Do you forget what things really cost?

[Sharon]

I signed up to do MidWesterns price tracking for 2011. When I was at the store this morning it was a real eye opener to look at what things actually cost.

I know what my best or good prices are and try not to buy things until they hit those prices. In the process I had lost track of what things actually cost.

Our store almost always uses milk as a loss leader I haven't paid over $2.00 a gallon in I don't know when. I forgot that milk costs 2.69 a gallon. This last December 5 lbs of flour was on sale all over the place for 2/$3.00. I have stocked up. Today flour was 2.99 for 5lbs. Double what I paid.

[Deleted]

I'm coming at this from the opposite side. I know how much things cost and am just learning what a really good price is.

[Opti]

Jan 29, 2011 12:27:18 GMT -5 @justaposter said:

I'm coming at this from the opposite side. I know how much things cost and am just learning what a really good price is.

I'm in a similar place. I need to start keep track of good prices on certain items in the store. I prefer to buy organic chicken or close to when possible on sale. I'm now buying lots of boneless skinless chicken thighs and was disappointed to find one grocery store had Bell&Evans boneless skinless chicken thighs for $0.10/lb less than I paid at another store for a not as good brand.

[Apple]

I know I have. I stocked up pretty well on a few things some time ago (stuff like coffee creamer, pasta, beef--my brother raises a few cows so I got a 1/4 from him last year, still going through it, best beef ever! We're eating down the stock so when I look at getting something I haven't bought for a while I'm shocked at the price and many times I just pass and wait for a sale or go to the used food/used bread stores (Grocery Outlet/Franz outlet).

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I think I pay attention to the prices of things I buy all the time, so that I can decide which (of several) stores to buy that item. For example, Trader Joe's regular price for romaine hearts used to be $1.99, and now they've raised the price to $2.29. So when I'm at other grocery stores, I watch to see if I see romaine on sale (or regularly priced) lower than $2.29. The independent grocery store by our house (the one that tends to mark down short-dated bagged/prepped veggies pretty often), will often sell a bag of romaine hearts (maybe with 1 brown outer leaf) for 99 cents ... so I pick those up when I need some (and see that price), because it's a great value ... even if I do toss the outer leaf or two.

And things like Fiber One? I haven't paid the regular price in a year ... I watch for it to go on sale near $2.50 a box, and then I stock up.... I still have 12 more boxes left. Same thing for canned tuna and chicken noodle soup ... I buy it on sale and stock up.

[Artemis Windsong]

The best I can do on milk is $3.05 for 1% at Sam's. At CVS it's $3.29. Grocers are well over $4 a gallon then you have to check the label and make sure it really is a gallon.

I thought about joining the price tracker but I would have to choose one grocer to track to make the challenge fair. I have a long-term commitment issue.

[dancinmama]

OMG, yes. I mostly purchase what we need when it on sale, using a coupon, and getting extra "rewards" on top of that, so I pay a minimal amount for A LOT of what I purchase.

I just came home with 15.4 lbs. of fillet mignon for $31.88 or $2.07/lb. It was on sale, marked 50% off that price because today was the last day of sale, AND I had store coupons for $2/1 any package of their store brand beef. I had (9) packages so that was an additional $18 in savings. I brought it home and put it in the freezer.

Now, tonight's find was rare, but I do similar things ALL THE TIME. I don't pay that much attention to regular prices - only when things are free or close to it, so when I do take note of regular prices, it kind of blows me away.

[dogmom]

I absolutely pay attention to prices, and try very hard to buy at the BEST prices that I can. I do use coupons. I don't stockpile too much, but when I get to one of the last of an item, I start looking for the best price I can find. I find sticker shock at replacement costs for an item that I haven't purchased in three months. OUCH!

[marvholly]

Like dancinmama, I shop ONLY sales and clearance, preferably w/coupons and/or other rewards (catalinas, RR, EB).

I have 2 name brand bread/bakery outlet stores on my main shopping route and several independent fruit/veg markets that are WAAAAY cheaper for such items and often deli & daiiry too.

