2015 Grocery Challenge

[Deleted]

I got 8 boxes of Ziploc freezer bags and 2 packages of Campbell slow cooker sauces for $1 plus $1.71 tax ($2.71 total). These were from Publix.

[marvholly]

I need to get to Aldi fairly early this week. New king pillows have been on my need to buy list for quite a while (a year?) and Aldi has them on special for $7.99 on the 1/21 ad. I KNOW my store gets weekly, limited number specials in & puts them out early (Mon?, Tue?) so they are often GONE by the time the ad actually hits. So I will need to check them out both Mon afternoon and mid-day Tue. Good thing I do have an Aldi fairly nearby. Too bad the early ad and pricing does not hold for produce.

[Deleted]

Jan 18, 2015 7:19:18 GMT -5 marvholly said:

I need to get to Aldi fairly early this week. New king pillows have been on my need to buy list for quite a while (a year?) and Aldi has them on special for $7.99 on the 1/21 ad. I KNOW my store gets weekly, limited number specials in & puts them out early (Mon?, Tue?) so they are often GONE by the time the ad actually hits. So I will need to check them out both Mon afternoon and mid-day Tue. Good thing I do have an Aldi fairly nearby. Too bad the early ad and pricing does not hold for produce.

I need new pillows because my husband confiscated the ones in the guest room. Thanks for the tip!

[rubyslippers]

At Meijer today I got 2 bags (5 lbs.) potatoes, 1 bag (3 lbs.) carrots, 2 peppers, 1 mushrooms, 2 loaves bread, 1 sour cream, tortilla shells, 1 broccoli, coffee, 1 lb. Muenster cheese and a bag of spinach for $1.39 after using a catalina I had from a prior purchase. At Kroger, I got free yogurt and 2 Colgate toothbrushes for $.14 after rolling a $2.00 catalina. I filled up at the gas station for $.83 a gallon after using fuel points. I got a raincheck for $5.00 lobster tails that I hope to buy before Valentine's day. I still need to find oranges and grapes this week. Neither looked good at Meijer.

Marvholly, I really like the non-food items I've bought in the past from Aldi. They have held up well and are reasonably priced.

[marvholly]

Jan 18, 2015 18:32:57 GMT -5 rubyslippers said:

Marvholly, I really like the non-food items I've bought in the past from Aldi. They have held up well and are reasonably priced.

Me too. I have a set of king sheets I bought May 2013 for about $19.  Still LOVE them.  Wish they would run them again.

[marvholly]

I vaguely remember a MASSIVE Kraft cheese deal (sale + coupons) on bar & shredded cheeses a number of years ago that did somewhat repeat the following year. It was around this time (MLK/Superbowl). I KNOW I was stocked up on cheese for quite a few months. Have not seen anything nearly as good recently (last 2-3 years). Anyone??

[skubikky]

Got a $14.99 box of 130 Finish tabs at BJ's for $3.29 total OOP.
About $0.51/box of 20 tabs.   Not free but ok.

Used (6) $2.15/1 box of 20 MCs.

[dancinmama]

Jan 20, 2015 7:20:18 GMT -5 marvholly said:

I vaguely remember a MASSIVE Kraft cheese deal (sale + coupons) on bar & shredded cheeses a number of years ago that did somewhat repeat the following year. It was around this time (MLK/Superbowl). I KNOW I was stocked up on cheese for quite a few months. Have not seen anything nearly as good recently (last 2-3 years). Anyone??

I don't know.  The last great deal that I got on cheese with coupons was April 2013 on Sargento Ultra Thin slices.  I had a J4U price from Safeway of $2.44 and I had $1/1 coupons.

Could it be that any sales that you're seeing aren't being run at the same time that coupons are available?  It seems like more and more the sales are not aligning as often with coupon availability.  My mom does not have the internet and she often calls me to check the coupon database when she sees a sale on something.  Most of the time there is no coupon available for the item or, if there is, the size specified on the coupon does not match the size being advertised.    

[marvholly]

Jan 21, 2015 8:26:49 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Jan 20, 2015 7:20:18 GMT -5 marvholly said:

Could it be that any sales that you're seeing aren't being run at the same time that coupons are available?  It seems like more and more the sales are not aligning as often with coupon availability.  My mom does not have the internet and she often calls me to check the coupon database when she sees a sale on something.  Most of the time there is no coupon available for the item or, if there is, the size specified on the coupon does not match the size being advertised.    

I definatly am seeing the lack of coupon/sale matchups EXCEPT for drug stores & the monthly P&G coupons. I had a horrible time finding Lindsey coupons for this weeks WAG sale.  I am seeing MUCH more of the buy x items and get $y off BUT as a single who tries to eat reasonably healthy these do NOT work for me.

