This is part two of a series. If you missed part one, you can read it here.
Despite giving up coupons, I still enjoy going through the junk mail each week and browsing the store circulars. It’s fun to observe the prices of produce and begin to think of recipes that will taste great with the new season crops. With a family who eats pepperoni regularly and faithfully, it’s also important to not miss a good sale on Hormel. 
Over five months have passed since I quit using coupons. Over this time I’ve learned to be creative with our budget by doing my own butchering, bake my own bread and even eating meatless meals at least once a week.
Much of our stockpile is still sufficient for our needs; however, certain things are starting to dwindle. There’s plenty of toothpaste and shampoo to last us a few years (scary?), but feminine hygiene and contact solution are running low (and even empty). The girly stuff isn’t cheap and contact solution is downright expensive. I can get a good deal on both at Costco, but spending $20 out of my lean budget on contact solution is a tough pill to swallow.
Last week I found myself sitting on a chair outside, soaking up the few precious minutes of sunshine the day had, enjoying the ads while my kids were riding bikes. The incredibly low price of pasta found at the Mexican store the next town over jumped out at me. I got that same deal when Dollar Tree had a 4-pack for $1. Why should I have to drive 30 miles to save a few bucks?
The price of brown sugar was really low to and ordinarily I wouldn’t care except that I had ran out the night before. The batch of brown sugarless chocolate chip cookies came out just as good, but it was still on the grocery list for other recipes. Recalling reading Crystal’s most recent series, didn’t she post a coupon for brown sugar? And while checking to see if Target’s Daily Deal was something on our Christmas lists, I thought I saw that Target had a coupon for the same brown sugar too?!
My wheels started to turn and the concept finally hit me. I didn’t have to think about deals and coupons 24/7 in order to save a few pennies. There is a way to find balance between life and a budget!
Price matching!
For those who aren’t familiar with the term, price matching is when one store honors the advertised price of the same item from another store.
There are rules and stipulations with price matching, just like couponing, but for the most part it’s much easier and straightforward.
- You must have the price to be matched in writing.
- “BOGO” and percents off don’t count.
- The items must be exactly the same.
- The two mainstream stores that price match are Target and Wal-Mart.
How exactly do we go about price matching? What do we look for? Is it really as easy as it sounds?
Yes, it really is as easy as it sounds. Like the homemade yogurt, here is a for-dummies version on price-matching (for-dummies because I’m using simple terms and basic steps, not because you guys are dummies… just in case you were wondering. I promise not insulting you! 
)
1. Arm yourself with the competitor ads, via junk mail or computer.
2. Carefully go through each ad and look at each item, asking yourself honestly if you use it. If you don’t, then move on to the next item. If you do, compare the price to what you normally pay. Buying something simply because it’s a good deal is not allowed.
For example: Looking at the Food4Less ad that ends today, Pepsi 2 liters are on sale for 88¢ each. We don’t drink soda so I move on to the next item, 4lb C&H granulated sugar for $1.78. We do use sugar, so I make a note (physical, not mental) and keep looking.
3. When you have a list of items you use, compare it to your on-going list of things you need. Check your pantries to see if you’re running low on anything. Double check your meals for the month and verify whether you do or don’t need something.
4. Make a list of what you want to buy, the price and the store advertising that price. Then take your ad to Wal-Mart or Target and shop. When you’re checking out, tell the cashier you’d like to price match – name the item, the store and the price. Be prepared to show the ad (some stores require it, some don’t, and some cashiers don’t know their own policies).
That’s it! Enjoy the savings from there. Price matching alone can easily save you up to 25% on your grocery bill. I’ll continue with the example above, as well as the rest of the ads I have and walk you through so you can see easy it really is.
Granulated Sugar. 10lbs of sugar is $5.29 at Costco, my normal place to stock up. Food4Less is advertising it at $1.78 for 4lbs, or $.45/lb. Compared to $.53/lb at Costco, Food4Less has the better deal.
Verified Good Deal: Safeway is advertising the same sugar for $2.49, Mi Pueblo at $2.50 and Savemart’s store-brand 4lb sugar is advertised for $2.88.
Maseca Corn Flour. Walmart carries the 4.4lb package for $2.88, but Food4Less has it advertised for $1.98. This is a savings of $.90.
Green Giant Vegetables. In bulk at Costco is where I usually buy these where its $7.69 for 12 cans. Food4Less is offering each can for $.50 for a savings of $.14 per can.
