My wife and I finally figure a good use for the family computer. Whenever we have to store purchase stuff we can't provide for ourselves here, we use Word program ledger. We list the item, store price and date we bought it. Any time we go to another store, we take a hardcopy pintout along , highlighting our needed grocery list on the printout. This way while getting our stuff , we compare prices and update our comparision data base when we get home. This way we can usually plan our trips, get the lowest price and catagorize our coupons before leaving home. I also make use of the online sales papers on the net since the seven stores in our area update their sites two to three days before the circulars are mailed. If stores can use computers to track our buying habits, why shouldn't we use them to track their pricings? BTW, since keeping the database, the update time gets included in the same time when checking the reciept for missing items or overcharges anyway. So far, we have been able to save 10 to 20 percent on our shopping budget by not buying at the wrong store.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), September 02, 2001

Answers

Thanks! I'm going to give it a try.

-- Nancy (NAWoodward@lakewebs.net), September 03, 2001.

Games Supermarkets Play

Condensed from an article in Consumer Action

1. Supermarket owners long ago figured out the public’s perception is bigger is better, and – ergo – bigger must be cheaper. Who compares price per ounce that often? If a pint of something costs $1.49, a quart may cost $3.19, which is a good deal not only for the supermarket but the supplier since it unlikely the packaging cost increases much from pint to quart size.

2. Are coupons really a good deal? Probably not. Supermarkets use them to unload higher price brands. Chances are a store or generic brand will be cheaper without a coupon. (And chances are pretty good the generic brand came out of the same batch as the national brand – just a different label was applied.) There is nothing to stop stores from raising prices just prior to a sale or coupon drive. Simply a matter of changing a little tag on the shelf and in the computer. It’s not like they have to reprice every item. Also some supermarkets like to use handmade signs to bring sales to customers attention as the inference is that is a one-time, good deal. It probably isn’t that much of a good deal.

3. Do loyalty programs work? For those who participate, probably not much. Say the price of something has been $1.49. They jack up the price to $1.69. Those who don’t participate pay the $1.69 while those with loyalty cards still pay $1.49.

4. How accurate are the ‘sale by dates’? Except for regulations about baby food and infant formula, there are no federal laws mandating product dating. In most states a retailer may legally sell foods beyond the date on the package as long as the product can be considered unspoiled and safe to eat. Even repackaging or sticking on a new label is permitted.

5. Shoppers who use and stick to shopping list are a supermarket’s worse customers. They have teams of people whose full time job is to entice customers to spend all they can make them do through aspects such as subtle lighting and soothing music. Even colors such as blues and purples have been found to make the eye blink less often. The smell of fresh baked bread drives up sales all over the store. Corner and aisle displays are there for a purpose, as are those impulse items at checkout counters – ever notice the candy is at children eye height? The longer they can keep you in the store, the more you are likely to buy. (By the way, the best time to go grocery shopping is after a large meal as it reduces the impulse urge.)

6. Supermarkets make only about half of their profit off of store sales. Hunnn??? It’s simple, they charge manufacturers and distributors for shelf space. Ever noticed something like canned peas on three different shelve levels? The one at eye level paid more for the privilege. For the in-store profits, although the meat department will take up only about ten percent of space, it produces about 30 percent on in-store profits.

7. Think the scanners are accurate? A 1998 FTC study found roughly one-fourth failed to earn a passing grade in their tests. Some supermarket chains routinely overcharge on about eight percent of items since the computer price doesn’t match the aisle price (and the scanner price is almost always higher). It is mostly a matter of not updating aisle or sale prices into the computer. Although it is tedious to mark down aisle prices and then comparing them to scanner prices, if the store has a policy to refund the difference or – even better yet – the same item for free for the mistake – it can add up over a year.

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Shopping at salvage groceries places can produce good savings. Their inventory mostly comes from two sources: overproduction at manufacturing plants and discontinued items from supermarkets. Say they carry a certain brand of peas and that manufacturer decides the price it pays for shelf space is too high. The store will then pull all of its inventory of that item and sell them to a middleman. Prices at the one place I was in seemed to be about half normal supermarket price.

There is a Dollar General store next to the supermarket I use. My first stop is there to see what they have on my shopping list.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), September 03, 2001.

