Know Your Prices - Frugal Tip

I’ve been thinking about posting about keeping track of what the cheapest price is for an item. It’s been quite a dilemma for me, mostly, because this is kind of a pain in the butt but really worth the effort.

Back years and years ago I made a price book per the Tightwad Gazette instructions. I used this book for like forever. Now, that I’ve been doing this for so many years I sort of have an idea of what things should cost and what is the best price for them. If you are interested in trying this out I would highly encourage it. If you can figure out an easier way to do this I’d love to pass it on.

My price book was a small 3 ring binder with dividers for each letter of the alphabet. As I went through the grocery ads I would update my book if needed. This was a great way to anticipate sales and determine the best price for those items you use everyday.

Each page looked something like this: (though hand written not typed)
I hate Blogger right now. It won't let my do tables.

Item - Safeway - Kroger - Albertsons - Costco - Date

Apples - .39/# - .44/# - .54/# - .35/# - This is the last date of the best price
Apple Sauce
Asparagus

You get the idea. This worked so well that I dropped my food bill by half. Because I never bought anything that I had gotten cheaper at another time. The reason why I waited is because prices fluctuate in a 4 month cycle or there about. If something went on sale I would buy about 6 months worth. Then when it went on sale again I still had a little left from before.

Now that I’ve been doing this so long I really know when something is at its lowest price or the price I’m willing to pay for it.

This weekend’s shopping trip reaffirmed my belief that Costco is not always the cheapest. A sale item can beat the Costco price. On non-sale items you sometimes can do better at Costco. This is why you need to know your prices. Here is an example:

In honor of St. Patty’s day (of which I’ll be posting some great St. Patty’s day historical postcards) things like red potatoes, cabbage, corned beef, and Guinness were on sale. (these are all things I keep on hand. You can’t be the wife of an Irish man and not serve corned beef and cabbage at least once every other month if not more. And we all know that Guinness is a food group all by itself.)

Check out the difference in prices:
---------------------Local Grocery Store-------Costco
Corned Beef ---------1.27 per lb.-------------3.39 per lb
Red potatoes---------.50 per lb--------------.60 per lb
Cabbage--------------.33 per lb------------------N/A
Guinness------------8.99 per 12 pk----------20.99 per 18pk
Pasta ----------------.75 per lb---------------1.17 per lb
Tomatoes-------------.88 per lb--------------2.39 per lb
Butter---------------2.99 per lb-------------1.39 per lb
Olives---------------1.39 per can-------------.99 per can

I hope this encourages you to watch your prices carefully because you can save a bundle.

Love,
M

PS: I probably will be cutting back on blogging or at least not long-winded blog posts (you can thank me later) for a little while. I accepted a job offer from the University of Houston that I couldn’t pass up. I’ll be busy packing, moving and starting a new job.