THE MARCH 2011 GROCERY CHALLENGE THREAD

[mizbear]

AJ- Karma for you- New glasses for me!
make sure you type coastalcontacts.com when you do the FB search because there are like 5 different coastal contacts on there

Getting tired of high gas prices, carpy deals and carpy coupons already

[dancinmama]

Mar 3, 2011 14:07:28 GMT -5 saveinla said:

dancinmama and other CA shoppers,
We may not have the SCR items again this week at RA. My friend just got her ad through the mail and she says she cannot see any of the SCR items in there.

I will not get the ad in the mail until Friday night or sometimes until I get the paper, so if I have time, I will go grab one tomorrow and report.

Suzi, If you get your ad today, can you check and confirm? TIA

saveinla: I wonder what the regular prices of most of the items advertised for $6.99 w/ a $6 SCR are; maybe that is the regular price. HOPING, HOPING, HOPING.

[saveinla]

Mar 3, 2011 14:30:52 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Mar 3, 2011 14:07:28 GMT -5 saveinla said:

dancinmama and other CA shoppers,
We may not have the SCR items again this week at RA. My friend just got her ad through the mail and she says she cannot see any of the SCR items in there.

I will not get the ad in the mail until Friday night or sometimes until I get the paper, so if I have time, I will go grab one tomorrow and report.

Suzi, If you get your ad today, can you check and confirm? TIA

saveinla: I wonder what the regular prices of most of the items advertised for $6.99 w/ a $6 SCR are; maybe that is the regular price. HOPING, HOPING, HOPING.

dancinmama,
That's what I am hoping too - my 20% off will be equal to or less than the sale price to do the SCRs. I was planning only to do a few of them. I am taking a day off tomorrow and volunteering at the school from 7 AM until 5 PM and so I am not sure when I can get to RA - maybe not until Saturday. If I can go today, I will check the regular price on all the SCR items and post.

[dancinmama]

Mar 3, 2011 14:23:49 GMT -5 hopetoberich said:

Mar 3, 2011 14:17:58 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

saveinla: YES, YES, YES, please report.

<<falls on her knees begging>>

We can still get the SCRs, but many of them may not be worth it at the regular price. My mom gets a 10% discount and I could buy all of them on her card and submit them on my SCR account and DS's SCR account (I think ), but still. I had planned on cashing in A LOT of my UPs.

OK i am confused. Do you mean that because of your CA addy you cannot get these rebates? Or you cannot buy the product.

hopetoberich: We can buy the product AND we can get the rebates, but the products might not be "on sale" in the western region (which is what happened to us with some of the February SCRs). Many of them are $6.99 with a $6 SCR which is a lot different than an item that might be $9 with a $6 SCR.

[dancinmama]

Mar 3, 2011 14:35:26 GMT -5 saveinla said:

Mar 3, 2011 14:30:52 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

saveinla: I wonder what the regular prices of most of the items advertised for $6.99 w/ a $6 SCR are; maybe that is the regular price. HOPING, HOPING, HOPING.

dancinmama,
That's what I am hoping too - my 20% off will be equal to or less than the sale price to do the SCRs. I was planning only to do a few of them. I am taking a day off tomorrow and volunteering at the school from 7 AM until 5 PM and so I am not sure when I can get to RA - maybe not until Saturday. If I can go today, I will check the regular price on all the SCR items and post.

saveinla: Have you ever bought an SCR item on one person's wellness card, but submitted it on another person's SCR account? I've never done it. I also found out that when they give you the SCR they give you the price scanned (with the discount); not the SCR amount advertised.

[hopetoberich]

oh ok
So you need it to be bought in a sale price area?

