dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on Oct 31, 2011 23:10:00 GMT -5
On behalf of Suzi Q and all of the gals here, WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME to the Grocery Challenge from me - dancinmama!! ;D If you have never clipped a coupon, or even if you have been using coupons for years, we'd love to have you join us. We are a crazy, fun-loving, and very friendly group of gals just chatting with one another about how to save big money using coupons. We are willing to help anyone, at any level, in any way that we can. Don't think that you have to read through the pages and pages of posts to join in - most of it will be old, out-of-date information anyway. Just go to the last page of the thread and introduce yourself. Tell us what area of the country you're from and where you shop (grocery stores, national chain stores, Target, WalMart, etc.). We'd love to have you join us on a regular basis, so don't be shy - just jump right in, have some fun, and save a ton of money in the process!! NEWBIES/OLDIES: If you post a HOUND ALERT requesting coupons from others, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE also post which insert/where the coupon can be found (Example: 1/2 SS) so that we can find it easily without having to research it ourselves. ALSO, if you need the coupon for a specific deal, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE try to remember to post the deal with your HOUND ALERT so that someone who may have the coupon(s) can decide whether they want/need to do the deal before sending out any of their coupons. THANKS!! POSTING ABOUT A DEAL / HOT COUPON: Some people get overwhelmed by the number of posts and only have time to skim the posts for the information that they need the most. If you are posting a deal, please post something that makes it stand out like "CVS DEAL ALERT" or if you are posting to tell us that there is a new, hot coupon available, please post something like "$3/1 WHOLLY GUACAMOLE IP ALERT". We want to make this thread as fun, friendly, and helpful as possible. These suggestions will save EVERYONE a lot of time when they are trying to "catch up" and read through past posts. Now let's have some fun!!
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suziq38
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I love to save
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Post by suziq38 on Oct 31, 2011 23:21:08 GMT -5
Thanks Dancinmama! I was thinking about the new November Thread when all of a sudden, this one appeared! You are too efficient. We sure appreciate your help.
Hope you all had a Happy Halloween everyone.
Nite nite.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on Nov 1, 2011 9:29:18 GMT -5
leanna: We turned the lights out at 10:00 after getting a total of 8 kids. We live in a hilly neighborhood with larger lots so the homes are more spread out. I only know of ONE school-aged boy that lives down the street so most of the kids that come to our door are from out of the neighborhood. Most of our neighbors had their lights out. Wow, to go from 30+ kids last year to 8 this year is disappointing. Do you think the Skittles will still be good next year?
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mandyms
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Post by mandyms on Nov 1, 2011 10:51:42 GMT -5
Hey all, I saw this website shared on my FB page; looks really interesting. You enter in your usual grocery store, identify food preferences (including allergies, low fat, etc) and it spits out a weekly meal plan based on sales. It is taking a while to load all the different screens; hopefully it’s just the computer here or could be overloaded right now. Apparently it used to charge to subscribe, but now it's free. www.foodonthetable.com
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constanz22
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Post by constanz22 on Nov 1, 2011 11:04:52 GMT -5
Well, I went back to CVS (different store) with my Aveeno, and very nicely explained that I bought them yesterday and according to the sizes stated in the ad, thought I'd get EB's but they didn't print. I said if not, it was fine, but I'd just return them. The manager was at a nearby register and yelled over to the cashier to just force print it for me. I don't even think he heard the whole issue, so, that was nice of him. So, I was very ;D to get $7 EB's!
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leanna
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Post by leanna on Nov 1, 2011 11:42:43 GMT -5
leanna: We turned the lights out at 10:00 after getting a total of 8 kids. We live in a hilly neighborhood with larger lots so the homes are more spread out. I only know of ONE school-aged boy that lives down the street so most of the kids that come to our door are from out of the neighborhood. Most of our neighbors had their lights out. Wow, to go from 30+ kids last year to 8 this year is disappointing. Do you think the Skittles will still be good next year? I don't know about your house, but in my house, DH will have eaten the Skittles or I'll give them to my friends kids.
