Grocery Game: Conclusions

The Grand Total:

In my four week trial, the Grocery Game saved us 64.65. My week 4 results and conclusions are below.

Of course, that is only taking into consideration what I would have actually paid and does not count the costs associated with being a member of the game.

If I took of a month's fees, (5 dollars) it would have saved me 59.65. If I took into consideration a newspaper subscription (Sunday only-1.25 each in my area) it would have saved me 54.65. I I bought only Sunday newspapers each week (1.51 including tax) it would have saved 53.61. While I did do very well, I would absolutely have to save at least ten dollars to break even, and more to come out ahead. If you do the game, be sure to count the costs of buying extra newspapers. Many of the people on the message board buy tons of papers, or buy coupons off E-bay or from clipping services. These things can work out if the savings are significant enough, but be sure to actually calculate the costs.

Having a price book made this a lot easier to see how much I was really saving. I already had a list of the lowest prices I had found, so I could recalculate my real savings. Many people on the board post their savings and percentages that were listed on their receipt. Maybe at Store 1 you saved 62 percent, but at Store 2 you could get that item cheaper, so you really only saved 28 percent. I saved money, but it would have seemed like I was saving more if I had just posted the "You Saved!" total on my receipt at one store. On the other hand, I know now that I can get toothpaste, toilet paper, and toothbrushes far cheaper than I had previously thought. Be sure to know your prices. It did occur to me that this could be an excellent way to start a price book. I have a page of price goals, where I write the lowest price I have ever paid for an item, and I try to stay in that range. This would be a good way to start a price goal list, if you're at a loss where to start.

One of the big draws for many people is that just about everything that appears on the List is a name brand. I don't think the listmakers pay much attention to generics, because there are not coupons for them. I only saw a few on the lists I got. This is fine, but be sure not to discount generics. Many generic items are literally the same thing in different packaging. I used to work at a label company, and know this for a fact. We'd make labels for one national product, then three or four off brands to go to the same factory, because they would keep canning and just slap different labels on the cans. Do not let people tell you that all generics are inferior, or that name brands are always better. If it is cheaper to do generics than name brands with the coupon, then by all means buy the generic.

I think that the grocery game can lend itself into buying more than you need. Do you really need an entire drawer of toothbrushes and 80 boxes of Hamburger Helper for your family of two? I'm not talking about stocking up on something you will eat anyway and will not go bad before you can use it and you have the space to store it. I just noticed on the message boards that people would talk about buying tons of stuff because it is soooo cheap! They would then donate it to the shelter, or pile it in the basement, or whatnot. If you primary goal is to save money or you are in dire straits, you must resist the urge to buy things just because they are cheap. You can go broke on bargins, so carefully monitor what you are buying and furthermore, why you are buying it.

But what if I donate it to the shelter? Are you saying you have to be cheap to be frugal?

No, I am not. One of the best things about being frugal is having the time and resources to be more generous. Donating is a noble thing to do! Buying something because "maybe somebody can use it" is nice of you, but not a good money saving strategy. A good method is to decide how much money you wish to donate this year, and either give the money (which many places actually prefer) or buy until that amount is gone. It could be fun to see how many bottles of detergent and toothbrushes you can give to the women's shelter for 20 dollars! It is also important to call the shelter (or whatever) before and find out what they need. Maybe they don't need a flat of toilet paper, but do need dishsoap. How much can you get for *insert your decided upon amount here*?

Whatever. Will the Grocery Game benefit me?

I can only give one cut and dried answer. If you already have a newspaper subscription and shop every week for only the food you will eat that week, never bulk buy, frequently run out of toilet paper and other such things, only buy name brands, usually pay full price for most things, and rarely or never use coupons, then go sign up right away. You will be amazed at your savings.

The rest are not so easy. A lot depends on your own personal unique situation.

If you shop sales and use coupons but have little time, it may be worth it. I would have saved a lot more money than I did in grad school if I had the game then.

If you think Wal-Mart is always cheapest but hate shopping there, you may give it a go. I have been able to completely phase out Wal-Mart, which makes me very happy. I look forward to never setting foot in a Wal-Mart again!

If you already sale shop, bulk buy, use coupons or buy generics, have little storage space, etc, it really depends on what you and your buying habits. I would say that it is worth the dollar to find out. It is kind of fun. Just be sure to carefully monitor what you are buying and if you are really saving. Never assume that you are- be critical! If you save money and are buying according to your needs and values, continue. If not, cancellation is just a click away.

You said that you don't get a paper anymore. How do you get your coupons?

I dumpster dive and check the recycle bins near the grocery store when I'm out. Usually the coupons in the list are for previous week's inserts, so having the most recent paper is not essential. I decided that I would dive for coupon inserts, and if I did not find any recent ones and there was something on the list I needed that was only in that week's paper, I would buy a Sunday paper on the last day of the sale. (They sell Sunday papers all week in most stores. You may have to ask.) So far, it has not been an issue.

So are you going to keep doing it?

I don't know yet. I did save money, but I still think that I may be able to do it on my own, especially since I am home full time right now. I am thinking of going a full 12 weeks, since that is the grocery sale cycle, just to see if I keep doing so well. I'll let you know when I decide.