It’s Time for the results of Budget Boot Camp challenge #7. It’s been an interesting road these last several weeks, with some of the “challenges” being second nature to me, and other challenges being really hard for me to adapt to. This week’s challenge happens to fall into the second category.
– – The Challenge – –
Create a Grocery Price Book
Why create a Grocery Price Book?
According to Beth and Clair, the trick to truly saving money is purchasing items when they hit rock bottom prices and buying enough to get you through until the next rock bottom sale. That’s right, you don’t have to stockpile enough to get you through months or years, just until the next amazing sale. If you can master this, then you’ll always be paying incredibly low prices. But, to do so, you’ll need to know what those rock bottom prices are.
And guess what? Beth and Clair can’t tell us when items hit rock bottom because it varies by brand, region, store, and so much more. It depends on if you’re brand-specific, only live near one store, don’t have stores that double coupons, or are open to buying whatever is cheapest!
How do you do create a grocery price book?
The 6-Week Cycle is a term used to describe the sale cycles. Most items we purchase go on sale at rock bottom prices every 6-12 weeks, so if you track prices for 12 weeks for the items you buy, you’ll know how low they go. That’s where a Grocery Price Book comes in handy! This basically means that you have to do some leg work to make this a success, and you will have to update it about every 6 months or if you notice a price change in your area.
Beth has a handy spreadsheet to use for your Price Book, but I am more of a paper and pen girl. As much of a spreadsheet diva as Beth is, I am a spreadsheet moron. So instead of killing myself using something that just won’t work, I am starting out with a simple pend and small pad of paper in the front of my grocery coupon organizer. I am keeping track of where they weekly sales are (so I know where I absolutely need to go this week!) as well as the types of sales I’m noticing this month.
Just because I’m already sales conscious, I can tell you off the top of my head that November is the best time to buy canned vegetables. And December is the best time to buy baking items. I typically buy an extra ham in April to use after the Easter season. The middle of the summer is the best time to buy ribs. As tough as it was for me to start a Price Book system (and I’m sure it will go through plenty of revisions) I must admit I’m a little excited about being even more sales-savvy.
Wish me luck.
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I’m so happy to hear that! I feel so primitive, but I knew that I needed to start small. :)
Laura, my first price book was a notebook and pen! I just am a really big nerd who likes making spreadsheets. Ask my husband, who needs to remind me that sometimes it takes me more time to design my spreadsheet, then it would if I just did without. It is worth it though to see the prices and how they change.