The Conservative Cave
Interests => All Things Edible (and how to prepare them) => Topic started by: franksolich on November 20, 2009, 04:07:05 PM
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How often do you shop for groceries?
I don't mean for the last-minute half-gallon of milk or package of cigarettes from the convenience store, but the heavy-duty grocery shopping.
All the older siblings and their spouses appeared to shop once a week, filling up the automobile or van to the rafters.
I on the other hand have always emulated the parents, who shopped for groceries every single day excepting Sundays (but then and again, it needs pointed out franksolich has no spouse and dependents, so it's a somewhat different sort of thing).
In the town of circa 3,000 alongside the Platte River of Nebraska, where I spent my childhood, and in the town of circa 3,000 in the Sandhills of Nebraska, the routine of the parents never changed; they went to the grocery store every day (excepting Sundays), usually about 5:00 p.m., and until we were teenagers, hauled my younger brother and I along with them.
I wonder at times if perhaps it was more of a social thing, than a practical thing, as the parents seemed to take ample opportunity to chitchat with others on the premises, employees and customers alike, and to get a mere two bagfuls of groceries would take until nearly 6:00 p.m.
The haul never really amounted to more than that, a couple of those large paper sacks. Sometimes it was only one sack, but never less than that.
At the time my younger brother and I were little lads, the older siblings, of which there were many, were in their late teenaged and early college years; with such a houseful, I have no idea why grocery trips weren't larger expeditions.
Perhaps there were other trips, other haulings, that I didn't know about; after all, I was hardly the most perceptive kid around.
One also has to consider the time and place, a kinder, gentler era. Both towns had three "big" grocery stores and one mom-and-pop operation, each. The parents however always went to only one store, never the others. They got along with everybody in town, including the other grocers, but they always shopped at just one store, all the time.
This was also a time when customers and cashiers used to freely smoke cigarettes, customers while strolling down the aisles, the cashiers even while ringing up things in the cash-register. And the butchers (there were usually two) behind the meat counter, chopping away on wooden blocks, cigarettes dangling from their lips.
The parents were not much into "comparison shopping" or coupons, nor grocery lists. I suspect the lack of a list was okay because the parents always shopped together, and if one forgot something, the other would remember.
And, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, at the time the "average" household spent an "average" of 27% of the household income on food, not including eating out. (The current statistic, which includes eating out, is 8%.)
Food was high, but everything else was cheaper, and each kid needed only two pairs of shoes each year.
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I always shopped "big" at least once a week when the kids were young and at home.
Then when it was just my daughter and I, she worked most nights and the other half and I went out more than eating in.
Now that we don't go out as much, I'm back to shopping pretty much every week.
I'm bad though...I rarely go with a list unless I'm cooking something major - company is coming, or Christmas Eve dinner, etc.
I'm also bad that I go up and down every aisle.....I like to see what's available on sale that I might use, what's a new product, does anything strike me for something different to fix. About a month ago, I planned a whole meal around a jar of Hot Peach and Apple Chutney that I saw on a shelf at Big Lots.
It's really bad if I'm hungry when I go to the grocery....I end up with all kinds of stuff.
More often than not, I'm with my runnin' buddy when I grocery shop....makes it great, because we often compare what we're going to get and cook and give each other ideas....
I shop for groceries at Kroger's, Sam's, Walmart, Food City, and Big Lots with a rare trip to the Fresh Market. I used to be a Kroger only shopper, now it's more what's convenient. Sam's and Walmart are next door to each other, so if I go to Sam's I will finish at Walmart. Big Lots and 2 Krogers are near each other, so they tend to get paired. And there's a Food City across from my office, so I either go there or to the Kroger's down the street from there if I go from the office. Fresh Market is really expensive, so I only go there if I'm looking for something specific that I can't get at one of the other stores.
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Damn, I only go about every 3 weeks or so.
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Big shopping once/month at the base commissary. That said, I am in a grocery store several times a week it seems for items I run out of, the kids need for whatever reason, or to grab something to bring to meeting, etc.
It really never ends.
