How do you shop?

[IndyMomma]

I am curious to know how everyone else shops. When you go to the store, do you have list in hand, or do you use your coupons as a list? Do you start from the back and work your way to the front, doing frozen items last? Do you go aisle by aisle, scouring for tearpads, peelies and hangtags?

How do you shop?

[Califgirl]

I study the ads I always take both of my binders with me.I go through my coupons and gather the ones I am going to use put them in an envelope with the store name. I go to several different stores throughout the week.I am always on the lookout for Blinkies and tear pads.Even husband spots them too. I have him well trained!!!!!

[IndianaMom]

I prep my trip with a list on an index card and pulled coupons, they are in a zippered pouch, I have one for each store I shop. I also bring in my binder but rarely open it in the store. I go down each aisle looking for tearpads and blinkies, even if I just need bread and milk that day. I really feel I have to go down every aisle! In Meijer I start at the back and work my way forward, at Kroger I start in produce and go down each aisle from right to left. CVS and Walgreens I go dwn each aisle too. Always check out clearance, and MS's. If I get Cats or other coupons at checkout I put them right into the pouch.

[Sharkie1995]

I look at the ads, check my coupons and see what I must have no matter what , then go to the store. I do not make a list as I always loose it by the
time I get to the store and I do not stick with it anyways. I am very good at remembering my needs as it is only 2 of us. I shop the clearance meats
and produce first, then start looking for my sale items. When at walmart, I shop the isles first then the whole outer area for my meat, dairy and produce.
It works wellto keep the coldest stuff cold as I have to pack it in a cooler to go home 40 miles.

[IndyMomma]

LOL!!! I usually like to shop solo, so my people are not coupon hunters.

When I shop at Meijer, I have to grab a cart that has one of those coupon holder thingies. I am not sure if that is what that is for, but I use it for that.

I usually grab my produce first, and then meats, skip the frozen, and go down every aisle. As I find the things on my list, I place the coupon in the holder. Then I go back to the dairy, grab what I need from back there, and then go back and get my frozen items.

I find an obscure place and make sure I have counted my coupons, seperated my transactions if needed and know how much is supposed to come off. I have a ballpark figure in my head. I then cashier profile, ( sorry, but I do) and begin the checkout process.

[IndyMomma]

i look at the ads, check my coupons and see what i must have no matter what , then go to the store. I do not make a list as i always loose it by the
time i get to the store and i do not stick with it anyways. I am very good at remembering my needs as it is only 2 of us. I shop the clearance meats
and produce first, then start looking for my sale items. When at walmart, i shop the isles first then the whole outer area for my meat, dairy and produce.
It works wellto keep the coldest stuff cold as i have to pack it in a cooler to go home 40 miles.

40 miles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[IndianaMom]

I am so sad that my 2 favorite Kroger and Meijer cashiers are gone! I won't shop Meijer at night since those cashiers are just so bad compared to the day people! My fav Kroger cashier moved and she was so friendly and awesome. It makes such a difference to have friendly cashiers.

[Stef]

It depends on the store and the size of the trip, I guess. If it's a quick run I will usually bring my list and the coupons I think I'll need in an envelope. I really need to get a binder with a strap, because it's becoming a hassle to carry mine around! If it's a big trip i'll bring the binder in and just work out of it, with my list. I keep a three-hole clear plastic zippered pouch about the same size as a typical coupon sleeve page in the front of my binder, and after the items go in my cart, the coupons I need go in that pouch so they're all ready in one place for me at checkout. It really makes things easier for me to keep track of. I have to have a list though - without it I forget things that I wanted. I still go off list too, especially when DH comes with, but he's pretty good about going off list with stuff that's still on sale. He loves pulling blinkies too, even when I say I don't need them, lol. He usually finds more peelies/blinkies/hangtags than I do - just another reason I prefer going shopping with him. Height advantage maybe?!

As far as method in the store... I go mostly right to left in Publix and Kroger. I don't always hit every aisle, but if we have time we will looking for displays etc. CVS, Wags, Target, etc., I go where I need and that's about it.

[Carol324]

I make up my list from the store insert preview on Monday. That usually entails picking out the BOGOs I will get and matching it up with my coupons. If I don't have coupons for the BOGO item, I may rethink how much I really want that item. I have found that sometimes I buy something on BOGO like crackers and they go bad before I use them. That happened to me with Ritz crackers. Guess the fat in them goes bad.

Then I look at what meats, chicken, etc. are on sale. If it is a GOOD sale, I add it to my list and buy enough of that item to last me about a month., I do not like Walmart meat so it is Publix for me. The prices have gotten very high so I watch what I buy and if I really need chicken, I buy it at SAMS Club. It is amazing to me that Sams has chicken boneless breasts for $1.99# every day and it is almost always $2.99# at Px.

I usually buy fresh produce every week depending on what meals I am planning. I do not find blinkies at my store very often. I try not to go down every aisle because I think that lends itself to putting items in my cart that I really don't need. Frozen foods are last for me because of the heat in Florida.

[Sandal]

I then cashier profile, ( sorry, but I do) and begin the checkout process.


I love that because I thought I was the only one who cashier profiles!