Common Grocery Shopping Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Do rising grocery prices have you overwhelmed and stressed-out? You may be making mistakes which are costing you money.
We’re all feeling the pinch in the pocketbook. And overspending our grocery budget by the end of the month may be an increasingly common occurrence.
In this video, we’ll cover common grocery shopping mistakes and how to avoid them. We'll give you practical, to-the-point advice you can use the very next time you walk into the grocery store, so you can start saving money right away. By changing a few key shopping habits, you can leave the store with a smile on your face, feeling like you just beat the system.
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[@writethroughtheheart]

I only shop with a basket (single woman). If I can't carry my groceries in one basket, I'm probably buying more than I need.

[@kaeros5521]

Love it!!

[@aureliaglenn2220]

At stores like Giant or Trader Joe's, I use the smaller cart. At Costco, I bring my own granny cart, which is much smaller than the humongous store carts; this has saved me from overspending there for sure!

[@almostthere2884]

My Dad taught me to shop not by price, but by cost per ounce. This really pays off when buying items in bulk - sometimes bigger is not cheaper. I don't use coupons, but I do review the flyer for that store before I go. I also take a calculator with me, and I never shop while I'm hungry or else I want everything in the store.

[@zakeemsworld6619]

Hi I do the same thing. I pays

[@kellyw2444]

Walmart is notorious for charging more per unit for bigger packages

[@jillgizzio]

Hi Larry and Hope, I've been watching your channel for a while now and not only have you inspired me to look into Forks over Knives but...today I walked into Dollar Tree, purchased one package of Zucchini seeds for 27 cents and walked out. I was so proud of myself for only buying what I needed and wanted you to be the first to know!

[@goheen04]

99% of the time, coupons are name brand and even with a coupon, those name brands are still more expensive than store brand... They can help at times but not a vital part of grocery shopping

[@brandi8040]

I agree 100% However! Kroger is awesome with coupons. They will send you coupons for free things, and they'll double their coupons up to a dollar. I worked at a Kroger for about a year, and it was neat to see the "extreme coupon" type of people. Waiting until something is on sale for $1, then having a $1 off coupon. It's awesome. However, I no longer live near a Kroger. I do not waste my time with coupons. Lol!!

[@goheen04]

@@brandi8040 Kroger is definitely the best! I miss ours!

[@dianejennings50]

I found this to be true and your not really saving much sad huh

[@brendamcmahan6084]

Couponing isn't what it used to be...yes when the kids where young couponing was really important to save money because we didn't have smart phones....you don't see paper coupons much anymore because of shopper cards and digital coupons...so you both are right.

[@jenniferwang3489]

So true! And companies are making limitations on things we used to do. For example, Walmart recently started a rewards program for products, similar to Ibotta. If you buy one of these products and use the Walmart reward, you cannot qualify for Ibotta on that product. Some products even state you cannot use a coupon with an ibotta rebate. It's all getting so confusing.

[@jenniferschmitt7938]

I used to be an extreme couponer. And I would get a lot of things for free or for very little money . However that was back when grocery stores would double triple or quadruple coupons. They don't do that anymore. The coupons that you get now aren't like they used to be. You used to be able to get coupons for canned food, frozen food, even some produce. But now all the coupons are for personal care items or cleaners. No food.

[@leannwade9474]

True, mostly non foods, but it helps to get food by saving in this area .

[@ohmcintyre2067]

3 things: 1. My local Walmart is not regularly updating the shelf sticker when prices go up - when I complained to customer service, they just said “we can’t keep up”. So now if something seems like a great price I double check by scanning with the phone app. 2. I do a “big shop” for non-perishables once a month, but supplement weekly with that week’s loss-leaders. 3. Like Larry’s parents, I buy before I need something. I try to keep at least two of every frequently used item. As soon as I open a new one, the item goes on the shopping list, so I usually have at least two months of basic food supplies on hand, one open, one backup.

[@tammiepowell2818]

The app is a must for shopping at Walmart. I use it when shopping at discount stores as well to compare prices/availability.

[@peachhipgirl75]

At my Walmart, using the app doesn’t always necessarily mean that they will give it to you at that price now. I had it explained to me that it is cheaper to buy the item online and do a grocery pick up rather than get the item in store. The price that may be showing up in the Walmart app is the online price. I had the cashier adjust the price for me, but it’s also more difficult for them to do so now. They have to get a manager for each item. Just another way for them to be a little sneaky.

[@cristinaevans139]

Don’t forget to have a good first aid kit,you can get lots of it from your cheapest supermarket

[@breezybre2670]

They should be legally obligated to sell it to you at the displayed price. That is called stealing and lying. It's not allowed here in Canada under what is called the " scanning code of practice"

[@Michelle-bw1xg]

Good tips! I went to Walmart and had to wait like a criminal to get nail clippers behind a locked case. They would not hand to me until I scanned on the register. Oops, they handed me the wrong ones, more pricey. Now wait to return and back to the locked case. The nail clippers quality really sucked, so I may return them; ugh. I rarely buy anything behind those rows of locked cases (basics), but non perishable foods are still my go to there.

