How I shaved $92.32 off a $121.66 grocery bill

It all started innocently enough…

I just stopped in for soda, for my long drive home.

But as I entered, I was confronted with shelf after shelf stripped bare. Did I unknowingly step across a border? This wasn’t the type of store I was accustomed to seeing in America.

As I looked to my right, I saw a sign. It seems this Albertsons was moving on to a better place; whether that was in the sky or in a more accommodating location, it did not specify.

What the sign did say was that every item was 75% off. It seems it was my lucky day, if I could find something left in the store. I certainly didn’t expect to find the caffeinated soda I so desperately needed.

As I passed the empty isles, I began to seriously question if I was wasting my time. There were still a few customers and employees around, so I continued searching for bargains.

At first, my mind didn’t register the significance of the cans off in the distance. I was far from the grocery portion of the store. What could be in those cans?

As I walked towards the cans, my eyes lit up. Before me was a feast—a feast for my dog. After loading 142 cans into my cart, I glanced down the remaining isles for more supplies to stock up on. Nothing of value seemed to be left, so I checked out and returned to my car to show my trusty travel companion her gift.

In the end, I only spent $31.75, saving $92.32 ($100 with tax). If I’d encountered this store before it was stripped bare, my savings and cost could have been astronomical. But since we spend less than we earn, we have the flexibility to take advantage of unexpected opportunities.

This article was featured in the Festival of Frugality hosted by Sound Money Matters.