Supermarket Shopping Techniques
Over time, I've collected a number of "techniques" for grocery shopping. I usually shop at the biggest chain store in California — Ralphs. For you easterners, that's a subsidiary of Kroger’s. I’m guessing people who shop all the time will know many of these techniques, but maybe you’ll find some new ones that are useful to you.
Check the fridge and pantry before you leave the house to see what you need. Note how much space is available in the fridge, and don’t buy so much that you will crowd it with items. Don’t buy items in bulk if you don’t have the room to store them, or if they’ll expire before they’re likely to be used. Obviously, you want to go when the store is not crowded, but that can be difficult for someone who must shop right after work. You’ll hear it said that you shouldn’t go when you’re hungry — you’ll buy too many goodies. I just buy two goodies, because I know I’ll eat one in the parking lot! I don't join the scramble to see who can park closest to the entrance. Instead, I park where I can do a "pull through" to the next aisle so that my car ends up pointing out from the parking slot, although that can be tricky with a herringbone parking lot pattern. It makes it easier to pull out when I leave, without running down a pedestrian.
When I get a cart, I always use the cleaning wipes (provided near the store entrance) on the handle. (Incidentally, I also a few years ago started cleaning my hands with that waterless soap after pumping gas, and similar measures. I used to get a cold or the flu every winter, now I rarely do.) If I’m going to buy something on sale from the weekly sale flyer, I toss the flyer in my cart. If the price of a sale item isn’t rung up right, I have my proof of the correct price.
I take a list with me, but as I get what’s on the list, I also look for items that I’ll eventually buy that are on sale. Sometimes stores have things on sale that aren’t advertised in their weekly flyers.
 | Amazon Price: $1.76 List Price: $15.00 |
 | Amazon Price: $17.99 |
 | Amazon Price: $46.59 List Price: $83.75 |
Cents-off coupons used to be a great money saver, but now I rarely bother with them because there are fewer, and for relatively less money off. I sometimes look at online coupons, but it often seems not worth it, as frequently they want your e-mail so they can send you spam, or worse, even sell your e-mail address to other marketers.
I try to shop in mid-morning if possible, because that's before people have picked over (or even trashed) the fruits and vegetables. I've pretty well memorized what the things I buy cost, and don't get fooled by fake sales, like when they raise the regular cost by 50 cents and then have a "sale" with 25 cents off the raised price. Stores will play a lot of games with prices to see if you're paying attention — for example, making the smaller size a better deal than the larger size.
When I buy something new to me, I read the ingredients to see if there's anything I don't want, and also the nutritional breakdown, particularly for trans fats. I also check the expiration date for perishable foods. Usually grocery stores will "rotate stock" — put the older stuff in front or the top of a stack. Of course, I get one in the back or near the bottom. I mentally compute the approximate per pound cost. Sometimes convenience foods cost a surprising amount. If it’s $15 a pound, I usually don’t want it.
I park my cart near the end of an aisle, and then just walk down it to get what I want. This makes it easier and faster to maneuver around the klutzes who block the aisle. But you also have to keep an eye on your cart, lest another type of klutz takes your cart thinking it's theirs. If a sale item has been wiped out on the shelf, I'll walk back into the stock room and see if I can find another one. It’s usually not worth your time getting a rain check for sale items that are gone — it seems to be a lot of waiting around while someone gets the manager, he finds the rain checks, and then asks you for your name, street address, phone number, e-mail address, blood type, dental records, etc. etc. etc.
I carefully examine fruits and vegetables that I buy. If you have to pare off half of it when you use it, you’ve just doubled the per pound cost.
These days, I buy a lot of the generic versions of name brands. The generics are a lot better than they used to be, and if I can get something as good, or 90% as good, for 40% less cost, why not buy it? Usually, they put the generics at the lowest level on the shelves, and the expensive name brands at eye level.
Now, the fine art of checking out:
First, it's OK to use the "15 items or less" aisle if you have 17 items. If the checker gives you an argument, tell them I said it's OK. (Don't get in that line with 50 items — okay? Sheesh!) Look at their name tag and say "Hi, Tammy — how's it going today?" I do that all the time anyway — I don't like to treat retail employees as just mindless robots. (Now if they work at the Department of Motor Vehicles, that's a different story.)
