In these times of economic uncertainty, many people are looking to cut costs wherever possible. So as pressure on pocket books continues to mount, highly resourceful household CEOs have begun visiting local auction houses for great deals on … groceries. That’s right, I’m talking about grocery auctions.
That’s not a typo, folks. There are actual auction houses out there that specialize and entertain competitive bidding on everyday groceries like Fruit Loops, mayonnaise, chicken pot pies, Hamburger Helper, milk, baked beans, canned corn, and peanut butter. In fact, those who are willing to buy vegetables in dented cans or other items that are slightly beyond their sell-by date can save money on groceries by as much as 90%.
What You’ll Find
By the way, those who are leery of buying “expired” products should know that there is generally no prohibition against the sale of food past its sell- or use-by dates. That’s because those dates are simply manufacturer guidelines regarding the rotation of shelf stock or period of best quality. As a result, most auction houses guarantee the quality of the goods they are selling, regardless of sell-by dates.
Of course, not all items at a grocery auction are in less-than-perfect condition; many are simply overstocks from grocery stores.
Some grocery auctions even sell perishables like meat and dairy products, including ice cream. And it’s also not uncommon for grocery auctions to sell non-edible items that you can usually find at grocery stores such as cleaning supplies, and paper towels.
Grocery Auction Tips
If you plan on attending a grocery auction, keep the following tips in mind:
- Make sure you do your research! Know the grocery store price of any item you are bidding on so you don’t get caught up in the excitement and end up overpaying.
- Some items are sold by the pallet or case. Make sure you are aware of how many items are in a particular bulk package to ensure you do not overpay on a per-item basis.
- If you do plan on buying perishables, make sure you bring a cooler chest!
- Check beforehand to see if your grocery auction house accepts credit cards and/or food stamps. Many do, but others do not.
How to Find a Grocery Auction Near You
If you’re interested in finding a grocery auction in your area, consider trying a website like AuctionZip. Here’s how: In the keywords section, type “grocery” (without the quotes). Then enter your zip code and select how far from your home you’d be willing to travel. If you’re having trouble finding an auction near you, simply choose “Any” and you should see plenty of them pop up.
Oh … and here’s one final bit of advice: Have fun! After all, you’re saving a lot of money.
Photo Credit: urbanwoodchuck
good article. i especially like online auctions, they give me that sort of adrenaline rush when buying!
How can I find a online auction site for food? I’ve been looking and I’m not having any luck. My husband and I are on a very tight budget. I hope someone can help us out.
Did you try doing a Google search on online food auctions or online grocery auctions, Georgette? For non-online grocery auctions, check out the National Auctioneers Association website or, as I mentioned in the article, try AuctionZip.
If you are struggling paying for food, look up local food pantries in your area, by county. Just put in, “food pantry (your county). They only ask for your social security card and envelope with address, maybe a picture ID. It’s free for those who need help with food.
I can see how awareness of the lot size is key. I’m imagining someone buying a pallet of creamed corn without realizing what they were bidding on.
Yeah, that could pose a problem for people with a small pantry, Matt.
I have never heard of a grocery auction until today. It’s definitely an interesting concept!
Shopping for me is go in the supermarket, hit just the right isles according to my shopping list, get out ASAP! I don’t ‘hate’ grocery shopping, I just prefer to get it over with sooner rather than later. I also get plenty of adrenaline from bumping into random people & their carts in the middle of the isles.
However, the idea to auction certain canned good close or past their expiration date is interesting. Many products do have that date as a general guideline, even though they don’t actually expire! Oil and honey come to mind, I always find it funny seeing an expiration date on olive oil bottles. Or on bottles of wine.
As part of my annual quality check on my home food stores, this winter I opened up a 10-year old can of ravioli and ate all of the contents. The food was as fresh as that from any other can bought from the store. As long as the seal remains unbroken, canned and jarred food should last for 30 years or longer, although some — but not all — of the nutritional value will degrade over time.
What strikes me as funny is that food banks will turn up their noses at and refuse to take a case of jelly which is one month over the date, while I who work for a living, and am very thrifty, will use the jelly in baking, for sandwiches, and mixing with home made yogurt. “The (sacred) Poor” are too good to use expired foods, but a working class person is not. Many of the people who enjoy this newsletter (Thanks for a great read every week Len!) are well off or judging from their desire to save and quality of written comments, will not be poor long. But the food bank recipients who are too good for expired food will have their hands out forever. Go figure!
Sounds like a great life option when you lack options. But people might be too prideful for this.