Grocery Shopping

Some people have a dream house...I have a "dream" grocery store....keep in mind that I shop weekly and one time a month I spend 3 to 4 hours in the grocery store and exit with 3 to 4 carts full.

Here are the details of my dream grocery store:

• The grocery store would install cup holders on each cart and offer Rt 44 Sonic drinks (for non-US readers, this is a 44 oz drink with awesome crushed ice) as I arrive.
• They would allow me to fax in my orders for the items that I buy one or more cases of and have the cases waiting for me.
• They would have "St. Louis-style" carts...okay, so I have no idea of the carts "real name", but ones like in the picture to the left...with a high shallow basket, room for cases to stack below and the front is hinged so everything in the basket just gets slid onto the checkout conveyor belt. (For readers who don't know me personally, I use a wheelchair and dangling over a cart to try to reach the items at bottom of a typical deep basket is no fun.)
• Any aisle with items over 50 pounds each (ie. dog food) would have a button to press call for assistance.
• A pouch with see thru pockets should be on the cart to hold grocery lists and coupons being used.
• When its time for carryout, the carryout person will arrive before the ice cream melts.

I use coupons and generally save 20% with coupons each shopping trip. I organize them by the order that the items are from the front of Wal-Mart grocery to the back (rather than by category). Even when I shop places other than Wal-Mart, I find this arrangement works well.

NOW, for what everyone seems to want to know...where do I get my coupons?

1. web site of frequently purchased brands such as Betty Crocker and Cascade,
2. online newspaper coupons,
3. Boxtops for Education,
4. couponmom,
5. ebay to purchase coupons for specific favorite products,
6. newspapers and magazines
7. friends and family.