I’m often asked what my opinion of The Grocery Game program is, and frankly, I haven’t used it personally in about seven years. There are so many free resources for this information these days that I’m left wondering if there is a real value proposition in paying $10 or more ($10 for the first store and $5 for each additional store) every two months for access to coupon match-ups.
But maybe there’s something I’m missing since it’s been so long, so I’m putting the question out to all of my wonderful readers.
Do you use The Grocery Game currently? Do you feel it’s a valuable resource in addition to blogs?
Or did you stop using The Grocery Game when you started reading blogs? Do you feel that you can get all of the information you need for free?
Of course there’s no right or wrong answer, but I’m really looking forward to hearing your opinions, and I know there are many of you out there wondering this same thing.
Carrie
i used it before i got into reading deal blogs. then i stopped for a while. but now i’m using it again because i’m in an especially high cost of living area (san francisco bay area) and prices and coupons vary regionally and can’t get in on many of the deals bloggers in other areas of the country are posting. the grocery game is specific to my area. i only use it for safeway though, i tried their cvs list for a bit and it wasn’t worth it.
Nicole
I tried the Grocery Game a few months ago, just the free trial though. I hated that they only had 1 of the grocery stores here & it was the closest one to my house that I visit several times a week. But they would use the ad for their Wal-Mart list… Which made no sense to me. I mean, if they can do the comparison shopping, then they can make a List for that store too! The other grocery store in my area was often wrong! Its an Albertson’s but they are often not on the same sale week as the other Albie’s in Texas, so I was always having problems there! So, yeah I canceled after the trial & have been using blogs & my ads to get my best deals.
Debbie
I stopped using the Grocery Game when I started reading more blogs and websites. I believe I get everything I need for free from the internet. In addition, I love the scenarios on blogs/websites for how to best combine all the deals for the best price. I didn’t get that with GG.
Charlene
That is the website that started me using coupons and the internet to find deals. I only use it for my main grocery store. I think it’s well worth the value. It saves me a ton of time for my everyday groceries, as well as stockpiling for leaner times (this economy is rough). The ability to print the list to use as your grocery list with the prices/coupons/sizes/etc already printed on it is such a convenience. That way I know to buy the right product/size/number to get the best value. Saved over $40 at Giant Eagle yesterday alone. I’m a fan. :)
Jen
I stopped using it when we started shopping at the military commissary and the commissary isn’t listed on there. I can find the CVS deals on the blogs or even just by reading the flyer.
Amy
I used it for a while, until I got the hang of doing it for myself and reading blogs. We live in a town with Wal Mart, HEB, CVS and Wags only so it’s not too hard for me. If I lived in an area with more choices, I’d probably still use it just for the ease of someone doing it for me.
Shannon
I used to use it, but find that all the information I need is available on blogs and usually, the blogs are quicker to provide it. I think at one point it was a very valuable resource, but is no longer relevant with all the other resources available.
Michelle
I still use the GG but am tempted every week to stop.
1. They don’t tell you anything about printable coupons and I think those make up most of my coupons.
2. It comes out on saturdays while most blogs post on thursday for my local grocery stores deals…if I always wait til sunday to shop alot of the great/free items are already gone.
However, I do find that SOMETIMES they will have deals that I don’t find on any websites, just a few weeks ago I got a great deal on makeup for only a few pennies that no blog had info on. I like to compare blogs vs. GG every week to see if I’m at least making my $10 b ack but so far it doesn’t look like it. As far as the drug store lists, I would just stick to blogs…there are plenty of them…and they’re free!!!!
Kathy Arma (katanna05)
Ok gals, help me here! I am a newbie (2 weeks into couponing seriously, and I just signed up for the free trial on the Grocery Game. I’m sure it will help me get started but now I’m interested in the remarks y’all have made about blogs – I haven’t blogged yet (is this a blog?) and need to learn (I’m in my 50’s but have been on the computer for several years, but no blogging. Got to get going on facebook! Isn’t this stupid? I’m willing to learn, though.)
WHAT BLOGS are you talking about? How do I find them? I would appreciate any tips you can give me!
Thanks, Kathy
Summer
I tried it out, but cancelled after the trial period. They don’t tell me anything I don’t already know from reading blogs! :)
Jamie
This is so timely. I used it because it provided local information on our relatively small, regional grocery store, but recently found a blog from a large city within our grocer’s region, and she does a great job giving match ups. So now I’m thinking about quitting GG. It’s been a great money saver, so I’m a little nervous letting it go. Maybe I’ll give it a couple of weeks and see how it goes. I especially like how GG formats the list into a table. Makes it so easy to read.
Kathy Arma: yes, this is a blog and it is a darn good one!
Julia @ The Frugal Find
I tried it for a month, but was unimpressed. Blogs are amazing and my own coupon skills have improved that it was a waste of money for me. Too slow to update and the fact that printable coupons were not included was a downside for me too.
Erica
I used it for the free trial period but I find that your website and other like it give me the same information for free! The Grocery Game was great at showing you the best time to use your coupons but I would find that alot of the really great deals seemed to be regional because I was not getting the same coupons that according to them I should have been receiving.
Holly
I used it for over a year, but I found the lack of printable coupon links and the cost weren’t worth it. With the “free” information from the blogs, why pay?
amanda
I have NEVER used the grocery game. I started out reading moneysavingmom and branched out from there. I understand how that service could have been beneficial back before there were tens of thousands of blogs on this stuff, but I feel like paying for that service is a waste of resources in this day. If I ever need deals I don’t find on my normal blogs, moneysavingmom.com, amyinorlando.blogspot.com, and this blog, i just google the names of the store and the word deals.
