Tuesday, June 9, 2009

When is the Best Time to Shop?

Here is my advice:

1. Check with your local store's to see which day of the week they get shipments.
I ask each store when they get their shipments and try to go in right after they received what I am looking for. At Albertson's I've learned that usually Mondays are good. A lot of people have purchased the earlier delivery dates and I have had a pretty good success rate with Mondays.

That said, I am shopping right when they open on Wednesday to get my laundry detergent, I really need to stock up on All.

2. Shop early in the morning or late at night?
The drawback to these times is that there is usually only one check lane open. That is no big deal if you are the only one in the store. If you are shopping and there is only one checker and several other customers consider letting them go first if you have a lot or items, coupons or transactions. Remember that Albertson's only allows you three transactions in a row.
I find that during lunch time is usually a pretty good time to shop, the store gets a little slow but the checkers are overlapping shifts.
Never shop between 5 pm and 6:30 pm if you can help it. It is the busiest time of day.
You will learn your store as you shop there more and it never hurts to ask a manager what they think.

3. Go when your kids are not with you!
It can be hard to shop with children whether you coupon or not. Little people require a lot of attention and so does working out deal scenarios. It is hard to do both.

4. Find a routine that works for you.
I have found that when I was done with work, while I was working, before my little one got out of school on Mondays was ideal for me. Saturday mornings before the family is moving is not bad for me either. You learn what is best for you with your families schedule.

What are your shopping tips?

1 comment:

  1. The earlier the better is when I have had great success. Of course, it doesn't hurt to go with a friend and make it a breakfast or lunch date with a coke run....

    ReplyDelete