What a great idea. I'm going to try this. We always check the dollar stores for sales on grocery items before hitting the grocery store. We shop monthly for groceries and this will make it much easier.

-- Grannytoo (jacres40@hotmail.com), September 03, 2001.

Ken, watch out for salvage grocery stores. I frequent one run by the Amish. They sell "rejects" and out of date items from Aldi's for more than what I pay for any day of the week. Examples: crackers that they sell for 59 cents I get everyday at Aldi's for 49 cents. Canned soup that is 39 cents everyday at Aldi's is 49 cents at their salvage stores. It's always buyer beware and know your prices and weights.

-- Sandy Davis (smd2@netzero.net), September 03, 2001.

I think I do pretty well at the grocery stores by doing the following: 1. keep a journal of the prices I normally pay for items I buy on a regular basis. This way I know what the going price should be, and can tell if the shelf price of an item has been marked up prior to a sale. This also helps me to identify "deals" when I find them. Several new chain supermarkets have opened in my area this year and I have noticed that there seems to be a "price war" going on, so I check the weekly flyers to see what each store is offering as a loss leader. Because the stores are located near each other it is not a big deal to visit 3 different markets on one shopping trip, so as to get the best deals at each one. Also, when I do find a deal I tend to stock up on the item. Then, by the time I run out and need more it is usually on sale at one of the stores again. 2. I do use coupons, but only for items I would have purchased anyway. I don't fall for the trick of buying something I don't need just because I can "save" a few cents. And, I try to match up coupons with items that are already marked down, effectively increasing my savings. 3. make a list and stick to it, with the possible exception of adding an item that I discover is on sale once I get to the store. Ken, thanks for posting your tips- I never thought about the possibility that the scanned price would differ from the shelf price. I will definitely make a point in the future to double check this. If anyone here hasn't already read the Tightwad Gazette you might want to check it out. There are some good tips in these books for grocery shopping, amonst other things.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), September 03, 2001.

Check ebay.com for books of the Tightwad Gazette issues. Apparently there are three, Vol I, II and III (which may be a compliation of all of them).

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), September 03, 2001.

A very good book on couponing is "Cashing in at the check out". The lady who runs the refundlebundle.com site put it out. Shows a good stategy for "cityfolks" especially, but many of the techniques work for us limited shoppers also. Personally, we have found our best deals with coupons when used at "double and triple value days". Many items can actually be had for free when the coupon value is inflated. I really like it when those skillet dinner ones go double (add our garden vegetables and rabbit or deer makes a suitable replacement for the beef) and until some of us here figure how to grow our own t.p (or sears catalogs(pulp , not glossy inserts)) those Charmin coupons will be worth their weight in gold :>)

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), September 03, 2001.

Dollar Store - Tide, 100 oz/$6.50. Wal Mart - Tide, 100 oz/$5.99 Not all things are cheaper at the Dollar Store. I do think that Aldi's beats most store prices; I use them for butter, salmon, and IQF chicken breasts mostly, though I will pick up other things while I'm there if it's a good buy - and if I've tried it before and know the quality is good.

I also keep a list in the computer (spreadsheet) of things that I use a lot of. I put in the lowest sale price I've seen recently in the first column; and reg. store prices in the next one. Third column is for how many I have on hand, as I like to stock up even more as winter approaches - hate to drag in groceries in the snow! I highlite anything I have to have; other stuff gets purchased if it is at or below the sale price and I need it to restock.

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), September 03, 2001.

There is a new store like Aldi, called Save A Lot...good deals. Aldi is in midwest but the other is west, too.

-- DW (djwallace@ctos.com), September 03, 2001.

Save-A-Lot didn't last long here. Don't know why. Lasted 6 months then closed up.

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), September 04, 2001.

Sav-A-Lot is here in North Alabama now. Seems to have as good or better prices on bulk than Sams Wholesale and no membership fees.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), September 04, 2001.

We are lucky in PA to have Dollarland (like Dollar store except they carry produce and frozen items) and Amelias(canned and frozen goods).. they are known for good deals on caselots of chicken..pays to shop around and watch sale ads.

-- Alexa Krain (DrMom5775@aol.com), September 05, 2001.