THÊ JÚLY 2011 GROCERY CHALLENGE

[leanna]

Nice transaction Skubikky!

[dancinmama]

Jul 27, 2011 12:19:15 GMT -5 skubikky said:

"And I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that you are collecting rain checks. This is a HUGE part of how you can get the very best deals or restock something that you are running low on."

I was able to use an RC for St. Joseph's 36ct 81mg aspirin at RA today. Thanks as always dancin' for always reminding that RCs are a very effective way to lock in a deal and save when you have a Q for it down the road.

skubikky: You're welcome. I know that sometimes I sound like a broken record, but ya never know when a newbie will be lurking. ;D

I have quite an extensive collection of CVS rain checks for things that I will want to restock at some time in the future. Whenever I have EBs that I can't roll and there is nothing on ad that I need, I check my stockpile and my rain check stash and buy accordingly.

[973beachbum]

" I meant to get two boxes of cereal but only got one and the Q was in my pile when I handed them to her.....the machine accepted it without a beep?? At Wegmans it definitely would have beeped."

that happened to me to at CVS. I handed her the coupons and my ECB's in one pile. I had a bunch of things that day too. So at the end as she was sorting the coupons I saw one for a free candy bar that I hadn't remembered to pick up. I told her I hadn't bought it and she said nope the register didn't beep so it is just a generic CVS coupon and it is fine.

Sometimes I go in and get one thing and have a coupon that is clearly exactly what the product is and the thing beeps like I am the Unibomber or something then other times I actually make a mistake and it is fine?

[skubikky]

Jul 27, 2011 13:23:57 GMT -5 973beachbum said:

Sometimes I go in and get one thing and have a coupon that is clearly exactly what the product is and the thing beeps like I am the Unibomber or something then other times I actually make a mistake and it is fine?

LOL....you cracked me up with that comment....it's so true...I'm always waiting for the SWAT team to come out when the register beeps..

[leanna]

I like that comment too...

Some registers are set so that they beep so LOUD it scares the crap out of me.

I know it always scares everyone when a coupon does that.

[leanna]

Jul 26, 2011 11:27:25 GMT -5 saveinla said:

For people who love cheese, SW has a few coupons that have long expiration dates - some until 2012 August for Chavrie, president's etc. They are next to the deli. HTH

Thanks for the tip SaveinLA!

I was just at Safeway and remembered you had mentioned this. Lots of cheese coupons like you said - and those 2012 expiration dates on many of them is just fantastic!

I am like a mouse when it comes to cheese...yum, yum. Or should I say squeek squeek?

[saveinla]

Jul 27, 2011 16:27:15 GMT -5 leanna said:

Jul 26, 2011 11:27:25 GMT -5 saveinla said:

For people who love cheese, SW has a few coupons that have long expiration dates - some until 2012 August for Chavrie, president's etc. They are next to the deli. HTH

Thanks for the tip SaveinLA!

I was just at Safeway and remembered you had mentioned this. Lots of cheese coupons like you said - and those 2012 expiration dates on many of them is just fantastic!

I am like a mouse when it comes to cheese...yum, yum. Or should I say squeek squeek?

I checked the prices at SW and decided, I would take just 3 of the Chavrie and 3 of the President's . That price is way too high - I will have to be on the lookout for deals on the Chavrie. It's one of my favorites.

[leanna]

Oh, do I ever understand the dilemma when you love good cheese but are trying to be kind to your budget!

I love goat cheese and I usually feel a bit guilty indulging in it. The husband tells me not to worry about it.

In other news...

just got my June SCR rebate in the mail from Rite Aid! Yay Gonna use this Sunday or later towards some things at RA. Some decent deals coming up again, so for those who aren't stocked up on razors or toothbrushes, and have a RA, 7/31 looks to be a good week. (Might have to get some rainchecks of course.)

[rubyslippers]

Jul 27, 2011 16:27:15 GMT -5 leanna said:

Jul 26, 2011 11:27:25 GMT -5 saveinla said:

For people who love cheese, SW has a few coupons that have long expiration dates - some until 2012 August for Chavrie, president's etc. They are next to the deli. HTH

Thanks for the tip SaveinLA!

I was just at Safeway and remembered you had mentioned this. Lots of cheese coupons like you said - and those 2012 expiration dates on many of them is just fantastic!

I am like a mouse when it comes to cheese...yum, yum. Or should I say squeek squeek?

Remember the great Kraft cheese IPQ's last fall? I'm down to two packages of shredded cheese that I've kept in the freezer and I had a whole lot of cheese. I have 3 cream cheese still frozen and 2 packages of sliced cheese. I hope there's another great sale before long as we go through a lot of it.

