When at the supermarket, bring a little notebook with you, and a calculator. Write down all of your regular items (or something that you'd like to buy) and the price per ounce (divide the cost by the total number of ounces in the package). While the stores usually show that formula on the tags that show the prices, sometimes it shows "X" cents per ounce on one item, and "Y" per unit on another brand's item (that's why I suggested the calculator).
Get the same information from all the supermarkets that you frequent. After a couple of weeks, write out a chart of your regular shopping items down the left side of a page, with the name of the stores across the top. Then put the price into the proper column under each store. You'll quickly see what store gives the best regular prices, and you'll be better able to cash in coupons or take advantage of sales without pulling everything out of the cabinet to see what it usually costs.
Update the lists from time to time, too. I use Miracle Whip. It's usually $3.49 here, which works out to $0.10+ per ounce. I always buy it at a super-discounted grocery store for much less, $0.07 an ounce. When you get a coupon or there's a sale on, make sure that store is offering a better price than you often pay.
I used to take the cost of mileage into account, until a third supermarket opened recently within a 2 miles of my home. Talk about heaven! Soon you'll know exactly where to go to get what, simplifying a shopping trip and getting you the best price on everything.
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This is a great idea, especially for checking prices at big box stores, like Costco. I have seen their generic brands for more than the name brands, but it wasn't obvious because the prices didn't compare ounces to ounces. Sale prices can be misleading sometimes too, like when they sell something for 2 for $10, when the item is normally $5 each.
Thanks for the tip!
For me that's too much effort and I can remember prices pretty well without writing them down. I don't go to lots of stores as that wastes time and gas. Hellmann's mayo is now $3.99 (regular price). I will buy it when it's on sale for $2.99. I rarely use coupons as they are hard to come by and usually require 2 items to be purchased when I only want one. I bought ShopRite mayo for $1.88 recently and it was not bad at all. I can live with it for the price.
I love Cosco, but have to watch the large quantities, as we don't always use it all. I've also found that generic cereal is less expensive at the grocery story than the name brand at Costco.
I'm with you OliveOyl. Me and short term memory loss aren't on a first name basis yet.
Too much trouble for me too. I have found that most things at the big box stores are not as cheap as Walmart or at other stores when items are on sale. I buy a particular brand of spaghetti sauce; a pkg of 3 cost more at Sams than buying 3 individual cans at at Walmart. Same goes for the canned chicken along with a lot of other items such as toilet paper and paper towels.
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