[@arletbode4847]

I love Winco bc their prices are amazing and no coupons needed. If you want to eat healthy I feel that coupons are not that great because most coupons are for processed foods.

[@rachellee.9389]

We have a Safeway right across the street but I definitely drive the four miles to Winco because I save so much money that it is worth the gas. Winco also has a HUGE bulk food section and I've started to get their bulk spices and just put them into empty spice jars when I get home. I only walk over to Safeway to purchase loss leaders or use digital coupons on store-brand items.

[@gingerolinghouse1832]

I just discovered that WinCo has digital coupons on their website. Cheapest store plus coupons!! 😊

[@elaines5179]

Also at Walmart 3 different prices for plain black beans and lentils in 3 different locations for 3 different brands. Sometimes Latin foods are cheaper, sometimes good ole American USA food is cheaper.

[@aureliaglenn2220]

Great point--always check prices, but never assume that one type of place is cheaper or more expensive.

[@freefoodchef7939]

Excellent point! There are lots of great finds in the Latin food section. I frequently buy my seasonings there in the cellophane packages and then just refill my empty spice jars with them.

[@janh8847]

I’ve also noticed that rice is cheaper in the Chinese food isle than the rice is the other section.

[@Midwestmomvolunteer365]

Larry - "Even kale". Got me with that one, I can't do kale either. Have a good day everyone.

[@janetstonerook4552]

I forgot my shopping list this morning. I was upset but then I realized I'd gone over it so many times at home that I had it almost completely memorized! So not a problem! I remembered all the important stuff!

[@Nisa-gm5wg]

I’ve done that and still forgot something. I take a picture of my grocery list now just in case I forget the list (which has happened already and I had my back up)

[@kori8455]

I love that you aren’t using inflation as an excuse to blow your grocery budget! 👏🏻 I honestly thought that I spent more on groceries last year due to inflation, but when I averaged out my annual cost, it was in the same range as previous years due to shopping sales and stocking up. I will say that with erratic prices from week to week, I find grocery shopping a little more challenging than in years past. You HAVE to shop multiple stores and you HAVE to know your prices.

[@Joce123]

There are not a variety of stories to shop in many small towns

[@Nisa-gm5wg]

@@Joce123try going to a larger town/city at least once a month and shop the sales. Plan before you go and run any errands in that town as well. If you can get better deals and stock up it will definitely save you money plus you can cut the amount of times you are shopping. I’ve saved more money during this pandemic just following these suggestions and I’m not vegan. This is a great channel

[@aureliaglenn2220]

Checking the receipt before you leave the store is a must! That way, mistakes, large or small, are caught while you're on the spot, and can rectify them right away. That's how I caught $39 that was rung up on my receipt, for ham--and I don't eat ham!

[@lisaward3890]

We had a similar overcharge just this last thanksgiving. The whole turkey i thought i was purchasing was supposed to ring up at .98 cents per pound. Instead it rang up at 1.29 a pound. We caught the error right on the spot and called it out. The checkout person told us we would need to go over to customer service to get the difference owed to us. We went over to customer service and our 11.72 was refunded to us in a gift card,which we could use on our next trip to that store.2 months later my husband had his birthday and he was needing a pair of jeans. I can not find his size at thrift stores. So we found a brand new pair of men's jeans for 17.00,we used our thanksgiving turkey refund on those new jeans and ended up paying around 6 dollars for brand new mens jeans!

[@americafirst9144]

I've noticed a new trick at the store. Putting things like expensive apples on the table with the 99¢ sale sign. Nope, you paid $2.99 for those apples. Or little raised trays of organic mangoes in the regular mango section at three times the price. Read those little stickers folks

[@thestraightupguide]

Our labels always have the "per 100g" or "per 1kg" price on them and most people don't even look at those. I pity the people who're buying their cashews from the little display at the end of the vegetable section, where the per kg price is highest! In one store alone, the cashews are three different prices depending whether you get them at that front stand (highest), in the bakery aisle (middle), or in the nuts and dried fruit section right at the back (cheapest). Or if you don't mind a noticeable-but-small difference in taste, about half the front stand price in the budget supermarket round the corner 🤣 I buy most of my non-food items on sale, so I can use the ones I like best for a lot less. It comes with the bonus of only having to think about it every few months!

[@kerryjames6312]

I just do what I need to do and save up for long term purchases works so far

[@karenleamon5299]

I heard you are eating lots from your freezer to save money for the Amish store. I hope you do videos about how that worked for you, maybe what you found in your freezer. We've all been there. Great videos .thank you for all you both do

[@kathleenfisher5726]

Digital yes, that is electronic. Paper coupons, NO, I agree with Larry. They are a pain.

