THE MARCH 2011 GROCERY CHALLENGE THREAD

[missourimommy]

Dancin,
you have pm.

[herekittykitty]

I still have a hard time passing up a "great" deal, even when it is going to cost me something OOP or if I don't really "need" it right now. I do a lot of donating, so if doesn't cost much OOP, I will get it and add it to the donate stash if I think it is something the shelter can really use. I am trying to do better and really think about my OOP cost before I do the deal, but it almost killed me to let some BOGO q's expire a few weeks ago! I was holding out for a BOGO sale to pair them with, but never got one, so I left the q's for someone else to use. Does anyone else suffer such grief when a great coupon can't be used?

[dancinmama]

Mar 2, 2011 16:22:02 GMT -5 missourimommy said:

Dancin,
you have pm.

missourimommy: Right back atcha!!

[dancinmama]

Mar 2, 2011 16:29:28 GMT -5 herekittykitty said:

I still have a hard time passing up a "great" deal, even when it is going to cost me something OOP or if I don't really "need" it right now. I do a lot of donating, so if doesn't cost much OOP, I will get it and add it to the donate stash if I think it is something the shelter can really use. I am trying to do better and really think about my OOP cost before I do the deal, but it almost killed me to let some BOGO q's expire a few weeks ago! I was holding out for a BOGO sale to pair them with, but never got one, so I left the q's for someone else to use. Does anyone else suffer such grief when a great coupon can't be used?

No, I really don't. It's all about OOP for me and I know that there will probably be another Q and another deal later on down the road so I rarely stress over it. What bugs me more is when there is a great deal and I didn't get the Q or I did get the Q and there is no stock.

If I don't need something because I already have a decent stockpile of the product, I usually opt out of the deals if they require OOP. BUT if the item is non-perishable and free or a MM, and I know that eventually we WILL use it, depending on what it is, I will do the deal and add to my stockpile. I know that if I get too much of any non-perishable, I can always donate it at any time.

[alphayankee]

Mar 2, 2011 16:29:28 GMT -5 herekittykitty said:

I still have a hard time passing up a "great" deal, even when it is going to cost me something OOP or if I don't really "need" it right now. I do a lot of donating, so if doesn't cost much OOP, I will get it and add it to the donate stash if I think it is something the shelter can really use. I am trying to do better and really think about my OOP cost before I do the deal, but it almost killed me to let some BOGO q's expire a few weeks ago! I was holding out for a BOGO sale to pair them with, but never got one, so I left the q's for someone else to use. Does anyone else suffer such grief when a great coupon can't be used?

Not so much anymore. In the beginning, it was hard, now I just get a little sinking feeling in my stomach, but it passes quickly and I move on. A good stockpile helps with those feelings of regret. There will always be another deal.

I was pretty ticked off at myself at the end of last year. I had purchased some $2 Hefty coupons on ebay and never used them. I think I threw up a little in my mouth when I was purging my December q's and came across them.

[leanna]

Does anyone else suffer such grief when a great coupon can't be used?

Yep, I do!!! Although, obviously, lol, I did use most of my good coupons the last few months.

Right now I'm hanging onto (3) $3/1 Gain fab softener coupons. I don't have the cheapie stores in my area like some people do, so I haven't found anywhere I can get it for free. Am hoping for a sale somewhere that will make that happen.

[dancinmama]

Mar 2, 2011 13:22:43 GMT -5 jandjrake said:

Can i please get added to the coupon exchange list and the list of names and addresses. I set up a gmail account and my address is jandjrake at gmail. I am not sure what other info is needed though?

