People who shop "blindly"

[Jay Hova]

So, since I've been living "on my own" (not at home) for the past few months, as a result I've had to engage in many domestic activities, namely grocery shopping.

I've shopped for groceries, at stores like Dominion (well Metro, what it is called in Toronto) and Longo's.

In the past, since I took an active role in doing grocery shopping - I would wait for the flyers to come and hunt down the deals.

However, with this situation, I find myself blindly picking up things off the shelf without looking at the price, nor have I gone to other stores to save money on specific items.

I was wondering, for the people who do that - what type of demographics do they fall in? Single, affluent members of society? Or, is everyone able to do this?

This doesn't hold to groceries specifically, consider clothing (e.g going straight to the store vs. clearance sales/outlets, online, warehouse, across the border).

Thanks.

[brunes]

Once you factor in the cost of gas and your time, driving all over town to save a few cents here and there is not usually worth it.

I find it is much better to pick a supermarket or two that have lots of regular deals, and frequent them. When a deal comes in something you use, stock up on it. Get a pantry shelf and deep freeze and keep them full this way.

This is how I go about grocery shopping. I only bother to check the flyers for the 1-2 stores I visit weekly. It's not worth my time to spend 1/2 hour dirving to / from a place to save a buck. Instead when an item I use alot is on sale, I buy a lot of it - that is how I save.

[NUTS]

So, since I've been living "on my own" (not at home) for the past few months, as a result I've had to engage in many domestic activities, namely grocery shopping.

I've shopped for groceries, at stores like Dominion (well Metro, what it is called in Toronto) and Longo's.

In the past, since I took an active role in doing grocery shopping - I would wait for the flyers to come and hunt down the deals.

However, with this situation, I find myself blindly picking up things off the shelf without looking at the price, nor have I gone to other stores to save money on specific items.

I was wondering, for the people who do that - what type of demographics do they fall in? Single, affluent members of society? Or, is everyone able to do this?

This doesn't hold to groceries specifically, consider clothing (e.g going straight to the store vs. clearance sales/outlets, online, warehouse, across the border).

Thanks.

not bad, considering that you have left home and that you now have to do everything for yourself - commendable

Weekly flyers for me - Saturday begins at 7:00am, I do the rounds of the stores all within 4km - done by 9:00-9:30.

No Frills, Food Basics, Price Chopper & one of the three majors depending on the specials. Rarely to Wal-Mart for fresh food or staples

2hrs tops - no stopping for a coffee or snacks (do that before I leave the house). In a normal week, the savings can be as much as 30% shopping in several stores versus one. My time is free when it comes to saving money grocery shopping

I do the shopping for the family of two - and my daughter who was raised the same way, who lives in TO - has her metro pass, she shops the same way.

On clothing - on 50% off days at Value village & Goodwill. Yearly clothing expenditure this way for two people is less than $100. Underware and socks at Walmart or Zellers

As for the demograhics - classed me as a poor landed immigrant - made my mark, consider ourselves middle class (whatever that is) - no dependancy on banks.

Love playing the financial game & using OPM's

[Jay Hova]

not bad, considering that you have left home and that you now have to do everything for yourself - commendable


Should've been a bit more elaborate in my post. I'm only 2nd year...I live in Downtown about 4-5 nights a year, don't pay my own rent...and use OSAP for groceries.

[DouglaBryan]

In the past, since I took an active role in doing grocery shopping - I would wait for the flyers to come and hunt down the deals.


Why not just grab the flyer at which ever grocery store you happen to be in at the time and spend a minute or two flipping through before you start shopping?

[alanbrenton]

Or get a SPC card and shop at Zellers sometimes. That's what I'm doing since I got my VIP SPC card. Zeller's pricematches (with physical flyer) and then gives you 10% off. :)

[catlover]

Why not just grab the flyer at which ever grocery store you happen to be in at the time and spend a minute or two flipping through before you start shopping?
But than you can't compare which store has the cheapest price. If you read all the flyer before than you know.

[mr_raider]

Weekly flyers for me - Saturday begins at 7:00am, I do the rounds of the stores all within 4km - done by 9:00-9:30.


I'm not getting up at a 7am too shop on Saturday!