[Gardening Grandma]

I definitely pay attention to prices. I keep my own price book with names of stores, dates, and unit prices. It helps me when I see something "on sale". I can look at my price book and note whether it's still cheaper to buy at Costco or not.

[Agatha]

Unfortunately I do remember! Then I recall what I was making then and get a little happier.

I do keep my regular grocery shopping to 2 stores, although there are 2 others I go to on an "as needed" basis. "As needed" meaning there is a special occasion coming up or my son (who is totally vegan) is coming. When I go to those places I need a keeper! <sigh> I'm with Snerdley in that I will simply buy more if I go to more places.

[stantonjane]

I feel like I have sticker shock at the grocery store all the time. My husband shops more regularly than I do, and he is the one clipping coupons and keeping an eye on the sales, he has more time to do this, since he's a SAHD and he takes his elderly mom to the grocery store once or twice a week. It seems every time I'm out with him and we do some grocery shopping together, I'm appalled at how high the prices have gotten for what is for us regular items. Take yesterday, we wanted to buy some breakfast cereal. Vons had cereal on sale for buy 4 for $1.99 each, had to buy 4 to get it. In looking at the cereals at this price, they were all ones with a high sugar count, which we are trying to stay away from (we try to get under 9 grams of sugar per serving, and have to hunt for that). But regular cereal prices are anywhere from $4 a box to $6 a box, we try not to spend more than $2 a box, counting on sales and coupons. I had to twist his arm to bring home a box of cereal at $3 for a larger size box.

Then we stopped by the butter section to get a tub of margarine spread, we like that 'i cant believe its not butter' stuff. We sometimes have a coupon and look for it on sale, and I think the last time I saw the regular price it was probably $2.69, maybe several months ago. When I picked it up last night, the sale price was $3.50. It's not even real butter, and it wasn't a large tub. The regular price was $3.99. I showed it to my hubby and he said to put it back, someone else had it on sale for $2.

You know what I really hate about this, is that we come home without items we need because we didn't find it at a tolerable price. Listen, if it were up to me, I would have gotten the cheap Blue Bonnet stuff, but my hubby is picky. And he's out today shopping with his mom again with a list and a bunch of coupons, so he'll come back with what we need. But for not having much inflation supposedly, those prices are on a constant move upwards.

[donnafreedman]

I am often horripilated by what things cost. Since I'm another one of those folks who stocks up when there's a deal, it startles the heck out of me to see a 15-oz. can of fruit cocktail for $2.09.
The last time canned fruit went for 50 cents a can, I bought 20 cans of different varieties. Same with canned and frozen vegetables. I buy enough to last me until the next sale. (Easier for me, a single person, than for someone with spouse and kids.)
Case in point: Today at Walgreens a shelf tag touted Quaker quick-cooking oats at $2.49 for a 42-oz. box. "Save $3!"
Um...what? Is oatmeal really that expensive normally? I'm still working my way through the 42-oz. boxes of old-fashioned oats I got for 50 cents a pop last year. (I love double coupons/instant rebates.) I've got four left; when they're gone I'll buy it in bulk ($1.09/lb., I think) at Fred Meyer until there's a better price to be had.
Again: Easy for me because I'm single and not picky. I'm working my way through the cupboards right now and really don't care if I eat chili 12 times a month. After all, I've got another 20 pounds of dry pinto beans to use up...

[honeybunny66]

I'm more like Snerdley. I buy what I want when I need it. If it's on sale or I have a coupon - GREAT! Last month, Kroger had a sale on Kellogg's Cereal - 4 boxes/$10 with 2 gallons of milk free. Ka-ching! Everybody was able to get their favorite cereal and we had 2 gallons of free milk.

Unfortunately, I don't do well with stocking, especially frozen foods. It seems to get lost in the frozen wasteland of my freezer and then I forget it's in there. I realized that I was wasting money on all the "great deals" I had found and just stopped. My grocery budget is much better now.

[westerngal]

I live in a very small town with a very small grocery store. So I shop the sales every week but talk about sticker shock! Things are more expensive in a smaller store. If I get out of town I do stock up. Thankfully we have our own beef and eggs. That does help. And I only shop once every week.