Quality over Quantity: another lesson in being thrifty.

Posted on March 25th, 2010 by Terrell Meek |

The other evening a commercial came on for a local news program in Seattle. I just happened to glance at the television as they showed a woman in her walk-in pantry, surrounded by boxes of food and cases of soda. My first thought was that the show was about hoarding (a popular TV series exists on the issue already), but the teaser claimed I’d find out how to save up to 60% on groceries if I stayed tuned in.

My interest was piqued and I did end up watching the segment, called How to Play the Grocery Game. In it, they highlight a woman who turned her passion for cutting coupons into an online business. She has worked out a system in which she matches manufacturer coupons with store sales and provides the grocery lists and coupons to consumers, thus saving them money.

As someone who spends a lot of money on food, I was curious to know if I could save using the Grocery Game system. But as I watched the segment, I noticed that not only were the majority of coupons good for processed food I have no interest in buying, winning the game usually requires you buy multiple items at once. The founder of Grocery Game calls this technique “stockpiling” and claims that by buying only what you need each time you go to the store, you are overspending.

I’ve said before that coupons can often be a budget buster because they can force you to buy things you don’t want or even need. The prospect of saving money for the family, for being the hero, is intoxicating. Saving money can make you feel smart while feeding your desire to shop. But, I believe that stockpiling, or buying in bulk, has hidden costs, especially if it involves purchasing 20 boxes of Kraft Mac ‘n Cheese or three 12-packs of Diet Coke at once. Not only do you need ample storage space, you are also making a negative impact on your health (and that of your family) that you’ll have to pay for sooner or later.

I don’t want to downplay the importance of saving or being able to feed your family in rough economic times. I also don’t want to lecture anyone on their eating habits. I do, however, want to point out that it’s important to think through your purchases, especially when it’s so easy to be swayed by promises of savings. Being thrifty means spending consciously which means knowing the consequences of your purchases. Personally, I’d rather spend a little more for food that makes me feel healthy and has a shelf life.

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