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.
Valerie
I am currently using the Grocery Game’s free sign-up period and I am not impressed. I tried it because I have heard so many good things about it. The ads in this area come out on Thursdays and the sales start on Fridays or Sundays. The lists don’t get updated until Sunday afternoon, if you are lucky, or Tuesday. The don’t cover Acme (Albertson’s) which is a major market in my area. I live outside a major East Coast city and I drive past an Acme, SuperFresh, Walmart, Shoprite, CVS and Walgreen’s to get Wegman’s which is 10 minutes away. 2 minutes up the road is a Target. That is only traveling in one direction. The fact that they don’t include Walmart or Target is a hinderance since, after reading this fantastic blog (thank you!!!), I started food shopping at both Walmart and Target and saving tons of money. Also, I have found more unadvertised deals from several blogs that are free along with any changes in deals that are constantly being updated. Incorrect information, which I have found at TGG along with the list only being updated once a week is just not for me. The Grocery Game may be great for some users who don’t mind paying for someone else’s time it takes to compile a list and coupons but I like the up-to-date info you can find on free sites and blogs and I don’t spend spending the little extra time to get the best deals myself.
Stacey
This topic was discussed previously in a forum over at HCW. One poster there said it best “The first rule of couponing is never pay for something you can get for free!”.
I’ve never used the service myself, but I have a friend who does and she loves it. I have used coupons for years, but just started REALLY getting the deals this year by following blogs (Thanks Tara!) and using Hot Coupon World’s forums.
Lauren
I just wrote a whole blog post in response to this question! :)
https://savingslist.blogspot.com/2009/09/why-ive-gone-back-to-grocery-game.html
Beth in Dublin, OH
When I first started out with couponing seriously, I signed up for the free GG trial. I couldn’t afford to maintain it after the trial, but then slowly started seeing free blogs & websites devoted to couponing & finding deals/steals like here on Deal Seeking Mom. I get everything I need by subscribing to tons of emails so I always know where the best deals are to be found!
Jessica
The idea of paying in order to save doesn’t make much sense to me, so I never even tried it. I’ve subscribed to the blogs that list the deals at the stores I shop at, and I also go through the ads myself, and I’ve done just fine!
Graciela
I never tried their website but I bought the book she has out when I first started couponing earlier this year. I found her book to be insightful but then I found all these great couponing sites and didn’t see the need to try the website.
Aleks Stewart
Many of you have mentioned the ‘con’ to blogs being specific to whatever regional area their writers are from. Does anyone know some good blogs that post deals that would be applicable in the Dallas area? Usually, Target/CVS/Walgreens seem to be consistent but the grocery stores don’t… Would love your feedback…
Kristen
I have never used the grocery game personally. I always matched up coupons myself and then when I discovered blogs I let them do it for me. I can’t imagine paying for a service that is free elsewhere. Plus I have heard that it is not worth the money.
Margaret
I used five store lists on the grocerygame for about two years. I learned a lot from the site, however, there are too, too many free sites to get the same or better information from. My biggest problem with the lists was the fact that there were many, many price differences and sales. It was frustrating to get my lists together, go to the store and then find the lists did not match my stores. I had spent the money for the lists and wasted my precious time getting everything together. The free sites have been 99.9% correct all the time. That is a big difference.
karen
I have used the grocery game since March 2009 and just canceled my subscription the first of October 2009. My biggest complaint about the site is the timing of the list. The sales circulars come out on Wednesday and the list is not ready until late Saturday night (I live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area) That only gives me Sunday, Mon and Tues to shop but in reality I only have two days (Mon and Tues) because Sunday is busy with Church, dinner and family time. Even though I have found free sites to get info on deals I would probably still pay for the grocery game if the list came out when the sale circulrs did, that way I could shop on Friday, which is my preferred shopping day.
Jessica
I signed up with The Grocery Game when I checked out her new book. I thought I had hit a landmine! Sadly, I canceled as soon as the free trial was over because even though it would take me a little longer, I could find the informtion myself from several different sites. Would be wonderful if you didn’t have to pay for it.
Amy Lojko
I like it, it’s a really great idea. It helps me keep my thoughts together without alot of time spent. I have 8 children and very little extra time. My only complaint is that it is so expensive and some of the coupon sources aren’t always accurate.