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I like to shop the same day for what I plan to cook for dinner. There has been a need to alter that routine these last few years, but it is still something I prefer to do. The peripheral items and pantry staples can be maintained with a periodic trip to Walmart or equal.
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I like to shop the same day for what I plan to cook for dinner. There has been a need to alter that routine these last few years, but it is still something I prefer to do. The peripheral items and pantry staples can be maintained with a periodic trip to Walmart or equal.
That is pretty close to how I shop, too. I'm in and out of the nearest grocery store a few times a week.
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Once a month...
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I tend to go as needed. Usually a couple of times a week. This works out well if I get 20 items or less because I get out faster and since the grocery store is on the way from work, I would rather make more trips than stand in line for more than ten minutes behind people who have a cart full or sometimes two.
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I buy in bulk. :-)
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Usually every 3-4 weeks for a "big" shop, but I fill in with milk, bread and incidentsals every 3-4 days
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I buy in bulk. :-)
Bulk, TX.?
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An excerpt of this posted at
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2391588/posts?page=1
if anyone is interested in other comments, if any gotten.
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I can't afford to buy groceries in this Obama economy. :-)
Sda part is that may be true if he gets his way :banghead:
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Bulk, TX.?
Not yet... :rotf:
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I buy in bulk. :-)
Sounds like either Sams or Costco........
I've done/do the majority of my shopping there, mainly for meats, cheeses and whatever else they carry that is not in too large amounts.
I sure do miss Cub Foods and most especially their Apple Fritters. They have apple fritters here, but all of the damned donut shops close at noon.... :mental: The local grocery stores, Albertsons and Krogers never have them fresh and they suck in comparison.
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I live by myself, and maintain a pretty good pantry supply, but still find myself going about once a week to get the one thing I forgot the last time, or something for an immediate dinner. Meat at the Kroger goes on sale on Thursday, so I try to get there after work. I still manage to spend less than $200 monthly, so I think that is pretty good. That counts paper and cleaning products.
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Depends on circumstances-----With 4 kids it was once a month at the commissary and we used the freezer most every day. We froze most everything, milk, bread, pies and cakes. We bought veges in bulk raw, steamed them then froze them for winter.
It is difficult to spend much of ones life cooking for 5 or 6 and find now it is cooking for just 2. Now we shop every 2-3 days to take advantage of store sales.
As food gets more expensive I see most of the other shoppers using coupons. Some shoppers tell me that this has become a game for them. They save up coupons and when that item goes on sale they use the coupon and get whatever at 3/4 off or even free.
More then one shopper I have talked to tells me they check the register tape to find out how much they have saved and take that amount and put it in a cookie jar, after 6 months they have enough " found money" to buy clothing, on sale naturally, or combine with a restaurant coupon for 2 for the price of on the entree.
Very serious game or hobby for these people, once they get into this game they will go to 3 or 4 different stores--we have 3 big ones and a Walmart all within 3 miles of each other.
There are lots of sites where one can get free coupons and print them out, newspapers and even site exchanges where if you have a coupon for something unavable in your town you can trade them with someone that can use them in their area.
BTW, there is a wonderful group for military familys that collect coupons to give to the familys that are used at the commersarys to cut their costs even lower.
Anyone out there have this hobby, if so, how has it worked for you.?
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Once week. All I have nearby is Ingles. It's okay, but many times they are completely wiped out of things. Don't know if it's a delivery problem or a managerial problem on the store end.
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I think for some people ...coupons are a great thing.
I used to use them when the kids were little for cereal, pop tarts, peanut butter, stuff I knew they would eat.
I found that when it was just the two of us, I bought stuff because I had the coupon, not because I really needed it. I ended up spending more money than I really needed to.
I find a lot of stuff at Big Lots. Make sure to look at the expiration date, and where it's made. It's not a place for finding the same thing all the time. Was there yesterday, and only found a box of water crackers that will work with something I'm doing for Thanksgiving. They were $1.25 and would have been close to $3 at Krogers.
I'm making corn pudding for Thanksgiving, and it takes 5 cans of corn....Green Giant was 50 cents a can yesterday at Walmart.....just in case anybody needs canned corn...
