I usually go grocery shopping two (early) mornings a week. The first thing I do is make a beeline for the clearance table/rack and see what’s there. Then I check out the clearance meat and markdown dairy items. If there is nothing there I want, I leave empty handed and to the next store and do the same and then the third store and do same. I usually just use the express lanes. I can hit 3 stores in a line, buy a few things in all three and be back home within 45 mins. The stockers/dept mgrs put all their clearance items out after 7:00 am on weekdays.
If you happen to have coupons to use on these things, it saves even more. I’m not the only one who does this. I see the same group of regulars because I always go on the same days of the week.
Over the past 6 mos, I’ve reduced my “consumption” to almost nothing. I’m borrowing, bartering and also actively selling items we don’t need anymore.
I just cut my cable TV today. I figured out as much as it’s watched, it was costing us at least $5 per hr to watch it. I will be returning the box to stop the rental fee. I have probably paid for it several times over :={
There’s no way I’m paying “retail” for ANYTHING! I simply can’t afford it.