[saveinla]

Mar 3, 2011 14:40:00 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Mar 3, 2011 14:35:26 GMT -5 saveinla said:

dancinmama,
That's what I am hoping too - my 20% off will be equal to or less than the sale price to do the SCRs. I was planning only to do a few of them. I am taking a day off tomorrow and volunteering at the school from 7 AM until 5 PM and so I am not sure when I can get to RA - maybe not until Saturday. If I can go today, I will check the regular price on all the SCR items and post.

saveinla: Have you ever bought an SCR item on one person's wellness card, but submitted it on another person's SCR account? I've never done it. I also found out that when they give you the SCR they give you the price scanned (with the discount); not the SCR amount advertised.

dancinmama,
No. I have never used more than one card for SCR. I think you can do it, but you will just have to be careful to separate the transactions.
Yes. That's what happened to me last time, when my discount made an item less than the sale price. They gave me the price that it scanned for, but that's ok as long as I convert my Ups to cash.

[hopetoberich]

Mizbear nothing we can do about gas prices but crappy coupons appear to be in cycles. I feel that because of all the extra attention this is getting right now, companies are putting out crappy coupons as new people won't know the difference, and think this is how we stockpile using these low value ones. They will get tired of the hype by summer and probably most will give up.Maybe we can then go back to some decent $1/1's again.

[leanna]

QUESTION:

Does anyone know if you can use a register reward from Walgreens on photo's? I don't have any current rr's, so I don't have one to look at the fine print.

I'm thinking if actually get lucky and my Wags has that Irish Spring deod with rr, I can then use the rr to help pay toward my photo's.

[mercee]

leanna -

I don't see where you can't use it for photos. Just says can't use it on prescriptions, tobacco, booze, sales tax, lotto tix, money orders/transfers, transportation passes, postage stamps, dairy, prescription savings club membership, healthcare services & gift/phone/prepaid cards.

[ohmomto2boys]

Giant Eagle - Crest Toothbrushes & Toothpaste - $1. There are 75 cent q's in 2/27 P&G and these are doubled. Pick up another item to cover the overage. A guy here at work just went and got 4 of each and made 50 cents on each one. He bought some gum and paid 63 cents for all of it.

Read more:

THIS IS WRONG!!! I'M SO SORRY. It is the Colgate on sale for $1. There are q's in the 2/27 SS.

Sorry about the wrong info.

[ohmomto2boys]

AJ- I hope you see this before you go to GE. I was such a moron. I had my Crest q's all cut and ready to go and I see the $1 sign and just start putting toothpaste in my basket....then I relooked at my q's and saw Crest and looked at the toothpaste - Colgate. I was just shaking my head...how could I screw up so badly? I'm going to go back in the morning with the right q's.

[Opti]

Wanted to share an unexpected bargain from today. Stop n Shop, a grocery store in my area has the Silver Palate oatmeal on sale for $2.09 regularly $3.39. I had a 50cent coupon and I forgot that it doubles ...
so I have 1 lb of very good thick oatmeal for $1.09.

[mizbear]

hope- that's why I am only buying needs right now. Getting ready to go score some paper products!

[leanna]

Thanks Mercee!

[marvholly]

I didn’t have the CA Pizza coupon either. OFF my list.

Since my closest CVS is walking distance I still get there frequently even though I MUCH prefer another CVS that I do get to about 2-3x/week on my way to see my Dad. Same for WAG as they are only ½ mi from me for my 24 hr store and on my way to Dads or the library. It is the once in a while places not on my regular travel pattern that I am pretty much skipping unless it is a GREAT deal.

Yep on the CVS 20% coupon being worthless. I don’t even bother to print it for just that reason.

[saveinla]

dancinmama,

I dropped into rite aid for 5 minutes today to check the regular prices of the SCR items. I could not locate the Keri lotion, Mineral Ice or the Cruex.

NoDoz Caplet (60 ct.) - 9.49
Bufferin (130 ct.) - 9.49
Desenex Antifungal Powder (3 oz) 8.29
Comtrex (24 ct.) 5.99
Ascription Reg Strength tablet (100 ct) 9.99
Doans Extra Strength caplets (24 ct) 8.99
Tavist Allergy tablets (16 ct) 10.49

Except for the Desenex powder and comtrex, everything is still a higher price with my 20% discount and they had only a couple of each item on the shelves. Not sure if it's even worth going to RA on Saturday. HTH

[mizbear]

Will post the rest of my so-so trip tomorrow, but I post my highlight-
I have been looking for one of those USB hub thingies because I have so many things I need to plug in to the laptop. I couldn't "bear" the idea of spending $30+ for one of those little do-dads. Well, my local grocery is clearing out its Staples aisle and lo and behold- there it is- the last one- a 4 port USB hub 50% off for..... wait for it...wait for it...
$14.99!!!!