Something has changed, for the WAAAY better, at the WAG stores in my area. Six months ago if you did not run out on Sun for the sale items you were SOL. For the last month or two I have been able to get what I wanted during the week and, even once, on the last day of the ad.

Discovered Wed Aldi beats out Dollar Tree for microwave popcorn:
Aldi $1.79/6 pk
Dollar Tree 1.00/3 pk
I don’t know if the packs are the same amount of popcorn BUT it is ok w/me if Aldi is a bit smaller.

[dancinmama]

Jan 22, 2015 7:46:14 GMT -5 marvholly said:

Jan 21, 2015 8:26:49 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Could it be that any sales that you're seeing aren't being run at the same time that coupons are available?  It seems like more and more the sales are not aligning as often with coupon availability.  My mom does not have the internet and she often calls me to check the coupon database when she sees a sale on something.  Most of the time there is no coupon available for the item or, if there is, the size specified on the coupon does not match the size being advertised.    

Something has changed, for the WAAAY better, at the WAG stores in my area. Six months ago if you did not run out on Sun for the sale items you were SOL. For the last month or two I have been able to get what I wanted during the week and, even once, on the last day of the ad.

Coincidentally, I was on WUC yesterday (I go there periodically trying to keep my thumb on the pulse of what is going on in the couponing world) and there was a thread in the WAGs forum titled "Nobody Shops WAGs Anymore?"  One after another, people posted their reasons for no longer couponing there.  A couple of people posted that they still shop there, but that was about it.

I guess my experience with the Halloween clearance I got this year at WAGs is an indication.  If any couponer had been in there before me, I am pretty sure the $.10 items that I got (42 Reeses peanut butter pumpkins and 39 bags of Lancaster caramels) would have been gone.

[marvholly]

Jan 22, 2015 11:22:58 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Jan 22, 2015 7:46:14 GMT -5 marvholly said:

Something has changed, for the WAAAY better, at the WAG stores in my area. Six months ago if you did not run out on Sun for the sale items you were SOL. For the last month or two I have been able to get what I wanted during the week and, even once, on the last day of the ad.

Coincidentally, I was on WUC yesterday (I go there periodically trying to keep my thumb on the pulse of what is going on in the couponing world) and there was a thread in the WAGs forum titled "Nobody Shops WAGs Anymore?"  One after another, people posted their reasons for no longer couponing there.  A couple of people posted that they still shop there, but that was about it.

I guess my experience with the Halloween clearance I got this year at WAGs is an indication.  If any couponer had been in there before me, I am pretty sure the $.10 items that I got (42 Reeses peanut butter pumpkins and 39 bags of Lancaster caramels) would have been gone.

It may be that couponers were cleaning out WAG 2 minutes after Sun opening but I do NOT think that was the case in my stores.  A few times I checked on Sat and an item for Sun sale woud only have 2-3 on the shelf.  i wonder if it may have to do w/WAG's change in reward programs going from REAL cash to reward points AND if you spend the points on something generating points you do NOT get them.  One of the reasons I will continue to do at least some shopping at WAG is my new Medicare gap insurance gives me $10/month to spend on OTC stuff at either WAG or CVS. 

[FreeSalsa]

Jan 20, 2015 9:23:55 GMT -5 skubikky said:

Got a $14.99 box of 130 Finish tabs at BJ's for $3.29 total OOP.
About $0.51/box of 20 tabs.   Not free but ok.

Used (6) $2.15/1 box of 20 MCs.

I found 2 20 ct. boxes marked down to $1.50.  I paid that because I knew I didn't have the $2.15 Qs from the 1/5 insert.  But today I saw that I had 2 55c Qs i could have used.  Bummer.  If I get over that way I'll try to get the money back for them but I wasn't planning on Albertsons this week.

I was in my old neighborhood for an appt. and found La Brea bakery bread marked down half price.  They usually have it there and not at the other stores so I went there on purpose.  Got two long loaves of French wheat bread $1.29-75c IP = 55c each.  I'm going to cut them up and put them in the freezer for garlic bread and sandwiches, since they are already a little on the hard side.  

[dancinmama]

CVS Question -

I got an email with a $5/$15.  If I print it today, it expires on 1/27.  If I wait until Sunday and send it to my card, when will it expire?  I'm assuming the 29th, but I'm not sure.  I'm going to roll my $9.99 and $5/$15 into the Beeno, but I want to extend the expiration on the Beeno EBs for as long as possible.

