2015 Grocery Challenge

[hopetoberich]

Talk about waiting for a deal.....I've been waiting forever for some thing to come up. Anyway, here it is for may.
Herbal essence shampoo Mq $3/1 p&g
Wegmans HE shampoo $1.99 each.

Did the deal twice according to the rules of 4 like mq per trip
16 bottles of shampoo ran the numbers .49c per bottle

2 co workers have eyes on my shampoo already.  :PI should be set for a while and will go back to coupon retirement until the next time

[saveinla]

May 12, 2015 10:14:39 GMT -5 murphath said:

CVS has sent me an additional 2 surveys and kicks me out at the same place each time. BUT, they give me $2 EB's for each survey. I've looked at the EB q and they have different numbers/expiration dates. Perhaps a glitch in their survey system but I'll take it!

saveinla/freesalsa: I'm doing the happy dance because I did buy two $50 gift card purchases at Smart and Final in Reno with my Amex card and it worked! Now I have $100 of Kohl's cards and paid a total of $50! Yea!  We are having a shower for our son's fiancé so the extra savings will really help in purchasing the Kitchenaid mixer she wants (in pink! she's a girly, girl).

That's great murphath - this was a great deal for me, as I bought Macys and JC Penney card and got an additional 10$ off for the store on 4 cards. So 200$ in GCs cost me 60$ and 100$ in GC cost me 50$. 
I also bought a 50$ JCP card at Safeway and 20$ came off instead of just the 10$ Q. So now I have a good stash of gift cards.

[marvholly]

WHY do cashiers/service desk staff ALWAYS ask if you have checked the shelf when you ask for a raincheck on an item? I have already WASTED a bunch of my time looking for the right aisle & the multiple possible places the item ‘could’ be & now you make me waste more!

It is time to start checking recipes & watching for ingredient on sale. My long ago co-worker’s annual summer open house is in mid-July. Over the past 10 years I have aimed for a healthy side dish & still plan on doing the same although I will not rule out a dessert. Too many people are bringing store bought cookies, package brownies, cheesecake bites from Sams/Costco…………..

[murphath]

marvholly:

My guess would be to prevent folks from buying the product at the lower price, then going back and getting a raincheck (when it's still on the shelf) so that they will get that same low price the next time.

[saveinla]

Freesalsa,

The jumbo brown eggs at the farmers market are 4.75 for a dozen ; 20 eggs cost 6.50 - same size. not worth buying from there although they are really fresh eggs 

[dancinmama]

Hi All!!

Just checking in.  Still shopping the GO and getting some pretty great deals from time to time.  Last week I got 8 oz. block cheddar for $1.27/ea.

I can't believe this is the third year of my not regularly playing the drug chains rewards game.  The stockpiles of non-perishables are still holding up.  I know the first time I have to buy something I am going to be shocked at the price increases.

[murphath]

dancin:

All you have to do is go to a regular grocery store.  Yikes!  It's crazy.

Question:

I have a B1G1 free q.  I have a $3 q for the same item.  Can I use both at CVS and/or Rite Aid?  The first would give me one free and the second q would give me $3 off the other.  Been so long since I've had a B1G1F that I can't remember.

Thanks.

[973beachbum]

May 17, 2015 19:14:58 GMT -5 murphath said:

dancin:

All you have to do is go to a regular grocery store.  Yikes!  It's crazy.

Question:

I have a B1G1 free q.  I have a $3 q for the same item.  Can I use both at CVS and/or Rite Aid?  The first would give me one free and the second q would give me $3 off the other.  Been so long since I've had a B1G1F that I can't remember.

Thanks.

It depends.   I have used them both in the past but if the register or coupon is coded to count the B1G1 coupon as needing 2 items it will beep when the second is scanned.  So then it depends on the store and the cashier.  At my second job I can hit a button and let it go through or not at my choice but some stores it won't let them.  they would have to enter it manually.  I will say manual entering is looked at much harder so most cashiers at least make sure it seems reasonable. 

On another note I have a good laugh for everyone.  I am almost out of toothpaste.   I have been looking a little for a decent deal but haven't been finding much.  The coupons are fairly low amounts and the sales haven't been as good or often.  Anyone know any good deals coming up for CVS, Shoprite or Acme?