[NUTS]

I'm not getting up at a 7am too shop on Saturday!

lol, early bird catches the worm and gets me in & out of the shops before the crowds of mom's & kids & busy parking lots

Its great to get up real early - read the on-line newspapers, catch-up with world news (CNN excluded) and markets - smell the coffee, before the rest of the majority of the locals wake up, wasting their time lounging around

5-hours sleep is me - none of that healthy 8-hrs that we're kept being told is good for us.

[B0000rt]

The other day I was in my local Shop Rite (here in Jersey on par with a Food Basics/Price Chopper kinda level) and there was a lady who had a binder, I repeat a binder full of coupons. Inside the binder was those little plastic pockets that you would have to hold your Hockey cards (or Baseball if you're American). It was crazy, the binder was atleast a 2" one, and it was stacked full!

Generally my wife and I stock up on things when they're on sale ie meat. You should see our freezer, it's stocked to the brim, yet the fridge part is abit bare heh

[DouglaBryan]

But than you can't compare which store has the cheapest price. If you read all the flyer before than you know.


Ya but the original poster said that he wasn't doing that anymore and just grabbing whatever. My suggestion was just the simplest alternative :)

[TheCheez]

I check the flyers but usually only deviate away from my favourite store for a good deal on meat or a really spectacular sale.

[engmsf]

Once you factor in the cost of gas and your time, driving all over town to save a few cents here and there is not usually worth it.


I totally agree on the cost of gas and time to save a few cents here and there for groceries. Stick to mostly No Frills, Walmart and sometimes Sobeys.

But for electronics and other big ticket items, I rely on RFDs :cheesygri

[Thalo]

I'm pretty blind, especially at Costco. It comes in packs of 20? Well, I'm sure I'm saving money on it and I'll probably eventually use them all or I can give some to friends or family.

[joe1487]

I admit that I'm one of those blind shoppers; I never really bother to value shop at grocery stores. Superstore is usually the cheapest of all the grocery stores anyway, so I just buy what I need irrespective of price. If I see something I use often on sale, I will often stock up on it, but that's the most I do in the way of sale-hunting.

[Viz79]

I check the flyers but usually only deviate away from my favourite store for a good deal on meat or a really spectacular sale.

I usually check out the online flyers (at work on Friday morning) of all major grocery stores in the Ottawa region (Food Basics, Price Chopper, Loeb, RCSS/Loblaws, and Super C). Compile a list of weekly deals from each store then consider whether the deal is worth the time and drive. I usually narrow it down to two grocery stores with the most noteworthy weekly deals, then hit them on the way home on Friday.

~V79~

[Wantoknow]

Are you serious?? You don't like Holt Renfrew, or at least Club Monaco or Banana Republic..etc?:(:(:(:(



On clothing - on 50% off days at Value village & Goodwill. Yearly clothing expenditure this way for two people is less than $100. Underware and socks at Walmart or Zellers

[NUTS]

Are you serious?? You don't like Holt Refrew, or at least Club Monaco or BR..etc?:(:(:(:(

I'm dead serious - until I read those two names then googled - I had never heard of them

I must find out the store locations and take a walk through before Xmas to see all of those folks spending hundreds possibly thousands on their credit cards - and I will surely gag

Then again, to each their own way of spending

Xmas gifts only to the four people in my life - spouse, two kids and a father-in-law, is gift coupons (cards) to a grocery store to spend on what keeps them going-not just usless junk.

Before you ask - no, I never mail Xmas cards - they are given with the gift card inside

[nalababe]

I couldn't be bothered to shop at different stores. I just tailor my meal selection based what is on sale that week at my regular store. As long as you can cook a wide range of foods, there is no problem.

[zero_]

The other day I was in my local Shop Rite (here in Jersey on par with a Food Basics/Price Chopper kinda level) and there was a lady who had a binder, I repeat a binder full of coupons. Inside the binder was those little plastic pockets that you would have to hold your Hockey cards (or Baseball if you're American). It was crazy, the binder was atleast a 2" one, and it was stacked full!

I have seen a US news report about a lady with binder full of coupons. She demonstrated buying $41 of grocery for just $5 after utilizing the coupons. I was impressed.