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Post by bluecluessubtlety on Nov 1, 2011 11:54:12 GMT -5
I kept my lights off. It was a long day and I was wiped. So I sat in the dark with the puppies. At about 915 I turned on my outside light and within a minute the bell rang and the dogs went nuts. I opened the door, apologized I was out of candy, and turned the light back off until after 10.
The sun went down at 530. Why were there still kids out at 915?!
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973beachbum
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Politics Admin
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Post by 973beachbum on Nov 1, 2011 12:38:19 GMT -5
Halloween was fun but a long day for me. My son has been crazy excited about Halloween since last Christmas. We have never had over 15 kids here so I normally just do water bottles or juice boxes. I figure if they all get left over I don't mind them hanging around. This year we got over 60 kids. I gave out them then took some of my kids candy that he had gotten figuring it would be replaced that night anyway and how much did he really need. Then when that went I pulled out some cheese peanut butter crackers. At which point a neighbor showed up and handed me 3 bags of candy for the kids from him. The kids all seemed happy. I did 2 trips to CVS this morning on 2 diff cards. The first trans I bought 1 Olay regenerist ngt rec cream $20.99 1 CG lip stick 7.99 1 CG natluxe lipstick 7.49 50% off since 2nd I used 1 free lipstick MC for $7.50, $5 crt, and $12 in ECBs. After sales tax I paid $9.22 in OOP and got a $10 CVS gift card. 2nd trans was about the same but I didn't have as many ECB's to use. I got the Olay and CG lipstick as well as a blush. I used the $7.50 MC for the free lipstick plus $1 off any CG plus the $5 CRT and $3 ECB's. My final OOP after sales tax was 16.32 and I got another cvs gift card for $10. All told I spent $25.54. I know some people wouldn't have put out that much oop but I really wanted the Olay products and since I had the BOGOF on the lipstick if I bought the olay I felt it was worth it to just get one more thing and get the GC. So with the GC's it only works out to $5.54 for everything. I would have spent twice that much just for the olay.
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FreeSalsa
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Post by FreeSalsa on Nov 1, 2011 12:46:48 GMT -5
Helloooooooo Ladies!! It is I, FreeSalsa!! Actually, that's Mrs. FreeSalsa. I'm all married up and am keeping my name.
Oh, how I've missed you guys! I have stacks of coupon inserts that have hardly been touched and my cabinets are almost bare. My stockpile kept me covered in most everything that I needed, which was especially helpful closest to the wedding date when I was way too busy to shop for anything! The few things I ran out of, I was still able to get at a sale price or with a gift card. My mom bought me extras of the free Allegra/generic and sent in the rebates for me and for others to help me save time.
Until last week I was still getting my free box of fruit. This year it came with a few veggies too, including a few potatoes, artichokes, tomatoes, corn, zucchini, and more. Also, co-workers brought in extras from their gardens and I grew tomatoes and herbs so we had a lot already. I remember at one point that I hadn't been to the store in a month.
So I'm back now and I think I'm ready to start shopping again. What did I miss?
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973beachbum
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Politics Admin
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Post by 973beachbum on Nov 1, 2011 12:47:01 GMT -5
I had a great trip at Shoprite today. I bought 3 Jif PB, 1 Smuckers straw jam, 2 Pils cake mixes, 3 pils brownie mixes, 2 cans carn evap milk, 5 lbs SR flour, 1 head lettuce, 1 SR cream cheese, 4 lbs mozzerally cheese, 1 gal milk, 2 8 oz mont jack cheese, 1 lb deli trukey brease, 1lb deli baked ham, aand 4 loaves of bread. My final OOP after $1.89 in MC's and $40 in cats was $5.87 and I walked out with another $5 cat.
