Shopping the Perimeter Makes No Cents
One of the frugal tips I read time and time again is one way to save money on your grocery bill is to only shop the perimeter of your grocery store.
The theory here is that the food in the middle aisles of your grocery store are expensive, highly processed, and filled with artificial ingredients. The advice is that you will save money by by not buying these foods and only shopping the perimeter.
My problem with this advice is that if you only shop the perimeter then you are missing out on some very frugal foods that will save you money.
Foods like oatmeal, dried beans, rice, popcorn, canned tomatoes, pasta, etc., can only be found in the middle of the grocery store.
These frugal foods lie at the very foundation of a frugal lifestyle. Taking these frugal foods items off the table would not be a wise financial move.
Besides I enjoy going down the grocery store aisles to see items they have on markdown. If I didn't do that I might miss out on a good deal.
Belinda
~ Living within our Means ~
You make a good point. I think the premise is "fresh" is best. Many grocers in our area have bulk bins for rice, oats, popcorn, nuts, etc. in the outer perimeter. I use a ton of pasta - but it probably isn't that healthy - unless homemade. I agree, there are just some things I use a lot of and don't really want to give up.
ReplyDeleteSame here, Cheryl. I agree that fresh is best and can see shopping the perimeter for that reason. I think that "shop the perimeter" works more for the healthy viewpoint more so than the frugal one.
DeleteBelinda, I agree wholeheartedly with your comments. Just because I'm in an aisle with processed foods doesn't mean I have to buy them.
ReplyDeleteNot food but I found a great buy on my favorite cleaner for my glass cooktop. The store had the product on clearance at over half the regular price. If I hadn't been shopping the center aisles I wouldn't have found this particular bargain.
That's great about finding your cleaner half off the regular price. I found some goo gone wipes in the regular aisle this winter on markdown and I wouldn't have found them if I hadn't been in the center aisles.
DeleteI agree Belinda, as we eat so much rice, and beans. Winco has their 25 pound bag of oats on the perimeter of the store.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, Kim. I would love to shop at Winco sometime, but they are not in this area unfortunately.
DeleteWe primarily shop at Costco, and stick to produce & lean meat, spices, etc. At the grocery store, I do shop around, because man of the aisles contain markdowns, as you mention.
ReplyDeleteI love looking for bargains and markdowns at the grocery store. I know some people don't like to grocery shop, but I do. I've not been to Costco, but would love to go sometime.
DeleteVery good point, Belinda! Foods like rice and beans are the backbone of some of my most frugal meals.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful afternoon and evening!
THank you, Lili. I knew other people would feel that same way I did. I hope you have a great evening too.
DeleteI agree wholeheartedly! The perimeter frugal aisle mantra is one of my big pet peeves in the frugality world.
ReplyDeleteThe bulk of my shopping is perimeter because of my food allergies. I am always perplexed why anyone thinks this perimeter thing is frugal? I can see with my own eyes it's not.
Stores have gotten wind of this perimeter trick and now stock the perimeter's with very expensive gourmet food. Have you seen the deli section in the middle of produce? The liquor section next to meat?
I don't go down every aisle of my stores. Lot of those items I can not use. I do have my aisles I always go down no matter what. Those aisles are full of frugal treasures and nutritious food. Even more so than perimeter.
Excellent examples, Safyne. I have seen those gourmet deli sections in the middle of the produce aisle. I'm glad you agree with me. It does a person a disservice when you tell them to shop the perimeter of the store when you know they are trying to be frugal and so many good and healthy frugal foods are located in the middle of the store.
DeleteIf you read in the comment section you'll find that I mentioned this was more geared towards healthy living and not frugal living. Now I wish I had included it in my blog post. I can provide you with multiple links to articles by frugal bloggers who tell readers to shop the perimeter and they are doing them a disservice. Even with healthy living, foods like brown rice and beans, which are both healthy, are found in the center aisles.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you won't be back.
I read articles regarding healthy living and frugality and both of them mention "shop the perimeter". Therefore, there are sources that "shop the perimeter" are being used as a way for shoppers to save money and I don't find that to be true. I think shoppers miss out on good frugal foods if they only do that.
ReplyDeleteHere are some examples:
https://www.thefrugaltoad.com/frugal-living/10-frugal-ways-to-save-on-food
https://www.lifeorganizeit.com/frugal-grocery-shopping.html
https://www.dummies.com/personal-finance/budgeting/frugal-living-for-dummies-cheat-sheet/
I do agree with you that "shop the perimeter" works with the healthy lifestyle, but I don't believe it fits with the frugal one, which you also agree with. :)
Yes, I think "shop the perimeter" is better geared towards being healthy and not saving money.
ReplyDeleteI shop the whole store too. I don't want to miss out on any specials. Plus it helps me get my steps in.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great way to look at it, Kim. Bailey usually always gets her 10,000 steps in each day.
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