Thanks so much

jandjrake; You might want to PM murphath. If she isn't posting just click on the members tab at the top of this page and go through the list until you find her. Click on the little icon of an envelope at the right hand side of the page on the same line as her name. HTH

[dancinmama]

Mar 2, 2011 16:41:32 GMT -5 @alphayankee said:

Mar 2, 2011 16:29:28 GMT -5 herekittykitty said:

I still have a hard time passing up a "great" deal, even when it is going to cost me something OOP or if I don't really "need" it right now. I do a lot of donating, so if doesn't cost much OOP, I will get it and add it to the donate stash if I think it is something the shelter can really use. I am trying to do better and really think about my OOP cost before I do the deal, but it almost killed me to let some BOGO q's expire a few weeks ago! I was holding out for a BOGO sale to pair them with, but never got one, so I left the q's for someone else to use. Does anyone else suffer such grief when a great coupon can't be used?

Not so much anymore. In the beginning, it was hard, now I just get a little sinking feeling in my stomach, but it passes quickly and I move on. A good stockpile helps with those feelings of regret. There will always be another deal.

I was pretty ticked off at myself at the end of last year. I had purchased some $2 Hefty coupons on ebay and never used them. I think I threw up a little in my mouth when I was purging my December q's and came across them.

alpha: So do you sometimes purchase a coupon in anticipation of a sale because you know that once a sale breaks the price for the coupon will go up?

[alphayankee]

Mar 2, 2011 16:48:00 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Mar 2, 2011 16:41:32 GMT -5 @alphayankee said:

Not so much anymore. In the beginning, it was hard, now I just get a little sinking feeling in my stomach, but it passes quickly and I move on. A good stockpile helps with those feelings of regret. There will always be another deal.

I was pretty ticked off at myself at the end of last year. I had purchased some $2 Hefty coupons on ebay and never used them. I think I threw up a little in my mouth when I was purging my December q's and came across them.

alpha: So do you sometimes purchase a coupon in anticipation of a sale because you know that once a sale breaks the price for the coupon will go up?

That was the plan for that one. It was a phenomenal coupon and I knew I could use it at some point, I just got busy and forgot.

Usually, I try to look at the ad previews at least a week ahead and order q's if I need them for the sale. Or, I check out the coupon previews and order ones that I know are good, like the Gain $3 or Finish high $$ ones. With those, I know a good sale will follow before it expires.

I actually don't order a lot of q's anymore. I can usually get what I need with my weekly papers. If there is a good sale or a good q, I will order more.

[leanna]

Here is my current coupon/deal dilemma:

I live in the Portland, OR area, which is on of the test markets for Walgreens (booooo, hiss, hiss...)
We are getting very few of the register rewards these days, so it makes it nearly impossible to roll rewards.
Technically, Safeway will take the register rewards, but lately the Safeway's in Oregon have been getting really persnickety about coupons, which is a bummer. So I can't really guarantee that I can turn my rr's into payment at Safeway.

Soooo....
I have a $2 coupon off a Schick hydro razor that's calling out my name to use it. I already bought one of the Schick hydro razors at Wags this past Sunday, and had another $2 coupon for that one. I actually got lucky, because the Catalina machine didn't spit out the $6 rr, and instead the manager refunded me the $6! So that was awesome, because I only spent .99 out of pocket.

But now this $2 coupon keeps begging me to use it, but I know I'd be spending $6 oop that will be hard to get back.
I am sure I have close to a year supply of razor's for both my husband and I, so I do NOT need another razor.

Please, gals, would you yell at that coupon and tell it to stop calling out to me???

[dancinmama]

Mar 2, 2011 16:56:32 GMT -5 leanna said:

Here is my current coupon/deal dilemma:

I live in the Portland, OR area, which is on of the test markets for Walgreens (booooo, hiss, hiss...)
We are getting very few of the register rewards these days, so it makes it nearly impossible to roll rewards.
Technically, Safeway will take the register rewards, but lately the Safeway's in Oregon have been getting really persnickety about coupons, which is a bummer. So I can't really guarantee that I can turn my rr's into payment at Safeway.

Soooo....
I have a $2 coupon off a Schick hydro razor that's calling out my name to use it. I already bought one of the Schick hydro razors at Wags this past Sunday, and had another $2 coupon for that one. I actually got lucky, because the Catalina machine didn't spit out the $6 rr, and instead the manager refunded me the $6! So that was awesome, because I only spent .99 out of pocket.