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leanna
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Post by leanna on Nov 1, 2011 12:57:59 GMT -5
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leanna
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Post by leanna on Nov 1, 2011 12:59:12 GMT -5
Helloooooooo Ladies!! It is I, FreeSalsa!! Actually, that's Mrs. FreeSalsa. I'm all married up and am keeping my name. Oh, how I've missed you guys! I have stacks of coupon inserts that have hardly been touched and my cabinets are almost bare. My stockpile kept me covered in most everything that I needed, which was especially helpful closest to the wedding date when I was way too busy to shop for anything! The few things I ran out of, I was still able to get at a sale price or with a gift card. My mom bought me extras of the free Allegra/generic and sent in the rebates for me and for others to help me save time. Until last week I was still getting my free box of fruit. This year it came with a few veggies too, including a few potatoes, artichokes, tomatoes, corn, zucchini, and more. Also, co-workers brought in extras from their gardens and I grew tomatoes and herbs so we had a lot already. I remember at one point that I hadn't been to the store in a month. So I'm back now and I think I'm ready to start shopping again. What did I miss? Congratulations on the nuptials! Don't worry about what you missed (not much anyway)...let's see what deals can be had!
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weaselfer
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Post by weaselfer on Nov 1, 2011 13:25:18 GMT -5
Am I weird that in my mind you should pay for it before eating? Did this get out of hand? Yes, but my kids know that we don't eat in the grocery store. I never understood it, but then, I tell my kids no all the time.
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FreeSalsa
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Post by FreeSalsa on Nov 1, 2011 13:32:47 GMT -5
Ways we saved money on the wedding:
-We know a lot of people in the entertainment industry so we had friends or members of the wedding party as emcees, videographers, and DJ. We made up a playlist and they played it from a laptop. We were able to borrow videocameras and speakers. DH (DH!! I have a DH now!) had the iPod and laptop.
-We had it on a Sunday. That didn't lower the price, but it did lower the food and beverage minimum required. We ended up with fewer people than expected so we didn't exceed the minimum by very much. It also ensured that a lot of vendors were free and not already booked up.
-We waited (OK, procrastinated) on hiring a photographer and I think she was eager to book us to get some extra business and fill up her schedule. Her price was already at least 20% lower than all the rest, but she threw in an assistant and an engagement shoot and two printed 8x10"s just to make us sign, so we did!
-The florist gave us a decent price that was just within the budget for centerpieces for every table. Instead we had them on every other table to cut the cost in half. On the other tables we bought vases from the $ store and put two roses in them. $7 per table for those. I don't think anyone notices the centerpieces anyway. We couldn't get anyone to take them home.
-The venue provided free votive candles and we bought some inexpensive fake fruit (part of our theme) at a store that was going out of business. I used the punch bowl that we got as a wedding gift and I borrowed some clear serving bowls from work and my artsy matron-of-honor made them into pretty decorations for the cake table, etc.
-For gifts for the guests, we finally decided on Andes Candies, because they are delicious and easy. (Besides, no one ever likes the wedding gifts, no matter what you choose.) We bought bags of them at Target with a gift card so the balance was about $10.
-After I found the dress I wanted I looked for other stores that carried it and found one that was about 25% less.
-To save time and money, for the honeymoon we bought a package online that had hotel and airfare. Ok, it was not cheap, they were REALLY nice hotels, but for what we got, it was a great price. We paid only about 60% of the regular price.
-Just when we were about to give up on the store invitations we found some that were perfect and were being discontinued. They were 50% off, but when we got to the register, they were another 25% off of that. Then we had a coupon for 40% off one item so all together we paid about 30% of the original price. I also used a 40% off coupon on a calligraphy pen and addressed them myself. Everyone thought we had them professionally done.
-The invitations came with decorative ribbons. We used the extras on the rose vases, to denote the reserved seats, and tied the rings together with them for the ringwarming. We may use some of the leftover invitation cards as thank you cards.
-I didn't buy one wedding book or magazine. I got a book and an organizer at Borders with a gift card right before they announced that they were closing. I borrowed magazines from the library.