[murphath]

973beachbum:

Do you have a Rite Aid? They have Colgate toothpaste on sale this week with a RA q in their ad for $3 off. There was a .50 q in yesterday's inserts so that would make it either free or very close to it.  Or, if you have a Dollar Tree, they sometimes have name brand toothpaste in 4 oz size and you can use a q for those.  Most things there are a smaller size and sometimes the q's say "4 oz or above" on them.

Another questions for you since you are a cashier:  which coupon should I give to the casher first?  the B1G1F or the $2 off.

[973beachbum]

May 18, 2015 10:15:19 GMT -5 murphath said:

973beachbum:

Do you have a Rite Aid? They have Colgate toothpaste on sale this week with a RA q in their ad for $3 off. There was a .50 q in yesterday's inserts so that would make it either free or very close to it.  Or, if you have a Dollar Tree, they sometimes have name brand toothpaste in 4 oz size and you can use a q for those.  Most things there are a smaller size and sometimes the q's say "4 oz or above" on them.

Another questions for you since you are a cashier:  which coupon should I give to the casher first?  the B1G1F or the $2 off.

there isn't a Rite Aid close but I will see if I can change my route to go that way.  Thanks!

Personally I would use the B1G1 free one first.  I think those have stricter codes that make it very hard to push though.  the $ off ones that only attach to one product seem have more discretion. 

I think with my store you would have a 50/50 shot of having the $3 one allowed if you did it second but not near that amount the other way.  Just my thoughts though other cashiers or places might do it differently. 

[FreeSalsa]

May 14, 2015 12:43:24 GMT -5 saveinla said:

May 12, 2015 10:14:39 GMT -5 murphath said:

CVS has sent me an additional 2 surveys and kicks me out at the same place each time. BUT, they give me $2 EB's for each survey. I've looked at the EB q and they have different numbers/expiration dates. Perhaps a glitch in their survey system but I'll take it!

saveinla/freesalsa: I'm doing the happy dance because I did buy two $50 gift card purchases at Smart and Final in Reno with my Amex card and it worked! Now I have $100 of Kohl's cards and paid a total of $50! Yea!  We are having a shower for our son's fiancé so the extra savings will really help in purchasing the Kitchenaid mixer she wants (in pink! she's a girly, girl).

That's great murphath - this was a great deal for me, as I bought Macys and JC Penney card and got an additional 10$ off for the store on 4 cards. So 200$ in GCs cost me 60$ and 100$ in GC cost me 50$. 
I also bought a 50$ JCP card at Safeway and 20$ came off instead of just the 10$ Q. So now I have a good stash of gift cards.

I'm glad you both did so well on the cards.  I've used up 2 of my 3 cards already.  I hope a deal like that comes again.

I don't enjoy shopping there but I'm glad to half "half-price" food.  I bought a lot of beer and wine for a party.  I didn't know you couldn't return it, only exchange it.  What a hassle it was.  They didn't know how to do it right and there was a very long line piling up behind me, as well as at all of the registers.  And I had to wait behind someone who had two orders and questioned the price of her cash order and didn't have enough money on her food stamps card for the second order.  Everything took a long time.  They should have had more checkers.

[FreeSalsa]

May 16, 2015 12:27:52 GMT -5 saveinla said:

Freesalsa,

The jumbo brown eggs at the farmers market are 4.75 for a dozen ; 20 eggs cost 6.50 - same size. not worth buying from there although they are really fresh eggs 

I guess that was bound to happen.  Thanks for checking, you saved me a trip!

[murphath]

I don't know why but CVS just keeps sending me surveys. I got another one yesterday and this time I finished it.  Now I have another $10 in EB's to play with. This is just so weird--I've never gotten a survey and now I seem to get one every time I make a purchase. Okay by me--we need to stock up on mouthwash!

[murphath]

Looks like our trip to the Tetons and Yellowstone will be filled with rain/thunderstorms (we leave this Sunday). I bought 4 of those funky rain covers at the .99 store to keep us semi-dry. We're going for the hiking and darn it all, we are going hiking!

[marvholly]

Amazing! There is nothing I want or need at my big fruit/veg market or even Aldi this week. think I will hit up Trader Joe's.