[ksharp]

Oh my! Why must passwords be so hard to remember!?!? Anyway, its me, cvsaddict. They say that username already exists, but I can't get a password reminder for either of my two e-mails. So, I just started over with ksharp!
Thanks to here kitty kitty for the envie. They are SO appreciated!

[mizbear]

Well, we will see if DB comes through with extra coupon inserts from his new job. Keep your couponing shears crossed ladies.

[herekittykitty]

Mar 3, 2011 14:40:00 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Mar 3, 2011 14:35:26 GMT -5 saveinla said:

dancinmama,
That's what I am hoping too - my 20% off will be equal to or less than the sale price to do the SCRs. I was planning only to do a few of them. I am taking a day off tomorrow and volunteering at the school from 7 AM until 5 PM and so I am not sure when I can get to RA - maybe not until Saturday. If I can go today, I will check the regular price on all the SCR items and post.

saveinla: Have you ever bought an SCR item on one person's wellness card, but submitted it on another person's SCR account? I've never done it. I also found out that when they give you the SCR they give you the price scanned (with the discount); not the SCR amount advertised.

Dancin: I have a card for me and for my mom, so I have used one wellness receipt for the other's SCR, etc. and it works fine. Unfortunately, on occasion I have gotten so excited about RA actually having something in stock that I buy an SCR item and a mail in rebate item on the same receipt!

[herekittykitty]

Mar 3, 2011 20:48:49 GMT -5 @ksharp said:

Oh my! Why must passwords be so hard to remember!?!? Anyway, its me, cvsaddict. They say that username already exists, but I can't get a password reminder for either of my two e-mails. So, I just started over with ksharp!
Thanks to here kitty kitty for the envie. They are SO appreciated!

Oh no, another name change! I have just now gotten used to weaselfer and constanz! ;D
There is another envelope full of cuties coupons on the way.

Also, weaselfer, I noticed my WAGS had its brand of pistachios on clearance today.

[weaselfer]

I think I will have to check WAGS tomorrow. This stuff is better than popcorn. The kids beg for them which I think is so silly. They don't want icecream, just pistachios. ;D

[debinwa]

Mar 3, 2011 12:12:25 GMT -5 mandyms said:

Mar 3, 2011 0:15:18 GMT -5 @texasjunebaby said:

Good evening ladies!

I'm feeling a little giddy tonight. I like coffee, but have to avoid as much caffeine as possible. I was running a little low when I found a BOGOF coupon for Community coffee; it was for the 12 oz red bag.

I went to a Target, but they didn't have the decaff. I stopped by my flagship Krogers after seeing they had the bags on sale for $4.99 w/card. After scrounging to find the decaff, I was crestfallen because the bag was the 13 oz size and there was no sale sign by it.

I was about to leave the store empty handed when I remembered a lesson from my favorite Walgreens store clerks. Some of you grandmaster couponers probably already know this; there are numbers above the barcode that indicate to which products a coupon can be applied.

I wanted to break out into the happy dance when I saw that my product code was covered by the coupon. If the clerks had not given me that hint, I would have missed out on my 26 oz of coffee for $4.99. Yaaaay me!

How do you do that?

mandyms: there is a terrific document that decodes coupon barcodes in the forums on slickdeals dot net. It's a little hard to find, so if you can't get hold of it, let me know and I will post it or PM it to you. It helps me a lot.

[debinwa]

I have noticed all the posts about the little fat P&G coupon book. I got one a few months ago from something too, but I wasn't quick enough for the one on Facebook. I have gotten different P&G coupon books in the mail lately with some of those same great coupons. They have an Albertsons logo on the outside of the booklet, but no store logo on any of the coupons. They have come in the mail the last two months. I don't know for sure how I got them, but I suspect it was from my Albertsons loyalty card. You might want to check their site and see if you can sign up, even if you don't live in the area. There is a $5 Gillette razor coupon in the one that came today.

