Food-Shopping Tips - Ask the Cashier
If there’s anyone who knows the food business and how to save, it’s the people working in the store. The New York Times ran an article today, Food-Shopping Tips Direct from the Store Manager with some interesting insights.
Specifically -
WHAT KIND OF GROCER DO YOU PATRONIZE? So this is what you have to ask yourself: If you are patronizing a grocer that doubles your coupons, discounts your gasoline or runs other expensive promotions, how exactly are they staying in business? Are they gouging you on the second most popular brand when the most popular one goes on sale? Do prices bounce around so frequently that it’s impossible to keep the baseline in your head?
Shoppers can play the discount game and win by shopping six different stores, buying only the sale items and products they have coupons for, buying in bulk and then cooking from the pantry and freezer.
As much as I love the thrill of the hunt, with gas prices above $4.40 in my area, stores out of my usual route, three kids, two dogs and a full-time job, it’s a trade-off between my time budget and my money budget.
So what are you to do? Ask the cashier.
Unlike the store manager, the cashiers and people at the customer service desk are probably a bit closer to feeling the same pinch you and I are in. Rising food and gas prices and the need to make paychecks go furhter.
The next time you are in the store, take a few extra minutes to visit the Customer Service Desk and talk with the cashier during checkout. Explain that your personal budget is tightening and your looking for some advice on how to shop smarter. My bet is that each person will shower you with empathy and advice that will save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars each year.
On a recent trip to my local Safeway, I stopped off at the Customer Service Desk for a quick chat. Janice, an employee for 12 years gave me a two tips on shopping smarter that have already paid off.
Grab the print circular at the entrance of the store. I always thought these were junk touting what my card was already saving. Not true! The circular has additional specials and coupons. I saved an additional $3.00 on a block of cheese that was on my list that day.
Raincheck! Keep a pen and notepad handy. When you see that an item you normally buy is on special and out of stock, write down the item, size and sale price. While at the checkout, ask for a raincheck. It’s a hand-written coupon for the item good for 90 days depending on the store.
Even if it wasn’t on your list for today, it’s guaranteed savings for the next time you shop. My husband used a raincheck this morning that I requested over the Memorial Day weekend. At the time I had the raincheck written up for 4 packs of Hebrew National Hot Dogs, normally $4.99 each, on sale 2 for $5.00. We didn’t need hot dogs, but the special had left the shelves empty. We needed them this weekend and used our 2 for $5.00 to save $10.00 on the 4 packs.
Ask the cashier while at the checkout where they are finding the best deals both in and out of the store. I’ve found better quality and less expensive places to buy meat and produce. I’ve learned what to avoid in the store - “it’s always priced too high, even with the specials” and what’s always a bargain.
Comment by canoer on 29 June 2008:
The comment about people wasting groceries in the NY Times story was interesting. I have a neighbor who works at the local big-box grocery. He sees a lot of wasted items in the store, but they have to cull a lot of it (mostly produce) because most customers won’t buy anything that doesn’t look pristine, even though it may just be a cosmetic flaw (think spots on apples).
Unfortunately his store won’t let the waste get donated to the food bank nor do the poorly paid employees get dibs on it. It goes to the dumpster. I’m not sure how anyone could convince corporate to change that position.
Since the big-box grocery opened about 2 miles from my house, I find myself shopping more frequently, and probably using as more gas as when I’d drive 4 or 8 miles to the competition. But now I’m less likely to use my cabinets as a warehouse for bulk foods and most of what I’m buying is fresher.
And speaking of bulk, the same store offers a lot of items in bulk, from raw nuts, spices and candies to dog treats, sugar and granola. It’s cheaper than the branded items and there’s a lot less packaging to worry about disposing of too.