But now this $2 coupon keeps begging me to use it, but I know I'd be spending $6 oop that will be hard to get back.
I am sure I have close to a year supply of razor's for both my husband and I, so I do NOT need another razor.

Please, gals, would you yell at that coupon and tell it to stop calling out to me???

leanna: Girl, you've got "it" bad!! Absolutely no more razors for you unless they are FREE!!

Geez, I didn't realize that WAGs was STILL doing that test marketing. Hasn't that been going on for months now? I would think they'd be smart enough to figure out whether or not they should adopt it as a marketing plan or not. I hope NOT.

[jdnstl]

dancin - wasn't there a big stink made when they first started the test areas? i bet they will try to go national with the change silently.

[dancinmama]

Mar 2, 2011 17:55:37 GMT -5 jdnstl said:

dancin - wasn't there a big stink made when they first started the test areas? i bet they will try to go national with the change silently.

I don't remember a big stink, but I do remember people who lived in the test areas complaining on HCW, but it seems like that was about a year and a half ago.

Whatever they do, they know that they are going to have to stay competitive with CVS and RA. Maybe they will decide that a "no loyalty card" system will be more attractive to a lot of people.

[Sam_2.0]

I am in the Wags test area - the only RR deals we seem to get now are the monthly ones (that have to be discovered, because they don't put out tags here either). Speaking of, I have some RRs from the other day to spend because I don't know of any monthly deals to roll them into. Looks like we are getting some pantry staples!!

[leanna]

Mar 2, 2011 17:11:52 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Mar 2, 2011 16:56:32 GMT -5 leanna said:

Here is my current coupon/deal dilemma:

I live in the Portland, OR area, which is on of the test markets for Walgreens (booooo, hiss, hiss...)
We are getting very few of the register rewards these days, so it makes it nearly impossible to roll rewards.
Technically, Safeway will take the register rewards, but lately the Safeway's in Oregon have been getting really persnickety about coupons, which is a bummer. So I can't really guarantee that I can turn my rr's into payment at Safeway.

Soooo....
I have a $2 coupon off a Schick hydro razor that's calling out my name to use it. I already bought one of the Schick hydro razors at Wags this past Sunday, and had another $2 coupon for that one. I actually got lucky, because the Catalina machine didn't spit out the $6 rr, and instead the manager refunded me the $6! So that was awesome, because I only spent .99 out of pocket.

But now this $2 coupon keeps begging me to use it, but I know I'd be spending $6 oop that will be hard to get back.
I am sure I have close to a year supply of razor's for both my husband and I, so I do NOT need another razor.

Please, gals, would you yell at that coupon and tell it to stop calling out to me???

leanna: Girl, you've got "it" bad!! Absolutely no more razors for you unless they are FREE!!

Geez, I didn't realize that WAGs was STILL doing that test marketing. Hasn't that been going on for months now? I would think they'd be smart enough to figure out whether or not they should adopt it as a marketing plan or not. I hope NOT.

Lol! Yes! I am terrible!!! Thank you for "yelling" at me!!! :)

Ugh...yeah...I think I've been a member since spring of 2010, so it's almost a year they've been doing this supposed test. During December, they gave us awesome register rewards, but since then it's been terrible.

There was a LOT of talk on my local coupon site (frugallivingnw.com) this past week about how we were all bummed because of all the free stuff we couldn't get this week.

The worst part of the program is the inconsistency between where I live and the rest of the country. It makes it almost impossible to plan any shopping at Wags, because our circular is different than everyone else's.

[leanna]

Sam814 - Can you use your rr's at any other grocery stores near you?

[mizbear]

The mgr at my WAGS has less brains than your average stuffed cabbage, therefore I try to avoid the place. We still get RRs, but the deals here have stunk recently.