[@barbaramiller3205]

No coupons here. Aldi and Sams is the best way for me. And I watch all the sales in my local stores and stock up when there are sales on the things we eat.

[@edenisejohnson9214]

I love chopped onions! I've got to find the frozen onion section...y'all gave me a good laugh. One frugal thing I've done is, I like a small side salad. I use cabbage because I like the crunch, cabbage lasts longer than lettuce, and it is a good cruciferous veggie.

[@freefoodchef7939]

I also use cabbage instead of lettuce, and for the same reasons! It's delicious, more nutritious and incredible versatile, plus I love the texture. I general buy bags of shredded cabbage, like the tri-color coleslaw mix and an angel hair style shred that is especially good on sandwiches. I can also toss the shreds into soups or mix them with pastas or grains for a hearty salad. I over-bought one time back when my store had a giant bag of the coleslaw mix on clearance, but I couldn't eat it up fast enough and didn't want it to go bad, so I checked the web for ways to preserve it (like could I blanch it and then freeze it?). Turns out you can just stick it in the freezer raw and just defrost it as you need it! With whole heads of cabbage it's recommended to chop it first, but with the shreds you can just stick the whole bag in the freezer. It doesn't defrost quite as crunchy as when fresh, but it still great for soup or mixing into a grain or pasta salad.

[@jillghiati5761]

Thanks

[@shoshanachavab]

When I arrive home I prep all that I have bought ready for eating. And everything goes to its rightful place 😊

[@elaines5179]

There is electronic coupon sharking as well. It's just not worth the money to plow through so much stuff online which I'm totally not interested in, ever.

[@robins3206]

Never shop thirsty either. I'm guilty of spending half my grocery budget on beverages.

[@freefoodchef7939]

Agree! I've also started bringing a travel mug of hot or iced tea or just ice water with me. It also saves me the temptation of buying a fountain or hot beverage in the store. And I've stopped buying bottled and canned beverages, and only make iced tea and powdered beverages now. I've saved so much money by making that switch and no longer have to clog up space to store the recyclable cans and bottles (I take them to a local recycling center to get my container deposits back, but that's still small savings compared to the full cost of those beverages).

[@happycook6737]

I had to stop my soda habit. Now I drink water or homemade tea. I also found out the packaged juices aren't healthy! So I quit that too.

[@RebeccaC2024]

1. I am team Larry on the coupons. 2. When I go to the store I do not get a cart but I do bring my reusable grocery bag. Once my bags are full I stop shopping to avoid filling up the cart. Our local store did away with hand baskets so you had to use a cart. That was when I changed to my reusable bag method.

[@freefoodchef7939]

I've started doing the same kind of thing, but in my case I bring a small foldable rolling cart, about 20"x20"x20", and it holds about 30 lbs. It's easier on my back and shoulders than carrying a bag. Anyway, it helps me contain the number of groceries I'm buying and also cuts down on the amount of space I need to find to store them once I get home. It also minimizes the wear and tear of unloading them from the car.

[@amyschmelzer6445]

Several years ago I tried that at my Kroger. I was accused of trying to shoplift. I have used a cart or basket ever since.

[@RebeccaC2024]

@@amyschmelzer6445 I am so sorry. That is horriable. I have never had that happen.

[@RebeccaC2024]

@@freefoodchef7939 That is a great idea!

[@catslove3884]

My store won't allow shoppers to use bags instead of a basket or cart. Can't use bags until we check out.

[@johnmelissaziech6207]

I've noticed that my grocery stores are starting to spread out the reduced items, making you hunt through the store for them. I always sort my items so all the cold items are packed together, soft items are packed together, etc. Easier to unpack and put away.

[@heidiperkins9198]

I check my receipt every time - I get $ back nearly every week. I also pre-bag my stuff - ex. if I buy 5 jars of sauce I bag them together in my reusable bag and then put on the belt. They lift one out to scan 5x and put back in bag. Saves time for all and the cashiers love it!

[@donnamyers839]

If I buy 2 cat litters I have to take them both out to be scanned.

[@terrylynn9984]

Ask a cashier if that is ok, I worked cash and hurt my wrist lifting that bag, I would tell the customers just to put only one of the multiple items they bought and scan it let's say 5 times if they bought 5 pasta sauces, I would check as the bag left in the cart as they walked by. Or just leave the jars in the cart for the cashier to see and put one on the belt, trust me they will thank you for it. I say this kindly as someone who ended up with a ganglion on one wrist and had to wear a wrist brace on my other wrist due to customers doing stuff like this. I also asked the customers to empty out their heavy baskets to put items on the conveyer belts. Seemed fair to me considering I bagged all their groceries as well as scanning the items.

