Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Grocery Shopping at Drug Stores

Before I started using coupons and trying to get great deals, I bought groceries at the grocery store.  I mean, that's why it's called a grocery store, right? That's where the best prices were, right?

Vaguely I realized that there were groceries at the drug store, but I never even looked down those aisles.  If I thought about it for a moment at all, it was to think that groceries at drug stores would be just like those at convenience stores - mostly junk food, little selection, high price.  So, I never checked.

Now that I've been using coupons, I realize that there is lots to be had, at great prices, at drug stores.  Here's a short list of some of the things I've gotten there at excellent prices:

  • milk
  • eggs
  • flour
  • sugar
  • baking soda
  • salt
  • canned fruit
  • canned vegetables
  • soup
  • cereal
  • crackers
  • cookies
  • tomato sauce
  • tea
  • spices
And though I've never bought them there, I see that some drug stores carry staples like beans and rice.

No, they don't carry fresh meat, or fresh fruits or vegetables.  But there's a lot of basic food items that can be bought there, and at good prices.

Now, don't get me wrong.  Not every food at a drug store is priced well.  In fact the full price of most are far more pricy there than at the grocery store.  But pretty much every week there are good food deals, if you combine store sales with coupons.

Another advantage to buying groceries at the drug store is that you can use the store's rewards programs (Register Rewards at Walgreens and Extra Care Bucks at CVS) to help pay for groceries.  This is a great strategy when funds are desperately low but you really need something!  Also, some purchases may generate more RRs or ECBs that you can use for future purchases.

Next week, I'll post about some of the great food deals you can get at CVS; the week after, I'll cover Walgreens.  Hope to see you back!

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6 comments:

Olivia March 23, 2010 at 4:50 PM  

Good tip! I did buy flour at Walgreens the other day. It felt a little weird, but it was basically free. : )

Jamie @ I Am A Money Magnet March 24, 2010 at 12:04 AM  

You're so right! There are lots of items you can get at the drug store! For me it was a little weird buying food items at a drug, but I soon got over it when I realized it was saving me $$!

Thanks for linking to Thrifty Tip Tuesday!

Linda@Coastal Charm March 24, 2010 at 9:43 AM  

Wonderful post...I would love for you to share it at my NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAYS PARTY...hope to see you there:)

Blessings,
Linda

Mom2fur March 24, 2010 at 12:06 PM  

Bargains are everywhere if you're willing to look for them, right? It's always a good idea to know the different prices in stores so you get the best deals. I definitely look over the drug store circulars to see if I can pick up some killer buys on grocery-type items. It's especially thrifty if you can combine an in-ad coupon (like the ones in the Walgreen's circular) with a mfr. coupon.
Milk is often a 'loss leader' in these stores and definitely worth checking out.

annies home March 24, 2010 at 3:11 PM  

I have did this before some will carry frozen meat such as banquet or armour

Coupon Teacher March 25, 2010 at 3:50 PM  

This is great, but don't forget to always watch those expiration dates. Drug stores are notorious for not pulling expired items from shelves.

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