[leanna]

Mar 2, 2011 18:36:54 GMT -5 mizbear said:

The mgr at my WAGS has less brains than your average stuffed cabbage, therefore I try to avoid the place. We still get RRs, but the deals here have stunk recently.

That's too bad mizbear. I would say the mgr at my Wags is pretty intelligent. The store is clean & organized.

But they're definitely really picky about coupons a lot of times. I've shopped there a lot over the past few years, and they know me, so they've been pretty decent about my coupons. But I suspect if they didn't know me they wouldn't accept the coupons that beep. (I'm talking about perfectly legit coupons that are coded incorrectly.)

[frugalsuz]

Mar 2, 2011 8:35:03 GMT -5 kathyattraverse said:

Mar 1, 2011 22:56:04 GMT -5 missourimommy said:

Good evening:)

If anyone of ya'll remember the TLC Show "Extreme Couponing" that was on back in December, they are looking for "hard-core" couponers. If you go to www.thecoupongoddess.com, she has the info at the top of her blog post.

FRUGALSUZ - you need to apply

A big fat HELL NO! to that suggestion! Even if I were interested in doing something like that (which I'm not), I'm not crazy about how they portray the people on the show. They're looking for shock value, so even if a normal couponer was on the show and talked about donating items to others, getting a profit on some items to cover the cost of non-sale items, taking a break on lighter sale weeks, etc. I have a feeling they'd edit that out and only show the most extreme parts. After the first episode aired, I remember reading that one of the women on the show said her husband was totally on-board with her couponing, but the show made it seem like he hated it. Not cool.

[rubyslippers]

I have a question for WAGs shoppers. Can you use their RR at other stores like Kroger and Meijer? I hate shopping at WAGs but if I could get the $10.00 RR from the Vicks Sinex, I'd like to use it to buy meat at Kroger.

[mizbear]

After watching Extreme Couponing, my family became afraid of my couponing for awhile- they were afraid I would be headed from Extreme Couponing to Hoarding: Buried Alive. They did not portray people in a good light at all.
If I need any reality show to come see me- it's What Not to Wear!

[dancinmama]

Mar 2, 2011 19:11:38 GMT -5 frugalsuz said:

Mar 2, 2011 8:35:03 GMT -5 kathyattraverse said:

FRUGALSUZ - you need to apply

A big fat HELL NO! to that suggestion! Even if I were interested in doing something like that (which I'm not), I'm not crazy about how they portray the people on the show. They're looking for shock value, so even if a normal couponer was on the show and talked about donating items to others, getting a profit on some items to cover the cost of non-sale items, taking a break on lighter sale weeks, etc. I have a feeling they'd edit that out and only show the most extreme parts. After the first episode aired, I remember reading that one of the women on the show said her husband was totally on-board with her couponing, but the show made it seem like he hated it. Not cool.

frugalsuz: I knew that would be your response!! Being on a show like that is an invasion of privacy. I think Joanie probably did it not only to help others, but also to increase traffic on her blog which would lead to more advertising revenue for her, etc. My DH begged me to write a book about couponing over 20 years ago and the reason that I never did was because I value my privacy.

[dancinmama]

Mar 2, 2011 19:11:28 GMT -5 leanna said:

Mar 2, 2011 18:36:54 GMT -5 mizbear said:

The mgr at my WAGS has less brains than your average stuffed cabbage, therefore I try to avoid the place. We still get RRs, but the deals here have stunk recently.

That's too bad mizbear. I would say the mgr at my Wags is pretty intelligent. The store is clean & organized.

But they're definitely really picky about coupons a lot of times. I've shopped there a lot over the past few years, and they know me, so they've been pretty decent about my coupons. But I suspect if they didn't know me they wouldn't accept the coupons that beep. (I'm talking about perfectly legit coupons that are coded incorrectly.)

leanna: My WAGs is exactly the same. That Boiron coupon for the Arnicare beeped like crazy and as soon as each cashier read that the coupon was for the right product, they pushed it right through mainly because they know me there. When a coupon beeps, I think I get a lot less hassle than the average, everyday customer.

