Trying Out the Grocery Game

Due to a recent change in our grocery budget I thought I would give The Grocery Game a try. I had heard of it before but wasn't interested in paying someone to help me save money. However, with the price of so many food items going up, along with the gas prices and wanting to reduce my trips to the grocery store, I decided to once again take a look at what the Grocery Game had to offer.

Here's how it works. You type in your zip code and it shows you a list of stores in your area that are covered by the Grocery Game. For instance, here in my town Kroger, Rite Aide, and CVS are the stores I have to choose from.

For $10 every 8 weeks, which only comes out to $5.00 a month (aren't you proud of my quick math skills?), you can choose one store from your area list and you will be able to access a weekly list showing the store's entire list of sale items, both advertised and UNadvertised, including close-out items. Included in the list are any coupons out that match up to the items on sale and the final price you will wind up paying for each item.

For $5.00 more you can choose two stores and again, for $5.00 more you can choose to have lists from all 3 stores. So you'll be paying either $5.00, $7.50, or $10.00 a month (billed every 8 weeks) to have access to your favorite store's weekly sales and what coupons go with each sale item, if any.

I was still a bit skeptical until I saw that I could try it out, one store, for a month for only $1.00. What did I have to lose? So, since I already use Crystal's site for CVS deals and I have yet to start figuring out how the Rite Aid deals work, I chose Kroger for my month's $1 trial.

I am now toward the end of my trial and I've still not made up my mind whether I'm going to continue my membership. I will admit, the lists are exhaustive and very easy to understand and follow. There are several items listed that I would never have known were on sale. But I have found that in trying to follow the list and get 'good deals' I actually bought more things that I don't normally buy and wound up spending more without actually having things I could put together for a meal, thus defeating the whole purpose.

Maybe I just haven't given it the time I need to. I have been pretty pre-occupied this past month. I'm in the process of getting my coupons organized and filed as well as putting together several menus I can choose from so maybe the list will come in more handy when I'm better organized. I'll probably give it another month and see how it goes. I'll keep you posted.

Anyone else found a way to make The Grocery Game work for your family?