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On average once a week with the occassional mid-week stop for things like milk or bread.
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My husband shops big every 2 weeks. There are 3 humans, 3 cats living here.
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I think for some people ...coupons are a great thing.
I used to use them when the kids were little for cereal, pop tarts, peanut butter, stuff I knew they would eat.
I found that when it was just the two of us, I bought stuff because I had the coupon, not because I really needed it. I ended up spending more money than I really needed to.
I find a lot of stuff at Big Lots. Make sure to look at the expiration date, and where it's made. It's not a place for finding the same thing all the time. Was there yesterday, and only found a box of water crackers that will work with something I'm doing for Thanksgiving. They were $1.25 and would have been close to $3 at Krogers.
I'm making corn pudding for Thanksgiving, and it takes 5 cans of corn....Green Giant was 50 cents a can yesterday at Walmart.....just in case anybody needs canned corn...
HIMMMMMMMM at 50 cents a can that is $2.50 for 5 cans-- If you have 3 [ 50 cent ] off 2 can coupons you can buy 6 cans and buy them for $3.00 subtract the coupon value of $1.50 and you are getting each can for 25 cents. The extra can goes in the pantry for future use.
I will have to check out our Big Lots, I had no idea they sold food.
If you had a coupon for 50 cents off when you buy at big Lots, 2 boxes of water crackers you would have paid $2.50 for 2 boxes, minus the 50 cents $2.00 or one dollar a box.
You know Debk this is a game once it becomes organized. I like to have had to beat up my Hubby to get him involved, He says he feels like he is using food stamps. It takes allot to out Wit a stubborn Irish/ Italian man but I just may have done it.
I made a list of what we really need, went on line and printed out coupons for just that and nothing more. Wrote down on an envelope my list and placed the coupons in that order in the envelope, all he had to do was follow the list, go to check out and hand the cashier the coupons from the envelope, he didn't even have to check them or even look at them.
Best deal we got was Jergens moisturizer cream that costs $4.00 regular price on sale for $3.00, with coupon cost was just $2.00 -
Now for this old skin flint the bill came to $35.00, less coupons he paid $25.
When he got home I asked him for the cash we saved ,$10.00 and placed that in the cookie jar.
Today I am going to the manufactures site of most products we buy as most of the time they have coupons to print out there.
This looks like I may have a new hobby, sort of like a treasure hunt.
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Vesta....I don't know if Big Lots takes coupons or not. I find lots of stuff there. Pasta, and they have a pasta sauce that I like that is at the Fresh Market and I won't pay their price. Crackers, Quaker Oats oatmeal packs, Progresso soups, Ghiradelli chips -dark, milk, and white, juices. These little flat wafer cookies that I use to make cheesecake crust that are several different flavors and atrociously expensive at Kroger's. Like I said, it varies.
I never think about going on line for coupons. I sometimes look at the ones in the Sunday paper but they rarely have what I want.
I know this is probably a dumb question, but does Walmart even take coupons?
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Yes, Walmart takes coupons....lots and lots of coupons....even other store's in-store coupons, if you press them. :)
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HIMMMMMMMM at 50 cents a can that is $2.50 for 5 cans-- If you have 3 [ 50 cent ] off 2 can coupons you can buy 6 cans and buy them for $3.00 subtract the coupon value of $1.50 and you are getting each can for 25 cents. The extra can goes in the pantry for future use.
I will have to check out our Big Lots, I had no idea they sold food.
If you had a coupon for 50 cents off when you buy at big Lots, 2 boxes of water crackers you would have paid $2.50 for 2 boxes, minus the 50 cents $2.00 or one dollar a box.
You know Debk this is a game once it becomes organized. I like to have had to beat up my Hubby to get him involved, He says he feels like he is using food stamps. It takes allot to out Wit a stubborn Irish/ Italian man but I just may have done it.
I made a list of what we really need, went on line and printed out coupons for just that and nothing more. Wrote down on an envelope my list and placed the coupons in that order in the envelope, all he had to do was follow the list, go to check out and hand the cashier the coupons from the envelope, he didn't even have to check them or even look at them.