[@happycook6737]

I wouldn't "love" it. Lifting a heavy weight? I put just one on belt and tell cashier how many total pieces. I leave the "twins" in the cart. I used to cashier.

[@Chris.Tustain]

I've done the 'place all items in a bag' and at cashier state amounts , but recently they are now taking every item out and scanning as if it's a completely different item that needs to be accounted for, rather then on the till add in the amount and only scan a single item ; seems crazy (Europe markets)

[@rebacarmack8335]

You can save valuable time if you shop at a great store (Aldi) etc.and skip the coupons. It seems coupons are harder to find than usual.

[@heidiperkins9198]

def use coupons - the electronic ones at each store are great- I just clip every one they have - takes less than a minute. Inevitably there are things on sale that are NOT in the flyer and with sale and coupon it's a good deal. Also when buying from mark down cart - you have no clue what will be there (ex shampoo) but coupons can be used.

[@jordanwilliams24]

Physical coupons are for sure a lot of work. Way too hard to keep track of efficiently. HOWEVER, digital coupons are absolutely worth it!

[@dellagilchrist7647]

Almost all the coupons I see are for things I rarely or never buy. No good. I did a 2-stage experiment for my house- hold grocery budget. In January I would go shopping with my list and I followed it, but I also went shopping whenever I wanted something, and I bought things spontanteously as they appealed to me. That was my normal practice. Then at the end of January I added up my receipts- food items only. I was shocked at how much I spent. Then in February, I withdrew in cash 50% of what I spent in January and I divvied it out to 4 weeks. I only spent that cash, no debit card. And by golly, by the end of February, I hadn't needed to spend more than that cash! I didn't feel deprived or dissatisfied in any way by my restricted budget, and I saved 50% of what I normally spend. Now, I'm going to do that all the time 😀.

[@kellygray8595]

My adult children are beginning to understand some of these mistakes, particularly shopping while hungry.

[@FeeBee3001]

There was a shop that had a cafe in the middle that my mum used to shop at. It was a day out when we did go there. My sister and I would sit there with dad while she did the shopping that she needed to do without childrens pulling extra things into the trolley or getting upset by how long it took or not getting the fun food. None of the local shops I know have that anymore and I do miss it.

[@sunshinelike7209]

I love sharing that's how I find some awesome deals I seldom ever compulsive buy. I only shop sales clearances and only buy what we will eat. I just scored chicken breast for 69 cents a pound do to miss marking they was suspose to be 99cents a pound .💕

[@rebacarmack8335]

Next time you go to the Amish store check their spice ( garlic powder) prices- a lot of them are much cheaper than at the grocery.

[@GabrielleGeorge]

I enjoy using grocery store apps to compare prices even while walking through the store if I think I am finding a quote "good deal".

[@sjbutler2330]

I live in Canada. There are rarely any coupons to clip. Also I do not own a cell phone. So I do watch my flyers, and comparison shop when needed. 😊

[@ritaholcombe9905]

I'm liking the self checkout. It's easier for me to watch the screen post the prices so I can catch any overcharging. Also, I use the smaller shopping carts. And yes, I buy the frozen onions and peppers. Less waste for me.

[@happycook6737]

For onions, I cut one into cubes and freeze. For peppers I wash, cut into strips and freeze. Convenience at a fraction of the cost. However often cheaper for me to buy already frozen pepper vs DIY.

[@KateKaden]

Ahhh! I just missed you! Was trying to stay up late to see if they’d call a snow day but to no avail! Gonna watch now❤

[@UndertheMedian]

So, no snow day, then? That's the downside of homeschooling. My boys never got a snow day. They DID get homemade hot cocoa after they came in from shoveling the driveway on snowy days, though.

[@rachellee.9389]

Most coupons are on name-brand-only items and even with the coupon, the products are still more expensive than the store-brand items. I'll only use a coupon if I know for sure the item will be cheaper.

[@tamaraking8259]

Coupons for grocery items never took off in my area, so even the stores are team Larry here! My biggest money saving trick is to open the app for my areas most expensive store and make a menu plan from their stock that fits my budget. I then use my app cart as a shopping list in the cheapest grocery store in my area. It consistently shaves an additional 30 to 40 percent off my bill.

[@FrugalLife2024]

Good Evening Everyone

[@amyhood6562]

I think coupons were a bit better a few years ago and I used to use them a lot. Now we eat a lot less processed foods so I feel like most coupons are things we don’t buy anyway. I do try to do an online pickup order from Walmart every couple of weeks and that keeps most of my impulse buying from happening. There’s no additional charge so it’s a win win. I will go to other stores but only if there is a great sale on something. I also have apps for different stores on my phone that I use for seeing if I can get a specific item for a better price elsewhere.

