Copyright: Copyright © 1994 Robert W. Gerami, Jr.


Contents
The Savvy Shoppers Guide

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By Robert and Lorraine Gerami

Copyright 1994 Robert and Lorraine Gerami, All rights reserved.

Introduction

Location

Coupons

Size Matters

When A Sale Is Not A Sale!

Bulk Buying

Scanners Scanners Everywhere

Rebates

Conclusion


Location

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Location plays  a major role in the amount of savings you can expect to see.  The closer you live to large chain stores and the more stores in competition for your business the better.  If you live in an area void of large stores, it could prove cost effective to locate one in another area and plan a monthly shopping trip geared around purchasing the bulk of you groceries.

If your shopping options are limited, you should locate the nearest large change stores. Call the stores and request that they put your name on their mailing list so you can receive their store flyer's.  Once you receive the flyers, begin comparing prices between all the stores.  Not all items listed in a flyer are on sale, this is important to know and will aid you in your comparison of store prices.  In addition to the regular priced items listed in the flyer you will sometime find the original price listed on the store coupons.  Armed with this information, you can do a simple comparison of prices.  Remember to compare items that you will be purchasing.  This will give you a good idea which store has the best overall prices.  Now compare the prices with your local store(s).  If you find that the savings from a bulk shopping trip will save you more than the cost of the trip (both time and travel expenses).  You should schedule in a major shopping trip once or twice a month.


Coupons

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Where do I get coupons?

Manufacturer vs. Store Coupons

Organizing Coupons

Double/Triple Coupons

How To Use Your Coupons


Size Matters

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     The Savvy Shopper quickly learns that larger does not always mean a better buy.  You will need to check the labels placed on the shelves and compare the per unit price. Unfortunately, not all vendors use the same per unit labeling between different sized products.  I bet you can guess why?  That's right they do not want you comparing "apples with apples."  The more confusing they make the process the greater the chance you will choose the wrong size.  This is where you can cut through the confusion and quickly know the best deal.  The fastest way to break down the per unit cost is to simply use a small calculator, nothing fancy, and follow the following steps:

      divide the PRICE of the small item by

      the SIZE of the small item size(ounces,grams,etc...)

      this will EQUAL the per unit PRICE of that item.

Next,

      divide the PRICE of next size item by

      the SIZE of next size item(keep the units the same as above)

      this will EQUAL the per unit PRICE of that item..

Now compare the PER UNIT PRICE for the different sizes.  The smaller per unit price is the better buy.  Practice this a few times and you'll quickly be able to estimate on the spot without using the calculator.  Now keep in mind that the best buy is not always best for you.  If it is a perishable product and you will be unable to use it all before it goes bad, then by all means go with the smaller size.


When A Sale Is Not A Sale!

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Be aware that not everything in a stores flyer is necessarily on sale.  Often the stores will simple advertise products in the flyer at their normal price.  There's nothing wrong with this practice, but all to often, the consumer will associate anything they see in the flyer with the sale that is going on.  The Savvy Shopper will grow to know the stores normal price and shop accordingly.

WARNING... WARNING: Another thing to be aware of is whether or not the cost of the item has increased just prior to the issuing of coupons for the item.  Few things irritate us more than to see a store increase the price of a product by the exact amount of the coupon just days or even hours before the coupons become available for use.   This is where experience will pay off, you must get a feel for the normal prices of the item you buy, make a list if your memory is bad.  Most of all watch out!

A common mistake ( I personally think - practice or tactic would be good words here) made by stores is to accidentally misplace a sale sign.  For example, one day during a shopping trip the store had advertised "Young Chickens" (from a well known national brand) on sale.  The chickens were no where to be found, the meat department was closed for the night.  I finally spotted the sale sign.  It was located in a separate cooler in the middle of the isle.  Inside the cooler just below the sale sign where these large plump chickens.  The unit price on them stated 79 cent per pound.  The sale price which I was looking for was 59 cent per pound.  Not only where these the wrong chickens they where twice as large as the ones on sale.  This simple mistake nearly cost me almost six dollars, luck for me my lovely wife pointed out the my error and I returned the chickens for a refund.  I eventually got the chickens that where on sale and learned a valuable lesson from this, but how many people didn't get the right chickens?

