Coupons and Big Box Stores: to use or not to use

Clipping coupons takes time, but it is worth it most of the time. Resign yourself to the fact that you will not use all of the coupons you clip. Coupons work best when combined with store sales, obviously. Otherwise you are better off just buying the cheaper store brand. But when my Publix or Winn-Dixie places items on sale at buy one get one free, you can really rack up the savings by combining a coupon with that offer. For example, recently Publix had Progresso soup (a brand I don't normally buy because it is expensive) on sale bo/go and I had a coupon for 40 cents off, I got two cans for just a little over two dollars, instead of the $4.80 it would have been prior to the sale/coupon combo.

Once caveat, coupons for medicines are never worth it. You will never get the same price as the store brand even when you use the coupon. Don't bother. Or toothpaste, if you have a Big Lots nearby. You can always find toothpaste at Big Lots for a dollar or less per tube. The same stuff you buy at the grocery store for $2 or more. Big Lots does not take coupons but it doesn't matter. For things like toothpaste and mouthwash, Big Lots cannot be beaten. And they have medicines, too. Which brings me to:

BIG BOX STORES: I use BJ's, but you might have a Costco or Sam's Club near you. It appears to be all the same, really. At BJ's I pay $45 a year for membership. I have two toddlers who go through diapers and milk like crazy. They will easily drink up 4 gallons of milk per week. At BJ's the milk is a full $1 less than at any grocery store, even when they run a sale. So if you just consider milk alone, I save $4 a week. $208 savings a year on milk alone, less my $45 membership is $163 dollars. Divide that by my $20 co-pay for doctor visits that is 8 doctor visits for free. Every dollar counts. Plus big box stores take coupons.... and issue their own coupons. Totally worth the membership fee.

Cold medicine, aspirin, allergy medicine, vitamins? Big box stores usually have their own brand which is up to 80% less than you can find anywhere else. Hands down. Even if you buy the grocery store brand you are saving 30% if you buy at the big box store. You buy more, so your initial investment is greater but the price per pill or teaspoon is much less. Again, the membership fee pays for itself.

I bake my own bread. You should, too. Bread is up to $4 a loaf at regular supermarkets. I admit, I sometimes cave when a store has bo/go specials (as long as the bread does not include high fructose corn syrup) or when I am at Big Lots and they have bread for $1.70 a loaf (also with no hfcs). But normally, it is home baked bread for us. A jar of yeast at a regular grocery store is close to $3 for about 8 oz. Two 16 oz blocks of yeast at BJ's is less than $4. Four times as much for a couple of dimes more. Yes indeedy, that is a bargain for me.

Fresh meats at big box stores usually run about 50 cents less per pound. Eggs are about 30% less than at the supermarket.

So when it comes to big box membership stores, count me as a sold-American...with the following exceptions:

Things NOT worth buying at big box stores:

• Fresh vegetables and fruits: these can usually be bought on sale for less at grocery stores and since you have to buy in bulk the chances of those fresh fruits or veggies going bad before you can use them is a lot greater. 

• Cereal (but only if you have a Big Lots near you). Big Lots has their cereal for about 50% less than at supermarkets and about 20% less than at big box stores

• Bread: I have found it very difficult to find bread that doesn't have high fructose corn syrup. I don't  buy ANYTHING that has high fructose corn syrup. So I either make my own or buy at Big Lots. For some reason the breads they carry don't have high fructose corn syrup. 

• Frozen veggies: unless you have a separate freezer, the bulk sizes just take up too much room in my fridge's freezer space. If you have a separate chest or standing freezer, then it might work for you to buy veggies at the big box stores. Otherwise, you come out better buying smaller amounts of store brand frozen veggies at your supermarket. 

• Spices: unless you use them a LOT they will lose their flavor long before you have a chance to use them up

That's my take on coupons and membership bulk buying stores. I would love to hear what you think.

Cheers - P