[marvholly]

There is a produce store about 17-18 mi from me – near DD1’s. They often have really good prices on stuff but it is WAAAAY to far to go regularly. I just learned they are opening about 2 mi from me this summer. Since they are having a job fair in early June I suspect the GRAND OPENING will be for 7/4. Once they open I will pay MUCH more attention to their ads-probably subscribe. I’ll probably end up w/2 shopping days/week in opposite directions.

It seems to be getting to the point where the time spent checking, cutting, organizing coupons is NO longer worth it. The coupons are too low value, expire too quickly or require the purchase of too many for my single person household.  Onl cut out 4 from the 5/17 inserts.  If history is any indicator I will use only 1 of them. 

[marvholly]

In my area grocery ads are getting smaller. One independent market used to be 10-12 pages a year ago. Then it dropped to 6 pages about 3 months ago and this week it is only 4 pages and the pictures & print are HUGE. Another store has not even posted an ad for their sale starting today.   No incentive to even go there. 

[marvholly]

Proof positive stores inflated prices over the holiday weekend: My big fruit/veg market had chicken leg quarters on sale at 0.49 this past weekend. For a couple weeks before AND this week again they are 0.39.

Another fruit/veg market is opening on my regular travel route in a former Jewel (Albertsons). The store has been empty several years (2, 4, ?) and the remodel is taking forever. I have been to another of their locations & am NOT impressed with the quality of their stuff or their prices. Probably will not shop there.

[FreeSalsa]

[Crickets.]  

Sure is quiet around here.  

Gas also went up just for the holiday weekend, Holly.  Good thing my brother has a hybrid and he drove.

I went to Vons/Safeway to use some Qs I got in the mail.  It was hard to find the pre-made salad they had and the employee I asked sent me to the wrong section.  They were out of the Lucerne cheese (8 oz./$1.49) so I had to get approval from a manager to get the larger size at double the price and they entered it manually.  The Q I had for deli fried chicken was the same price as the sale price this week so I don't know why they put out a Q.  Then I bought a marked down container of potato salad and it didn't scan as half price so I had to go again to the service desk and get my money back for the right price.  I really don't care for Vons.

DH said, "It sure would be nice to get out of a store one of these days without having to go through the line twice."  I agree!  There's always a correction that has to be made.  I don't think the stores in my new neighborhood have a very good idea of what they are doing.

Meanwhile I am growing some fruits and veggies and still enjoying my free fruit box.  Today we finished up the radishes and onions I got from the box last time (pickled and roasted) and tomorrow it is time to pick up another box.  I really lucked out on that deal.  I am grateful to the universe for that one.

[murphath]

Hi All!

Back from our Grand Tetons/Yellowstone road trip. Such fun. We all actually liked the Tetons better--much quieter. The hiking was phenomenal and the weather cooperated (well, pretty much). We did get rained on--I kept telling the rain gods to send it further west to California!   We did the float trip down the Snake River and highly recommend it.  We saw Old Faithful blow when standing in a downpour and after a hot drink in the Old Faithful Inn bar, in bright sunshine.  That's how the weather went: dry one minute, wet the next.

Once DH stops working the catering jobs for good, we think we'll become seasonal employees at one of the national parks.  Everyone we met working there was having a blast and really enjoying their time in nature.

As for critters, we saw two grizzly bears, lots of pronghorn and bison, two beavers, a bald eagle's aerie with her two chicks poking their heads out, and some elk.  A bison herd decided to take advantage of the road and totally stopped all cars.  They literally passed on both sides of our car--no more than six inches from our windows.  Hundreds of them. Those guys are huge and their babies are so cute!

It was a wonderful trip.  We all wished we could have stayed a few days more.

Hey beachbum:  you were looking for toothpaste, right?  Free at CVS using the $1 q and $2 CVS q from red machine.  Same effect at Rite Aid when you figure in the Plenti points.  I prefer the CVS deal because then you just pay tax--no other OOP.

[FreeSalsa]

Went to Vons/Safeway and stocked up on Nature Valley granola bars.  $1.49 ea wyb4.  I bought 8 and used IPs, 75c/1 50c/1 50c/2.  They ended up being 75c to $1 per box.  Plus I'll get 10 swag bucks each for them.  

