Last week, we ended up buying our groceries on Saturday night. While grocery shopping does not top my list of fun things to do on a Saturday night, that’s the way things happened around our house last week. We hit Aldi first, and then we hit Wal-Mart to buy the things we couldn’t buy at Aldi. While Aldi was fairly well stocked, Wal-Mart was bare! Well, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but they were out of several generic items I needed. I ended up buying name brand for several items on my list because Wal-Mart is still generally cheaper for the name brand stuff than our other local grocery stores. In addition to that, since it was a Saturday night, I really didn’t want to make yet ANOTHER grocery run to finish off my rather small list, so I ended up spending a little more than I should have.
All of this got me to thinking–maybe I should make more of a concerted effort to shop when I know the stores will be less busy and better stocked. From now on, I am going to make an effort to shop earlier in the week; in fact, I’m going to make it my main Monday morning activity, I think. I do not like wrangling both my girls alone through trips to multiple stores looking for the best bargain, but we all know that the little savings add up, so I think it might just be a sacrifice I’ll have to be willing to make.
Have you noticed this about your own shopping habits? Does it really pay to shop on one day as opposed to another?
For more frugal ideas, check out Crystal’s blog at Biblical Womanhood!
I shop on Wednesday. It is the first day here when the new sales start and the stores are usually well stocked that way. Otherwise at the end of the week, they tend to be out of more things. Saturdays here are bad days in the stores as that is when everyone is catching up on shopping. I go on Wednessday usually at 11 after school is done here. They are not too busy and good selection!
Wed or THursday mornings if I can make my work schedule flex that way!! SHorter lines. I avoid evenings/weekends.
We shop on Thursdays. It is the first day of sales for our stores. I agree with Martha, everything is well stocked! I also shop that day because it is my husband’s long day at work so I have “extra” time for house stuff. I avoid Mondays at all costs because everything is still picked over from the weekend. Trucks deliver groceries to three of our stores on Tuesdays. Maybe ask when deliveries are made at your markets.
I’m in process of switching my grocery day to Monday morning because lots of stuff is damaged or dented on the weekend by the rush of shoppers, but the store has been restocked. So I have a good selection and some marked down stuff to choose from.
My Kroger often marks down produce on weekdays, early afternoon. That alone makes Kroger an overall cheaper store than Walmart!
I’ve noticed that Sunday afternoons after church seem to be good at Aldi and our local Foodlion. Aldi actually has fresh produce out, and Foodlion has a ton of marked down meat.
We found this out on accident, but we’ve enjoyed knowing that.
Thanks for visiting and for your comments.
I used to shop faithfully on Thursday mornings, when our local Aldi is usually well stocked, but then my hubby started having to drive to work with our one car (previously he carpooled or rode his bike because we lived close) and so now I have to shop on evenings and weekends and it really does cause me to miss out on some of the items I usually buy more cheaply.
Wednesday mornings are my preferred day. I find meat and bakery items marked down the most on those days. Ask your Aldi’s what day they get their truck. It can be pretty slim pickings if you are there the day before.
Monday mornings- is like a ghost town in there!
Hmmmm…. I have shopped on different days. I think it depends on the store you are going to and what you want to buy. For example, fridays are the best day to buy fish at my supermarket. But tuesday is when the new sells start.
I have a couple of friends that actually work at our local store and I started complaining to them how the shelves haven’t been stocked at all lately when I’ve gone shopping, especially for sale items. I’ve been going in the evenings lately as it’s worked out better with my schedule, and they tell me thats my problem. I guess all the ’stock-boys’ come at night after everyone is gone. Rarely do they stock when they are open. Oh. So I guess if I wanna get all the sale stuff without rain-checks, I’ll need to start getting out earlier in the day.
I’ve been shopping on Monday mornings now for about 2 years and love it! It is so quiet and not crowded. Now, if I go ANY other day, I think it’s so busy!
The only down side is, sometimes after the weekend rush, some products are stocked on the shelves of the store I shop at… but that’s usually only if I go by 8AM. If I wait till 9-10AM it’s better.
I shop on Mondays as they usually restock on Sunday evening. In the early morning, there are a lot of markdowns. But I also will hit one store on a Thursday if they are having good deals, because their sales overlap so I can get the past weeks sale and the upcoming sale, and they double coupons!
It is worth it to find these things out in your area! By watching, you can find out when they mark down produce, meat and bread!
I shop on Monday morning at one store because I play the Grocery Game (it’s a site that matches sales with coupons so you get the best buys–you’ve probably heard of it) and she puts out her list on Sunday. I avoid the grocery like I’d avoid bubonic plague on Sundays because it’s a nuthouse there. Monday is much quieter. I do have to say I don’t go in too early, though. Just like Jennifer’s store, they need time to restock the shelves after the Sunday rush.
I shop at a second store either Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon, after work. I get out at 12:30 and the store is barely a mile from work, so it is very convenient. Between the two stores, I save quite a lot of money each week. My stockpile groweth nicely, thank you very much!
Friday! Everything is well stocked for the weekend warriors and I go early! Good Luck Girl!
I buy on Saturdays. It’s a family affair with my mom and we go early (8-9am). Mom works and we like to be together so going any other time of the week would seem a little bit odd for me.