Verified Good Deal: Savemart has Del Monte Vegetables on sale for $.79 per can.
Various Mexican Pasta. I bought these 7oz packages at Walmart just last week for 33¢ each. This week Mi Pueblo is advertising this same pasta for 25¢ each, for a savings of 8¢ per pacakge.
Taylor Farms Fresh Spinach. The going rate for fresh spinach is $1.99 for 9oz. Savemart is advertising the same size package for $1.50. This is a savings of 49¢.
Kettle Potato Chips. These chips do not contain hydrogenated oils and are one of the only brands that offer salt & vinegar flavor. They’re priced at $2.88 on Wal-Mart’s shelf, but Safeway has them listed for $1.88. That’s a $1 savings!
Betty Crocker Cake Mix. I usually make cakes from scratch, but having a back-up box on hand is convenient. One box costs $1.34 at Wal-Mart and Food4Less has an in-ad coupon for only 68¢ each, saving $.66.
Verified Good Deal: Safeway is advertising this same cake mix for $.99.
How does this look in my cart?
Without Price Matching:
(1) 10lb C&H Sugar, 5.29
(1) Maseca, 2.88
(1) 12pk Green Beans, 7.69
(6) Mexican Pasta, 1.98
(1) Spinach, 1.99
(2) Potato Chips, 5.76
(1) Cake Mix, 1.34
Total = $26.93
With Price Matching
(2.5) 4lb Sugar, 4.45 (I know you can’t buy half a package of sugar, but I’m keeping it fair)
(1) Maseca, 1.98
(12) Green Beans, 6
(6) Mexican Pasta, 1.50
(1) Spinach, 1.50
(2) Potato Chips, 3.76
(1 ) Cake Mix, .68
Total = $19.87
Without using coupons, I’ve saved over 26% of my grocery bill.
At this point you may be wondering why I told you my story of using and quitting coupons yesterday when today’s part 2 doesn’t seem even remotely related.
Oh but it is.
Immersed in the coupon world, I thought it was an all or nothing deal. My choice was either use a lot of them to save a lot, or use none of them to save nothing. I didn’t realize that there was a middle road.
Price matching can be the middle road. By using the friendly competition between stores to my advantage, I can balance saving money with saving my sanity.
What’s even better is that if you do use coupons, that savings becomes icing on the cake!
Tell me – what’s your experience with price matching?
I also have been price-matching for a long time @ Walmart. Our Walmart does not require you to bring in the ads they take your word for it & I rarely ever have a problem. I do coupon tho. Which of course makes the deals better.
I’m also a walgreens (or used to be Walgreens shopper) & a CVS shopper but I found that when Walgreens (or Wags as we like to call it in the coupon world, lol) went to their points system & basically did away with a lot of their rr’s I found in the end I didn’t really care. Shocking yes
I also found I was going ever Monday to get the best deals & fretting if something was out. Now it’s like a relief almost to know I don’t have to get up every Monday & rush out the door. Don’t get me wrong I still shop at CVS & I do love getting a great deal for my family & being thrifty but it’s only once or twice a month now.
So in summary: I understand where your coming from & even tho I do use coupons I have learned not to get caught up in all the hype (I hate, yes a strong word but called for, the show extreme couponers. Not realistic at all) & to let it consume me.
Very good posts you have written & an excellant read for those who are starting out couponing or been at it for a long time. So thank you for writing it.
Wags required a degree in rocket science BEFORE the changes. I don’t dare step a foot into the store unless I’m picking up a free 8×10 collage.
The Monday Shopping – I totally relate! My whole week used to be planned around Monday and what I was or wasn’t able to buy. Not having the feeling of “I still need to go back to Rite Aid to see if their shipment came in” is a big relief. Couponing can be a hype, especially if it’s not kept in perspective. I deal with it best when I look at it as a tool to save money, rather than a hobby or even part of my domestic responsibilities.
I have used the ad matching years ago, and found that Walmart cashiers are unfamiliar with their policies and it became a hassle for me to shop there. I would ad match and use coupons (back in the day, prior to our pantry building), but then Walmart (the only store in my area that matches ads) began carrying only certain sizes of items. It wasn’t worth the aggravation and time consumption on my part.
Ad matching is the same concept as the “Tightwad Gazette” topic of buying items you use at the lowest possible price. the price book would help with this to verify that the prices are indeed “the best”.
We have Aldi’s and Sharp Shopper in my area now. I use both stores every two weeks to get the items I use to feed my family of five (includes three teens). Our budget is 300 a month, and I am faithful to both of those stores.
