Grocery Shopping - Sam's Club style

So I wasn't happy with the couponing site this week. There was not enough that could drag me to dig through coupons and then shop two stores to get what I wanted/needed.

So I decided to just go to Sam's Club. My reasoning - I "know" that there are certain things that I can get there that are cheaper than any other store. For example - Country Time Lemonade Mix - I had price compared from Walmart to Sam's and knew I could save at least $1 on each can. (Think max pack here and we go through about a can and a half a week.) Also I had price compared the Nesquik Chocolate Milk mix - also coud save over a $1. So with that in mind off I went.

So I sat down today after I went shopping and went on the Albertson's website and did a price comparison for like items - line by line! So if I bought name brand - I looked for name brand on Albertson's site. If it was generic - I went generic on their site. The one thing I didn't price compare was milk - because I have been finding it for 2.19 a gallon at one of the three stores (Albertson's, Vons or Smiths) and I paid 2.23 at Sam's. It was the only thing I paid more for at Sam's. (On the Albertson's site it was much higher than that.)

So here is also the SHOCKING savings!
My bill would have been $373.64 at Albertson's! (Granted without club card sales prices or coupons.)
Albertson's Bill - $373.64
Total Savings: - $151.06
Actual Out of Pocket: $222.58
That is a 60% savings!

I got home with all my stock pile of items and did find one extra bonus! I had picked up 90% lean ground beef that was reduced for quick sale. I happened to look a bit closer to the two stickers. One of which was the original price - the other the reduced price. They had different weights! At first I was concerned because I didn't want to get cheated out of meat. But instead it was in my favor. Whoever had added the second sticker must have hit a 4 instead of a 6. I put the meat on my scale and it registered 7.1 pounds - the original sticker showed 6.98. So I figured with the tray and wrap that would be the accurate one. The reduced sticker was marked as 4.98 pounds. I ended up getting 7lbs of meat at 1.27 a pound! And 90% lean to boot! That is excellent if you do price comparisons!

The other big savings came in the form of the Cascade dish detergent. To get close to the size I bought I would have had to buy 2 of the large ones from Albertson's - basically it was like getting one free - I save $20 by buying the max pack one at Sam's.

So this week was a score at Sam's Club. I don't suggest Sam's as a normal weekly venue because there are things that when the sales ads and coupons align - you can't beat couponing :)