-I had to go to a seminar for work and we got out a little early and the boss let us go home, with pay. I used that afternoon to go get the marriage license so I didn't have to take time off work and lose pay.
-I did research and found an amazing seamstress that was so inexpensive. She charged less than half or even just a third of what they were quoting me at other places. My mom made a purse for me out of the extra material from my dress. I bought my shoes at Payless and gloves and jewelry from a store in the mall.
I'm sure there was more but that's what I've come up with now. I was still able to use the money-saving parts of my brain while planning what was still a very expensive party. But it was a great day!!
ETA: How could I forget? At work we get some free stuff that could be of interest to someone in the industry. I saved up mine for the whole year and gave it in trade for hair and make-up. That saved me hundreds.
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saveinla
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Post by saveinla on Nov 1, 2011 13:40:34 GMT -5
Hi Freesalsa,
Congrats on the frugal wedding! You did not miss too much, since there were not too many good deals. Hopefully we will have some soon.
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leanna
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Joined: Feb 28, 2011 16:33:40 GMT -5
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Post by leanna on Nov 1, 2011 14:26:42 GMT -5
Am I weird that in my mind you should pay for it before eating? Did this get out of hand? Yes, but my kids know that we don't eat in the grocery store. I never understood it, but then, I tell my kids no all the time. I've never been one to eat things before paying for them, but I'm the nerdy rule follower type. I actually WOULD expect someone to haul my a** off to jail if I did that lol. But I don't think most people think like I do.
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dancinmama
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LIVIN' THE DREAM!!
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Post by dancinmama on Nov 1, 2011 15:13:51 GMT -5
Mrs. Free Salsa: CONGRATULATIONS from me - dancinmama!! How am I ever going to tell DH that his Hot Tamale got married? ;D Welcome back to the fold. Once you get started again, you'll see that the deals are not as abundant; but we're all plugging along as best as we can. So glad to have you back.
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murphath
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Post by murphath on Nov 1, 2011 16:23:04 GMT -5
I cashed in some of my recyclebank points to get the $2 Kashi product coupons. The cereal is on sale this week at RA 2/$6 with $1 UP limit 2. So I bought 4, used 4/$2 q's and a $2 UP. Paid $2 OOP and got 2/$1 UPs in return. Even without the UPs, it worked out to .50/box. I really like their cereal and we do go through cereal in this house. It's the breakfast of choice most mornings. I also went to Walmart to see if I could use those $2 off any Tide q's. Lucky me, there were exactly 4 left in the travel size section. Since those are .97, that gave me an extra $4 to play with. Also used a $2 Total Zero mouthwash q to get the small bottle ($1.72) which gave me some overage, too. Thus, I walked out with: 4 travel sized Tide (4/$2 q's) 1 small (travel size?) Listerine Total Zero mouthwash ($2 IP q) 1 pkg. Farmer John smoked sausage hot links (for my jambalaya!) ($3 IPq) 1 box Idahoan cheesy hashbrowns (free from All YOU Nov. 1 Sara Lee multi-grain bread (.65 q) 2 Oral B floss (2/.75 q's) 3 trial size Old Spice body wash (1.00 q's) 10 Yoplait yogurt ($1/10 q) Total: $3.50 + .81 tax = $4.31. Not bad considering the yogurts were originally .66 each. Welcome back FreeSalsa! Congrats on the wedding! You've already outlasted Kim Kardashian.
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saveinla
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Post by saveinla on Nov 1, 2011 16:27:03 GMT -5
great job murphath. Can you let me know the price on the Sarah Lee bread? TIA
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Post by bluecluessubtlety on Nov 1, 2011 17:09:58 GMT -5
OK, as a former police officer who has worked tons of shoplifting cases, once it leaves the store, it's shoplifting. You cannot pay after the fact if you have the money. So I would say if someone stuffs a sandwich wrapper in their purse and tries to leave, they suffer the consequences. But... Everyone forgets things. I know I have opened something in a store for my child and held the wrapper to pay later. But I made super sure the wrapper was in plain sight with my other groceries so there was no doubt I was going to pay for it. So... I would say if there was some effort at concealment, they deserve what they got. If they truly forgot about it (I didn't see where it said where the wrapper was), I think the store could have used some discretion and allowed them to pay with the strict lecture and maybe even trespass. Or at least arrest one of them so the other could take the child (provided they didn't look all dirt baggy which it doesn't sound like they were).
