Costco is by far the way to go. Their prices are much cheaper if you buy the Kirkland brand diapers & formula, like half the price. The products are very good quality. If you compare the ingredients in Similac and Kirkland brand formula they are almost identical. HUGE savings!

My wife goes Saturday mornings once a week, and once a month or so she'll hit Costco. By all means, don't go multiple times a week!

I go to Publix on Sundays and Sam's about every three weeks. When Brooke (4) was a baby I got formula and diapers at either Sam's or Babies R Us. If you get on the mailing list for BRU you get coupons AND you can use manufaturer's coupons as well. Get coupons on-line from Enfamil too.
Also, I used generic diapers from Sam's. Wasn't crazy about the Publix brand diapers but they'll do in a pinch.

By far the most important practice that has saved us money is planning our meals. Instead of just going to the store and buying stuff, I plan our meals before I go. I also go to Winn Dixie (by far not as nice as Publix but much cheaper) and shop the sales. I check the ad while doing my list and, if chicken is BOGO, we eat chicken that week. Or I'll do the BOGO meat and buy enough for 2 weeks. I'm debating doing the Sam's thing, but will only buy meat, diapers, etc there. Processed food is so much more expensive than non-processed. I don't think I'll save money at Sam's but the variety might be better (i.e., WD sale prices all the time at Sam's). For diapers, I suck it up and buy the $20 box of Huggies or Pampers. HATE store-brand, but we all have our things we're not willing to compromise on. For formula, I have to do the name-brand as my daughter is on a special one. But Publix, WD, almost all of them have a generic that is half the price if you can do that. There are federal guidelines for formula content, so if your child is on regular formula, seems as if they'd be equal.

Hi all,
Concerning Costco,etc, how about"regular food shopping" and not just baby products? will i save $ if i spend a fortune at costco? and how do u go there and not spend a fortune??
the Super Walmart near me is far more economical than Publix--but too far away to just pop in.
has anyone tried the super Target?
sometimes i go to a local market near me who has, eg, peaches for .99 cents a lb vs $1.29 at publix--READING ADS AND CIRCULARS AND GOING TO SALES HELP IF U DON'T USE TOO MUCH GAS!! LOL
thanks all,
best,
pam

I found a great way to save at my local Publix. My Publix is great with coupons. They have a variety of coupon books displayed and I have noticed that my store is taping coupons on items. This helps me since I am now learning that buy one get one free and using not only a store coupon but also a manufacturers coupon for the product is the way to save. The way to go is taking advantage of the BOGO's and planning my weeks menue according to whats on sale for the week. I know I will get fresh items at my store and I like the idea that they know my name. I feel like I am shopping in the neighborhood corner store. Julie

If you're going to join a club, I would suggest BJ's as they're the only one that accepts manufacturer's coupons. You can also combine (stack) a store coupon with a manufacturer's coupon for the same item.

That said, I find that by shopping the sales at Publix, Winn Dixie and/or Albertson's for fresh food (produce, meat, poultry, seafood), stocking up on pantry items when they're both BOGO *and* I have 2 coupons, and purchasing most, if not all of my health, beauty and baby items either at CVS or Walgreens (when they have a $5 off $20 or a $10 off $40 coupon) I shave hundreds off my monthly spending for my family of five.

The club stores can have some fantastic deals but with the smallest bit of legwork (coupon clipping and planning), you can easily replicate-- if not surpass!-- the savings that you'd find at a club store.

If you like to find out more specific ways to start clipping and organizing coupons, check out neverpayretailagain.blogspot.com

If you're going to join a club, I would suggest BJ's as they're the only one that accepts manufacturer's coupons. You can also combine (stack) a store coupon with a manufacturer's coupon for the same item.

That said, I find that by shopping the sales at Publix, Winn Dixie and/or Albertson's for fresh food (produce, meat, poultry, seafood), stocking up on pantry items when they're both BOGO *and* I have 2 coupons, and purchasing most, if not all of my health, beauty and baby items either at CVS or Walgreens (when they have a $5 off $20 or a $10 off $40 coupon) I shave hundreds off my monthly spending for my family of five.

The club stores can have some fantastic deals but with the smallest bit of legwork (coupon clipping and planning), you can easily replicate-- if not surpass!-- the savings that you'd find at a club store.

If you like to find out more specific ways to start clipping and organizing coupons, check out neverpayretailagain.blogspot.com

Just a follow up...

For diapers:

Yesterday at CVS I was able to get 2 Mega packs of Huggies diapers for a total of $8 out of pocket-- or the equivalent of $4 a package. The normal retail price is $17.99 each.

Here's how:

CVS has mega packs on sale for $15, I used both a $3 off $15 CVS coupon (found online) with the $3 Huggies coupon (which I received in the mail after emailing a compliment to the makers of Huggies)-- cost for the first pack: $9

In a separate transaction, I bought another package for $9-- but here's the kicker, CVS is having a promotion on all Kimberly-Clark products that when you spend $25, you receive $10 extra care bucks (CVS coupons that can be used like cash at CVS stores-- they're good on anything.) So buy purchasing the second package, I received $10 back (which I then used to purchase Cottonelle toilet paper and Viva paper towels-- which then earned me ANOTHER $10 back, after spending only another $10 of my cash and the ECB that I had earned with the Huggies purchase.)

For groceries:

I spent $22.02 at Publix yesterday for $91.31 worth of groceries for a savings of almost 76% off retail. And I spent $44.06 at Albertson's for $81.83 worth of groceries-- a savings of 46%. If I were willing to purchase only processed and packaged foods, I could easily save even more.

I couldn't come close to those savings when buying in bulk at a club store. It did take a bit of work, clipping and sorting coupons, matching them up to the store's ad but with a total savings of over $100 dollars, I think it's time and money well spent :)

my wife usually goes on the weekends because its more convenient for both of us but this is the best way in my opinion plus i usually do my shopping online for certain products

well just shop online at www.tycromedia.com