If you shop in the store all the time, you’ll recognize who are the fast efficient checkout clerks and who are the ones who are comatose. Other things being equal, you can get in the fast checker’s line. It's definitely OK to race someone to the short line - hey, it's a competitive world. Sometimes a line is longer only because five people in a group are buying one case of beer — don't be fooled. Don't get in a line where a foreigner is trying to pay with a check on the Bank of Outer Mongolia — the clerk will call the head cashier for approval, who will call the manager for approval, who will call the company chief financial officer, who will call the chairman of the board of directors...
Don't get in line behind confused old people. I've got nothing against old people, and hope to be one someday — don't bite my head off! Likewise, mothers who are hassling with small children — cobwebs will be growing on you before you get through the checkout line.
Try to get your stuff up on the conveyor belt before the checker is done with the current customer, then watch as the items are rung up to make sure the price is right. I have caught checkers making mistakes before. Likewise, it helps if you can keep an eye on the bagger, so he doesn’t put a heavy bottle on top of your bananas.
Good luck, and keep eating! Well, don’t get carried away — I don’t want you to get fat or anything…
Comments
sabrani44,
Thanks for commenting. I'm glad my shopping tips are also useful outside the United States.
Great shopping tips!
Hamad,
Welcome to HubPages. I understand that you are a new Hubber, and that you're from the U.A.E. What are the food markets like in the Emirates? Please tell us about them.
Thanks for reading my article.
Thanks Daisy! U.A.E has simply entered into a competition of opening super markets on every corner of the country, but it's hard to understand who are they competing with. Yet, you will find all the supermarkets flocked with people buying all sorts of stuff, probably because of the large number of shopping enthusiasts coming to visit Dubai.
The best thing which drives me to buy a little extra is the raffle draw coupons, that you get for shopping. May be one day I may get a brand new BMW! :D
Hamad,
I saw on a television news program that the largest shopping center in the world is in the Emirates. A weekly shopping festival was also mentioned. Perhaps you could write a Hub about shopping in U.A.E. Many people who read our Hubs are interested in articles about other cultures.
Daisy! I think we shop a lot alike! I stopped bothering with the coupons - I figured if I added up the time spent searching and clipping I wasn't paying myself very much an hour! lol
Everyone in my local store is comatose - 24/7! A few nights ago - I was up very late so I took a quick trip to WalMart - the employees were laughing loudly to each other - stocking shelves and having a party in the aisle. I had to skip the detergent so as not to break up their good time. The clip board holder was there too and he was talking to them like they were helping him at a yard sale or something. Oh yes - I should go in the morning before all the vegetables and fruits are man handled! haha!
These are fantastic ideas and techniques! Who really likes to grocery shop!? Not me. I want to get it done!:)
Pretty cool hub Daisy. Very helpful tips for supermarket shopping. I do all the shopping for my place and when I go shopping I have a list, I know how much space I have and what I have for an average usually on-hand to get me through until my next shopping spree. I also add up everything as I go because I always have limited cash for grocery shopping. So, I get my money's worth. Voted up! :)
Hi Daisy, nice ideas. I stick vehemently to lists when shopping as it just makes it so easier to shop quickly. And occasionally buy one or two bits extra that are on sale!
All good advice though, I don't enjoy shopping so the quicker the better, I shall take note of your ideas regarding noticing the faster/slower checkout staff. I'm always polite but have to admit never having paid enough attention to their efficiency, if nothing else I shall bear this in mind in future. Thank you!
Great tips. I do almost all of these already, so we're on the same page. I do use some coupons, though, because my grocery store doubles. Thanks for the informative hub.
Yeah--the comatose checkers--the ones you love to hate. A line with 5 carts (operated by a single adult) will usually move faster than a line with 2 carts if both those carts are overflowing.
Little tips like that help a lot. As far as the store--there are no "Ralph's" around here, (S.F. Bay Area), nor are there any Kroger's. Our local store of choice for lowest prices is WinCo Foods ... and they are open 24 hours. So I prefer to shop late at night, when the store is relatively quiet, and there are definitely no hassled moms with screaming youngsters.