[dancinmama]

Mar 3, 2011 19:36:56 GMT -5 saveinla said:

dancinmama,

I dropped into rite aid for 5 minutes today to check the regular prices of the SCR items. I could not locate the Keri lotion, Mineral Ice or the Cruex.

NoDoz Caplet (60 ct.) - 9.49
Bufferin (130 ct.) - 9.49
Desenex Antifungal Powder (3 oz) 8.29
Comtrex (24 ct.) 5.99
Ascription Reg Strength tablet (100 ct) 9.99
Doans Extra Strength caplets (24 ct) 8.99
Tavist Allergy tablets (16 ct) 10.49

Except for the Desenex powder and comtrex, everything is still a higher price with my 20% discount and they had only a couple of each item on the shelves. Not sure if it's even worth going to RA on Saturday. HTH

saveinla: THANK YOU sooooo much. Geez, I was really hoping that the normal prices were a little closer to the sales prices everyone else will be getting. I guess I'd better start looking ad ad previews to see what I'm going to burn my UPs on.

[p8nt]

Glad to be back, I was on a "staycation" and away from the computer for 10 days. Thanks to Misspt for the envelope stuffed full of coupons.

I believe I am becoming obsessed with couponing and probably spent 5 hours on it this week. Is that a lot compared to some of you? I wouldn't mind if I was getting the great deals you folks are getting, but I don't think mine are as good. In 4 shopping trips this week (2/CVS and 2/WAGS) I got the following (going from memory)
3 small boxes tide
3 boxes Clairol Hair Color
Colgate toothpaste
4 boxes swiffer products (on sale for $3.99 at CVS had BOGOF cpns)
Maybelline? Fit One foundation
Revlon Photo Ready foundation
Gillette Fusion Razor

I can't remember what else, but I spent about $40 OOP which I think is way too much compared to what you kings/queens do.
I used a combination of $3RR at WAGS and $12 EB at CVS to make the subsequent shopping trips.

I have a $1 RR and a $4 EB left.

[p8nt]

Ooops, I forgot to post. May I please be added to the email list?

[e-mail]

[saveinla]

Mar 3, 2011 23:09:09 GMT -5 herekittykitty said:

Mar 3, 2011 14:40:00 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

saveinla: Have you ever bought an SCR item on one person's wellness card, but submitted it on another person's SCR account? I've never done it. I also found out that when they give you the SCR they give you the price scanned (with the discount); not the SCR amount advertised.

Dancin: I have a card for me and for my mom, so I have used one wellness receipt for the other's SCR, etc. and it works fine. Unfortunately, on occasion I have gotten so excited about RA actually having something in stock that I buy an SCR item and a mail in rebate item on the same receipt!

herekittykitty,
RA SCR can be done online, so that should not be an issue. If you are still mailing the SCRs, then maybe it's time to switch. It's so much easier.

[marvholly]

I actually had money leftover in my Feb fun/entertainment budget probably because:
I had a coupon for a FREE meal
I had invitations out for 2 additional meals (seminar & wedding)

All my fruit/veg markets have tomatoes & green beans on sale this week (finally). So when will romaine, boston, spinach…..come down? They grow MUCH faster than tomatoes.

Yesterday I planned to go to CVS & WAG today. Somehow that list of 2 errands has expanded into 5-6 stops. I added the grocery East of me that does a BIG reset of produce on Friday, liquor store (out of wine), gas and maybe the fast food place on the way home. Wonder how many more I will add as I will pass Aldi and a fruit/veg market.

I nearly jumped at my local groupon deal today. Paint a room for $99. I have two rooms that need painting and I can buy 2 coupons. However, then I read the fine print. Room size limited to 12 x 14 – Both mine are bigger. Does NOT include ceiling (who paints a room w/o the ceiling???) or trim (same comment) or paint. Is this outfit kidding?? I suspect they just want to pull people in and hit them up for MUCH additional cost.

This is probably why I have only bought 3 deals in 6 months. Two for local restaurants and 1 for a museum I have been want to see.