TIA

[dancinmama]

Jan 23, 2015 7:34:09 GMT -5 marvholly said:

Jan 22, 2015 11:22:58 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Coincidentally, I was on WUC yesterday (I go there periodically trying to keep my thumb on the pulse of what is going on in the couponing world) and there was a thread in the WAGs forum titled "Nobody Shops WAGs Anymore?"  One after another, people posted their reasons for no longer couponing there.  A couple of people posted that they still shop there, but that was about it.

I guess my experience with the Halloween clearance I got this year at WAGs is an indication.  If any couponer had been in there before me, I am pretty sure the $.10 items that I got (42 Reeses peanut butter pumpkins and 39 bags of Lancaster caramels) would have been gone.

It may be that couponers were cleaning out WAG 2 minutes after Sun opening but I do NOT think that was the case in my stores.  A few times I checked on Sat and an item for Sun sale woud only have 2-3 on the shelf.  i wonder if it may have to do w/WAG's change in reward programs going from REAL cash to reward points AND if you spend the points on something generating points you do NOT get them.  One of the reasons I will continue to do at least some shopping at WAG is my new Medicare gap insurance gives me $10/month to spend on OTC stuff at either WAG or CVS. 

At your store, it sounds as if it may have been an issue with inventory.  In my last months shopping at CVS, that was a constant problem.  I have a 24 hr. store and I'd have to do my shopping right after midnight if I wanted to get the things on my list/in my scenario.  And if that wasn't bad enough, the checker that worked that shift (and still does) was/is EXTREMELY rude.

What kind of Medigap insurance do you have?  That's a good deal.  Is it an "F" plan? 

[marvholly]

I have been on Medicare C (Advantage) plan. It is an HMO type plan but works for me. I had similar plans back when I was on employer insurance so am comfortable w/them. All the Dr & hospitals in my area happen to have been covered under my previous & current plans. The current plan has a preferred relationship w/both Walgreens & CVS for Rx and OTC items, either of which work for me.

I was a good thing I got my pillows on Wed. When I was at Aldi Sat for my routine food stuff they were OOS. Also, I got 2 FREE single serve containers of yogurt this week: 1 each at Meijer & Food4Less.

[dancinmama]

Jan 24, 2015 6:15:33 GMT -5 marvholly said:

I have been on Medicare C (Advantage) plan. It is an HMO type plan but works for me. I had similar plans back when I was on employer insurance so am comfortable w/them. All the Dr & hospitals in my area happen to have been covered under my previous & current plans. The current plan has a preferred relationship w/both Walgreens & CVS for Rx and OTC items, either of which work for me.

We switched to Kaiser, which is an HMO, in 2009 when the employee premiums for the non-HMO plan started to skyrocket.  By 2010 open-enrollment, if you were not already a part of Kaiser, employees were no longer allowed to opt into it.  We are soooo lucky we decided to switch the year before.  If we had not, our retiree medical premiums for that non-HMO plan would be over $1500/mo.

If we're still in No. CA when we turn 65, we'll probably sign up for Medicare C and stay with the HMO; if not, we'll be looking at one of the Medigap plans.

[FreeSalsa]

Jan 23, 2015 11:34:59 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

CVS Question -

I got an email with a $5/$15.  If I print it today, it expires on 1/27.  If I wait until Sunday and send it to my card, when will it expire?  I'm assuming the 29th, but I'm not sure.  I'm going to roll my $9.99 and $5/$15 into the Beeno, but I want to extend the expiration on the Beeno EBs for as long as possible.

TIA

Not sure.  But I got one of these last week, I sent it to my card, and I couldn't get to the store in time and it expired.  I should have printed it because they probably would have let me use it expired since it was a $x/$yy and not a x% off CRT.

[Happy prose]

Good deal on Digiorno pizza today at Shoprite. On sale for $3.97. On coupons dot com there is a $2/2. If you buy four pizzas, you get a $3 Cat from Nestles, and there's also a store promo spend $20 (pre price plus!) and you get a $5 Cat. So I spent $11.88 for four, and got back $8 in Cats. $.97 per pizza!

[marvholly]

Dancin
Medicare C (advantage) plans are available in most locales. However, if you move you might NOT want to be tied to an unknown Dr group/hospital. There are at least 4 here in metro Chicago that MY hospital/Dr have contracts with.

[Deleted]

I had a really awesome shopping trip today . . . at Publix, of course. It helped that I had saved my coke rewards coupons until I could use them for full price somewhere. 12-packs had been running 4/$10 at CVS so there was no sense "wasting" them there. 

