The Grocery Game Guide, part 1: getting started.

Ready to get into my favorite obsession? I heard about the Grocery Game from another scrapper/blogger friend of mine. I checked into it, but at the time they didn’t have a list for Kroger, which is where I prefer to shop. A few months ago, I checked back and was thrilled to see they had added Kroger and Walgreen’s. I signed up for my $1 four-week trial. After about six weeks, I’m completely hooked. And very well stocked. And saving a lot of money. I thought I’d write about the way I use the Grocery Game, in case you are interested in getting started.

The first thing you need to do is sign up. And I’d love it if you would use me as your referral (marci@makearteveryday.com). Sign up for all the lists in your area. Before your trial period ends, you’ll be able to narrow it down to the stores you use most. I only have two lists. That’s just as much running around as I want to do. If you have more time and want to be more aggressive about savings, you may choose more lists. After your trial ends, you’ll pay $10 for one list for 8 weeks. It’s another $5 for each additional list.

Lists are published at different times. Kroger’s sales run Wednesday to Tuesday, but I don’t get that week’s list until Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning. So I do my shopping on Sundays. The list comes out then so that you can take advantage of the coupons in the Sunday paper. Walgreen’s sales start on Sunday and the list is available that day. I shop there on Sunday or Monday. I’ll do a separate post about Walgreen’s shopping.

The Grocery Game lists are very comprehensive (you can see a sample here). The list will show you items that are free (with coupons) and at a rock-bottom price (with coupons). For instance, there is a name brand mustard that goes on sale at Kroger for $1 that also frequently has a $.50 coupon circulating. My Kroger doubles coupons, so mustard becomes a free item. My favorite whole wheat bread went on sale recently and combined with a doubled coupon it was about $.25. So the list will tell you an exact brand/size item and it will tell you where to find the coupon (i.e.: “Red Plum insert from 5/4”). The list includes all items in the sales flyer, plus some unadvertised specials, and shows you percentages of savings so you know if something is truly at a good price. Just because an item is in a sales flyer doesn’t make it a great price.

Anyone can clip coupons and get some savings, but the key to the Grocery Game is to use coupons when a product is at its lowest price. Grocery stores and drug stores tend to have 12-week sales cycles, so while products may go on sale a few times, there’s probably only one time that the product is at its truest low price. That’s what the Grocery Game finds with its proprietary tracking database.

Once you’ve signed up for your lists, you need to make sure you are getting the largest circulation Sunday newspaper in your area. Coupons vary from region to region, and generally the biggest paper gets the best coupons. I get home delivery of the Sunday paper, and I usually buy a second (or sometimes third) paper. When you buy a paper, check first to make sure the coupons are in it. The Grocery Game lists will let you know how many coupon inserts should be available each week. Most weeks have two or three. Holiday weekends, like Memorial Day, may have no coupons at all.

You can always ask friends, family and neighbors for their coupons if you know they don’t use them. I’ve even heard that some people dumpster dive in recycling centers just to get coupons. I’ve thought about tossing Audrey over the side of one, but I don’t think she would cooperate. So I go ahead and pay for an extra paper or two.

Coming up next: managing coupons.