How long does it take you to shop?

[JulieDB]

I ask this because I am watching a re-run of that Extreme Couponing show and the woman said it took them just over 5 hours in the store. They ran into trouble at the checkout due to some kind of limit (I'm only half paying attention and can't remember what) so they had to call some friends it to help them checkout.

The problem as I see it? She and her husband bought breakfast meats and hot dogs and I think some other refrigerated foods for a party. Well I would not want to eat at that party! Food shouldn't be left out at room temp. for more than 2 hours.

The amount of time it takes me to shop varies, and I do sometimes shop in cities other than where I live. When I do that I take some insulated bags and if it is hot outside maybe even some blue ice with me.

I did sometimes run into trouble at the military commissaries in various places. The one here in Marysville (WA) is not so bad and while I have had to wait for maybe 15 minutes (if that) in line, it's not usually a long wait. But I have had to wait for 2 hours in line at some of them. Especially during a case sale at the one in Brooklynn. It was to the point that when I did shop in those stores, the first thing I did was to see how long the line was. If I saw it snaking all the way around the store, I just told myself I would not be buying any refrigerated or frozen foods. Once in a while if my husband was with me (he often took my daughter elsewhere while I shopped), I could send him for a few things or have him watch the cart as we got closer to the checkout counter. But there were a few times I just had to do without. The insulated bags I have now are really good and perhaps if I had them then I could have just put the perishable stuff straight into the bags. Then again maybe not. The people working at the commissary were really picky about things and they may have seen that as attempting to steal. I once bought some laundry baskets and a kitchen trash can. I asked to have my other items put in those instead of bags. The checker just looked at me like I was crazy. This was in NY. This sort of thing is very common here in WA as the people here tend to be very green. But apparently not in NY. She wasn't going to do it but eventually gave in, called the security guard and just pretty much told him I was crazy.

So have you ever had a shopping trip that took you 5 hours or anything even close to it? I feel my shopping often takes longer than what other people go through because of our food allergies. I have to read all ingredients every time because I never know when they will change things. But other than the commissary shopping, I think the longest amount of time I've been in a grocery store was 2 hours. This was many years ago when the scanning registers were a new thing. The registers had gone offline and they didn't know what to do. In the end they wound up giving me quite a lot of my food for free because they couldn't find the price on what I had in a timely fashion. It wasn't even a major shopping trip. I think I had about three bags of food. But I came home telling my husband, "You're not going to believe this..." Because of all the free food I had.

[saversavory]

i think i take a long time but not that long. ive spent 10 minutes or so just on travel sized items LOL....remember though that in the show they cut and edit as they please, they may have gotten the meats last? dunno

[RSHcoupon]

It takes me a long time especially if I am in a store that I don't shop at very often. I also spend a lot of time looking for unadvertised specials that I can use coupons with. My children are grown, I work full time and garden but I still feel like it is worth it to be able to discount and save money. We also help our kids and grandkids when we can, however I do not have a massive stock pile that they can come in a shop to fill all their needs.

[tinkinpink84]

It only took the people on the show that crazy amount because the # of coupons. Suprisingly me and my sister went out yesterday and took 2 and a half hrs. I dunno how! We went to 3 food lions for cat food. Went in got em checked out. ANd stopped at walgreens to fix a coupon thing. I still cant figure out how it took so long but i think the bulk was driving to the stores. Usually any store i go to i have a list planned out and it doesnt take long. But if something gets messed up it can add a little time. But with the coupon rules etc I never have TONS of coupons so the checkout process is usually the quickest.

[$Saving!]

My shopping is quick, I don't have anything but an envelope with items/prices/coupon values written on it when I go into the store.

I don't graze around, I stick to my list.

So I'm in/out quickly.

during special coupon events, like Super Doubles or Triples, I've done all my 'work' at home, checking prices online if possible and go in and shop my list. I can be done with picking up my limit of coupons in less than 25 minutes and back out to the car.

Now, if I'm not shopping, I can spend untold amounts of time grazing around and looking at things, but when I am going to a store with purpose, I'm in and out as quickly as possible.

[amylynne01]

It really depends. If I have my kiddos (which is most of the time), I have a very detailed list about what to buy, how many, and what coupons to use. I get what we need, entertain them, and we're off. However, I occasionally go shopping on my own, and I did spend 2 hrs in a Shaw's doing back to back transactions rolling catalinas. That included shopping, paying for 2 transactions, going to car, rinse and repeat x 4. I also recently spent an entire Saturday (10aa-5p) shopping with some other HCW ladies, but that is not typical.

[daisydog215]

My weekly shop takes about 1 1/2 hours in the store + 15 minutes driving each way. If the pre-order kiosk is down at the deli, that can add 10 minutes. Hate it when that happens.

I prepare my list online through my store's website. It is then organized by aisle when I print it. I pull my Qs the night before and move them to the front of the section.

I walk up and down every aisle even those I don't need an item from to look for blinkies and tearpads.

[isis]

I like to get in and out! I have my list and I stick to it. Even if I do wander, I'm still out within an hour. If I see something on clearance and I don't have my binder with me, I jot it down in my notepad and when I get home, pull the coupon for my next trip. If its not there...wasn't meant to be!

[tvdiva]

I shop from a list sorted by the direction I travel through the store. My coupons are sorted in the same order as the list. I have my weekly sales ads from the five big stores in town to compare just in case, AND a calculator for when the ol' brain doesn't feel like doing any more math on its own. PLUS I have a teenager helping me...

And it STILL takes me 2 hours or so on a full (10+ bags, full cart) shopping trip! Ugh!

I wondered about those meats and frozen foods when I saw that episode, too. We're in Arizona; there's NO WAY we could mess around like that! Yikes!

--Sadie

[donepayingtoomuch]

Average full shopping trip takes me about hour and a half to two hours.