I used to do this when I lived in the States 15 or so years ago. On Saturday mornings my housemates and I would would spread out all the flyers and write our shopping lists. This ended as soon as I returned to Europe, but now I've caught myself doing the same thing again. The only difference is that now I'm looking at the flyers online. And yes, I shall then go to the different shops and buy my groceries. Sad, I know.

I keep telling my OH we should take more notice of them all when they are in the local rag etc but we never seem to and still in UK mode of just binning them.

Never knew their were some online too.

They say that recognising the problem is the first step on the road to recovery...

Thought this was a going to be a hockey thread...and a funny one at that...

Iced or fielded hockey?

Never use flyers, infact they just piss me off as they send hundreds of them in a package with a local paper that is about 4 pages long. Talk about save the damn trees I put them straight into recycling where they can be more useful.

I don't have the time or inclination to shop in about 10 different shops to use them anyway and would rather pay more and go to just 1 shop.

Iced

• Flick through Sobeys and Superstore flyers (or whatever the 'rival stores are) noting what is significantly cheapest at which store on the two lists. This is not a religious comparison item by item, just an idea of what prices normally are and observing which of the stores are offering products at between half and two-thirds their normal price - 10 minutes.

• Decide which store looks to have the best prices and go there; perhaps buying extra of things attractively priced so you don't pay full price the following week.

• One store only, saving about 20-25% overall (not just a few things) for looking at two flyers for 10 minutes.

Additionally, and this depends on location of the relevant stores (in our case rival stores are close to each other)

• Visit both stores (on the same trip if poss) buying the best deals in both places.

It does not take twice as long. All it involves is getting your usual groceries and buying the half a dozen items that are cheaper in one store and calling in at the other one to get the half a dozen things they have for less.

Instead of, say, one hour shopping in one store you spend 50 minutes in one (because you don't have to spend time looking at stuff you know you won't be buying there) and then it's 20 minutes getting the stuff in the other store.

• You have a list, you know what to get and where it is so it dosn't take long.

Job done and a saving of 30-40% on your costs. For 10 minutes on the flyers and 10 minutes extra store time.

If the stores are so situated that you cannot combine then make do with your 25% for your 10 minutes.

But maybe you're not out only once a week and the other store can be called in on your way home from work or other excursion.

I'm flyer obsessed but for price matching. Just show the flyer of a rival store to the checkout girl and they will automatically reduce the price to match.

I shop at no frills, but last week one rival had pop at 2.88 for 12, food basics had strawberry for $1 lb. There's usually 4 or 5 items I would regularly buy. Just show the flyer and price is matched and I only have to shop at my usual store :-).

Saved at least $10 on an $80 shop every time.

+1 Yay for that!

Oh, I didn't know that, thanks. Do they price match in every store?

Ooh, maybe it's an ontario thing?

Have a look on the flyers, they usually say.
Here walmart and no frills and food basics I think price match. Not sure about loblaws, I never go in!

I only have Urban Fare, Shoppers Drug Mart and Safeway near me. Will check these.

I don't bother with flyers personally, easier just to check Redflag deals where other people have done the dirty work.

The children have a flyer route. If the flyers don't get delivered by the time due on a Tuesday and Thursday some customers will ring up and complain to the flyer company. They must be retired or nutters....... or both.