Especially when you are just beginning to lower your grocery budget, it can be hard to know when a “deal” is really a good deal. I know it can get overwhelming when you are in the store staring at a sale price tag, trying to remember what you paid for the item last time.
Per pound, per ounce, per liter. If I don’t have it written down in front of me, I guarantee you I couldn’t make sense of it at the store. I try to have a very specific shopping list when I go grocery shopping, but sometimes I will stumble on a deal that “looks” good and I need to have the information to help me decide whether to stock up or not.
A few things to note about this list:
- These are MY stock up prices. I enlisted the help of two of my good friends to make sure these prices are good across the board. Please remember, these prices may not work for your family. If you have dietary/allergy restrictions, you need to have your own list of what is a good price for you. This list is just to help you get started.
- There are certain items we always have in the house. I do my best to find them at stock up prices, but I will pay a little more if I have to. Know the items your family can’t do without.
- On the other hand, there are items we CAN live without. For example, we rarely have soda in the house. If I can’t find it at my stock up price or below, we just don’t buy it.
- I tried to include all the items we buy or have bought on a regular basis, although I’m sure I have left off a few. I’m providing a printable version of this list, so you can add, delete or change any items to suit your needs.
- I have included several Costco prices for comparison as well, including quite a few from their ever-expanding natural/organic section. For items we have in the house all the time, if I can’t find them at my stock up price, I will buy at Costco to get us through until the next deal comes along.
- I have also included a column to compare bulk prices at Winco. Winco has a HUGE bulk section that is totally worth checking out if you are looking to save some money on your grocery budget. Several prices are better at Costco over Winco, but you have to buy in a much larger size. Sometimes it is worth it to pick up items at Winco when you only need a small amount.
- I have added links to Amazon on several of the more popular items they sell. I only added links to items I would actually purchase on Amazon or have seen a good deal on in the past. If you are looking for prices on a specific item, hopefully this will help for you to see if there is a better deal online. The reason I didn’t list specific prices is that Amazon’s prices jump and drop all the time. This should give you a quick reference to see what the current price is on an item you are searching for.
- I realize that some of the items have different measurements, some are by ounces or pound, some are “any size”. This may not be scientific, but this is what I have gathered from a few years of couponing. Some items have similar stock up prices, regardless of size, and some MUST be measured by ounce or pound.
You have two options to view this list:
- View in Google Docs version
- For printable version from Google Docs: Click File, Download As, choose PDF and export to your computer
I really hope that you find this information useful. As mentioned before, I know how overwhelming this kind of shopping can be and I imagine that is why some people just don’t stick with it. Just by arming yourself with the right information, you can help lower your grocery budget dramatically!
I would love for you to share this list with anyone you think could get good use out of it for personal use. If you are going to share on your blog, via Facebook or other media, please link directly to this post, not to the list itself.
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
this is great! question though…
is this with coupons or just store sale price? thanks for the great list! printing and adding to my binder!
This is what I would pay AFTER coupons. Glad you can put it to good use!
Thank You, Thank You!!! Super Excited about this! =0)
Awesome resource! Thanks for sharing and I will share on my blog!
Thank you!! Been meaning to do something like this myself – I appreciate your hard work and research!
Thank you! This is SO helpful in getting started couponing. I am going to share this list with my all my MOPS mamas.
Thank you so much for this. As a newbie I have been finding it very hard to know if I should be using my coupons or waiting for a better price. This is a great list and the only one I have found with Peanut Butter…go figure.
Sybilla – Glad you will be able to use it! Honestly, I can often times find peanut butter cheaper than $1, there just hasn't been a deal in a while. This is one of those things I will pay a little extra for, so I upped my stock up price a little bit.
Thank you! This is very helpful!
This is fantastic. Thanks for your hard work.
Thank you so much for this! Just a heads up, Adobe is down right now, but you can also download a PDF from Google Docs. Just click file/download as/PDF at the top and you can set it up from there.
Thank you
this helps so much!
Thanks! I have been doing this one item at a time so this will really save time. I copied and pasted it into a spreadsheet and will add my own stuff.
So with the flour and sugar how do you feel about buying it in bulk from Winco or any other store?
So glad to have this as a resource. I know the regular store prices are obviously after coupons and sales and doublers and whatever else you can make work, but what about the Costco prices? Are those based on their everyday prices, or the prices if you use the coupons they mail out periodically since you can’t use MF coupons at Costco. (just imagine the possibilities if you could…)
Thanks!
Good question! These are the standard shelf prices, before any coupon discount.
I am blind, and can’t seem to be able to get my screen reader to read your pantry stock up price list. Is there any way you could e-mail it to me? Thanks for any help!
Fantastic thank you!
I really like your list! I’m wondering if the Google Doc is your updated list or the original list from when you first posted.
As far as I know, it should go to the updated version every time. I just make changes in the original document and it should save so you all can see it. I did update the link, just in case. As long as it has a Winco column, it is the updated version. Glad you like the list!
thanks so much for this list it really helps our budget
In the Portland area, Winco sells crimini mushrooms for $2.98/lb. Why get the white at the same price… They are yummy grilled with grapeseed oil.
Also, Winco has a frequent cleaning schedule for their bulk bins. This is helpful to know if one has allergies.
Thank you for posting your list. It’s helpful.
Your list is the only of its kind that it easy to use and practical. THANK YOU so much for posting this list!
Thank you for the nice comment, glad you’ve found it helpful!
I just started couponing your organizing tips and stock up list are a gret idea. I have tried the filing method and did not like it. I purchased some baseball sheets and have put the coupons that I use in them.. I find this much easier. I don’t have to look through every paper (smart s. red plum etc) which is taking some time. (several hours)
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