2015 Grocery Challenge

[Deleted]

Winn Dixie sent me a $5 gift card for doing a survey. I hardly ever shop there because it tends to be expensive, but it the closest grocery store to our house.

Anyway, DH was supposed to buy a pie crust so I could make chicken pot pie with veg-all and left-over rotisserie chicken. He came home with a graham cracker crust. Lol. So now I get to make a cheese cake. I went to WD to pick up the right pie crust, and they had Tyson grilled chicken strips 2/$5 with a $1 off coupon attached to the ones expiring tomorrow.

I bought 2 and popped them in the freezer. They'll make great chicken salads or even the chicken pot pie. DH won't notice the dates when I say they've been in the freezer.

My $5 gift card plus $1.67 bought me 2 pie crusts and 2 packages of chicken. Not bad since the gift card was free.

[marvholly]

Quite a while ago All You was a reputed to be a GREAT magazine for coupons – more & higher value. Kids got me a 1 yr subscription but I was disappointed. Coupons were NOT as good as reputed & articles did not hit me. I recently subscribed for $2/year. Got my first issue. Coupons even worse but articles much better. Pulled 2 quick & easy recipes.

[murphath]

For what it's worth:

Safeway has Arnold/Orowheat bread on sale thru Tues for $2.89. There are $1 IP q's at coupons.com. This is a good, quality bread and $1.89 is a fabulous price--at least here on the west coast.  If you prefer the sandwich thins, those qualify for the coupon as well but I don't think those are on sale.  You can get them at Target for @ $2.79, so $1.79 with q.

[FreeSalsa]

Apr 11, 2015 12:46:50 GMT -5 murphath said:

For what it's worth:

Safeway has Arnold/Orowheat bread on sale thru Tues for $2.89. There are $1 IP q's at coupons.com. This is a good, quality bread and $1.89 is a fabulous price--at least here on the west coast.  If you prefer the sandwich thins, those qualify for the coupon as well but I don't think those are on sale.  You can get them at Target for @ $2.79, so $1.79 with q.

I don't have that in my SoCal ad.    But thanks for the heads up!

[marvholly]

Don't have Safeway in metro Chicago since Dec 2013. However, I DO have an outlet store that carries Arnold bread and the Sandwich thins. Prices are lower than buying at any store w/coupon.

[princessleia]

Apr 7, 2015 6:11:38 GMT -5 marvholly said:

Quite a while ago All You was a reputed to be a GREAT magazine for coupons – more & higher value. Kids got me a 1 yr subscription but I was disappointed. Coupons were NOT as good as reputed & articles did not hit me. I recently subscribed for $2/year. Got my first issue. Coupons even worse but articles much better. Pulled 2 quick & easy recipes.

yes, coupons on All You magazine used to be pretty good but not anymore. But how do you get such a good deal - $2/year  Or is that a typo error - $2/issue. I usually get mine at $1/issue.

[murphath]

Holly,

I always went to the Orowheat outlet. Slowly but surely they closed all the ones around here (5) so I have to resort to the deals at regular stores. Those outlets saved me a ton of $$ when the kids were at home. I miss them. You are so lucky!

[chiver78]

Target and Walmart both carry Arnold breads in my area, both at the best prices I've seen compared to most of the non-sale prices at the grocery stores around here. if you don't rule out either chain for whatever reason, check out their pricing in your area with those coupons

[marvholly]

Apr 12, 2015 9:01:58 GMT -5 princessleia said:

Apr 7, 2015 6:11:38 GMT -5 marvholly said:

Quite a while ago All You was a reputed to be a GREAT magazine for coupons – more & higher value. Kids got me a 1 yr subscription but I was disappointed. Coupons were NOT as good as reputed & articles did not hit me. I recently subscribed for $2/year. Got my first issue. Coupons even worse but articles much better. Pulled 2 quick & easy recipes.

yes, coupons on All You magazine used to be pretty good but not anymore. But how do you get such a good deal - $2/year  Or is that a typo error - $2/issue. I usually get mine at $1/issue.

It was for $2/YEAR!

One of the bloggers I follow posted a deal at blue dolphin magazines. i ordered Money, All You and Time magazine 1 year subscriptions for $2 each.