[Merlocke]

I have seen a US news report about a lady with binder full of coupons. She demonstrated buying $41 of grocery for just $5 after utilizing the coupons. I was impressed.

If you could PM me with a link to that, I'd be very grateful. That IS Impressive, AND more importantly contrarian to what I was going to point out :).

However what I wanted to point out was to make sure that you're not spending dollars to save pennies. Your time is worth something, so if instead you were to spend excess time developing and creating a business that produced revenue and profits rather than clipping coupons, you might soon never need to think about this problem ever again.

Hope that helps

[ullyeus]

I have seen a US news report about a lady with binder full of coupons. She demonstrated buying $41 of grocery for just $5 after utilizing the coupons. I was impressed.

no she didn't.

[brunes]

no she didn't.

Er... care to qualify that?

I have so many coupons for free cereal and granola bars that if I wanted to on one trip I could walk out with about $80-$90 of groceries for free.

[pipolchap]

I try clipping coupons, but by the time i remember I have them, they expire.

The most useful coupons are the ones you find on shelves. I guess having a binder is a necessity to keep organized, but I'm not willing to go that far.

What's the point of coupons if such a small amount of people use them? Marketing people are useless.

BTW, I can't be bothered to go to 4-5 grocery stores to save so little. I stick to 2 grocery stores (Metro and Loblaws) within walking distance. To each their own...

[setell]

What I do is stick to 1/2 grocery stores and stock up on what is on sale with them when I go. My favourite right now is No Frills. They consistantly have cheaper stuff etc. I'm not one to drive all over the city to save a few dollars so I stick to one grocery store that has the cheapest "regular" price instead. I do stock up a lot of stuff when it's on sale though or if I go anywhere that's close to a grocery store I usually drop in to see what's on sale and buy it (takes 5-10mins max). I want chicken breasts to go on sale my stock is getting really low>:(

Oh I don't go grocery shopping every few days too. I buy enough to last 1-1.5 weeks sometimes two weeks (veggies are hard to keep longer). My time is worth more like brunes said, not going to save much by driving around to different grocery stores.

[MTL Guy199]

I'm dead serious - until I read those two names then googled - I had never heard of them

I must find out the store locations and take a walk through before Xmas to see all of those folks spending hundreds possibly thousands on their credit cards - and I will surely gag

Then again, to each their own way of spending

Xmas gifts only to the four people in my life - spouse, two kids and a father-in-law, is gift coupons (cards) to a grocery store to spend on what keeps them going-not just usless junk.

Before you ask - no, I never mail Xmas cards - they are given with the gift card inside

You give your spouse a grocery store coupon for xmas!?!?

[NUTS]

You give your spouse a grocery store coupon for xmas!?!?

do you see that funny or strange?

when you're as old as me and living life as carefree as a frugal Hermit - you would understand better - but you're not, right?

Approximately 20% of the total net income from all sources (spouse does not work) is spent on the total household expenditures and running costs which is less than $1500/mth - includes everything & we are debt free.

It took a very long time to get here, where we're at right now

[pipolchap]

do you see that funny or strange?

Since you asked...

Given you're the only source of income and you're giving grocery gift cards to your spouse, aren't you the one benefiting from this "gift"? :confused:

Def'n: A gift is something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation.

[NUTS]

Since you asked...

Given you're the only source of income and you're giving grocery gift cards to your spouse, aren't you the one benefiting from this "gift"? :confused:

Def'n: A gift is something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation.


not quite - but close

I am the only one actually going out to work at a job and paying EI & income tax at source.

50% of total household income comes from my spouse.

That income is derived from passive and investment income - rolling, rolling, rolling income

Everything to do with money-income, investments & expenditures is shared equally 50/50 between us, as a whole and total as mentioned earlier, all done for financial and tax planning puposes

On gifting - it does not matter since its all from the same pot

I am wondering what those four whom I give gifts to will get for me this year

I would like them to

a) Pay for the car stickers for both vehicles
b) Grocery store gift card of equal value to what I give
c) Gift card to a thrift shop
d) Pay one utility bill

BTW, I never ever give to charity

[ullyeus]

not quite - but close

I am the only one actually going out to work at a job and paying EI & income tax at source.

50% of total household income comes from my spouse.

