My “Saving Big At The Supermarket” Story

I’ve known for a long time that our grocery bill is insanely high even for a high cost of living area.  With our current reliance on convenience foods and Trader Joes, this bill is not likely to come down.  That’s why I was pretty ecstatic to discover a new way to reduce our grocery bill.

I’m sure most people already know about the clearance bin section in every grocery store. Oftentimes it’s just an industrial looking bin/shelf tucked away in a dark corner.  Despite my frugal tendencies, I had never taken a good look at those bins, assuming that anything placed on those shelves were past their “sell-by” date.

My recent experience at a Fresh & Easy supermarket changed my perspective, which goes to show you that even old dogs can learn new tricks.  I was at F&E to buy a few items during my lunch hour.  I had been at this F&E several times and while not a favorite like Trader Joes, I liked some of their store-brand products and their smaller store size made it a good option for a quick shopping trip. 

While perusing the perimeters of the store, I noticed the clearance bin, a rather non-descriptive shelf located in the farthest corner of the store.  Instead of bypassing it as usual, however, I took a look this time and I’m so glad I did.  Two of my favorite organic baby food brands were discounted by an amazing 75-90%!  Neither Amazon.com nor Walmart could match those prices.  I immediately checked the expiration dates.   With the exception of a few jars that would expire in a month or two, the majority of items were almost a year away from their expiration date.   Without hesitation, I piled most of the items into my basket, leaving a few jars behind because I didn’t want to stockpile too much.  In hindsight, I probably should have just bought everything!

The next week, I dropped by the same Fresh & Easy store and went straight for the clearance bin.  I was hoping to find more organic baby food deals but these were all gone by then.  However, I did find good snack items on clearance at 75% off.   I also took a look at another clearance section with vegetables, fruits and other fresh foods.  While there were a few sad-looking, bruised avocados, there were also bell peppers, egg plants, corn and other still-edible vegetables.  I would have bought some if I had inclination to make dinner that night.  

I guess I longer view the clearance bin as the land of misfit foods.  Instead it’s a great option for shoppers on a budget and you can find good foods (and household products) at amazingly low prices.  Just be sure to check expiration dates!

Do you shop the clearance bins? What’s the best deal you ever got?

June 15: Simple Living Guide to Drugstore Deals

Every Wednesday, I’ll (try) to post up a Simple Living Tip, with an emphasis on tips that can be done while living a more traditional 9-to-5 life. 

If you truly value your time, couponing and playing the drugstore game is not for you.  Some people say it only takes a few minutes to clip coupons and scour drugstore ads for the best deals but it can really add up.  To effectively save, you need to scour the weekly ads, try to take advantage of the best sales and keep track of your drugstore rewards (CVS Extra Bucks, Rite Aid UP Rewards, etc..).  I’ll start with my best “simple living” tips for those who really don’t want to spend time clipping coupons but want/need to save money:

1. Go generic. Unless you have very good coupons, generics are generally cheaper.  From my experience, there is a wide range of good, generic products out there.  While I tend to be more brand-loyal on foods and toothpaste,  I’ve gotten generic paper towels, diapers, hand sanitizers, OTC medications, hand soap, etc..  Among generics there are variations in quality.  I like Target generics for household goods and I found a few good generic food items from Vons and Fresh & Easy. 
2. Try Amazon.com / Subscribe & Save.  Amazon has a great program called Amazon Mom that offers great deals plus free shipping on diapers, wipes and other baby products.  Membership costs $79/year but is free for the first three months and then up to one year if you make qualifying purchases, not difficult to do if kids are going through diapers and wipes.  Even if you don’t have kids, check out their “Subscribe & Save” items.  Deals are not always the best but I’ve a bundle on imported coffee, Brita water filters and assorted household items. UPDATE: Amazon Mom changed their program in late 2011/2012 and now the deals are not so great.
3. Buy household goods, cleaning supplies, lotions and cosmetics at Walmart, Target or Costco.  Unless there is a sale plus coupons, you’ll generally get better prices at these stores than at supermarkets or the drug stores.

Now if you are determined to get free toothpaste and want to use your time for couponing, here are some tips. I’m not the best at couponing because I don’t roll over my rewards over and over and I don’t want to hoard items but I have learned a thing or two over the years:

1. Go to couponing websites like Couponmom.com instead of looking through individual store’s weekly ads. It’s easier to check out deals this way and you can search for a specific item.
2. Use online coupons. There are a lot of reputable sites  for downloading and printing coupons even if you don’t get the Sunday papers. Plus on Couponmom.com, they list print-able coupons next to the sale items, making things even easier.
3. Stick to one drugstore for rewards.  For a time, I tried going to CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid but now I generally stick to Rite Aid because it’s conveniently located near my house and work.  It’s easier to accumulate reward points at one store and not have to track deals.
4. Bring ads to Walmart; They match prices.  Rather than run to a drugstore for an advertised sale item that is often out of stock, bring that ad to Walmart.  They will match the sale price and you don’t have to waste time/gas driving.

Plus, a last word on drugstore “etiquette”: Try not to clear the shelves of advertised sale items.  There’s nothing illegal about it but it’s really unfair to other shoppers. Even if you give it away to friends & family, it’s not fair to those who do take the time to seek out deals.   

Is couponing and the “drugstore game” the antithesis of simple living?  If you do play the drugstore game and have additional tips, please share!