[Blonde Granny]

We have a Wonder bread outlet a few blocks from us. The prices are far less than even Walmart.

[murphath]

chiver78:

I normally buy my staples at Target as their prices are much lower than Safeway/Raleys (only choices here). For instance, I like Eggland eggs: $4.99 dz at both SW and Raley's; $2.99 at Target. The sandwich thins are @ $2.79 at Target but $4.29 at SW/Raleys. Worth the little extra drive to stock up but this time the Orowheat was less at SW--it's $3.49 at my Target.

Plus, Raisin Bran was on sale at SW: $1.99 box wyb 4 (other varieties of Kelloggs cereals was included). I used 4 $1 q's from KelloggsFamilyRewards points to get them for .99 each.

As you can tell from this site, the q deals are not as prolific as yesteryear but there are still some deals out there. I was behind a gal checking out at SW and was looking at her cart full of stuff (she had her 2 little girls with her). I probably had coupons for at least 50% of the things she was buying and would have given them to her if I had my q wallet with me (I just hand carried the q's I was going to use). When I got back to the car, I looked at my q wallet. Sure enough I could have saved her @ $25 on her $125 order.

I've played coupon fairy before and given folks q's for things in their carts.  They always say something like, "I wish I had time/I wish I remembered to clip q's."  I always respond: "You have to stop thinking of them as just pieces of paper.  if you saw a quarter on the ground, would you pick it up?"  "Yes," they say.  "Then that's what a q is: money found--just not on the ground."

[marvholly]

I did go to Aldi on Mon to get the stuff on my list and to check the meat for knock downs.  I got there about 45 minutes later than I wanted.

The spiral Hams (ticketed $18-20) had $3 off stickers.

Several packages of meat had $2 off stickers.

[FreeSalsa]

I found little in the ads this week and last.  Sprouts had cheese for $1.99/lb. for the third week in a row, different flavor each week.  It's usually $3.99 there.  They are having an organic sale but I think I can do better, unless I find a Q.

[marvholly]

Free Salsa

It appears. to me, that at least some dairy prices are coming down. A LOT of my stores have had bar & shreded cheese on sale over the past few weeks. Albertsons (Jewel) even had it for 1.50/8oz pkg for 3 days last week. This week it seems to be cream cheese.

Strange. It is now 2 weeks AFTER Easter/Passover and several stores all of a sudden are featuring eggs at 0.99 vs. the 1.29/more than back then.

WOW! NOTHING I want or need at Aldi this week. VERY unusual.

Possible heads up: Several of my stores have been featuring chicken leg quarters for REALLY good prices – 0.49-0.69/lb. I KNOW I have said NO MORE of these but I am really tempted. I sort of half remember a recent (last 2-3 days) news blurb about bird flu hitting some chicken farm & the flock being destroyed. Since I end to eat chicken about 3x/week I may go for some.   While the warmer weather is coming or here I am thinking pot of chicken soup as I could use some pre-cooked chicken in the freezer. It is ALWAYS handy.  think stir frys, mexican, pulled in BBQ, with pasta, over rice & beans.......

[FreeSalsa]

I just saw 59c/lb. chicken leg quarters in an ad and I thought of you, Marvholly.  I decided to get some until I realized that this store is nowhere near me.    I'm not sure why I got this ad.  Last time I had some I made them in the crock pot with tomatoes and artichoke hearts over pasta and it was so good!

I hope the egg prices come down.  The best I got was $1.49, limit 2 so DH and I got 4 between us.  Regular price is more like $2.50 to $3.99.  All so they could put a new label on it in CA that says you should not eat them raw.  Duh!

I would also love to see (especially organic) milk prices come down.  There was some kind of shortage so prices are up, at least here.  I did see some brick cheese on sale a few weeks ago for $1.67/lb.  We've already eaten most of it.  

I miss my Albertson's ad.    I have to remember to go back to the farther store this week before it gets converted.

[marvholly]

free Salsa

I do not believe the CA egg prices are due to the pkg label change. I hear it is a result of the new law(s) regarding their housing - larger? cage free? don't remember exactly what the change is.

[saveinla]

The Orowheat bread is on sale this week at Alberstons (I think Acme, Jewel for some of you) at 2 for 5$ - if you still have the 1$ Qs, it should be 1.50 per loaf which is a great price for this bread.

