? re GE lowest sale prices

[Lori1969]

Hi everyone! I have a question regarding sale prices at GE.

Since joining HCW, (becoming a loyal lurker ) and really working hard to reduce my grocery spending, I "thought" I had worked my 2009 grocery budget and knew the value of a good coupon and what the lowest sale prices were, but low and behold it seems like each week I am spending more than I had calculated in my budget. It seems to me like GE sale prices are much higher than they use to be and the values of coupons have drastically decreased-- so up goes my OOP. There are fewer and fewer items you can get for next to nothing or even FREE anymore.
I do the "when you buy $10 worth of xxx products get $x.00 back". But are the items I am buying in those deals at their "lowest" sale price before my coupons? Or is the "lowest sale price" savings wrapped up in the $x.00 I am getting back?
Since work has reduced my hours, I am forced to yet again, re-work my grocery budget and am wondering if I should just expect to pay more?

Thanks
Lori

[neekyme]

It may be more of a mix of both higher prices and lower valued coupons.

I'm not noticing any drastic price increases lately. Unless of course of we don't get our L'oreal kids bogo and the 2$ sale was the new 'lowest price' GE will be offering (crossing my finger that the bogo does come back soon!!)

It could be just a sign of the times that GE and companies won't be offering as good of sale prices that match up with coupons. But it seems like the same deals are around to me...but I have a pretty good stockpile going and rarely buy on a 'need' basis, only on items at stockpile prices.

Like I havent had to buy fruit snacks for my sons lunch box since last time there was a OYNO offer, back before school started! I'm on my last 2 boxes - so this week I'm stocking back up. I'm hoping my son likes the fruit rollups stickerz because there's a 50c/1 mq coming this weekend for those.- so after rolling the cat I'll only pay 1.50 for 5 boxes and get another 3.50 oyno cat.

Good luck with the budget though...I've never been able to stick to a budget, so I give you big kudos for doing one!

[Lori1969]

Thanks Neek. After reading your post, I am beginning to wonder if I just need to adjust my stockpile prices - actually write them down (instead of trying to remember from last purchase).
Do you document lowest sale price for items you purchase or just go from memory?

Thanks,
Lori

[neekyme]

Basically from memory. I'm sure I've made mistakes - and there are times I run out of something and have to pay more than I'd like, but I chalk it up to still learning. Now that I've been doing this almost a year, I do want to start keeping better track of prices and savings. I just havent had the chance to sit and figure out how.

My mom used to have price books with prices for every store in the area, but I'm just not one to sit and write all that out. I'm thinking of using a spreadsheet - maybe something I can synch up with my Palm (that's hopefully going to get fixed soon...) so when I'm in the store I can quickly jot down prices, or when I come home I can add them from my receipt.