This was previously posted on another blog I had, that I left. So I am re-posting my personal experience over here, for all of you to read.
While browsing my favorite blogs, I came across a post from Kirstin (a few months back) over at BeCentsAble. (I love her blog btw!) She was giving 6 absolutely perfect reasons for shopping at a Bulk Warehouse Club.
On another site that I work for, I wrote an article similar to this a few years ago, but didn’t go as in depth as she did. Since the time of my writing that article, and several others, I have tried a few experiments which undoubtedly used the advice I gave. Here are my results.
About two years ago, we started shopping at three different food locations regularly. We visited the bulk warehouses at least once a month, but often twice. We visited a “shop and save” type of store three to four times a month and we visited our local grocery store (which happens to literally be right behind our neighborhood.) every week.
At the Bulk Warehouse: We purchased anything we use a lot of in bulk – meats, pasta noodles, canned veggies, soups, snacks for school, coffee and creamer, certain beverages, milk and many other items.
At the “shop and save” store: We purchased non-name brand versions of things I needed for upcoming meals – cream of whatever soups, cheese that was being cooked into a meal, rice, flour, sugar, etc.
At the local grocery store: We purchased our deli meats, bakery items, produce and just about anything found around the perimeter of the store. We also took advantage of any 10/$10.00 sales that occurred, purchased anything we used often with coupons and sales, and watched sales fliers like crazy!
In two years we went from shopping everything at one store, to shopping between the three and even with the rising cost of food and gas, managed to save $1,483 in groceries from one year to the next. This was with the help of everything I mentioned above – purchasing in bulk, using coupons, meal planning, sales fliers, discounts, etc.
Oh, and I should mention that this did not include one single non-food related item. We purchase our toilet paper, paper towels, toiletries, paper plates, cleaning solutions, etc. from places such as Wal-Mart and Target because they cost less.
Try it for a month or two and watch your savings climb. You’d be surprised at exactly how much you can cut out of your budget and still be fed well.