Very effective.. and free!
Jamie
I think its easy to find the info for free online. I use couponmom.com mostly and I love this site.
Julia
I have used the GG for years. I like having my “list” all in one place on a weekly basis. I use the blogs to see if there are any freebie deals I am missing from my GG list. To a previous poster, they have started including printables, coupons near product AND repeating coupons – the list is constantly improving.
Ellie
I use it for one grocery store. I don’t use it every week, so maybe I’m not using it to it’s full potential. There is similar information available on the coupon mom website, too. so here’s why I still use the grocery game…
The Grocery Game list prints in the order that the grocery store is laid out. It also includes only the “best” deals. So I can print out the list (excluding products that I don’t want, using the grey out or whatever they call it), hand-write on the sides the additional things I need for the week, and hit the store.
I do also sometimes check the coupon mom site before heading out to the store to see if there are coupons for the additional items (including online ones).
OH! and also I don’t clip coupons until I’m going to use them. so I have them in file folders, organized by the date they came out.
Anyway, having the list organized by the way the store is laid out is such a time saver. I really like it.
ALSO the lists (my way, anyway) are supposed to be updated on Fridays, not Saturday or Sunday, so as to take advantage of weekend deals. Another relatively new feature is that they keep the deals listed on the list as long as they are valid- they used to only keep it on there for one week. This way (for me) if I miss a week or the item is sold out, it is still listed. Good bonus.
Becky
I’ve never used the Grocery Game, or a similar one called Savings Angel, though I signed up for the free Savings Angel e-mail that lists about a half dozen matchups for free. I’ve always found the same matchups in the blogs, though one time it pointed out a matchup that somehow I skimmed over when I originally read a blog. One local blog has the small local grocery chains I don’t see listed on the paid sites- and since one of the locals doubles up to a dollar, that’s good info to have!
I’ve found that the blogs here and one local to me post (or start posting) matchups as soon as the ads come in, so I have enough time to order coupons off e-bay and have them delivered so I can use them for the sale. I live in MI and can get in west coast coupons with several sale days to spare!
Mae
I have used GG on and off for about 3 years now. I am currently off. I still go on there to check the message boards often to look for on-line deals. But I don’t think I’ll become a member again. It does have some good things about it; but I just didn’t use it enough. It just did not work for me the way other people on the boards sound like it works for them. I’ll stick to the free ideas and coupons I get from the internet.
LaVonne
It was the website I used when I first started couponing. Once I got the hang of it, I couldn’t “pay” for the service when I found that I could get the info for free. My friends who show some interest in couponing – I tell them to do the free 4 week trial and then I show them websites like HCW or SD so they can get the free info too.
Mary Martin
I’ve been using The Grocery Game for almost two years now. Though I rely heavily on the blogs for my coupon deals, I continue to use The Grocery Game for my weekly Food Lion trips. The Grocery Game reports those sales which continue for more than a week whereas the blogs only report on the current sales. It’s worth $1.25 a week to me to have ready access to a complete list of the deals and coupon matchups.
With regard to the lack of internet print coupons reported on The Grocery Game, I have a fairly good idea of what IPs I have so I just pull those additional IPs prior to heading to the store. All in all, my subscription to The Grocery Game has more than paid for itself over the past few years. I will continue to use it.
Saving Our Way (Eleanor)
I just checked out the free trial & wasn’t impressed. My main shopping trip for my week is on Sunday. That starts the week for me & my meal plan for the week also. My primary shopping trip for groceries is Kroger and the Grocery Game didn’t post their ad until Monday & sometimes Tuesday!
It just didn’t work with my schedule. Also – the CVS & Walgreens deals I find on the web for free!
:-)
michelle
I read your blog. You’re not going to start charging us are you? Are you asking to see if there is enough interest for you to do your own “game?” If you included printable coupons it’d probably be worth it! Love your blog………
anne
I, too, started using GG in the beginning. I’ve stopped though after reading variuous blogs. I hope I’m not missing much!
christina
I think that the only real value in the grocery game is that they do grocery store matchups that are sometimes hard to find on the web. But, honestly, using afullcup.com you can do the matchups yourself pretty easily for the grocery stores and blogs are amazing for drug stores and big box stores.
Overall, simply not worth the money.
Lessie
I used CouponSense. I tried the Grocery Game and found it expensive since you have to sign up and pay for individual stores. I posted more about couponsense on my blog.
Stephanie T
I actually started couponing when I heard about The Grocery Game on the radio and did some research on it. I used it for awhile and felt that it taught me alot. However, I had some issues with the list not being completely accurate for my area (I live in KY). I also had to wait until Tuesday to get the list, which I did not really want to do. I had a friend email me information from a blog and could not believe all of the great free information out there. After I found this and other great blogs, I stopped paying for the information. I also felt that I started to do pretty well on my own comparing sales flyers and coupons. I am grateful for what I learned from The Grocery Game at the beginning and for introducing me to couponing. I don’t regret spending a little bit of money; I have saved it many times over. By the way, great question!!!
Amber
I did the free trial about 9 months ago. They only had 1 store in my area, which was very disappointing because there are several. And with all the coupon blogs, and trying to SAVE money, I would never pay for it. Not even worth it at all, for my area at least.
Erin
I used it for a while as well, but haven’t since I find a whole bunch of free blogs. To be honest it wasn’t worth it. I could see it for someone who needs something for their specific area, but I’ve found that I’m saving more now.