What do you do when you don't have the time to bargain shop?

Missystuy · 10-09-2007, 08:59 AM

Before I started working full time, I would scour all the sale adds for the week, and plan out my grocery shopping. On occassion, I would visit severl diffrent stores in one day searching for the best deals. At one point, I had an AWESOME stock pile that we lived off of for several months.

Since I started working full time in May, I've found that I just don't have the time or ENERGY to go searching for all these deals. I get the sale flyers and don't even look at them, just toss them. I shop Super Walmart and BJs, I always use as many coupons as I can and I cash in my bottles. But I know I'm not getting the best deal. But I had to resign myself and just say "OH well".

What do you do in this situation?

Kim · 10-09-2007, 09:35 AM

Good thread, Missy!

*I pick up the loss leaders at the regular grocery stores and base our meals off of them if possible
*Shopping at Aldi takes the effort out of saving on groceries (or buy store brands if you don't have Aldi)
*For clothes, when I don't have time to shop ahead I usually head to a store like Old Navy or TJ Maxx where their regular prices are still reasonable.

brensmom · 10-09-2007, 09:43 AM

i would say try to give yourself a half hour a week to just sit down and look at the ads and make out your list. i remember when i worked i used to do it all and now i can't imagine how i got it all done but i guess it took time for me to adapt. give yourself some time you have only been back to work since may.

chopey · 10-09-2007, 09:48 AM

This has always been, and always will be my situation.
We don't get the paper, but occasionally steal MIL's for the coupons, but not regularly.
I cut the ones I WOULD use, but that's about as far as "planning" goes that I do. I shop at Super Walmart, because it's closest (and our local grocery store is ridiculously expensive), use what coupons I have, and buy lots of generic. But for the most part, that's all I can do, i don't have time to sit and plan which stores I'm going to, and spend a day driving around town to do so, etc....I only save about $4 or $5 a trip in coupons, but hey, it's better than nothing. I don't have MUCH of a stockpile in food, but we have enough to get by for at least a month if we had to, and I have enough toothpaste and shampoo to last a year I think...lol.
So to answer the question, what do I do when I don't have the time (which is never) is I accept that fact. I accept that I won't get out of walmart with two weeks worth of groceries for less than $75. I budget well over that, just in case I don't have ANY usable coupons when I go, which is often. I have done pretty good lately at trying to keep it under $300 for groceries for the two of us, by not buying things we really don't need for the most part, and buying generic when we can. Other than that, there's nothing special I do.
I don't have the time or the energy either.

Cookie2 · 10-09-2007, 01:11 PM

Isn't that what the lunch break is for?

I distinctly remember working fulltime while raising a family. It was an order of magnitude increase in my energy level. Multi-taking became my middle name.

Actually, because you have been a SAHM before working fulltime, you already have a pretty good idea of where to find the best deals. You're that much farther ahead. However, this is one of the 'costs' associated with working fulltime. That lack of time to bargain hunt is going to cut into your salary.

brensmom · 10-09-2007, 02:28 PM

another idea is if you only have time shop one store just look at their flyer and try to get the best deals their.

Denvergirlie · 10-09-2007, 02:59 PM

I pay for someone else to scour those ads for me...

thegrocerygame.com

Well worth the $1.25 a week I pay them, save way more than that.

T-shell · 10-09-2007, 08:23 PM

Based upon what is needed for the shopping trip, I'll pick whatever nearby store has the best deals that week or generally has the best prices.

Staceyy · 10-09-2007, 08:36 PM

I go to couponmom.com and hotcouponworld.com

Happymom · 10-09-2007, 08:50 PM

Now that I am working full time again, I plan to pretty much stick my routine. I do the grocery shopping once a month. Now I just have to do it on a weekend. Right now it is planned for Sunday. On that day I drive 1/2 hour to Aldis and Sam's Club. Then I come home and put that all away and head to HyVee for whatever else I still need. Beyond that I say oh, well!! I either get it at HyVee or we don't get it at all.