem]

Yes I have a list, all based on sales and rewards that I get with the purchase. I have three stores I can shop at all within the same intersection so I plan my shopping ahead of time using the flyers. I will also use coupons if I have them. I also buy the really good deals in bulk. While I don't hoard, when non perishable goods or foods that can be frozen are on sale, I stock up quite a bit. There seems to be a bit of a pattern of how often certain items go on sale so I try to make sure I get enough to last until that item goes on sale again. And although this might seem not very nice, sometimes the grocery stores will put out coupon pads at the entrance or next to the product in the isle. If it's an item that I use consistently, I will always take more coupons for later purchases as well. Same with promotional coupons that are on the product. If I don't need that product, I will sometimes peel the coupon off the product and keep it for when I need it later. I know that's a bit shady, but I gotta do what I gotta do to save money.

 

[denice]

There seems to be a bit of a pattern of how often certain items go on sale so I try to make sure I get enough to last until that item goes on sale again.

There is a pattern. There is a show here called Extreme Couponing and several people featured on the show explained it. They figure that into their shopping.

 

[Lari]

My meal app has a list of ingredients I need for any recipes I pick, so I just cross out whatever we have and add what else we ned to the online list. Sometimes I don't add things I buy almost every time, like yogurt for J.

Most of the time I shop at Jewel. They also have an app for rewards members and I clip digital coupons on it and they come off when I put in my phone number. But I don't bother with paper coupons.

 

[neely]

Yes, I shop with a list but always end up adding things I didn't think of and, yes, I use coupons when applicable. I do frequent the produce stores a lot for fruits and veggies because I find some of the chain grocery stores are either more expensive or don't have the best quality produce.

 

[Kat0121]

Yes. I get the Publix weekly ad in an email from them. When I go through it I add anything I need to my list. I have staple items on the list that I keep there. When I get to the store I use the app to get to my list and get what I need. I create my list for Sam's on the website and get to it from the app when I'm at the store.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I will put a list on my phone if I’m shopping in the store now; but generally I do grocery pickups so I don’t make written ones like I used to.

I used to make a menu every week and make my list from that. Now we eat pretty boring routinely that I don’t bother with menus.

 

[aliceneko]

I have a list and use vouchers/coupons/deals when I can.

 

[lizzie]

I have to use a shopping list...it's a must!If I don't,I'll end up with stuff I don't need for sure.When hubby shops for us,he has a list too...may be a bit more detailed than mine,but he does a great job of it.He'll call me as well if there's something he can't find.I used to use coupons all the time but for several months now there's been no inserts in our papers.Don't know what's up with that.

 

[iPappy]

I have to use a shopping list...it's a must!If I don't,I'll end up with stuff I don't need for sure.When hubby shops for us,he has a list too...may be a bit more detailed than mine,but he does a great job of it.He'll call me as well if there's something he can't find.I used to use coupons all the time but for several months now there's been no inserts in our papers.Don't know what's up with that.

If I don't bring a list, I buy things I don't need and forget the 2 or 3 things I actually went to the store for in the first place!
I've also learned to check expiration dates. I don't know what it is, but, since the pandemic I've bought boxed or canned goods only to bring them home to find out they've expired a month or so ago. The canned goods are usually fine, but the boxed goods are usually stale.

 

[neely]

I've also learned to check expiration dates.

Exactly! You'd be surprised how many times I've found items that were expired especially dairy products.

I used to use coupons all the time but for several months now there's been no inserts in our papers. Don't know what's up with that.

We get coupons in the Sunday paper but they're not anywhere near as many as there used to be. One of the stores we sometimes shop at has double coupon day once a week but with a limit of 5 coupons.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

I usually have a list, especially if I have to get something I don't buy every week.

We don't have a coupons system here as in America. The big supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths) just put stuff on special when they feel like it. Woolworths do have loyalty cards but they're not worth the bother, because it takes 2000 points to get them and you only get one point per dollar spent. It's far cheaper just to shop at Aldi.

 

[MonaLyssa33]

I rarely shop in stores and rely heavily on online shopping and pickup. In the event I do go into a grocery store, I definitely do a list.

 

[Mia6]

list

 

[maggiedemi]

Sometimes I make a list on my phone. I don't use paper anything anymore if I can avoid it, no receipts, no bags. I don't use coupons unless they are digital.

 

[DeesCats]

I use a list, usually on a scrap envelope received in the mail and add to it for a couple weeks, mostly staple products. I never seem to find coupons for products I actually like to purchase so just read the local grocery store circulars and stock up when they are on sale.

The BF does the cooking but also forgets to write down what we need when we need it.

 

[maggie101]

everything I need on the same 3 isles. If I bring a list, I will forget I have it or put it down somewhere and forget it's there. Waste of paper! Only things I have to go to the grocery for is lunch meat,coke,propel,and butcher. Rest where I work,target!