KathyatTraverse: Great job at Meijers! I have a $20.00 prescription catalina and am trying to talk DH into filling his prescription there. I also got a catalina for $5.00 off a $50.00 Meijer giftcard. I love those too.

Dancin: I used a CVS raincheck that was over two years old. I have a whole stash too.

[dancinmama]

Jul 27, 2011 18:03:48 GMT -5 rubyslippers said:

Remember the great Kraft cheese IPQ's last fall? I'm down to two packages of shredded cheese that I've kept in the freezer and I had a whole lot of cheese. I have 3 cream cheese still frozen and 2 packages of sliced cheese. I hope there's another great sale before long as we go through a lot of it.

Dancin: I used a CVS raincheck that was over two years old. I have a whole stash too.

rubyslippers: OMG, that was such an awesome coupon. I couldn't use them to get FREE cheese, like some were able to, but I did get it cheaper than what it costs at Costco which is my fallback if I can't find a good sale/coupon combo.

I used several of them on Kraft Parmesan cheese which was on sale at CVS. The coupon read ANY Kraft cheese.

I used an "old" rain check last week. The gal took a pause and I told her quite honestly, that when their sales are bad, I use rain checks. ;D

[jeep108]

Not sure if it's just Fry's but they have a ecoupon for $3 off of any Private Select product.

[babss74]

Had a rough day at work but a nice little hounding trip. Went to my acme. I was hunting the elusive fiber one brownies ( ooohhh brownies. Add homer Simpson style drool here! ) I lucked out

Bought 4 boxes of brownies
1.29lb of nice plums
1 coke zero

Used 4 x. 75 off brownies. 1 store coupon for up to 2.99 off plums, nectarines or peaches and 1 $3 cat and 2 x $1 cat.

Total after coupons and tax was. .85. Kids got plums for snacks and I got brownies! Like I could keep them out of them!

[frugalsuz]

Jul 27, 2011 14:18:51 GMT -5 leanna said:

I like that comment too...

Some registers are set so that they beep so LOUD it scares the crap out of me.

I know it always scares everyone when a coupon does that.

This just reminded me - does the stupid "dum dum dum dum" song at the CVS scanner machine make anyone else cringe? Every time I scan my card I feel like the whole store turns to stare at me! Hate that!

[dancinmama]

Jul 27, 2011 19:29:54 GMT -5 frugalsuz said:

Jul 27, 2011 14:18:51 GMT -5 leanna said:

I like that comment too...

Some registers are set so that they beep so LOUD it scares the crap out of me.

I know it always scares everyone when a coupon does that.

This just reminded me - does the stupid "dum dum dum dum" song at the CVS scanner machine make anyone else cringe? Every time I scan my card I feel like the whole store turns to stare at me! Hate that!

frugalsuz: The very first time I heard it, I thought, WTF? Why on earth would they want to add something that is soooo annoying?

[saveinla]

Jul 27, 2011 19:34:18 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Jul 27, 2011 19:29:54 GMT -5 frugalsuz said:

This just reminded me - does the stupid "dum dum dum dum" song at the CVS scanner machine make anyone else cringe? Every time I scan my card I feel like the whole store turns to stare at me! Hate that!

frugalsuz: The very first time I heard it, I thought, WTF? Why on earth would they want to add something that is soooo annoying?

It's a nice tune, but they could have turned down the volume a little.

[ohmomto2boys]

Remember the great Kraft cheese IPQ's last fall? I'm down to two packages of shredded cheese that I've kept in the freezer and I had a whole lot of cheese. I have 3 cream cheese still frozen and 2 packages of sliced cheese. I hope there's another great sale before long as we go through a lot of it.

OMG - Too funny - I just mentioned this to a girl at work yesterday. I have NO cheese in my freezer. I have been buying store brand as I need it....I am waiting for a good coupon and sale to come along!

We were discussing how things have been increasing in price, smaller packages and our kids getting bigger and eating and using more stuff! It is actually scary. I worry about those who are still close to the edge on their budgets. We are getting squeezed more and more.

[marvholly]

Ruby
I am on the last pkgs of Kraft shred & parmesan. Ran out of the bar cheese a LOOONG time ago. For a few min this am it looked like Meijer had a GREAT deal this week but their Kraft pkg are WAAAY smaller than EVERY other I have ever seen in any store.

However, Food4Less does have the Kroger bar & shred cheese on sale this week. I will check on my stock and against Aldi pricing (my NEED it NOW store.

I know about squeeze on the budget. I HAVE to have $750 work done on my car ASAP.

[ohmomto2boys]

I know about squeeze on the budget. I HAVE to have $750 work done on my car ASAP.