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murphath
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Post by murphath on Nov 1, 2011 18:51:11 GMT -5
saveinla wrote: Can you let me know the price on the Sarah Lee bread? TIA
Sure thing. It was $2.50 before q. This bread goes on sale at CVS for $2.50 as well.
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saveinla
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Post by saveinla on Nov 1, 2011 19:14:26 GMT -5
saveinla wrote: Can you let me know the price on the Sarah Lee bread? TIA
Sure thing. It was $2.50 before q. This bread goes on sale at CVS for $2.50 as well. Thank you.
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dancinmama
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LIVIN' THE DREAM!!
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Post by dancinmama on Nov 1, 2011 20:24:14 GMT -5
murphath/picghaw: I got your envies today. THANK YOU BOTH SOOOOO MUCH!!
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misspt
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Saving for my boys!
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Post by misspt on Nov 1, 2011 20:29:32 GMT -5
Congratulations, FreeSalsa! Glad to see you back on the hounding trail....
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saveinla
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Post by saveinla on Nov 1, 2011 21:22:03 GMT -5
RA has the snickers - small size bag on price cut for 50% off and price is 1.99. If you have the 1.50 off IPQ, then it's 49 cents per bag.
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constanz22
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Post by constanz22 on Nov 1, 2011 21:41:34 GMT -5
RA has the snickers - small size bag on price cut for 50% off and price is 1.99. If you have the 1.50 off IPQ, then it's 49 cents per bag. Also, next week at WAGS, Mars minis and Dove are 2/6 and giving a 2 RR, and I think I also read somewhere there is a Q in the monthly book, combined with the 1.50 IP, should be free or close to it...
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kathyattraverse
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Post by kathyattraverse on Nov 2, 2011 8:14:56 GMT -5
RA has the snickers - small size bag on price cut for 50% off and price is 1.99. If you have the 1.50 off IPQ, then it's 49 cents per bag. Also, next week at WAGS, Mars minis and Dove are 2/6 and giving a 2 RR, and I think I also read somewhere there is a Q in the monthly book, combined with the 1.50 IP, should be free or close to it... Connie: do you need any cover girl receipts? I have some I can send to you. Stopped at Walmart last night for sale on Halloween decorations and they had tons of candy 1/2 price. However, I didn't buy any because we don't need the temptation at home. Trying to (unsuccessfully) lose some weight!!!!
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saveinla
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Post by saveinla on Nov 2, 2011 8:19:28 GMT -5
Hound Alert - I am looking for the 3$ MQ for the Glucerna Hunger Smart products that came in the 10/2 SS. We did not get this Q in So Cal. TIA
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constanz22
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Post by constanz22 on Nov 2, 2011 8:29:56 GMT -5
kathy~ I think I'm good, as long as I can find the receipts I have , I'm horribly disorganized. Thanks, I will let you know if I do...
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pubbler
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Post by pubbler on Nov 2, 2011 9:11:49 GMT -5
Hi everyone. Just another quick drive by posting. I have 2 x $3/1 Farmer John Smoked sausage Qs (exp 11/17). We don't get that brand here. Meijer - 6ct Angel Soft double roll t/p is on sale for $2.50 on Saturday. Use the 50c/1 Q (RP 8/14) and pay $1.50/pk. Also, 1 lb Arm & hammer baking soda is on price drop for 65c. On the box is a MIR for FREE 1yr subscription to Better Homes & Garden WYB 2 1lb boxes. Constanz - Happy Belated Birthday! I'm back to lurking again. We've lost 2 family members within a 2 wk period, so I've been a mess lately.
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