How to Save on Your Grocery Bill Without Coupons: the Latest Trend
Coupons Are Too Much Work
You hear the stories, how people are able to save hundreds of dollars by using coupons. When I watch the shows about the extreme couponers, I notice these people spend 10-20 hours a week! For many of us, we don't have that much time to spare. Plus, we can't be bothered with clipping and organizing all of those pieces of paper. Retailers are listening.
Rise of the Discount Store
If you haven't heard of them by now, I have to say, "Where have you been?" The name of the store is Aldi and it's a company that is digging into the profits of grocery stores everywhere, including Walmart. In fact, the profits are up for this German-based company. It offers a no frills, no name-brand experience of ultra low prices that consumers are flocking to. Customers can find off-brand products at super-low prices. The selection of items is low and there are no baggers here--even the carts cost! To get these savings you don't need a coupon or even a discount card!
A Discount Grocery Store With a Twist
What if there was a store where everything was HALF the price of a regular store? Would you shop there? These items for sale are all new and in their original boxes. The only catch is that everything is past its "best by" date. In other words, everything is expired. It a new trend in bargain hunting. On a website called Extreme Bargains I found a website that has a small selection of expired items for sale, all at low, low prices. They have everything from batteries, medicine, hygene products, and even shoes (no expiration date there)!
On another page, Extreme Bargains has a nationwide list of local discount grocery stores that sell expired items. Again, expect a savings of at least 50% at these stores. When you go to this website, it might not load properly due to the amount of traffic. Keep trying. This is a very popular webpage. Everyone's favorite saver, talk show host Clark Howard has a blog about this very topic.
Happy shopping!
Comments
I shop at Aldi for most of my groceries. The items that I'm looking for that they don't carry I'll go to Wal-Mart (where I get an employee discount), or to Pick-N-Save or Piggly Wiggly. It doesn't bother me that the store is 'no frills.' In fact, I kind of like that. Having all of the extra 'frills' in a store will jack up the price of what they are selling. Stockers, baggers, people retrieving shopping carts from the parking lot, etc., that all costs money so they have to pay these people somehow. I'm a bargain hunter and I like to stretch my dollar as far as I can. Wherever I can get a good deal, it's all good to me! Thanks for the article. Have a great day! :-)
- AUTHOR
Thanks for the great comments. Bare bones discount stores are not for everyone. I, myself prefer a store like Publix that is clean and friendly and has good sales and a decent coupon policy. Others like my sister-in-law prefer Aldi since she is clueless when it comes to coupons. There's something out there for everyone!
I've seen Aldi's described as having a Soviet ambiance. The prices may be good, but you need to be able to overlook the atmosphere.
We have a store by us called "Save Alot". They are such a bare bones outfit that you have to bring your own bags or boxes to take your groceries home in. It's scary how bad they beat Walmart or Meijers for pricing.
Thanks for sharing. I will definitely try out these ideas to save some grocery bill money.
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