There is another time that a sale is not a sale, that is when a store regularly runs out of products they have put on sale.  If you find this happens often, you should do two things.  First, let the manager know that you aren't happy that they poorly prepared for their sales.  Second, get a rain check for the item(s) for the quantities you wanted.  Sometimes stores will specifically state in the add, until supplies last, but if they don't, demain satisfaction.


Bulk Buying

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Shopping in bulk is not for everyone.  There are a lot of factors to consider, such as shelf life, storage room, storage costs, number of family members.  Certain items lend themselves to being purchased in quantity.  Non-perishable items such as paper products, plastic products, cleaning supplies and various other items which we do not eat.  Other items such as canned goods, powder foods, bottled drinks and the like are good candidates for bulk purchases.  Check the expiration dates on products you plan to by in bulk, to insure that they will be fresh when you use them.

Some things to ask yourself before you buy in bulk:

      How often do I use this item?

      Is the item(s) at a price that I am unlikely to see again soon?

      Does the item go on sale regularly?

      Will I use them up before the expiration date?

      Will it cost me more to store it than it's worth?

Example:  We happen to have an extra ice box in the basement that's not normally plugged in.  One day there was this extremely good sale on turkeys, the main ice box wouldn't accommodate two large turkeys along with everything else we have in it.  So we decided to get an extra one and use the ice box in the basement.  Several months later I had a energy audit done on our home and quickly came to realize that this excellent by on a turkey had cost me close to forty dollars in electrical costs.  I learned a hard lesson from this experience, but a good one.  I would have to get extremely good savings and use the products quickly to justify the twenty plus dollars a month electrical cost.


Scanners Scanners Everywhere

The new check out scanners can really speed up check out time, but there are some problems.  Remember this saying,."A computer is only as good as the person programming it.", well, it's true.  If a price change is not entered or entered incorrectly into the computer, guess what...that's right, the item will not ring up correctly.

WARNING...WARNING:. You must check over your receipt and when possible watch closely as the items are scanned in and stop the cashier if you see a mistake.  If a you catch a mistake, after you have been checked out, take your receipt to the Courtesy Booth for a refund.

The amount of money that stores make off of pricing mistakes probably goes into the six figure range across any single chain of stores.  Don't let them add to that figure at your expense.  The Savvy Shopper will stand up for their rights.  You have the right to good products at fair prices.  If you get home and find the four pack of tomatoes bad, take them back.  The store has an obligation to satisfy their customers.  Most stores will go out of their way to satisfy your concerns, but only if you ask!


Rebates

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Often to pull you into a purchase, manufacturers will offer a rebate.  Beware - not all rebates are worth your time.  As a base, if the rebate is less than one dollar and you have to spend more than twenty minutes cutting, copying and mailing then forget it.  If you do send for a rebate, be sure to maintain a copy of all the materials you sent and the address you sent it to.  Mark your calendar for the approximate refund date.  If they say 6-8 weeks to receive the rebate, then mark the 8th week as should receive X$ rebate from Y no later than today.  Locate the companies 800 number (most have them know) and let them know you haven't received your rebate.  Use the copies you made as proof you sent for the rebate.  Always keep a copy for yourself, never give them you only copy.  Things have a way of getting lost.


Conclusion

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We certainly hope that this has been informative for you.  We truly believe that if you spend just four to six hours a month, you will be able to save as much as 60 percent on any one grocery bill with regular savings of 25 to 35 percent.  Thank you for your order and please feel free to send us your input.  We plan to add to this in the near future and look forward to hearing from you.


Introduction
Introduction- Savvy Shoppers Guide

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The Savvy Shopper is about to take you on a journey into the world of consumer spending.  The average consumer will spend on an impulse with little or no thought to whether they are getting the best deal.  They will often see their mistake,only to pass it off as bad luck, seldom learning from the experience. It is a confusing, often shocking world that we are seldom prepared to deal with and win.  This simple guide is designed to give you the knowledge you need to get the best possible deal.