[@thebestwillow]

I always overheat on the way to the store, so when I get there, my handbag and coat go straight into the cart so I don't have to wear or carry them around the store. I think this prevents my trolley looking so empty when I only buy what I need.

[@cyndylivingston6586]

A lot of great tips this week and love Larry’s Star Trek mug

[@libbysworld7649]

I like digital coupons, but honestly I don't have the time for coupons anymore. Occasionally at CVS but not for groceries.

[@SauerPatchGardening]

I love the frozen onion section..js..🤣

[@KC-dr3cg]

Lunds grocery store in Golden Valley Minnesota has carpeted floors and chandeliers for decades.. after a long day at work it's a nice environment plus the canopy over the drive-thru to pick up my groceries tops off my trip

[@jillghiati5761]

Sweet.

[@jenniferschmitt7938]

I've never heard it called slow shopping but I have noticed that they are doing things to get you to stay longer. A couple of our grocery stores actually have wine bars in them! They do wine tasting and you can sit and have a glass of wine. It's kind of crazy. I have also noticed that the clearance mark down prices are scattered throughout the store. And I will go slowly through the store looking for those items. Sometimes it works out great! One time we did not have bacon on our shopping list but I noticed that bacon had been marked down and then had an additional 30% off! We got one lb packages of bacon for sixty cents I think we got 8 or 10 packages

[@pheart2381]

Coupons in the uk are usually for junk food. I file mine in the bin/trash

[@maikeadam5354]

In the USA lot of supermarkets have a small part on the bottom of their price sign on each item that tells you the price per 100g. This is great as if you are astute enough to check the small print you can see which one is better value for money. Sometimes we have a large 5kg bag of pasta “on sale” but when you look at the smaller package it’s actually cheaper to buy 5 of them rather than the “reduced” larger bag

[@Chris.Tustain]

same here in Europe, everything has a price per Kg or Ltr etc and makes it so easier to work out best approach, although I sometimes do go overboard on purchase for certain items that is only for myself and not family.

[@genxx2724]

Ralphs had 3 packages of tofu for $5. That was a few cents more than not getting the “deal”.

[@debbiebrown19]

I never shop every aisle only the outside of the store. And I have no problem walking in going straight to the meat section & buying only the sale items. I also like to do pickup orders at Walmart. I know exactly how much I am spending & often take items out of my cart. Another way I save $$$ is buying in gallons …hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise & refilling the bottles if the price per ounce is less.

[@zabmcauley5647]

I use the "looks good" for fruit and vegetables taking into consideration the price. If it's on sale but it doesn't look good, it's not a deal if it's going bad

[@GreatMindsSeekTruth]

Every time I’ve checked out the reduced produce….it’s squishy, browning….or shriveled 😂

[@mariesharp1186]

In my area Walmart is more expensive now for groceries. You have to keep up to date on your area's prices and shop accordingly.

[@happycook6737]

My Walmart is more expensive on most items and I now despise their plus size clothing selection. I used to love it. Now it is crappy quality and hideous unflattering designs. They still have some good stuff for skinny people but us big girls don't want circus worthy junk.

[@ygbgforever]

Verifying the receipt is important. Recently a cashier mistakenly entered the code for organic haas avocado for limes. I saved $2 by checking the receipt

[@amyschmelzer6445]

Last week my cashier typed in the code for bananas plus the scanner saw the bar code. My receipt showed “bananas” for $1.81 as well as “chiquita bananas” for $1.81, but there was only only bunch of bananas in my cart. I made sure to stop by customer service to get the overage back.

[@elaines5179]

Read labels. You would be surprised how many times I put things back on the shelves. Especially when a product has a paragraph for ingredients and then natural flavors last. Or sugar by 4 or 5 different names in one product. Or the Named component bold on the label is very low in the content list. And 'Made with X" instead of made of x can mean that there is a trace in the product.Arizona green tea with honey is a perfect example. Just read the entire content list. And yes reading the receipt is important. In my Kroger/KingSoopers errors are common and the totals obfuscate what you are paying. I've considered sending it to congress for truth in lending being needed.

[@joannehooper5326]

Omgosh I literally run in around and out the grocery store. 🏃‍♀️💯😫

[@UndertheMedian]

Larry would love that. I always shop more slowly than he would like.

[@rachelrodgers9171]

22:35 Larry's laughter got me all creased up splittin' a gut! 🤣🤣🤣 That sound! And I thought Muttley Dog's wheezy laugh was top banana, well; Larry, you win the internet 💯❤‍🔥✌👍👍🤏

[@v113d94]

My Walmart changed the items that I was use to buying to a different aisle in the store?, so you have to walk every single one. But I just started asking “where’s the…”

[@elizaC3024]

We shop sale cycles always, and stock up. We always have a plan on hand if we find those great clearance items. Wash it, bag it, and freeze, or dehydrate, or freeze dry.

