Why I Shop at Multiple Stores

Some of you have asked why I bother to shop at several different stores in a week.  It’s very simple:  I have found that buying groceries at the rock bottom lowest price enables me to feed my family of 6 (including a teenage boy and two preteen girls!) for around $100/week. This includes expensive gluten-free items for one of my children who has a wheat allergy.

I will admit that it takes some organization.  I search websites and newspaper inserts for the sale prices each week and I make a menu from the sale items.  We don’t cook something for dinner just because we feel like it.  We plan our meals.  I do, however, have flexibility in which meal I will cook on which day.

I also have to plan because we are a one car family and I can’t make a quick trip to the store when I run out of something.  I usually take my husband to work one day a week so I can run errands.  The Kroger and Publix are within a mile of his work place.  The Walmart, Ingles and Piggly Wiggly are all within a mile of home.

I spend about 2 hours stopping at the stores for that week, but I use no more gas than I would normally use because I am driving right by the stores on my way home.

Most people I know (with even smaller families) spend a minimum of $150/week on groceries and nonfood items, and for most it is closer to $200/week.  I am essentially getting paid $25/hour for my 2 hours of shopping time.  I’ll take that pay rate!