Living in LOND with limited stores?

[CoveredinGrace]

Y'all, I need help. My husband and I were PCS'd (moved by the military) from the land of doubles and triples (up to .99) where I had 20 plus stores to choose from (in a 10 mile radius) to a place that doesn't do any double coupons and my only choices are HEB, Walmart (which I don't shop at), and the commissary. And that's from 3 DIFFERENT towns that those 3 come from.

I quit couponing when we moved b/c I was frustrated. Then I learned there wasn't even an Aldi or Savalot within 3 hours of me, either. My grocery budget was busting at the seams.

How do I re-learn to coupon without the benefit of store choices/price comparisons and without doubles/triples? Is it even possible to get much free in the LOND? Please inspire me!

[puakinikini]

I am bumping this for you.

I can't really help, but you do have my sympathy!!

[MoneySavinDiva]

I live in the LOND as well, and the only stores in my hometown are a WalMart (not a supercenter), a Fareway, a Dollar General and a few locally owned grocery stores. I chase the deals as best I can at these stores, knowing what prices I'm willing to pay for items, and match coupons when I can.

However, with just a 40 minute drive, I have access to several HyVee stores, several WM Supercenters, a Super Target, Walgreens, CVS, Aldi and a Family Dollar. About once per week or every other week I will make the drive into the city to do my big coupon shopping where I really chase down the deals and stock up.

At first, it seems impossible to get good deals in the LOND, but once you figure out what prices you're willing to pay (which will no doubt be higher than what you were used to when you got double and triple coupons) and start getting things stocked up it's not really that bad. Good luck, and if you need any help or encouragement don't hesitate to pm me

[CoveredinGrace]

Thanks for the bump and for the encouragement, girls. I guess I should be thankful that I do have a Supercenter here (a very nice one, actually) and just start shopping there again, some...

I would be so happy to drive 40 minutes to get to some good stores, but those 3 towns I mentioned-one of them is about 40 minutes as it is! I'm just shocked, I suppose, b/c HEB is the only grocery store in all 3 towns-and that's so weird to me. I'd kill for some local stores to compete with them, but nada. We do have Target in one of the towns, which I forgot about, and there's all variety of dollar stores, so I guess I should start trying to follow their deals?

[leqet]

I don't live in the LOND, but I think I would focus on getting non-food MM deals from the drug stores. Do you have a CVS, Walgreens or Rite-Aid? Also, doesn't the commisary allow overage (I don't shop there so I don't know, but thought I read that)? If so, I would trade for as many overage generating coupons as I could so pay for my other groceries. Are there farmer markets or road-side produce stands around where you live? If you are able to get HBA free or cheap on a regular basis, maybe you can work out a barter. I know someone that barters HBA for farm fresh eggs. Try posting on craigslist in the barter section. Good luck!

[CoveredinGrace]

I have a Wags down the street, and a CVS in the next town over, so I'm trying to get back into those two. I like Walgreens, but I've just never cared much for their coupon printout dealies-I always forget and let them expire-which is weird b/c I'm a CVS nut and never forget with the ECB's, lol.

Those are some great suggestions, and yes, the commissary does give overage, and I'm blessed to have 2 commissaries, so i can split my business between them both without fear of wiping anything off the shelves. Thanks so much!

[lazy1608]

Also at the commissary, can't you use expired coupons for up to 6 months expired. Maybe that would help as well. :)

[CoveredinGrace]

Also at the commissary, can't you use expired coupons for up to 6 months expired. Maybe that would help as well. :)

Actually that is only at commissaries that are overseas. Thanks, though!

[queenofthehivemomof5]

For the longest time I lived in the LOND and it was just recently that our Albertsons starting doing some doubles, although the are sporadic and you can only do three coupons per transaction (which for me is totally not worth my time so I hardly do the doubles)

So in essence I live in the LONRD (land of no REAL doubles) and I have one Walmart, one Kmart, one Walgreens, one Smiths (a Kroger store) and one Albertsons. Nearest shopping other than that is a 2 + hour drive, which is totally not worth my time to drive it.

That being said I get lots of good deals and plenty of freebies at the stores I do have using coupons and sales. On average I save 70% which is good to me. I think the thing to remember is that shopping the sales alone, no coupons can save you roughly 50% if you shop at the right price points, adding in additional savings with coupons is icing on the cake where you can shave that extra percentage off from regular price, even sometimes saving 100% on some items. And it is also good to remember that some savings is better than no savings!

You also mention that you don't shop at Walmart, and I get that some folks are anti-Walmart for various reasons but for me, living in a small town with few choices for stores I just look at Walmart as just another place to get some deals. Also, because Walmart price matches you might be able to price match at a store that is a bit of a drive to for additional deals. Sometimes, I can pricematch Safeway ads at Walmart even though the nearest Safeway is 2 hours away, but we get their sale ads in our local paper so sometimes Walmart will price match them.