LaTasha
I used it, only for the free trial. There are so many free sources that put together the same information and some are formatted much better…why pay for it?
Becky
I use it but am considering cancelling. I often cannot find the coupons in Smart Source and Red Plum. Sometimes the items in the Meijer ad is off by $1, which throws off all the percentages. I’ve written and haven’t really gotten satisfaction.
Melanie
Used it off/on and I think $10 to steep and then $5 for each store I know I save the money, but in this economy I would rather spend the time to find the deals and or start a free forum where we could share the deals that more local to us. Like others I find my coupons are different do not have the coupon to only become discouraged at what I could have saved, so for me it is not worth the cost any longer.
Sharon
I really like the GG. I really used coupons before and now I am addicted, I have saved so much money. I really pretty much shop at King Soopers and think if you mainly shop at one or two stores it is really a savings and makes it easy. Perhaps when I get better at this I would wing it on my own. But to get going its the best!!!
Ava
The Grocery Game does not cover ANY stores in the Midwest (Iowa in particular). I have found only one website that covers our stores: savings angel.com BUT it is very pricey at $19.99 a MONTH.
Loving couponing!
I checked it out bu never used it because, mostly, you can get the same thing for free on all the other sites. I also, honestly, didn’t care for their website at all. It also gets hung up when you want to check out the grocery tracker(did anyway before, maybe fixed now) and no other sites were doing that. I just think you can get the same thing for free and the the free websites we are like a team working together to get good deals and report good finds and helping each other do well. I love that aspect of it. I f there were no free, cool websites then I would pay and use the GG.
Meredith
I used it for two months (free month trial period and the other I didn’t cancel in time). At first I was able to overlook the cons about it since I was just starting to try couponing and it was a one-stop info. I quit because 1) I didn’t totally trust the “list” and did find instances where you could pay one penny more but get twice the amount of product 2) spend hours trying to check to see if the “list” was accurate 3) the “list” would not come out until Sunday but the sale had been going on since last Wednesday and my grocery day is Friday 4) alot of the good sale items were gone because I had to wait until Sun or Mon and then I wasted a trip (only can get rainchecks on advertised sales) 5) never received a response from my email I had sent. So obviously she is making enough money off of this that she doesn’t need a high percentage of satisfied customers. I like this site and TotallyTarget, (and at times couponmom.com) soooo much better! Thank you for all your time!! : )
Ray
We used to use it. However we found that we were spending more money on stuff just to have a stockpile of things. And quickly running out of room. With sites like this and others, the information can be found just as easily for free. And now we are spending tremendously less each month!
Couponing 4 a Difference
I agee with those that say it isn’t worth it. All You Magazine (an awesome publication) now has a new feature “Grocery Circular Roundup” that I think will do the job.
Couponing 4 a Difference
Here’s the link I mentioned above for All You Magazine’s Grocery Circular Roundup.
Couponing 4 a Difference
LOL. Trying again. Here’s the link: https://www.allyou.com/static/weekly-circulars/
Amy
I have never used it. I took a local class in my area (in Michigan) called SavingsMania.net and they are awesome. Cost is $15 a month and that is for 8 stores, they do what they call a bonus list for 3 of the stores too that is all the additional match ups not advertised and my most favorite is when Kroger runs a MEGA they have a COMPLETE list of every item! I do still comb through some blogs becasue I am obsessed with deals, but find that my $15 a month is well spent with SavingsMania.net
Gina
The Grocery Game was a BIG disappointment. The information was limited and inaccurate ~ they must focus on subscribers not looking into the great blogs available; they are paying a lot and getting very little!
kodachrome
I have never used it, I did check out the book from the library, IMO there are far to many free resources but that is just a personal opinion. I like this site and coupon katrina because they are local to me and the price matches are more accurate.
Laura Singh
I have had a bad experience with the grocery game, I signed up for their trial which was fine but they did not even have the stores I usually go to so I canceled before the end of the trial. Then I see I was billed $50. I logged in and saw that all the stores in the area had been chosen. I have not stepped a foot in half of them ever . I e-mailed their customer service several times with no response. There does not seem to be a phone number to call I suppose that is on purpose.
Ideel Coupon
I have never even heard of the “The Grocery Game”. But after reading about it from your post I would surely visit it now and hopefully will find something interesting to pick up right now!
Thanks again Tara and hopefully you will going to share some more in near time.
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