So sorry - car repairs are the worst.....

[munjoyhill]

I have found the best cashier at CVS! On my way home yesterday I stopped at the CVS near where I live (I drive by it every day to/from work). I wanted to get some Dove soap, Crest Pro Health and Soft Soap, but all I could find is 1 bar of the Dove, other items were out.

So I figured I'd get rain checks for what I couldn't find. I went up by the register with my one measly bar of soap, and waited until there was no one in line. And the cashier was the nicest young man ever! He scanned my green tag, my CVS card, and rung up my soap. And I said I wanted rain checks for the items they were out of, and he's fine with that. But then a few people got in line behind me, and I said that he could wait on them first, and he said that I'm here, I'm a good customer, he recognized me and he was going to help ME! He paged another cashier to the front to open another register, and just filled out the rain checks for me.

I do have a question on the rain checks. When he wrote them up he put in the multiple quantity that I wanted. For example, I wanted 4 of the Dove soap, so he gave me 1 piece of paper/ rain check, and the quantity was 4. My question, do I have to buy 4 when I redeem them, or could I use this one piece of paper/rain check on 4 separate trips? I have used rain checks a couple times over the past few weeks, but the quantity has been 1.

Thanks.

Oh, and I think my cashier was flirting with me a little bit too , even though I'm old enough to be his mother. I'm not a cougar, but I am woman, hear me roar -- all the way to the bank with what I am saving!

[mawmawandlovingit]

Hey everyone.....just poping in to say hello. I couldn't believe when I checked to see when my last post was that it has been two months, boy is time passing by fast. Anyhoo, I have taken a little break from hounding and it seems that lots of things have changed since I have been on break and none of them seem for the good. I guess I will have to re-adjust my way of hounding and just try to get the best deals I can.

We have done a lot of traveling over the summer and I just have not felt like doing any serious hounding, having a huge stockpile has helped out a lot!! But I guess now that summer is coming to an end, I will have to get back in the game a little at a time. I was able to do some great transactions at CVS and WAGS this week.

Hope everyone has had a great summer, and everyone is doing well. I also have not been following my blogs and was totally shocked that my favorite blogger "The Coupon Goddess" was in a horrible accident, (hit by a car while walking) and is going through some major recovery issues. Just goes to show that things in life can change in an instance!

Hope to be posting more, TTYS.

[mawmawandlovingit]

Dancin: I sent you a pm.

[kathyattraverse]

that my favorite blogger "The Coupon Goddess" was in a horrible accident, (hit by a car while walking) and is going through some major recovery issues. Just goes to show that things in life can change in an instance!


I love to read blogs. could you message me some of the ones you read? Glad to hear you've been traveling. Fun!!!

[973beachbum]

I do have a question on the rain checks. When he wrote them up he put in the multiple quantity that I wanted. For example, I wanted 4 of the Dove soap, so he gave me 1 piece of paper/ rain check, and the quantity was 4. My question, do I have to buy 4 when I redeem them, or could I use this one piece of paper/rain check on 4 separate trips?

My understanding is that CVS rain checks are a "surrender at purchase" instrument. This means they keep it when you use it. You can use a rain check that says quantity 4, to only buy one, but you will not get it back to do anymore transactions either. So you will have to decide how many you want when you use it. I would think there is nothing stopping you from stopping again today and asking for another rain check though.

[murphath]

I do have a question on the rain checks. When he wrote them up he put in the multiple quantity that I wanted. For example, I wanted 4 of the Dove soap, so he gave me 1 piece of paper/ rain check, and the quantity was 4. My question, do I have to buy 4 when I redeem them, or could I use this one piece of paper/rain check on 4 separate trips?

My understanding is that CVS rain checks are a "surrender at purchase" instrument. This means they keep it when you use it. You can use a rain check that says quantity 4, to only buy one, but you will not get it back to do anymore transactions either. So you will have to decide how many you want when you use it. I would think there is nothing stopping you from stopping again today and asking for another rain check though.

I wonder, 973beachbum, if this a regional thing for you. If I have a CVS raincheck for 4 of an item and only purchase one, the cashier crosses out the 4 and changes it to a 3 and gives it back to me. I love that about CVS. I also agree with munjoyhill that the CVS cashiers are the best!

[murphath]

dancinmama: I thought the salad kits were 2/$4 last week but it was the ones with just the lettuce. I'm going to get two kits this week (1 light Caesar and 1 Asian). I'll use 2/$2 q's and a $1/$5 produce q which will make them .50 ea. I'll probably get two more next Tuesday before the sale ends and the $1/$5 q's expire (Aug.3) so we'll have plenty of salad.


murphath: Okay, thanks sooo much for the info. I didn't know if I could stack the $1/$5 with the $2 Fresh Express Qs or not. I imagine that I have to give the $1/$5 first, yes? I think I'm going to do EXACTLY what you are - buy a couple today or tomorrow and buy a couple more on Tuesday before the $1/$5 expires. I love Chinese chicken salad, so I think the Asian will be my choice too.

