MARTIN SLOANE | Supermarket Shopper Good return is gained for grocery investment

I have some low-risk investment advice that has worked during uncertain economic times: Invest in groceries.
It's part of what I call "the great grocery game." You play by combining two or more discount opportunities on the same item (such as having a manufacturer's coupon for something already on sale).
My readers have played the game for more than 20 years, saving at least 50 percent on their purchases. To play the game, you take some spare cash and stock up on bargains -- buying six or a dozen of an item in one trip -- then put them away in a safe place (I call my place the "grocery goldmine & quot;).
No selling off
Groceries investments differ from traditional investments because you don't have to sell in order to make the profit. All you have to do is eat it or use it, which is why I consider it a "gold-plated" investment. Another advantage of investing in groceries is the added freedom you have in deciding when to shop. Your goldmine is your strategic reserve in case, for instance, unexpected company arrives.
Each time you use an item from your grocery goldmine, your "profit" is your savings -- the difference between the bargain price you actually paid and what you would have paid at full price. For example, Cheryll Paul of Long Beach, Calif., spotted Aquafresh toothpaste, a 7.7 oz bonus size, on sale at Albertson's for 99 cents. Using seven 75-cent coupons, she paid $1.68 for all seven tubes. That's 24-cents for a tube that regularly sells for $2.99. Each time she uses a tube she has saved $2.75. That is a nice profit on an investment of 24 cents.
My "grocery goldmine" investment strategy works because whatever you stock up on today will inevitably cost more in a few months.
Coupons
The key to successful grocery investments is having many coupons, so that you're prepared when you find a great sale price. Friends, neighbors and relatives are all resources for the extra coupons. If the Sunday newspaper coupon inserts are filled with valuable coupons, consider buying several copies. In the long run, it should pay for itself.
Like other investments, keep records. Jot down the cost of groceries each time you put them in your mine. When you later use the product, estimate the regular price which is what you probably would have paid for it that week at the supermarket.
Linda Prichard of Warren says her family eats lots of Mott's applesauce. She recently stocked up when Giant Eagle offered it on sale for 99 cents, regularly $1.79. Using one coupon good for 55-cents off two and four coupons for $1 off three, she bought 14 jars for $9.31. Linda's purchase was an investment of 67 cents a jar and her savings (profit) on each jar was $1.12.
Don't overdo it
To be a successful investor, don't buy more than you or your family can use within a reasonable time. Thirty bottles of Heinz Ketchup is probably 20 too many. If you buy a lot of one item, mark the date of purchase and rotate your stock -- the first items into your goldmine are the first out. Keep an eye on items that have "Good if used before ..." or other types of expiration dates. If you are not sure of a product's shelf life, contact the manufacturer (look for toll-free telephone numbers on product packages). For some grocery items, you may want to take storage precautions, such as sealable plastic containers to keep pesky critters out.
Regardless of the investment strategy, there are some risks, even for groceries: If food spoils, it will affect your profits. If your basement floods, the value of your investment may seriously decline. If your tastes or preferences radically change, ditto! If you suddenly decide to move to another city, oh boy!
If you take my advice and create a goldmine of grocery bargains, please let me know how your investments work out. If you have any questions, address them to me, Martin Sloane, your Grocery Investment Advisor, in care of this newspaper. I will publish the most interesting letters.
XSend questions and comments to Martin Sloane in care of The Vindicator. The volume of mail precludes individual replies to every letter, but Martin Sloane will respond to letters of general interest in the column.
United Feature Syndicate