2. Know Before You Go
• Each weekend, skim through all area store
fliers
– Where are the best sales clustered?
– Where are items from your shopping list on sale or
well-priced?
– Do you notice any Loss Leaders – items that are
priced below cost?
• Maintain a Price Book of items that you buy
most often, and only stock up when an item’s
price hits bottom
Driving to every
store adds up; a
– Every time you find a lower price, add it to your
quick local trip
Price Book
costs around 75¢
3. Coupons! … Stacking
STACKING EXAMPLE:
• This week, Ken’s salad dressing is
marked down to $1 at Stop & Shop
• Last Sunday’s paper had a coupon for
$1 off 2 bottles
• This week’s circular has Dollar
Doublers, so you get $2 off 2
• Newspaper inserts come out on
Sunday, and coupons often overlap
with that week’s store sales
– Coupons also come in free
newspapers during the week
– Online coupons can be found at
SmartSource.com, Coupons.com, and
supermarket and manufacturers’ sites
– Manufacturers also send great coupons
if you contact them about a bad (or
good!) experience FREE!
4. Coupons! … Organizing & Swapping
SWAPPING EXAMPLE:
Be prepared: • This week, a $5 large box of Golden
Grahams is marked down to 4/$8 at
Keep your Shop-Rite
shopping list, • Last Sunday’s paper had a coupon for
calculator, and $1 off 2 boxes of Golden Grahams
coupon organizer • Swap for a second coupon and use
them both
in your car
• Organize coupons in envelopes or a
small file folder
– Sample categories: Freezer, Fridge,
Canned, Baking Needs, Condiments,
Beverages, Kids, Pets, Household,
Health, Beauty, Retailers / Restaurants
• Swap coupons to get more than one of
those you most need – then bulk buy
– Usually you can use more than one
coupon if you are buying multiple items
$1.50 / BOX!
5. Coupons! … Rebate Offers
REBATE EXAMPLE:
Most Rite
• This week, Johnson’s Baby Wash is
Aid rebate $2.99 at Shop-Rite
items also • SmartSource.com had a $1 coupon
go on sale • Shop-Rite is offering a refund-with-
for one purchase of $1 off your next trip
week out of
the month
• Rite-Aid usually has a few Loss
Leader items a month with its
Single-Check Rebate program
– Wait until the Rebate item goes
on sale – then stack the sale,
preferably with a coupon, too
– During the holidays, Rite Aid
rewards your spending in gift
certificates – from $5 to $50
– Most drugstore chains have 99¢!
similar programs
6. In-store Tips
• Store brands are usually the best deal for most staples
– Make sure that a brand-name item isn’t cheaper with a sale and coupon
• Bring along your Price Book so that you can make sure that impulse
buy is real deal
– Use a calculator to see if the big package is actually cheaper per ounce
• Weigh bulk bags of produce – some are heavier (or lighter) than
labeled
• The usual suspects
– Stick to the sides of the store
– Don’t shop hungry
– Don’t bring the kids
– Eat seasonally
DON’T FORGET HOLIDAY SALES
Cabbage 17¢/lb. 71% off
Sweet potatoes 49¢/lb. 50% off
Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom 39¢ 78% off
8. Pros & Cons of Local Stores
Shop-Rite
• Best sale prices overall, but regular prices are high, especially on frozen foods
• Best long-term “special” on organic milk ($4.99/gallon), but regular milk is overpriced
• Double coupons up to 99¢; usually a four-item limit
• Meat is well-priced but often out of stock; best prices on ground turkey
• Sales run Saturday-Friday
Pathmark and A&P
• Usually these stores have the same or very similar sales
• Double coupons up to 99¢; note purchase requirements or
item limits for sales
• Fewer “natural” choices, e.g. whole-wheat flour or gallons of organic milk
• Additional “loadable” e-coupons available on their websites
• Sales run Friday-Thursday
9. Pros & Cons of Local Stores
Stop & Shop
• Highest sale prices but regular prices are decent
• Excellent private-label organics line, Nature’s Promise
• Double coupons up to 99¢, with quarterly $1 Doublers in mail-only circulars
• Sales run Friday-Thursday
Wegmans
• Few sales on name-brand items, but regular prices are decent, especially on frozen foods
• Excellent private-label line with incredible sales: baking needs, soda, tomatoes, frozen veggies
• Best regular price on organic milk ($4.99/gallon)
• Produce and meat tend to be more expensive but good quality
• Sales tend to be staggered long-term, lasting 1-12 months
• Double coupons up to 99¢
• All local prices available on website
• Sales run Saturday-Friday
10. Pros & Cons of Local Stores
Wal-mart and Target
• Fewer sales but best prices on household and health/beauty items
• Many very inexpensive private-label options
• No double coupons
• Sales run Sunday-Saturday
Rite Aid
• Sales weekly, but not as good as they used to be
• Online rebate program makes some items free
• No double coupons
• Often runs out of sale items
• Rain checks written at all hours
• Sales run Sunday-Saturday
Costco
• Good everyday meat and produce prices for weeks when no stores have sales
• No non-Costco coupons accepted; extra coupons available at membership desk
• Excellent private-label line and major discounts on home services and drugs
• Coupons are unofficially interchangeable; Rx program is free for nonmembers
• Limited hours / crowded / $50-$100 fee / huge packages / Amex or Debit only
• Strong return policy; 2% Executive refund available up to $500
• Sales run for approximately three weeks at a time, every four to six weeks