Good tips--voted up & useful.
I need to pay more heed to these ideas as today, when buying some yoghurt, I ended up looking at jewellery and clothes! I'm easily distracted! Shopping lists are the way forward!
LOL @ Peanutritious--sounds like a friend of my mother's who went shopping one day for a dozen eggs, and came home with a new car! ;-)
Sunshine625,
Thanks for commenting. You're correct. Grocery shopping isn't fun. I recently discovered that Amazon.com's grocery section sells some of our household's standard items, so I've been doing some of my grocery shopping online.
Cagsil,
It sounds as though you're a smart shopper.
Tell me: what bugs you the most when you go grocery shopping?
itsmonkeyboy,
I'm glad you've found some useful information in my article. Please post another comment after you try some of my tips.
RealHousewife,
My neighborhood supermarket used to have double coupons all the time. They stopped doubling coupons with a face value greater than $.50, and I stopped using coupons.
Wednesday is the best day to shop for fruits and vegetables. It's the first day of the new supermarket flyers. and the produce selection is much better
Esmeowl12,
I would begin using coupons again if Ralphs went back to doubling the face value up to $1. What was nice when they had double coupons was that if you brought in, say, a $3 coupon you would receive $4 off. The first dollar would be doubled, and you receive face value for the other two dollars.
DzyMsLizzy,
I agree with you regarding shopping late at night. When Ralphs was open 24 hours, we would shop right after the 11:00 p.m. news on television. The chain switched to 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. hours a few years ago. If we shop after the late evening news now, there's usually only one checker and maybe one bagger, and they look as though they're ready to fall asleep.
Peanutritious,
Shopping lists are a big help. However...some of you might be familiar with Trader Joes, a speciality grocery chain...I brought a shopping list with me to Trader Joes today, and I bought everything on my list. I also bought quite a few items not on my list...I was already there, and the things looked so interesting...
DzyMsLizzy,
Your mother's friend bought a car when she went out for a dozen eggs?!? Has the woman gone on any other outrageous shopping excursions? That is so funny!!!
Hee hee... no, that particular shopping-trip-gone-wrong is the only one I am aware of my mom's friend making..and that was many, many years ago--I'm guessing at over 30 years back... both she and my mom are now passed on.
Trader Joes--uh-oh--Danger, Will Robinson, Danger!! I get into SO much trouble over there, because everything does look so.. "interesting." ;-) Specialty, yes, price-gouging, no. Many of their things are quite reasonable, and this past holiday season, they had the lowest price on Panettone, a delicious Italian holiday sweet bread treat that I just love...
This made me laugh. Even though I've been shopping for a family of 5 for years I still dont have it right. I always buy what we already have because I dont check the pantry when I make my list, I rarely stick to the list anyways - I always add extra, I buy in lots of 3 no matter WHAT Im buying which leads to waste...seriously. You just need to do my shopping for me, ok?!
Ardie, with you living in Ohio and me living in Southern California, your ice cream would melt before I delivered it.
Daisy - sadly you make a good point...I wonder how much it would cost to try those companies that do the shopping for you. All you have to do is pull your vehicle to a certain door, pay, they put it in the trunk, and you leave!!
Ardie,
The only shopping services I've seen advertised in California are online ordering run by a grocery chain. You order online, and the store delivers your groceries to you.
I'd be hesitant to use a company that did my shopping for me...How would I know if someone coughed and sneezed all over my food?!?
......sensational you are - you could become a professional shopper and then have your own reality tv show or one of those shows on the TLC (THE LEARNING CHANNEL) network where you help people cope and adapt in the day to day hassles of shopping and surviving.
Let's call it - DAISY SOLVES YOUR DILEMMAS - and as always I love your wit, your charm and your style as a writer!
lake erie time 6:52pm
Colin,
Thanks for your very kind words. Actually, I do my best shopping while using my computer at the Amazon site. I even buy grocery products from Amazon.
Daisy, Great tips. I hate grocery shopping with a passion. But when I do go I take a list with me and since I usually shop in the same store I have my list organized by isle. It's something I started doing years ago and find it so much faster this way.