[@katherinerichardson1767]

After seeing your program, sadly, I have done all of these mistakes, but now I am much better about not doing all the mistakes all the time (LOL). I don't usually go after coupons on-line, but if I get some in the mail on items I buy frequently then I will use them if I can really get a deal. As far as prioritizing my grocery list, I have a running list on the fridge so I do not rewrite the list in a prioritized manner, but I will NUMBER the items from most needed to least needed items. While in the store, I will head to the areas of most important while calculating the cost so I don't go over my budgeted amount. I am so used to doing my shopping in this manner that it is now second nature to me. Of course, I do all the special sales and etc. while I shop so I USUALLY stay within my food allotment. Thanks again for sharing. I look forward to your programs each week.

[@karinhart489]

I don’t know if it is a state law, but all groceries where I live are required to have a price tag on the shelf with both the cost of an item (say package of 4 rolls of paper towels) and unit pricing (say the cost per foot of paper towels). As kids we learned early on that just because there are 4 rolls in a package that may not be better priced than a pack of 2 rolls.

[@happygardener28]

I'm retired now but when my son was young I tried couponing. It didn't work well for us as they were almost exclusive for the name brand items and seldom brought the unit price under the store or comparable off brand item. In the mid 90's I could get a month of groceries for a family of three with cats, under $100 (including pet needs). We would do taste tests on any new brand, I used to have a spread sheet with different criteria like color, smell, taste, sweetness and acidity, locality or COO and finally cost.

[@franzone70]

I used to spend hours cutting coupons and matching them to what was on sale for that week, But no more. I live in an area that really doesn't have coupons anymore. But I do have the store digital coupons so I save that way. I really enjoy your show and even though my kids are grown and I live alone you still have lots of good ideas. ( you can teach an old dog new tricks!) Love how you two interact with each other.

[@LaurieChistine]

I went to Kroger today and 90% was mark down items. I still spent $65.00. I only go there to buy their markdown produce mostly.

[@heidibonjour]

Canada doesn't have paper coupons ( at least not here in metro Vancouver) any more! I LOVE these tips. I really appreciated Hope saying 1/5th of their budget is set aside for stocking up. I'm learning a lot from this channel. Last month I found a good brand of coffee beans on sale for 9.99 lb, so I bought $70 worth of coffee beans on sale , that's 7 pounds! I love looking in my cuboard and seeing all that beautiful coffee just lined up and waiting.. ( I used to buy Starbucks beans at $19/pound.) What a savings!

[@lisaward3890]

Hello Larry&Hope,i am noticing that the store i shop at regularly changes the location of where the products are at in the store. So i agree with Hope,one must visit every row to find what is on your grocery list. Back in the mid to late 90's i also carried a coupon cache' and used coupons to reduce the overall cost on items. At that time we were homeschooling and living on 1 income. Comparing store ads that came in the mail then was a must for us. Aldi most generally won out on pricing for us. The grocery cart trick i do,if a small cutesie cart is not available,i will use a mammoth cart and place a grocery basket in the big area of the cart. That way the few items i need do not scatter about in the four corners of the behemoth cart! We shop every 2 weeks for what we need now,when homeschooling we would shop 2 times a month for a family of 4 total. Living with a meal plan,taking inventory first, substituting and making my own mixes were very helpful. I make my own pancake mix,cornbread mix,muffin mix,cookie mix,cake mix,baking mix,cream of anything soup mix and store in glass canisters that way it is always at the ready.

[@ceepark114]

Costco is famous for this, always changing the location of items so you are forced to go down each aisle.

[@jonathandjing1065]

I am 30 years old, grew up on homemade food by my mama all the time. We rarely eate out. Now at this age I’ve realized how lucky I was being raised that way, I don’t have cravings for junk food, sugary drinks and all that processed junk. Every time I go to the super market, I go straight to the fresh produce shelves 🤣. Those chains don’t make money with me by placing all the colorful junk at the entrance lol

[@brendafarris7590]

Hope is right! Espiecally if you're able to stack your coupons on top of a feature sale price. Buy the loss leaders, stacked coupon items, and straight to the checkout.

[@DCupcake58]

On generics, my husband works for a large local dairy. They make their name brand products and also several store brand generic products. Alter the ingredients to store specs, change the packaging and it’s now a generic brand.

[@LaundryFaerie]

This is true of a lot of brands. The only item I won't buy generic is dish soap. Most off-brand liquid dish soap is terrible; it barely lathers and doesn't get the dishes clean.

[@johnmartinez4943]

I hate coupons. I avoid most stores with loyalty cards where they complicate price comparisons with deals (like "buy 5 mix or match, save $5) which invariably forces me to get more than I wanted. I usually go to the store with the best meat deal.

