How to Win the Competition for Grocery Bargains

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

18 Jan 2009 06:40 PM

These days, it seems as though everyone has their eyes on getting the best grocery bargains out there. Couple that with reduced inventory for many stores due to the recession. Sometime that means that there is a little healthy competition for some of the best deals. Here is how to stay ahead of the race and win the competition for your grocery bargains.

Back when I first started practicing coupon and sales strategies to get a handle on our grocery bill, I really cleaned up. There was never a time that I can remember where I couldn't stock up for whatever I needed and get a great deal. It took a lot more work then to get the deals figured out, because not many people knew about coupons and coupons strategies. Today it is all a little bit different. I know that many times I will find empty shelves where the best deals should be.

That is always disappointing. I've been coping well with this and now I hardly ever find empty shelves on great deals. Here are my tips.

Be the early bird

It is true that the early bird does catch the bargains. If you wait until the afternoon on a Sunday (assuming your sales start on that day) then chances are pretty good that you will be out of luck. Most people shop late morning to early afternoon on Saturdays and Sundays. Being early also means that the store will be less crowded, and you'll have more peace to calculate any unexpected bargains. The best (least crowded) times to shop in my area are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and Sundays before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m.

Please check back again tomorrow. I'll have two posts up with all of the rest of the tips, such as how to choose the right store and requesting comparable products for the same discount.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right.

Favorite Deal Websites:

FreeCoupons

Related Articles:

Five Little Grocery Shopping Tricks: Shelf Placement

Coping with the Grocery Shrink Ray

Adjusting Your Price Book with Escalating Grocery Costs

Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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