Freesalsa - not sure if you have Amex cards, but I saw an offer today that if you buy 50$ worth of stuff at Smart and Final, they are giving 25$ back and it can be done 3 times. You will have to save it to your card. I will check this out soon - probably buy some gift cards worth 50$ and see if I get the credit back.

[rubyslippers]

This week at Meijer I bought 96 oz. olive oil, 1 loaf of bread, 1 bag of apples, 4 bags croutons, 1 McCormick grinder, 1 can tomato juice, 2 Pillsbury grand biscuits and 1 box Meijer Kleenex for $10.24.  I used $7.75 in coupons and had a $6.00 mperk reward.

Aldi had bags of oranges for $1.49 and grapes for $1.19 lb.

I price matched Crest @ $1.00 each at Walmart and bought 3 using a $3/3 coupon and paid $.21 tax.

Dollar General had clearance children's clothes and I spent $7.00 on 3 outfits for 3 birthday gifts.

Kroger still has eggs @ $.99 a dozen and I will stock up on them before their sale is over.

[FreeSalsa]

Apr 16, 2015 14:48:39 GMT -5 saveinla said:

The Orowheat bread is on sale this week at Alberstons (I think Acme, Jewel for some of you) at 2 for 5$ - if you still have the 1$ Qs, it should be 1.50 per loaf which is a great price for this bread.

Freesalsa - not sure if you have Amex cards, but I saw an offer today that if you buy 50$ worth of stuff at Smart and Final, they are giving 25$ back and it can be done 3 times. You will have to save it to your card. I will check this out soon - probably buy some gift cards worth 50$ and see if I get the credit back.

OOh, please let me know what you find out.  DH has AMex.  I wonder if you can buy gift cards or alcohol, which is usually the only thing I buy there.  Let me know about the GCs.

[FreeSalsa]

Apr 16, 2015 6:02:43 GMT -5 marvholly said:

free Salsa

I do not believe the CA egg prices are due to the pkg label change. I hear it is a result of the new law(s) regarding their housing - larger? cage free? don't remember exactly what the change is.

The sign in the store said it was because of the packaging, but I'm sure if there was a housing requirement it was in CA.

[saveinla]

Apr 18, 2015 14:55:21 GMT -5 FreeSalsa said:

Apr 16, 2015 14:48:39 GMT -5 saveinla said:

The Orowheat bread is on sale this week at Alberstons (I think Acme, Jewel for some of you) at 2 for 5$ - if you still have the 1$ Qs, it should be 1.50 per loaf which is a great price for this bread.

Freesalsa - not sure if you have Amex cards, but I saw an offer today that if you buy 50$ worth of stuff at Smart and Final, they are giving 25$ back and it can be done 3 times. You will have to save it to your card. I will check this out soon - probably buy some gift cards worth 50$ and see if I get the credit back.

OOh, please let me know what you find out.  DH has AMex.  I wonder if you can buy gift cards or alcohol, which is usually the only thing I buy there.  Let me know about the GCs.

GCs work for the deal - I bought a 50$ GC yesterday and got the email that i have used my offer. I should be able to do this 6 times - 3 on mine and 3 on DH's card.

[FreeSalsa]

I went to the farther Albertsons to use my rain check for Dawn before they close down in a week or so.  88c ea. minus 25c Q = 63c ==> 60 Swagbucks.  When I got the rain check the manager okayed my coupons to use  next time, even thought they would be expired.  So 4 (max. on the Q) scanned and the other 2 had to be done manually so I could still use them.

Charmin 12 pk, limit 2 per transaction, $3.88 ea.  There is a .25Q IP out but I did not have it with me.  If for some reason I end up there before the weekend (F,S,Sun. only) I'll use it.

Michelenas frozen dinners 38c ea. wyb8, Fr,Sa, Sun only.

Everyday (store brand) 8 oz. sliced cheese was $1.88 wyb4.  They were on the shelf in such a way that I though it was the Kraft slices, so I got those and used the $1/2 peelie that was on it, so $1.38 ea.  When I found that they did not ring up properly, I had to have the manager fix it but due to my annoyance at all the wrong prices, I did not mention the q.