[@KC-dr3cg]

I bought premade meatballs at Walmart .Great Value for $3.12 a pound rather than a tube of hamburger for $4.97 a pound.

[@kittycarousel]

On the "big cart" issue - if I KNOW I only need a few items, I grab a basket or rolling basket. Sometimes I go back for the cart, but most often, it's enough. Also - I take my e-bike or walk to the store. Whether it's the milk-crate on the e-bike, or a backpack, or shoulder bags, physically limiting what I'm able to take home limits unnecessary purchases - even though it's just a few minutes walking. Of course, when we go to stock up at Costco (which for us is an hour away) or make larger purchases, I take the car - but it's thought out. So that's my tip: limit how much you can take home, and use a basket in the store for small trips.

[@angimurphy1139]

Most coupons are for name brands and/or items I just don’t buy, so I rarely use them. The main exception is at Dollar General - if you shop on Saturday they have a standing digital coupon for $5 off a $25 purchase. That added to the occasional digital coupons for the specific items I planned to buy can add a good amount of savings.

[@RebeccaC2024]

I agree. I hardly ever find coupons for things I actually use to I stopped looking.

[@leannwade9474]

Been couponing for almost 5 yrs. I have saved so much money.

[@Sunnybird22]

I stopped paper coupons. For me it wasn’t worth the cost of the newspaper. Most coupons were for medication or personal care. I do use digital. I do not have a set food budget. I am trying to build up my pantry/freezer. I only shop loss leader items and really good sales. I even plan all my meals based on the above items. I also shop more frequently if the item is limited. Right now chicken legs are 49 cents a lb, but it has a limit of 10 lbs. I have gone back 3 times and will go back one more time.

[@lindakelly3164]

I never really used coupons because they usually wanted you to buy 2 of the item to get the money off. I didn’t need 2 of them.

[@lizworkman9967]

I speed shop! I have a plan and usually stick to it. I hate it when stores move things around. Wal-Marts 4 pound brown sugar was 2.00 more than buying two, 2 pound bags of brown sugar! You have to check everything.

[@robins3206]

Coupons have their place, but I prefer instant savings from grocery store rewards cards

[@justmyopinion9883]

Thank you for sharing your grocery shopping ideas. No, I don't use coupons. I am not that organized. I do make a shopping list and try not to go shopping when I'm hungry. I like the idea of using a calculator while shopping; I'm going to try that.

[@patmartin9727]

I have a separate purse which I have £50 in to take advantage of sales and marked downs. I then not how much I have spent and when I use these I BUY them from myself to get the money back into this purse. I find this allows me to take advantage of reductions without cutting into my grocerybudget.

[@nestordesigns6314]

In Ireland the "to good to go" app is getting popular, it sells off almost out of date items at a reduced price. This means shops will not do mark downs, they'll sell it on the app. Only good if you live near the shop, not worth going back into town at the allocated collection time.

[@cgt6497]

I think coupons are sometimes very worthwhile. For instance, I had a coupon for a free product (that I would use) worth $9! However, I always consider the type of coupon. Name brand coupons often do not save more than the generic version costs, and usually I can't tell the difference.

[@hollyfagan8201]

Good program tonight. Thank you.

[@bettycollins3960]

I live in a seaside town in Kent, UK and have now discovered your extremely informative blogs. We are lucky to have a local choice of supermarkets: Waitrose (high class), Sainsbury (middle class), Iceland (frozen foods plus groceries) and an Aldi. However, I am so envious of your HUGE Aldi! It looks to be at least 4 times bigger than our branch. I have binge watched your episodes and find them fascinating and full of useful tips. Thank you.

[@iwonaolszewska-szmurlo5267]

Swale here 🖖

[@nicolaanne6341]

Which town do u live in? I'm from the UK and spent a lot of time at the beaches.

[@bettycollins3960]

Hythe. Near Folkestone.

[@nicolaanne6341]

I lived near Tunbridge Wells and went to school there.

[@gailoreilly1516]

What I found with coupons was that I generally didn't eat what I had coupons for. Sometimes, the coupons were for the most expensive brand. The price came down, yes, but you could buy the generic for less. I gave up with coupons a long time ago.

[@jenniferschmitt7938]

We will load digital coupons on to our card. In our area, I don't know if it's everywhere, but if you don't have a card you don't even get the sale price, doesn't matter about the coupons at all. You will pay full price for everything if you do not have a card.

[@juliescheidler7763]

These are great reminders, I rarely use coupons, I usually use store brands, or shop at Aldi. I'm aware of the cycle of sales, so I stock up on those items then. Thanks!

[@Nisa-gm5wg]

The paper coupons are not as good as they used to be. Now I just use the digital ones and compare the best prices at 2 to 3 stores . It’s working so far

[@leisure057blank3]

I don’t have an actual budget, but am trying this year to keep track of my spending to see what I do spend. I have tried to track for many years but never seen to make it through the entire tear. Anyway, I naturally spend less than the usda thrifty food plan amount,, and I do overshop because I am a sale shopper. I do all self checkout and only purchase a few items at a time, and add them up as I go along to see if everything rang up correctly.

