Thursday, July 13, 2006

What the heck is the Grocery Game?

What is the Grocery Game?
Grocery stores have sales all the time. How do you know when is the “best” sale so that you can stock up? The Grocery Game is a list that tells you which products that are on sale for their rock bottom sale price (both advertised and not) at specific stores each week. It also tells you the original prices of those items and lets you know if there's been a manufacturer's or store coupon available for it over the last few months. It also provides the original and sale price of an item, and the potential percentage of savings. Maximum savings come when you combine coupons with the deals from grocery sale ads inserted in the newspaper.

Translated? It means that you subscribe to the website ($10 for 8 weeks for one store, $15 for 8 weeks for two stores, $20 for 8 weeks for three stores, etc.), and each week, you log in, print out the list that they have compiled just for you (okay, it’s not really “just” for you but it’s just for the stores in your area that you have selected), match coupons if necessary from your stash, and march off to the store with the list and coupons in hand.

How much can you save?
It varies from person to person, but my savings average around 50-60%, often more with every trip.

Is it just packaged food and toiletries?
Nope – the list will tell you when the rock bottom price for fruit, fresh meat, vegetables, etc. occur also as well as cleaning products, hair care, and toiletries. Many products don’t even require coupons, although you are definitely going to maximize your savings if you use coupons.

But it takes so much time to use coupons . . .
Not really. Once you get a system in place, you just need to clip the coupons each week, file them in whatever organized manner you use (more on that later) and print out your list. Match your coupons with your list and head off to the store at your convenience. I can usually make it through three stores within an hour to an hour and a half, depending on how much I am getting that week. The list really eliminates wandering up and down each aisle.

But how does it REALLY work? It seems like I’m coming home with lots of weird stuff.
The list will be color coded in three separate colors – black items that are to be purchased only if you need them, blue items that are at their rock bottom price that week and that you should buy to stock up on, and green items that are completely free. You stock up on the items when they are at their lowest price, and you only buy what you need of items when they aren't on sale. Of course, you may need to add weekly “need” items, like milk, bread, etc., but those often show up on the list too.

Is it available in my area?
Visit www.thegrocerygame.com and type in your zip code to see if it's available in your area. If it is, why not give it a try? If it's not available in your area, don't worry - new locations are being added all the time. The site also offers a Field Guide which is a downloadable book that teaches you how to compile your own list when a list store isn't available in your area.

Sign up for your four week trial for only $1.00 (www.thegrocerygame.com). And tell them that 2Labs2Many@gmail.com referred you!

More to come!
If you have any questions or suggestions for topics, please email me and I'll do my best to answer them or make them a topic for this page. Check back soon for updates and new entries. Some more topics that I plan to cover include storage and stockpile management, coupon trains and other ways to increase your stash, and Deal of the Week.

Important: Be sure to scroll to the bottom or check the index at the side bar for new posts since I will be altering the dates of future posts so that this basic explanation always remains at the top of the page.

3 Comments:

At July 05, 2006 9:06 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I wanted to ask you a question and wasn't sure where to ask. Hope this is ok. I would love to do the grocery game, but I have no coupons right now, and I don't get the Sunday paper. How long do you think it will take me to really get up and going? I'm nervous to subscribe to the Sunday paper, because then DH see's the ads and wants more things - thus spending more money!!! Out of sight out of mind! My email is dozerz@austin.rr.com, if you wouldn't mind answering a few questions for me. I found you on 2peas by the way!!!

 
At July 05, 2006 11:55 AM, Blogger Katrine said...

Very cool blog! Keep it up!

 
At July 15, 2006 5:47 PM, Blogger Rachel said...

Hi Carla,

I am a lurker on 2peas and I wanted to say that your blog helped me to get over the hump and join Grocery Game. Now I only did this yesterday and am overwhelmed by everything on the site right now but i wanted to say THANK YOU for doing this blog and giving such great advice!! By the way, I used your email as a referral!!

Thanks so much!!

Rachel

 

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