I still enjoy looking over the sale papers on Saturday.
I ran into those same Wal-Mart cashier issues too, but now a couple years later they’ve seemed to have caught on, lol. We don’t have an Aldi in our area, but I’d guess that Grocery Outlet is something similar. They don’t take coupons, but their prices are often the equivalent or lower than if I had used a coupon, which is why I often shop there first. $300 for a growing family of 5 is incredible. Keep up the good work Debbie!
I do use coupons(have for years, before it became popular) but only use for items we use. I have now tried to use when item is on sale but if it doesn’t work out I don’t beat myself up about it. I do not print out coupons only use the ones that come in our sunday paper, although my mil does save hers also for me & that helps. Unfortantely we do not have any local cheaper stores like Aldi or Sharpshopper so I watch sales & buy mostly @ Kroger.
That’s smart Karen. I wish I had a great newspaper source like you. I’ve heard Kroger has good deals, like discounts when you buy 10. I’d shop there too if we had them locally!
Why’d you quit couponing? Do you have a post about that somewhere? I ask because I’ve never gotten good at couponing. I find it tedious and our family doesn’t eat the processed food that most coupons are good for. I TRY to coupon, but I’m just wondering if I should continue to bother with something that does not fit my personality, and that causes more stress than relaxation.
Hi Elysha,
I posted why I quit on Monday, part 1 of the story: http://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2012/11/how-to-save-by-price-matching-aka-saving-without-using-coupons-part-i/
My personal opinion? If couponing causes stress and does more harm than good, then quit. If you don’t eat what the coupons are for (which is one reason why I quit too), then stop. There are still other ways to save!
Hi, my name is Theresa, and I used to be a coupon addict.
These 2 posts have been a breath of fresh air. I used to coupon, and come home with a bunch of stuff that we didn’t need. I had to stop! Most of the great deals are for processed foods that we have been trying to eliminate (I hate hamburger helper, yet we had 10 or so boxes). Another instance, I had 12 bottles of (free) Kraft BBQ sauce, we like Sweet Baby Ray’s.
I had to quit. I tucked my coupon folder, and shopping bag of coupons waiting to be cut deep into the cupboard, and vowed not to look at them unless I absolutely could not function without them. (Like freezing your credit card.) I loaded all of our unusable (to us) stockpile, and donated it to the church’s food pantry. Instant relief!
*Our Wal-mart has a bullentin board by the customer service desk of the competitors’ ads. The cashiers also have a little list of the best deals, just mention the deal and bam! You got it.
Thank you for these posts, it is sometimes defeating, thinking that only the best moms/wives are couponers.
LOL – your kitchen sounds a lot like mine did. I’m glad you found these posts encouraging. I think we all have to do what’s best in our OWN circumstances. Sometimes it’s couponing, sometimes it’s not.
I really appreciate this post, I used to be an avid couponer, too, but then I moved to a small town and have had a harder time of it. But we do have a Walmart, so I’m going to hang on to your article, so I can figure out better how to price match. Thanks for linking up!
Thanks for hosting – I’m glad you found this helpful. Living in a smaller town can have its challenges, which is why I price match more often too!
I just started price matching about two months ago. The first time I tried it, I saved $26.00 now my average savings is anywhere from $15 to $30 a week. But my biggest savings started when I plan what we are going to eat around what is on sale that week instead of just buying because I can use it in the price matching that week. Now instead of spending around $100 or more a week I spend around $60. I just started couponing about two weeks ago after watching “coupondivas.com” not sure how long it will last but I’m going to give I a try. But I will only buy what we will use.
Recently I shopped at CVS and earned cash back on what I bought plus I had coupons, I made two transactions and got detergent, dish soap, two tooth paste, shampoo, and toilet paper and only spent $3.50. I was so thrilled over that purchase. I still have a lot to learn and this all takes a little bit of time each week, but I really enjoy trying to see how much I can save each week.
I think the hardest concept to really take hold of is buying for a purpose vs. buying because it’s a good deal. This covers both couponing and price matching. If you can master that, you’ll be set to save!
[...] Don’t Waste the Crumbs has an excellent post about using price matching when grocery shopping. I really appreciated that as our local newspaper doesn’t include coupons, so this is a big help to me. [...]
[...] Don’t Waste the Crumbs has an excellent post about using price matching when grocery shopping. I really appreciated that as our local newspaper doesn’t include coupons, so this is a big help to me. [...]