[mizbear]

My WAGS is clean, the sales people are great- but the mgr has no clue. His staff usually has more clue what is going on than he does. And he hates it when you catch him dirty lying about a sale or product in front of another staffer or manager who shows you right to it.

[leanna]

Mar 2, 2011 19:18:08 GMT -5 rubyslippers said:

I have a question for WAGs shoppers. Can you use their RR at other stores like Kroger and Meijer? I hate shopping at WAGs but if I could get the $10.00 RR from the Vicks Sinex, I'd like to use it to buy meat at Kroger.

Where I live (Portland, OR), you can use the Wags RR at Safeway. HOWEVER, the Safeway's in OR have become SUPER picky lately about coupons. Evidently, they are no longer doubling internet coupons and they tend to give us a hassle about various coupons.

So, I'm personally a little hesitant to count on being able to use it at Safeway.

But, I'd recommend you go up to your customer svc desk and ask if you can use those rr's. Unless someone else writes a msg with the answer! :)

[dancinmama]

Mar 2, 2011 18:32:35 GMT -5 leanna said:

Lol! Yes! I am terrible!!! Thank you for "yelling" at me!!! :)

The worst part of the program is the inconsistency between where I live and the rest of the country. It makes it almost impossible to plan any shopping at Wags, because our circular is different than everyone else's.

leanna: Hey, no problem. Any time you need a good "talkin' to", just come to me (ha ha ha).

I don't know how I would approach WAGs without the ad previews. No matter which drug chain that I am dealing with, whether I will or will not do a deal often times depends on what I can strategically do with the rewards that I will receive in the weeks that follow.

A couple of weeks ago RA had some SCR items in the national ad that ended up not being in the ad for the west region. It screwed up my entire scenario to say nothing about my plan to convert a lot of UPs into $$$. :(

[frugalsuz]

Mar 2, 2011 20:18:25 GMT -5 mizbear said:

After watching Extreme Couponing, my family became afraid of my couponing for awhile- they were afraid I would be headed from Extreme Couponing to Hoarding: Buried Alive. They did not portray people in a good light at all.
If I need any reality show to come see me- it's What Not to Wear!

I wouldn't mind being on the receiving end of Secret Millionaire. ;D

[missourimommy]

Mizbear,
I'm with you. I need Clint and Stacy form "What Not Wear" and the guy from "Clean Sweep" to come to my house!!

[shelly527in]

Mar 2, 2011 11:31:57 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

And the P&G booklets were a rebate offer then P&G offered the books up on FACEBOOK. I was able to get 2 from FB, one for me and for DH.

ooty: Did you get the P&G booklets both ways: sending in $50 worth of receipts AND through Facebook? I did sent in receipts to get them and then saw the offer on Facebook, so I requested them there too. I got the "rebate" ones, but have not received the Facebook ones yet, have you? There is a Q in there that I am DESPERATE to get my hands on.

dancinmama-- Vince and I just got the ones from Facebook last week!

[shelly527in]

Mar 2, 2011 16:29:28 GMT -5 herekittykitty said:

I still have a hard time passing up a "great" deal, even when it is going to cost me something OOP or if I don't really "need" it right now. I do a lot of donating, so if doesn't cost much OOP, I will get it and add it to the donate stash if I think it is something the shelter can really use. I am trying to do better and really think about my OOP cost before I do the deal, but it almost killed me to let some BOGO q's expire a few weeks ago! I was holding out for a BOGO sale to pair them with, but never got one, so I left the q's for someone else to use. Does anyone else suffer such grief when a great coupon can't be used?

YES! I was so sad that I could only get 2 Dove deodorants when Rite-Aid had their deal.. I spent $ for the Qs from Ebay and hated for them to go to waste. I paid 14 cents OOP per deodorant at Wal-mart using the RA ad. I bought about 15 and lest the rest of the Qs for someone else.