Best deal we got was Jergens moisturizer cream that costs $4.00 regular price on sale for $3.00, with coupon cost was just $2.00 -
Now for this old skin flint the bill came to $35.00, less coupons he paid $25.
When he got home I asked him for the cash we saved ,$10.00 and placed that in the cookie jar.
Today I am going to the manufactures site of most products we buy as most of the time they have coupons to print out there.
This looks like I may have a new hobby, sort of like a treasure hunt.
The other day I paid 19 cents for a half gallon of milk. I love the game.
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I think you two have given me some ideas....
I hate spending money on food....as much as I love food and to cook for people.....you shop, you cook, you eat, you clean up the kitchen....you poop. :(
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I think you two have given me some ideas....
I hate spending money on food....as much as I love food and to cook for people.....you shop, you cook, you eat, you clean up the kitchen....you poop. :(
Food and beer are merely "rented"........
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Once a month for general goods and meats and once a week for fresh fruits and vegetables.
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Vesta....I don't know if Big Lots takes coupons or not. I find lots of stuff there. Pasta, and they have a pasta sauce that I like that is at the Fresh Market and I won't pay their price. Crackers, Quaker Oats oatmeal packs, Progresso soups, Ghiradelli chips -dark, milk, and white, juices. These little flat wafer cookies that I use to make cheesecake crust that are several different flavors and atrociously expensive at Kroger's. Like I said, it varies.
I never think about going on line for coupons. I sometimes look at the ones in the Sunday paper but they rarely have what I want.
I know this is probably a dumb question, but does Walmart even take coupons?
Sure and they match the price of other stores. Say Kroger has a sale for 50 cents a can for beans and some other stores has the same thing for 45 cents a can, bring in the ad for the other store and you get the canned goods at 45 cents at walmart. You have a coupon for 50 cents off 2 cans then if you buy 6 of them with 3 coupons for 50 cents off that is $ 45 cans x6 or $2.70-- with the coupons that is $1.50 0ff the price or all costs you come out with about $ .20. for 6 cans of beans that is 20 cents a can.
Kikkoman had a sale for 2 bottles for $5.00. I had a coupon for $1. off 2. When I got to the store I noticed a tab on the top of the bottles that said " save 55 cents now.
That is for 2 $1,10 in savings and the coupon took another dollar off, darn near got it free,
This is a game or hobby that that is deadly serious.
It will take me a few weeks to organise my Treasure hunt. figure out what is best for me and how to take advantage of the offers,
Kind of fun, some shoppers get to know the store checkers and what not and get a head up on what will go on sale next week.
Had I been friendly with a worker at Home depot I would have held off buying my washer and dryer, darn that thing went on sale 60 days after I paid $1,500 for the 2. Had I known about the coming sale I could have gotten both for $900.0
This does not have to be a heavy job, once you get the hang of it that cookie jar will be full with enough to send you on a vacation and after all----- it is found money.
Please give it a try Debk and let me know what bargains you find.
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My brother and SIL play "the game" they save huge amounts of money...they even use coupons (2) on the buy one, get one free deal. Me, not so much. Mainly because I end up buying crap that I don't even use, or that is unhealthy. I do use coupons for formula, diapers, wipes...and things of that sort for the baby.
Maybe one day, I'll have motivation for the game.
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Once a month
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Once a month for most of it, and once or twice in-between to get extra milk.
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Every two to three days for mostly fresh stuff with a larger trip every couple of weeks or so for staple items.
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I hit Sam's yesterday on an empty stomach......that was such a stupid thing to do!!!! :thatsright:
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I hit Sam's yesterday on an empty stomach......that was such a stupid thing to do!!!! :thatsright:
Oh yeah, can get in trouble fast that way. :-)
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Oh yeah, can get in trouble fast that way. :-)
I went there first then next door to Walmart.....the other half said nasty words to me when he opened up the back end of my car.... :bawl:
....then he said....."you haven't had anything to eat today, have you?"