Also mismarked were organic strawberries.  It said clearly $1.67 for a lb. which is ridiculously cheap for this.  I asked the produce guy if this was right and he said yes and even brought some more out for me to look through.  But after this rang up wrong and the manager looked at it, the signs seemed to have been slid over and the correct price was $3.99, the $1.67 was for the carrots.  They gave me the lower price anyway.

So while my ice cream was melting (Dreyers $2.67 wyb4) I had to wait another 15 minutes while the manager checked and re-rang everything and I did not have the energy or time (melting ice cream!) to go back for more TP.  Do you know that with the mistakes they charged me an extra $23?!?!?!?!  I knew the total seemed high but most people would not have checked.  It used to be that if they charged you wrong the item was free but not anymore.

[FreeSalsa]

In outdoors savings, my dad already made me some veggie planters, a bench, a chair, and in a few weeks he's bringing a picnic table and benches he's building out of free scrap wood.  I just need to buy the paint.  He would have bought and painted it for me but I wanted to pick the color.

At Albertsons yesterday I found an umbrella base marked down to $3 to use with my new table.  I'm looking on Freecycle and Craigslist for an umbrella to go with it.

Today I picked up 6 hefty garbage bags of free compost and mulch that the city gives away.  It doesn't sound like it was much work but man am I tired and sore!  Gardening is hard.  

[FreeSalsa]

Apr 18, 2015 17:44:28 GMT -5 saveinla said:

Apr 18, 2015 14:55:21 GMT -5 FreeSalsa said:

OOh, please let me know what you find out.  DH has AMex.  I wonder if you can buy gift cards or alcohol, which is usually the only thing I buy there.  Let me know about the GCs.

GCs work for the deal - I bought a 50$ GC yesterday and got the email that i have used my offer. I should be able to do this 6 times - 3 on mine and 3 on DH's card.

Yay!  Thanks!!  How do you get the $25 back?  Do they send you a gift card or does it go back to your Amex card?  Does it come from S&F or from Amex?  And how long is this deal good for? 

ETA --I found it.  Thank you so much for the heads up!

[saveinla]

It goes back to your Amex as 25$ credit - not sure who pays for it (I think it would be S&F) and for me it's valid until 6/30.

[FreeSalsa]

There is a $5/25 Q in my Smart and Final ad I got in the mail this week too.  You can't use it to buy a GC (or alcohol) but you can use it on your order and then buy your order with the GC you bought with Amex.  Nice!  I don't think you eat meat but they have $5.99 organic ground beef, which would make it $3/lb by doing the Amex deal, then $5 off.  I hope I can pull it off this week by Tuesday.

[murphath]

saveinla:
Can you explain the Amex deal, please?  If I understand correctly, you can go to S&F, buy $50 Amex gift card and get $25 credit on your statement?  Is that right?  Or do you have to buy $50 worth of product at S&F?  And what does "save it to your card" mean?  My old noggin is confused.

I would gladly buy 3/$50 Amex gift cards to get $75 credit.  Is there an activation charge for the Amex gc's?  Is there an end date for the promo?

[saveinla]

murphath,

If you have an American Express credit card, they send you special offers from time to time that you can save to your card. In this case, the offer is - Get 25$ credit when you spend 50$ at S&F. You need to have an Amex credit card and you should make sure you save this offer in the offers section when you login to your account. The end date is 6/30. HTH

[marvholly]

Strange. In my area gas is usually higher over the weekend. This week I actually bought gas on Sat and when I was out on Mon it was 0.14 higher. Got to check with DD2 why gas which is usually MUCH cheaper in her collar county than near me in Cook County has been HIGHER. Figure the local tax(es) have probably been raised.

I made a batch of chicken soup from CHEEAAP (0.49/lb) leg quarters on Sun and ‘harvested’ the meat on Mon. 4 lb of quarters gave me 20.6 oz of meat. I found that a bit disappointing. I had though I would get closer to 30-35 oz.

I can guarantee salad stuff & veggies WILL go on sale this coming ad week at really good prices. How? Because I set up a couple containers of marinated veggies.

[Blonde Granny]

MH: I measured ground beef once that was in a 5# pre-cooked package. I don't remember exactly how much meat I had after I cooked it, but it somewhere close to 2 # of the meat was water and fat. Never bought that again and that was from the Winn-Dixie grocery store in Florida.