Thanks so much again for sending those Qs. I REALLY appreciate it. [image]



Dancinmama:

I don't think we'll have a problem since the salad kits are in the produce section. Lettuce is produce, afterall! And the FE q's are a man q for SW only and the $1/$5 q is a SW q so all should be okie dokie.

[973beachbum]

;D

Jul 28, 2011 10:25:34 GMT -5 murphath said:

I do have a question on the rain checks. When he wrote them up he put in the multiple quantity that I wanted. For example, I wanted 4 of the Dove soap, so he gave me 1 piece of paper/ rain check, and the quantity was 4. My question, do I have to buy 4 when I redeem them, or could I use this one piece of paper/rain check on 4 separate trips?

My understanding is that CVS rain checks are a "surrender at purchase" instrument. This means they keep it when you use it. You can use a rain check that says quantity 4, to only buy one, but you will not get it back to do anymore transactions either. So you will have to decide how many you want when you use it. I would think there is nothing stopping you from stopping again today and asking for another rain check though.

I wonder, 973beachbum, if this a regional thing for you. If I have a CVS raincheck for 4 of an item and only purchase one, the cashier crosses out the 4 and changes it to a 3 and gives it back to me. I love that about CVS. I also agree with munjoyhill that the CVS cashiers are the best!

Murpath the only time they ever wrote on a rain check and gave it back to me was because I really needed something that I had a raincheck for but my rain check was for 4 say and they only had 1. The mgr came out and wrote on the back and said come back next week for the rest.

Then again I have never tried to get them to write on it for any other reason so maybe they would.

[babss74]

Murpath. Beach

I had a rain check for CVS awhile back went in to get the toothbrushes it was for and they only had 2. The took the rain check but wrote me another one for the remaining 3 they didn't have. The cashier just did it when I said they had no more but would really like the 3 addtional. So if you only get one and can get four see if they will write a new one for the remaining. Can't hurt.

[constanz22]

Jul 28, 2011 10:25:34 GMT -5 murphath said:

I do have a question on the rain checks. When he wrote them up he put in the multiple quantity that I wanted. For example, I wanted 4 of the Dove soap, so he gave me 1 piece of paper/ rain check, and the quantity was 4. My question, do I have to buy 4 when I redeem them, or could I use this one piece of paper/rain check on 4 separate trips?

My understanding is that CVS rain checks are a "surrender at purchase" instrument. This means they keep it when you use it. You can use a rain check that says quantity 4, to only buy one, but you will not get it back to do anymore transactions either. So you will have to decide how many you want when you use it. I would think there is nothing stopping you from stopping again today and asking for another rain check though.

I wonder, 973beachbum, if this a regional thing for you. If I have a CVS raincheck for 4 of an item and only purchase one, the cashier crosses out the 4 and changes it to a 3 and gives it back to me. I love that about CVS. I also agree with munjoyhill that the CVS cashiers are the best!

If I don't buy the quantity that the raincheck is for, for whatever reason (they still don't have enough in stock, or I only want one or two) they have ALWAYS been willing to rewrite a new raincheck for the remaining ones. HTH

[rubyslippers]

Rainchecks: CVS and Rite Aid always allow me to keep the raincheck if I don't plan to buy the number of items listed.

Rite Aid: I did the transaction I posted yesterday and got another survey code. Good thing I had a $3/15 printed because they acted like they didn't hear any news from corporate about honoring the survey receipts. I wasn't at my regular store so I plan on getting the scoop from my favorite manager later. I only have $3.00 in UPs left and it might be a good thing for me to take a break from Rite Aid for awhile.

CVS: I didn't get most of what I wanted to but I did get the 12 pks. Pepsi products, 2 Crests, Irish Spring soap and deodorant and only spent $2.20 OOP. I collected several rainchecks there and plan to do some raincheck shopping in a couple of weeks.

Meijer: Got the $50.00 Meijer giftcard for $45.00 and then spent $29.14 on their buy 10 get 11th free plus some cereal, meat and bananas. I got another catalina for $2.00 off chicken. If I go there after 8:00 pm, I'll be able to get 2 rotisserie chickens for $1.58 OOP after they mark them down and I use catalinas and coupons. I love having containers of picked chicken and homemade stock in the freezer.

[jeep108]

Going to Safeway to get freap Gatorade. it's .49 when you buy 10.