The typical consumer is a well bred breed, they have been bombarded with useless and misleading information, so often, that they easily ignore the details around them.  This is one of many things that the retail industry thrives on.  The goal of the Savvy Shopper is to provide you with the tools you'll need to become a Savvy Shopper.  As you begin to put these tools into practice you will be shocked and often appalled at the tactics which have been used against you for years.  At the same time you will be thrilled to have the ability to cut your costs by an average of thirty percent and at times much higher.

This helpfile is divided into topics which you can easily browse through and begin putting to work for you immediately.  We have tried hard to be thorough and cover as many topics as possible for the scope of this helpfile.  This file will be flavored towards grocery shopping, but many of the tools presented here apply to many other types of shopping.  We will examine many different areas and give you helpful hints and warnings so that you will be prepared to shop and save.

When you see the following, "WARNING... WARNING," this is to indicate that an important bit of information follows and you should understand what it means.

If you find that the Savvy Shoppers Guide has helped you to save money in you everyday shopping, please support our efforts by sending $20 (U.S.dollars) to:

Robert Gerami

21 Waverly Lane

Framingham, MA  01701

You can reach us by e-mail at:

Internet:  rgerami@world.std.com

or

CompuServe at  72614,3705

Your input is important to us.  We will be glad to incorporate additional topics into our help file, just let us know what you'd like to see.


Where do I get coupons?

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Coupons come from many sources.  The larger grocery chains will normally print a weekly sales paper filled with store coupons.  A large Sunday newspaper is and excellent source of both manufacturer and store coupons.  Call your local newspaper to find which days they run coupons and specials, if you can get it delivered on the coupon days.  Many of the low cost women magazines will contain special manufacturer coupons.  If you have a small baby then seek out a free subscription to "American Baby."  You will find many coupons for baby items and in addition, your name will get onto several manufacturers mailing lists.  Larger grocery stores often offer a coupon center containing special offers and bins for consumers to place their excess coupons.  Many stores are now placing special coupon dispensers through-out the store.  There are plenty of sources, you just have to start looking out for them.  Remember, if you pay a dollar for a magazine or newspaper, but get ten to twenty dollars in coupons, you've made out.


Manufacturer vs. Store Coupons

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A key in saving money starts with a simple understanding of the difference between these coupons.

A store coupon is a coupon which has been issued by a grocery chain.

A manufacturer coupon is one that has been issued by the products manufacturer.

A key to increase your savings is to use both of these types of coupons together.  Store coupons can be used in conjunction with manufacturers coupons.  For example, say your favorite brand of dish washing liquid is featured in the store paper with a 25 cents store coupon.  You have a manufacturer coupon for 35 cents off.  You combine your coupons and the savings goes to 60 cents off the normal price.

WARNING...WARNING: You must be careful, some stores have such high prices that even after combining the coupons, you will pay more for the product than if you used just the manufacturers coupon at the competitors store.


Organizing Coupons

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There should be at least two levels of organization to your coupons.

The first level is the main folder.

You should purchased a typical fanfold type coupon folder from a local thrift shop, grocery store or pharmacy.  Divide the coupons into categories that best suit you.  At first you might want to insert a small index card into each slot with a specific list of coupon types found in that area.  Once you have compiled the main folder you will need to periodically remove expired coupons.  This can be done as you restock your holder or quarterly as needed.

The second level of organization is done using your main folder.

At this level, the actual coupons you plan to use during your shopping trip are removed from your main folder.  The coupons should be placed in a separate envelope or something similar.  Each envelope should be labeled with the store name where the coupons are to be used.  Included in the envelope should be a grocery list.  Each envelope should contain store and manufacturer coupons placed together for ease of use.  If you are really energetic then you might even place your coupons in the approximate order that you find them in the store.  At minimum, it is best to group your coupons by category (i.e. health/beauty, frozen foods, baby foods, non-foods, can food, etc...).  It is this small envelope of coupons that will make your shopping trip fast and easier.  Going into a store armed with a good grocery list and all your coupons will simply speed up your shopping and get you out of the store and home faster.

Organizing you coupons will initally take you some time, but in the long run, it will pay for itself in saved time.  If you try and go into a store with just your coupon folder (an sometimes you will have too) on a regular basis, you probably will stop using coupons.  Having to search through all your coupons each time you pick-up an item will slow you down and wear you out.  A little organizing will lower the frustration level of your shopping trips and save you time and money.