When I run out and buy one bar at the corner store during work they are $1.25 each so $1 for a whole box is way better.  Though they would not let me use more than 3 of the same type of q so I couldn't use one of them.  Not sure when that went into effect but I didn't know it.  I also forgot the q's for the Jennie-O turkey that I went in there for so I didn't get that.  I still don't love Vons.

[murphath]

FreeSalsa:

  I've never had Safeway tell me I couldn't use 2 of the same IP. Only thing I can think of would be if you clicked on the .50 NV q on your JFU account. I've done that before and the computer wouldn't accept another q. There may be a limit on the JFU q (4x?? perhaps). Check your receipt and see if that's the case.

[murphath]

I have $5.75 in EBs that I have to use soon but haven't seen anything worth the effort. The deals must be drying up again.

Do you think the improving economy has had an effect on this board? Are people not feeling the pinch anymore and given up on couponing, etc?   Or did Extreme Couponing really kill all the deals?

[saveinla]

Jun 9, 2015 11:08:19 GMT -5 murphath said:

FreeSalsa:

  I've never had Safeway tell me I couldn't use 2 of the same IP. Only thing I can think of would be if you clicked on the .50 NV q on your JFU account. I've done that before and the computer wouldn't accept another q. There may be a limit on the JFU q (4x?? perhaps). Check your receipt and see if that's the case.

murphath,

The Vons stores here do not allow more than 2 of the same Q - very rarely can I get away with 3.

[marvholly]

murpath

I believe it has just become WAAAAY too much work (and expese buying papers) or the WAAAAY low value coupons available. Also, more people are becoming health aware - shopping the store perimeter where there are few coupons. Further, most of my local chains do NOT take IPs so its newspaper coupons or NOTHING.

That said:  The stars have aligned. I need ground coffee. I have a coupon for Hills coffee. Jewel has Hills on sale this week for the same price as the Aldi brand. Now if only fruit/veg/salad fixins prices would go down a bit.

[murphath]

saveinla: WOW! That's crazy. Offer a deal that requires you to purchase 4 of the items and then not allow 4 coupons. I don't understand their logic. They are reimbursed for the coupons.

[murphath]

marvholly:

Reading the Sunday paper with a cup of coffee (or two) has been my guilty pleasure for a long, long time. While kids and DH were still fast asleep, I was enjoying the solitude! So, I never subscribed to the paper for just the q's. It was for my sanity!

[marvholly]

<p>murpath</p><p>That used to be my approach to the Sun paper. Now, not so much so since the paper is now $3 (yep Dollar Tree is still $1).  To me the news is old and very stale so not much interest compared to 20 or even 10 years ago.</p><p><br></p><p>UNREAL!! Chickens are dying all over the Midwest from bird flu. Egg prices have pretty mush doubled. My big fruit/veg market is featuring leg quarters this week for 0.19/lb. If it gets any cheaper they will be paying me! I need more like another hole in my head but at that price I need to get a couple packs. <br><br>Smoke some on the grill. Make some oven fried. Poach some for use in other dishes and/or make a batch of chicken ‘mess’ (onions, various bell peppers, garlic) that is/can be the base for other dishes like I use the poached.  I'll probably shop Mon or Tue so I can get some more freezer space.<br></p>

[973beachbum]

At the GC the rules actually are IP only up to $5 and it has to scan totally on it's own.  With a regular out of the newspaper coupon we are allowed to force it through but IP's and other high value ones no way.  Truthfully there is a lot of fraud out there.  And I don't mean just using 5 p&G coupons when they say only 4 per trans.

Just reading the customers IP's it is amazing how many have the same PIN number on them.  It becomes pretty obvious how many people just print the two or four they can get and then just photo copy them as many times as they want.

And this store has one of the best coupon policies for a customer so it isn't like they are hard asses just trying to not let people use them.   Double coupons up to 99 cents.  You can use a B1G1F coupon with a B1G1F sale.  We don't have a number limit.  

they just don't want to have to pay for fraudulent coupons.

[saveinla]

Jun 10, 2015 10:43:12 GMT -5 murphath said:

saveinla: WOW! That's crazy. Offer a deal that requires you to purchase 4 of the items and then not allow 4 coupons. I don't understand their logic. They are reimbursed for the coupons.

I know - I usually mix and match items if I need to use more than 2 Qs.