But Publix had a B2G1 sale, and I knew they could be a large part of spending $50 so I could use a Target competitor's coupon. We just don't spend that much at Publix since I only buy sale items. But for $30 today ($5 was tax), I got the following: 3 46 oz Tides, 2 20-ct Cascades, 2 Swiffer cleaner refills, 6 12-packs of diet cokes, 2 80-ct Snuggles dryer sheets, 3 cans of Bush beans (50% off), and a rotisserie chicken. 

It was a lot of bang for my buck. 

[dancinmama]

Jan 26, 2015 19:08:54 GMT -5 southernsusana said:

I had a really awesome shopping trip today . . . at Publix, of course. It helped that I had saved my coke rewards coupons until I could use them for full price somewhere. 12-packs had been running 4/$10 at CVS so there was no sense "wasting" them there. 

But Publix had a B2G1 sale, and I knew they could be a large part of spending $50 so I could use a Target competitor's coupon. We just don't spend that much at Publix since I only buy sale items. But for $30 today ($5 was tax), I got the following: 3 46 oz Tides, 2 20-ct Cascades, 2 Swiffer cleaner refills, 6 12-packs of diet cokes, 2 80-ct Snuggles dryer sheets, 3 cans of Bush beans (50% off), and a rotisserie chicken. 

It was a lot of bang for my buck. 

Awesome job!!     I can't even come close to getting that at either my grocery chains (Safeway and Nob Hill). 

If I didn't have the Grocery Outlet and the 99 Cent Store, I'd be SUNK!!

[dancinmama]

SCORE!!

I've been eyeballing the Butterfinger Santa medallions at the 99 Cent Store since the week after Christmas.  I've been waiting for them to discount all the Xmas candy to $.09 like they did after Halloween.  Well, today was the day.  Most of the items available were off brand stuff, but all I wanted was the Butterfinger.  I knew that there were two boxes of them at the checkout stands which is probably why they hadn't already been swooped on by someone else.   I snagged (48) for $4.32.  I plan to freeze several.

I sure hope the 99 Cent Store keeps doing this.  I can rarely find such deals at the drug chains and if I do, it's rare that they have much in the way of stock.

[marvholly]

I reviewed all the ads for my local stores except my BIG fruit/veg market (posted on Thur).

Looks like the marketing mavens decided since it is Superbowl weekend people will shop & buy regardless of price. NOT this cat. I can and WILL wait. NOTHING I need that bad, esp since I read yesterday that pork prices should be coming down & chicken prices (at least here in the mid-west) generally come down in the spring.

[murphath]

Dancin:

Unfortunately, my .99 store did not reduce the Christmas candy for some reason. Darn! I did buy 2 Skittles at Wags this week using the ad q and a man q for .50/2. Made it .34 ea. I like to have a few of these on hand for DS who loves Skittles.

I agree with your comment re our local grocery stores. Raley's just renovated to give it more of a Trader Joe's vibe. Only the prices don't match those at TJ's. Safeway is the same.  A dozen Eggland eggs is $5.99 at Safeway. They are $2.79 at Target! That's a crazy difference.

Speaking of Safeway, they keep sending me a $5.69 JFU price on a gallon of Organic Valley milk. When I go to the store, however, they no longer have the gallon size. So what does a good hound do? I ask if I can sub 2 1/2 gallon.  They always say yes so I get the $5.69 price and am able to use 2 of the .35 REal Calif. milk q's: so $4.99 when all is said and done. I know that's a high price but I really like this milk A LOT so it is an indulgence. Normal price of gallon (when they had it) was $7.99.

Dancin:  where are you buying your meat/chicken these days?  Grocery outlet?  Or does you son still work for the beef company?

[pudgybunny]

Man, it has been years since I have been on here! I miss couponing so much but I have no access to inserts without buying them. It is nice to see some of the names I remember still here! Sad to hear that the sales/coupons aren't lining up anymore, guess I don't feel as bad about not couponing. If anyone here buys inserts and has the Oikos yogurt coupons $1/3  SS 01/25/15 I would love all of them! I can even paypal you money for shipping them!  No deal on them that I am aware of, my husband eats them and this is the only kind he can eat and dang they are expensive!

[dancinmama]

Jan 28, 2015 12:13:45 GMT -5 murphath said:

Dancin:

Unfortunately, my .99 store did not reduce the Christmas candy for some reason. Darn! I did buy 2 Skittles at Wags this week using the ad q and a man q for .50/2. Made it .34 ea. I like to have a few of these on hand for DS who loves Skittles.

Apparently then, the decision if/when to clearance must be up to each store manager independently.  I thought maybe they were waiting on word from corporate because it took so long for them to clearance it and for a week or so I had been told that it would not be clearanced....but I rather doubted that based on how much they had and that both Valentines and Easter candy was being displayed on the shelves.

