A Tip for Planning Thrifty Shopping Trips

Usually there are quite a few stores around where we live that sell the same items we buy over and over. And most of us (the not so thrifty types) tend to make a shopping list (the slightly more organized types) and buy whatever is available in the store we are currently in from that shopping list. We know we need paper towels. So when we are in the store that sells paper towels – we get paper towels. At best we’ll choose the cheapest from the set available there.

What’s wrong with that approach?

A “special” in one store may still be higher than a regular price in another store. And when there are no “specials” the difference can be really sizable. And just because you are in the store that is supposed to be overall cheap, doesn’t mean a particular product is. Stores often lure you in with display of cheap prices, but when you start picking up your staples – the prices may be anything but.

The solution to this dilemma? Know your staples. That is the products you buy over and over and over again. Every household has those, though the actual items vary: My parents consider hot-dogs a staple food. They panic when they ran out. Yet they have very vague idea of what tofu is – something I buy at least once a week. Just a case in point…

Anyways, the first thing you need to do is figure out your regular products. Look at your fridge and pantry. Check your bills. And then make a list of all the things you buy at least once every two weeks. Later on you may want to add other items to the list. But don’t overdo it at first. No point to make the task overwhelming.

For example you list might look like this:

Diapers (pampers)
Paper Towel (favorite Brand)
Some Juice
Carrots
Potatoes (8 lb bag)
Etc…

Now write out column headings of stores within the neighborhood where you shop.

Your table will looks something like this:

Product----------Store Name 1-------Store Name 2-------Store Name 3
Diapers-----------$19.99 ----------------$18.00--------------- $23.00
Next Product-----price-------------------price------------------price

Did you see the prices? That’s the part that will require some leg work. You want to fill in the REGULAR prices for your products. And to do that you’ll have to actually go to the stores and check prices.

How is this chart useful?

First of all, this might give you a eureka moment when you realize that you spend gazillion dollars on a paper towel… But let’s say you are extremely frugal and responsible and the list contains only absolutely necessary items you can’t live without. The beauty of it is that by knowing regular prices, next time you are in the store you’ll automatically know if the “deal of the week” is really worth anything. (Of course I’m assuming you’ll be caring a copy of this list with you everywhere.) No longer will you buy something just because it’s in front of you. You will be able to plan your trips in advance. For example: Monday you go to store 1 and buy items a, b, d, f cause store 1 has them cheapest. Thursday you go to store 2 and buy c, e, etc…

It is the things you buy over and over that will help you realize real savings. Think about it – if you overspend 50 cents on a chocolate bar you buy once a year, at the end of the year you are just 50 cents behind. No big deal. But if you where to save just 50 cents each on 20 products you buy every week that translates to $520 bucks a year. And when you actually check the prices, the difference is generally way more than 50 cents.

For example, I buy water bottles – at least 6 a week. One store here sells them for $1.19. Another $1.99. When looking at it one bottle at a time, doesn’t seem like much. But at 6 bottles a week over a year that’s a $250 dollar difference. I could save $250 just by adding the water to my shopping list at one store over another.

The most profound thing that happens from creating a list like this is that you become incredibly aware of prices of things you buy. Since the list contains the same set of products, you’ll quickly memorize most of it. Browsing through fliers will only take a few seconds, cause you’ll see right away which things are really worth switching stores for, and which are only gimmicks.

This systematic approach will also help you find what store is overall cheaper FOR YOU. That is a big consideration. Many stores specialize. Some have cheaper produce. Others have cheaper canned goods. Others have better bakeries. But your purchasing habits may lean in some direction where all things compared one or two stores seem to have cheaper products overall. You should know which store it is. This way when you are stuck in a situation where you can only go on one shopping trip – you’ll know where to go.

And that’s it for this post.

Cheers and happy saving!