I feed a family of 8 so this is the only way for me to shop.I buy quite a bit and freeze it and it has been working out pretty well for us.

My mom did this when I was little and I do it now... Sometimes I go to 3 or 4 different stores in one weekend.  First I go through the sales ad's for stores w/i a 5 mile radius of our home (Dont want to waste on gas what I'm saving in sales and discounts) then I clip/sort through my coupons.  I create a menu for the week, coordinate coupons, stores & lists and go!  My husband used to make fun of me and tell me I was neurotic.. til he came with and discovered how much money I actually save our family.  In my opionion, it's well worht the time and effort.

Hi Carver,MN, I am so glad to see that I'am not the only one that dose that. My husband used and still dose make a little fun of me, saying," she'll use ten gallons of gas to save 10 cents". I really don't!.   K2mendez: I'am glad to see how you prepare a shopping list and shop, I used to do that when our children were at home, but since there's two of us, don't do all that much anymore. Although with rising prices, I may start back. I'am amazed at the young people that have "no ideal" how to do that or even to do it?!? Gotta wonder,what do they teach them in home ec. now?!? Then there's the "cost per pound", so many only look at the cost of the package?!? I live out in the country, so I have to travel about 20 miles to get to the main shopping area, i stop at the stores along the way and the "day old bakery". I buy in Large amounts,meat, divide it and freeze it. I also save my bread sacks to put the meat in. WOW, we could start a whole new thred!, wait, I think there is one,  Granna2

Yes I do shop more than 1 stores to get great deals. I go to dollar tree stores buy my cleaning products like clorox, brushes, dish soap it only costs, etc. I go to Winndixie  for groceries they have good deals every week especially on the meat buy one get one free, 10 for 10 on the canned goods, and other stuff. It depends on what  you really need. I do two lists. I don't want to get tempted buying the things that i don't need.

I use to shop at different stores for the best prices too, but now I price match at walmart, food world, ect. most stores in my city price match. unless you like going to different stores ask your store do they price match, it will save you a lots of leg work.

In our area not all of the Walmarts do that and the ones that do want you to have to other stores add with you. I don't think our Krogers dose that either, price matching. I'am going to check at Krogers, I shop there a lot because it's close to us. granna2

It's good to know that I'm not the only one.  Thanks!

I do it too. Two or three stores nearly every week. I scan the ads to check out the sales and also to see which store has the best prices on the things I need and not just sale items. I work two jobs and really do not have the time or energy to do this but it's a necessity for me based on the skyrocketing costs of, well, everything. One rule I have is that I make a list and stick to it. I know the stores layout well enough that I can write my list in order of the way it's arranged in the store. That gets me in and out quickly...no wandering around in circles.

Don't forget to check out drug stores that offer rebates and other incentives. The lists for those stores is usually pretty short and I can go to them during my lunch break.

I browse the weekly ads online for my local stores - then compare who has the best deals on what I need for that week.

Absolutely! I dont go to all the stores in one weekend, but I do this during the month.  It has saved me a lot or helped me buy more food for the same budget for my two hungry boys who are having growth spurts. I go to one store that has well priced produce and fish, then I go to another store that has many sales and by things on sale to determine what I will cook as much as possible, then I go to another store that I know will have the best meat at the best price, then my pharmacy may also have a deal on something I need.  For me it isnt as much planned, but it does save me a lot of money to put off purchasing some things in a different store, and buy enough to get through until the next time.  Unfortunately I live in an apt so I also have to shop based on the space I have.  If you cant go to too many places in a weekend, I recommend shopping based on where you will be when you go out if it is possible, but everyone has different patterns of shopping and traveling.  Sometimes it is worth making a special trip to a store too, like Trader Joes, which has gourmet and health type foods at some discounts.  Just dont be taken in and buy too much on impulse!

Call me crazy, but I shop several stores. I actaully make lists to each store that I shop. However I do try to plan my trip so that I am not back-tracking.

I totally go to different grocery stores to save money on various products. Infact on more than one occasion I went to three different stores in a row just to save a little money. Times are hard, we have to save where we can.

I go to 2 different stores. I have shopped before at just one or the other. But I found that if I go to both places and get the deals at each store, I can stretch my money and get other goodies that I was not able to afford before. Also, each store has better products than the other. For instance, one has higher quality ingrediants and the other higher quality meat.