Voted up and Useful!
Susan,
You've got the right idea about bringing a list to the supermarket with you. We've been shopping at the same supermarket chain for years. They renovated all their stores recently, and now I can't find anything. It takes us so much longer to shop.
Thanks for modeling the ideal shopping experience. All your points are very good. The one I'll take away this time is: "park my cart near the end of an aisle, and then just walk down it to get what I want." I'd also get in a few more steps for my exercise count.
MsDora,
I agree with you about the exercise. Plus, sometimes I've encountered a large family group gathered around one shopping cart, and the aisle is just too crowded with people.
Hi Daisy, some excellent tips thanks a mill! I'm just about to go supermarket shopping now :-( ( I had a very busy weekend and didn't get time). Like most of us I hate supermarket shopping, but I think if I follow your tips it might make the trip a little more enjoyable:-)
thanks again for sharing.
Bell
Bell,
Thanks for commenting. It's nice to see that this article is relevant in countries other than the United States.
This is a fantastic hub with great suggestions. I take a list with me, but I always end up getting more than what is on the list. It makes it difficult to budget. Well done!
Tammy,
I'm glad you enjoyed reading this Hub. I also buy more things than what's on my list, but it's usually items that are on sale that are always used by my household members.
Excellent Hub, I don't have a Kroggers or Ralphs near me but I have things of the nature and I seem to be in there for at least an hour just buying a few things. I'll be sure to use these tips to make my life much easier!
Very useful tips here, Daisy! Coupons have always been really rare here in South Africa. Wonder if they are on the way out anyway, if you say they are now not worth the trouble.
Thanks for commenting, Jon.
Are there Shop-Rite or Pathmark supermarkets in the part of New Jersey in which you live? Supermarket shopping isn't a fun experience. I'm glad my article has helped make it less time-consuming and stressful for you.
Rika Susan,
I'm glad you found my shopping tips useful. Some supermarket chains would double the face value of the coupons, and occasionally even triple the value. That's when it was really worth our time clipping the coupons from the newspaper inserts.
Great tips! I also take a list with me. It's must easier and you don't spend money on unnecessary stuff.
Great advice for all you supermarket treckers. I have been doing my shopping online for the last 3 years so I rarely set foot in a supermarket now. I once ate a whole bag of grapes in my basket when I was browsing down the aisles, forgetting that I had to have them weighed at the till, the look on the till operators face when she weighed a bag of stalks was awesome! If I had had a list, perhaps I would not have done that? They were delicious though.
I have been working at Wegmans Food markets on the east coast for twenty years. I wish my customers would follow your lead! Thank you for all of your advice! Voted up!
Julie,
Thanks for reading my article. You have a great knack for telling a story. I loved your anecdote about the bag of grapes!
Audra Leigh,
I'm glad you enjoyed reading my article. Perhaps you could write a Hub about the funny or odd or unusual customers you have observed.
I ususally do my grocery shopping during the dinner hour when most people are home. Most of the time it's smoothe sailing. I've also gone to the market later in the evening around 11:00 PM when most folks are ready for bed. I'm not thrilled about waiting in line. But, I always carry a small book when I shop, just in case.
I like all your tips...they are right on! Good hub that deserves my vote up!
Audrey,
Thanks for reading my article and commenting in it. Your idea of bringing a book to read while waiting in the checkout line is a great idea! I'd rather do that than read the newspapers on display near the registers.
Daisy, I try to follow most of these, too, although sometimes I skip the list because I honestly have it in my head. If my husband's coming along, though, I have to get that list down on paper!
I also look for really good bargains and try to buy 3 of them, at a time.
prairieprincess,
It's nice to meet you. Thanks for reading my article.
When my boyfriend isn't with me at the supermarket, what I like to do is walk up and down all the aisles and see if there are any *targets of opportunity*...items that are on sale that aren't on my list.This takes a bit more time, but the money I save is worth it.
sabrani44 4 months ago
Good hub, and tips! These are great tips to follow every time you shop, especially on those busy holidays like Black Friday or Boxing Day.