[dancinmama]

Jan 28, 2015 12:13:45 GMT -5 murphath said:

Dancin:

I agree with your comment re our local grocery stores. Raley's just renovated to give it more of a Trader Joe's vibe. Only the prices don't match those at TJ's. Safeway is the same.  A dozen Eggland eggs is $5.99 at Safeway. They are $2.79 at Target! That's a crazy difference.

It sure is.  How the hell do they get away with charging those prices?  I guess a lot of people just don't realize that they don't HAVE TO shop at the major grocery chains.

In fact, this is how minimal my shopping at Safeway has been.  Last August, my mom gave me a $50 Safeway gift card for my birthday.  I still have $18 left on it over (5) months later.  When I'm out running errands, my last stop is Safeway to see if they have any last date of sale fish (50% off).  That's pretty much all I've been using it for.

I have cherry picked at Nob Hill a couple of times - soda when it was $2.50/12 pk. and ice cream when it was $2.50/1.75 qts.  That's about it.

I look at both the Safeway Nob Hill ads every week and just shake my head.  This week Safeway has ICBINB "on sale" for $2.50; I have it stockpiled from the GO @ $.99.  They also have 16 oz. Hormel Black Label bacon "on sale" for $4.99; I have it stockpiled from the GO @ $1.66.  10 oz. Sabra Hummus is "on sale" for $3.49; I bought several that were only 7 oz., but for $1 at the 99 Cent Store.  I was just telling DH this morning that if I shopped at Safeway, we'd EASILY double what we spend on food.

[dancinmama]

Jan 28, 2015 12:13:45 GMT -5 murphath said:

Dancin:  where are you buying your meat/chicken these days?  Grocery outlet?  Or does you son still work for the beef company?

OMG, my DS hasn't worked for that company in a looooong time.  He's been with Avnet for over 18 months and LOVES his job.  Last October he was offered a new position and a 5% raise; he negotiated and got 13%!!

Anyway, to your question.  Before beef prices skyrocketed, I stockpiled.  I bought a ton of ground beef before it hit $3/lb.  I was careful about packaging/vacuum sealing it.  I took a package out last week to make meatloaf and after it thawed it looked like I had just brought it home from the store.   I also bought steaks and packaged them the same way.

I am down to two chickens in the freezer.  One day a couple of years back, Safeway had several marked down 50% off the sale price of $.99/lb.  I bought all that I could fit in the freezer.  I also periodically buy legs/thighs/whole legs at Smart and Final when they have them on sale for $.79-$.99/lb. 

Occasionally, I'll find a good buy on a decent steak at the GO.  Their 12 oz. bacon wrapped fillet for $4.99 is pretty decent and I especially like the fact that it's already vacuum sealed.

[dancinmama]

Speaking of deals on meat.....

In today's ad, one of the ethnic markets advertised 16 oz. Oscar Mayer BEEF franks for $1.99 and offered a $2/4 coupon in their ad.  The last time I bought beef hot dogs was in July 2014 and they were the same price ($1.49/pkg.).  I'm down to the last two pkgs. in the freezer, so I stockpiled enough to get us through the summer and hopefully I'll be able to re-stock from the GO after Labor Day.

I went into Safeway (to see if they had any fish) and decided to check the price of the same Oscar Mayer franks I had just gotten at the ethnic market.  I was to see the price was $4.49 (regular price), BUT they did have Oscar Mayer wieners on sale (pork/chicken blend) for $2.99/ea.!!    

Ya, Safeway has pretty much priced me out of their store.

[dancinmama]

Jan 25, 2015 16:01:35 GMT -5 FreeSalsa said:

Jan 23, 2015 11:34:59 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

CVS Question -

I got an email with a $5/$15.  If I print it today, it expires on 1/27.  If I wait until Sunday and send it to my card, when will it expire?  I'm assuming the 29th, but I'm not sure.  I'm going to roll my $9.99 and $5/$15 into the Beeno, but I want to extend the expiration on the Beeno EBs for as long as possible.

TIA

Not sure.  But I got one of these last week, I sent it to my card, and I couldn't get to the store in time and it expired.  I should have printed it because they probably would have let me use it expired since it was a $x/$yy and not a x% off CRT.

Thanks, hot tamale. 

I decided to print it.  I went in yesterday and bought the (3) Beano @ $4.99/ea. and a $.49 candy filler.  I used a $5/$15 and a $9.99 EB.  I paid $1.36 and got a $12 EB back, so a MM for me.  LOL!! 

I gave the Beano to DH.