Double/Triple Coupons

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Depending on your location, your grocery store may have a policy of doubling or even tripling manufacturer coupons.  Tripling coupons is a tactic that is usually done using special store coupons that allow you to triple one of your manufacturers coupons for each store tripling coupon.  This policy might at first appear to be an extraordinary deal, but do not be deceived.  You seldom ever get something for nothing.  This is one area that you must be extremely careful and a Savvy Shopper.

WARNING...WARNING...Some stores mark the price of certain products so high that even after doubling or tripling your coupon you pay more than simply using the coupon at face value at a competitors store.

The key is to know the average price of products that you regularly use.  This comes from experience and examination.  Check the prices at each store over the next few months and you'll be surprised at how fast you can recognize a good deal from a bad one.  Tripling your largest coupons are not always the best option.  Know what products prices are and triple on the ones that provide you with the best initial price and largest coupon value.  For example, if you have a 75 cent coupons towards disposable diapers and a 30 cent coupon towards cereal, you must first check the products price compared to competitors price.  Let's say the diapers cost $8.99 and the cereal costs $3.29, but the same products at the competitors cost $7.99 and $2.99 respectively.  The competitor doubles coupons.

Here's the results of a quick calculation:

Triple Coupon	Double Coupons

diapers	cereal	diapers	cereal

 8.99	    3.29	7.99	2.99	Price

-2.25(3x.75)       -.90(3x.30)	 	          -1.50(2x.75)      -.60(2x.30)	Coupon Savings

----------            ----------	           ---------	---------

6.74	      2.39	6.49	2.39	Actual Price of Item

From the above calculation you can see that using the tripling coupon on the diapers will not lower the cost even to the competitors level.  The cereal will at least break even.  You might at this point use your special tripling coupon on the cereal or keep looking for another product to use it on that will give you a better deal.  Note that in both cases this only applies to manufacturer coupons.  Often, this is limited to coupons that are under one dollar in value.  Check with your store if you are unsure of their specific policies, they will be more than glad to explain it to you.


How To Use Your Coupons

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Just because a product has a good coupon doesn't mean it's a good buy.  If you where to use every coupon you find you would quickly spend much more than you ever imagined.  A Savvy Shopper knows what they need and plans ahead to get it at the best possible price.  Over a period of time you will get to know the stores you shop.  You'll be able to spot a great deal from a poor deal.

In the beginning, you will need to examine the store flyers closely to pick out which items are on sale and which items are simply listed in the flyer.  Choose your coupons for each store based off the best price.  If a price isn't listed, then you will need to look carefully before you buy to make sure the price is in-line with what it should be.  Keep a grocery list and write down the coupon amount next to the item.

Check the coupons carefully for expiration dates, conditions for use, exact products you can use it on.  Some coupons require that you purchase other products or more than one of the product in order to redeem it.

WARNING...WARNING:. You must be careful to insure that the savings isn't eaten up in the cost involved in buying the other items.

Once you have selected your coupons and checked them carefully you will need to take a little extra time to insure that you have the correct product in hand at the store.  Then let the cashier know up front you will be using coupons.  If a coupon requires that the cashier write the price paid on the coupon try and place those items at the end of line.  A good cashier will quickly examine your coupons and be on the lookout for you, but don't count on it.  Always check you receipt to insure that each coupon got scanned.  Don't be afraid to contact the service desk (even after you're home) if you find that the casher missed a coupon or an item range up with the wrong price.


Grocery List

A list of items that you plan of purchasing at a store.  The list should contain the following:  quantity to purchase, size of item (count, weight, etc...), cost or approximate cost.  If you get time add a column for coupons next to each item and place a check in it when that item has associated coupon(s).  Be specific, that way, if you send someone else to do the shopping (ie. your spouse, especially us husbands) they will have no question as to what to get.  Finally, stick to the list (husbands), the worst thing anyone can do is impulse buying, it's a sure way to lose money.


Rebate

A deduction from an amount to be paid or a return of part of an amount paid.