[@mariannejadlowski3270]

Due to physical limitations, I shop online and have my groceries delivered. I often find coupons at the actual grocery store sites and use those. I am amazed by how much I save.

[@redwoodredhead]

we don't have an Aldi...so sad.

[@wandabigelow9692]

I usually shop only the loss leader items. We have a chain store Bimart. I've found that many times they are cheaper than other things i usually use. I learned many years ago that the largest box is not usually the cheapest.

[@americafirst9144]

🧡

[@JeanieDee]

I don’t use coupons very often because they are for name brands and I do 90% of my shopping at Aldi. I only use them for items at other stores (usually loss leaders). I keep a list of items (like ketchup or other staples) that I’m running low on in a list on my phone and buy extra when they go on sale.

[@Chris.Tustain]

it came to me during this video and the statement "loss leader items", do everybody plan shopping to stores that have lower priced items they are looking for ? the 2nd part to this question "If Yes" do you actually look on the map and travel to the furthest away store first and trace back to account on fuel saving (it's like becoming a personal logistic company, weighing up cost of product and cost to deliver at cheapest way) ????? glad I found this channel as somethings are not always apparent when we go shopping

[@marilynthomson9564]

I’m not exactly crazy about coupons because I find,most of them are for processed foods. I used to be a big coupon queen but no longer.

[@v113d94]

I like to bake , amuse I find that the pre box items cost too much and and don’t taste good.

[@elaines5179]

My Kroger/King Soopers is re arranging the layout to force you to travel farther as you said. Also it has put a huge part of their produce in prepackaged envelopes in tall coolers. I totally skip that as its mark-up heaven for "convenience." I despise what they have done, so I'm shopping at Walmart more.

[@genxx2724]

My aunt is a single career woman and has no domestic skills. She retired from a second act, part-time position at age 75. She didn’t know how to prepare crisp salad greens by washing them ahead of time and rolling them in a single layer in dish towels, then putting them in produce bags in the fridge. She ate bagged salad. She was amazed at the difference and the savings. She’s very proud and makes salads to take to friends’ houses.

[@maureen8930]

No coupons for me i’m a senior citizen I got at Aldi‘s and Sams Club I make out just fine. Yes and if see a Digital coupon I go to Kroger’s!! 👍👍

[@tinaharvey2342]

Our stores scatter the discounts throughout the store or manager specials so I shop every

[@EmailgroupieESLEducation]

I died laughing at the frozen onion section cause you were so serious and matter of fact about it hahaha

[@DCupcake58]

Team Digital Coupon here. I shop at several stores including Aldi and will check the other stores apps not only to compare prices but also to check their digital coupons while I’m shopping in store at Aldi. Sometimes Aldi isn’t the lowest price. Our local Sunday paper is almost $5 and we don’t buy it so don’t get the coupon sections. I don’t follow any couponing sites either.

[@victoriabecraft6166]

Since I grow most of my food, make my own cleaners and personal products and installed bidets on our toilets, I don't find coupons for anything I purchase. Once a week, I do purchase a rotisserie chicken from Costco, while I'm in town. They have 6-pound rotisserie chicken for $4.99 per chicken, here in southeast Iowa! The rotisserie chicken is strategically placed between the bakery and the pre-made side dish stands. Costco is hoping they will make their money when you purchase the rest of the meal. I can make my own potato salad for pennies since I have a root cellar full of potatoes and onions (which I grew) plus I have canned pickles from my garden. I also have an herb garden, so I rarely purchase herbs or "spice seasonings" because I make my own. For a family of 3 adults, we have several meals off of that one chicken. The first evening we have chicken...go figure. After that the leftover chicken is stripped from the bone, which is used in burritos, on salad or in soup. I can usually get at least 3 meals out of one rotisserie chicken. I then save the chicken bones in the freezer until I have enough to make, and pressure can, homemade chicken stock. I save the portions of the carrots, celery and green onions we don't eat (in the freezer for later) to make the stock. The stock will be used in homemade soups and rice dishes and basically cost me nothing. The container the chicken comes in is washed thoroughly and used to start garden seedlings (they make great miniature greenhouses). By the time I am finished, it is difficult to calculate exactly how much I spend on each meal, from a $4.99 chicken, which was already cooked.😁

[@kenyonbissett3512]

I have a store that does $10 off $50 or $10 off $75. The grocery store across the street will accept those coupons. So excellent sales + a coupon = big savings!

[@catslove3884]

Guessing you mean "accept"

[@kenyonbissett3512]

@@catslove3884 thanks, I definitely did, I made the correction