Have you wondered if I am still doing those drug store deals? You know all those CVS deals I posted about each week? In a word, no. I stopped. Cold turkey. Why? I was overwhelmed. I had coupons piling up (I was buying multiple papers). I was constantly having to run there and roll those extra care bucks over. It really started to overwhelm me. I was so unorganized. I felt awful when I missed a great deal. I was obsessed! So one day I gave myself permission to not go. No more deals, no more coupons, no more guilt. I felt relieved. I have spent the summer and fall trying to clear the clutter out of my house. I still have a long ways to go, but I am making progress.
So how am I keeping our grocery costs down now? By shopping at Aldi grocery store. I love Aldi. It was the store I shopped at way before I knew anything about the drug store deals. They beat out the other larger chain stores here about 95% of the time. They do not take coupons, they do not take credit cards, you bag your own groceries. In fact you take your own boxes or bags (or you can purchase bags from them or pick up free boxes). You have to rent your cart for a quarter (you get it back when you return your cart). I love it though! Yesterday I was able to purchase three bags full of groceries for our local church pantry for $15.00. I can spend $50 and come home with a cart load of food. I buy most of our groceries there with the exception of a couple items I cannot get from there.
If you have an Aldi near you, you may want to take the time to check them out. One thing I have recently learned is that at times they put their items on a deep discount. I never thought they would do this since their prices are already very low. A couple of weeks ago I was shopping there and I saw a woman with several packages of pork chops in her cart. As I got over to the meat department I noticed a sign where they had been marked down to a $1 a pack (they had been over $3 a pack) of course the space was empty. Later I was picking up a package of bagels and I happened to notice they were marked down to 25 cents a bag. These are very large bagels, regularly $1.39. I bought 8 bags of them and stuck them in the freezer. When I was shopping there yesterday they had marked their butter down to $1.40 per pound, regular price $2.49 per pound. So even a great store like Aldi has markdowns you just have to keep your eyes peeled.
I loved getting those drugstore deals, but for this season of my life I am skipping them and it is ok! I still search out great deals though. Over the weekend I was able to pick up some Star Wars action figures for the boys for Christmas for $4.75 each, regularly $7.99. I have managed to get all of my Christmas cards for free this year and I have earned some additional money buy shopping thru shopping portals like Shop at Home.
Will I do drugstore deals again. Maybe someday. For now this is what is working for me.
So how am I keeping our grocery costs down now? By shopping at Aldi grocery store. I love Aldi. It was the store I shopped at way before I knew anything about the drug store deals. They beat out the other larger chain stores here about 95% of the time. They do not take coupons, they do not take credit cards, you bag your own groceries. In fact you take your own boxes or bags (or you can purchase bags from them or pick up free boxes). You have to rent your cart for a quarter (you get it back when you return your cart). I love it though! Yesterday I was able to purchase three bags full of groceries for our local church pantry for $15.00. I can spend $50 and come home with a cart load of food. I buy most of our groceries there with the exception of a couple items I cannot get from there.
If you have an Aldi near you, you may want to take the time to check them out. One thing I have recently learned is that at times they put their items on a deep discount. I never thought they would do this since their prices are already very low. A couple of weeks ago I was shopping there and I saw a woman with several packages of pork chops in her cart. As I got over to the meat department I noticed a sign where they had been marked down to a $1 a pack (they had been over $3 a pack) of course the space was empty. Later I was picking up a package of bagels and I happened to notice they were marked down to 25 cents a bag. These are very large bagels, regularly $1.39. I bought 8 bags of them and stuck them in the freezer. When I was shopping there yesterday they had marked their butter down to $1.40 per pound, regular price $2.49 per pound. So even a great store like Aldi has markdowns you just have to keep your eyes peeled.
I loved getting those drugstore deals, but for this season of my life I am skipping them and it is ok! I still search out great deals though. Over the weekend I was able to pick up some Star Wars action figures for the boys for Christmas for $4.75 each, regularly $7.99. I have managed to get all of my Christmas cards for free this year and I have earned some additional money buy shopping thru shopping portals like Shop at Home.
Will I do drugstore deals again. Maybe someday. For now this is what is working for me.
3 comments:
I'm with you on this, Michele. I love to be frugal, but my time is worth money, and my sanity is, too. So, for now, I have to skip the really complicated stuff. You are right~ It's OK! Now I just wish we had an Aldi!
I LOVE Aldi!! We moved recently and Aldi is now 30 minutes in the opposite direction. I've started doing the 1-stop shopping thing at Super Walmart.
It's ok...but, I've REALLY missed my Aldi!! I took the extra time to go today (because I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year) and I was praising the Lord for Aldi!! I came away with everything on my list and even extra goodies for my own family...and $10 under budget!
WOOHOOO!
I stopped CVS'ing almost a year ago. I, too, just became overwhelmed with keeping up...rolling the ECBs over...and making sure whatever I did buy I'd really use... Just became too much!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Great job not being a slave to something that was so stressful. We have an Aldis near us and everyone raves about their prices, but Brian does most of our shopping at one of the bigger chain stores. I'm not going to complain, but one of these days I need to check them out.
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