Hi, I would like to add another note to this. I am amazed At the young people/women that don't know how to make out a weekly menu or shopping list.  I use to make out a weekly menu, then look at the grocery store adds ( 3 stories where close) then listed what to buy at each one. I rearly ever bought anything that wasn't on sale/special, because I built my menu around what was. It is amazing how much you can save when you do that. Although I don't use very many coupons( have a hard time finding the items and spend to much time looking for them) you can save that way. Granna2

Granna2:

You bring up some good points! I agree- making lists of what meals you want to make is a huge budget server. It helped me greatly when I was budgeting for the Betty Blog...I think the key is you just have to make time and research for the lists. I try to do mine in the morning with a cup of tea. Sometimes I don't get the latest supermarket weeklys- so I go to their site. Some weeks though, when it's just a busy weekend, I find myself going to the store and just picking up things I know we like... and trying to make meals in my head. Not the most budget smart way- and I realize it. Plus those weeks- I end up buying more pre-packaged products. What I need to start doing is when I see I meal I like (LOL, which being on the boards here is like everyday!)- add it to my iPhone list- so when the weekend rolls around- I already have my list ready to go. The only downer of that plan though is you aren't taking advantage of the sale items that week.

I think it's also about finding recipes that can be made cheaply. And also to embrace ingredients that are cheap. For example: I found out my husband loves lentils. Lentils? It's like a dollar a bag! What's nice is I can make some great meat-free meals. For example- I'm making this this week after my DH raved about it the first time I made it. http://www.pillsbury.com/Recipes/ShowRecipe.aspx?rid=11451 (I cut it in half bc it's just the two of us... and still have leftovers!) So, for 2010- each week (or maybe every other week) I'm going to make lentils one way or another.

Anyways... I like reading this thread because I think it's fun to read members responses. Here are my two cents. When the DH and I lived in Detroit, I never had issues going to more than one store... with my car. Now that we are in the Windy City- I take my little buggy-cart to one place. Rarely do I make a second stop because I'm lugging this stuff home (it's a real workout!). If I do stop it's because the first store was out of what I was looking for. But I wouldn't say I'm loyal to one place either. If I know one store has the better deals- I'll do all my shopping there that week. Longer post than expected! Ahh well.

CateC, A friend of mine has the same food on the same day, makes for an easy grocery menu, She has beens on every Monday and pizza on Fridays, the only days that I remember what she said,. I tried it only a little more basic, there's only two of us also, except for Fridays, didn't stick to it long, hahaha. I don't think that I've ever eaten just lintel soup/beans. I'am going to try that recipe, Thanks Granna2

I setup a system and it has saved me alot of money. I did a printout of all the foods that I use on a regulr bases from all stores.. I also took the time to list what was in each lane. Example - -lane one bread and deli, Lane two Veg's etc. No backtracing and no impule buying.

Then using my grocery receipes, I listed each price on my printout.  When I go to the store I can easy compare the regular price to sale price of each item needed.  Example from printout - - - -

Amt      Price       Item                                                                                                             

1           1.25      Apple Jelly (Kroger)                             Wal-Mart 1.89       

On sale today for $1.15 (Wal-Mart)                

I do shop at four stores all within a short distance from my home. I have found that I save the most money by shopping at my local Kroger store for most of my grocery items.  They have a progam where you  save 10 cents a gallon from onsite gas station. Also, they have a Kroger discount card and a online site to get addional discounts. 

I do shop at Wal-Mart and the Dollar Stores where I purchase mostly non-food items. I also watch the flyers in the newspaper for Wal-Mart and the Mom & Pop store.  The local store  has a Meat Dept and they cut their own meat.  When meat is on sale, lower that what is listed on my printout, I buy in bulk.

I keep a new copy of the printout on my desk in the kitchen, As I run out of an item, I just check it off on the printout, no guessing, no I forgeting an item.  

I never leave the house without my printout.

I also feed 8 people and sometimes it is not easy.I shop only at 2 store though once a month.My wife and I buy our meats from a meat market and we shop at Aldi for can goods.We have figured out that we can feed 8 people 3 times a day for about $1.97 a plate.That is including drinks.Better than Mickey D's LOL

You're not crazy at all. I do the same thing...When I get the Sunday ads, i check the 3 stores I basically do my grocery shopping at, and make a list for each. If there's only 1 or 2 items in a particular store, I'll skip it...It's not feasible to make a special trip to save a few cents....I save a lot of money on my grocery bills by doing this...It's worked for me for 28 years! ;-)