That income is derived from passive and investment income - rolling, rolling, rolling income

Everything to do with money-income, investments & expenditures is shared equally 50/50 between us, as a whole and total as mentioned earlier, all done for financial and tax planning puposes

On gifting - it does not matter since its all from the same pot

I am wondering what those four whom I give gifts to will get for me this year

I would like them to

a) Pay for the car stickers for both vehicles
b) Grocery store gift card of equal value to what I give
c) Gift card to a thrift shop
d) Pay one utility bill

BTW, I never ever give to charity

You're kinda crossing that line from frugal to downright cheap.

[MTL Guy199]

not quite - but close

I am the only one actually going out to work at a job and paying EI & income tax at source.

50% of total household income comes from my spouse.

That income is derived from passive and investment income - rolling, rolling, rolling income

Everything to do with money-income, investments & expenditures is shared equally 50/50 between us, as a whole and total as mentioned earlier, all done for financial and tax planning puposes

On gifting - it does not matter since its all from the same pot

I am wondering what those four whom I give gifts to will get for me this year

I would like them to

a) Pay for the car stickers for both vehicles
b) Grocery store gift card of equal value to what I give
c) Gift card to a thrift shop
d) Pay one utility bill

BTW, I never ever give to charity

Ok. Now you're just getting weird. Not to hi-jack the thread there, but seriously, come on!

And that last line is priceless. Are you proud that you never give to charity?

[NUTS]

Ok. Now you're just getting weird. Not to hi-jack the thread there, but seriously, come on!

And that last line is priceless. Are you proud that you never give to charity?

charity begins at home - from day one

Do you give to charity MTL Guy - if so, how much?

I'll bet there are zillions of people who do not give to charity - "priceless"

And what about gifting to family members - do you or dont you - if so whats the year-on-year expenditure that you give, or does it vary

[MTL Guy199]

charity begins at home - from day one

Do you give to charity MTL Guy - if so, how much?

I'll bet there are zillions of people who do not give to charity - "priceless"

And what about gifting to family members - do you or dont you - if so whats the year-on-year expenditure that you give, or does it vary

Well, I do give to charity, but that's not the point, and I wasn't criticizing you for not giving to charity (I know that many people do not, and that is 100% fine). I was just noting that I found it odd that you seemed to be proud of the fact.

Do I gift to family members? Yes.

But really, no need to hi-jack the thread and make it personal.

[NUTS]

Well, I do give to charity, but that's not the point, and I wasn't criticizing you for not giving to charity (I know that many people do not, and that is 100% fine). I was just noting that I found it odd that you seemed to be proud of the fact.

Do I gift to family members? Yes.

But really, no need to hi-jack the thread and make it personal.

did I say I was proud - did you read that in my post - not odd as you said & its never personal - just information, nothing more nothing less!

I am frugal by nature - trying to watch every single penny, I do not give away my money foolishly.

The point of mentioning "not giving to charity" was a side line to the savings and living expenditures in our lives and the poking about giving family members gift cards to grocery stores.

But you're probably right - too much personal shared info

I shall refrain

BTW ... MTLGuy, do you still believe this as personal?


Not sure if anyone has mentioned this point. But some people (perhaps myself) see excessive frugality as just a sub genre of materialism. Sitting on money and getting a high off of seeing your huge balance is just as materialistic as buying nice cars and clothes.

[MTL Guy199]

did I say I was proud - did you read that in my post - not odd as you said & its never personal - just information, nothing more nothing less!

I am frugal by nature - trying to watch every single penny, I do not give away my money foolishly.

The point of mentioning "not giving to charity" was a side line to the savings and living expenditures in our lives and the poking about giving family members gift cards to grocery stores.

But you're probably right - too much personal shared info

I shall refrain

BTW ... MTLGuy, do you still believe this as personal?


Yes. I do.

[NUTS]

Yes. I do.

then can you please expand your personal ideas why you think "excessive frugality as just a sub genre of materialism"

You cant honestly believe that

Are you materialistic in any way shape or form Mtl Guy?


Originally Posted by MTL Guy199
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this point. But some people (perhaps myself) "excessive frugality as just a sub genre of materialism". Sitting on money and getting a high off of seeing your huge balance is just as materialistic as buying nice cars and clothes.