2016 Grocery Challenge Thread

[saveinla]

Welcome to the 2016 Grocery Challenge. We're a small group now, but the goal is the same - to save money on groceries. Everyone is welcome, so please join in!!

[Deleted]

Publix is an expensive grocery store, but they do have good sales. When you combine the sale with coupons, you can do better than Walmart for brand name foods.

• Bertolli pasta sauce 75 cents a jar after coupons
• Mueller pasta 43 cents a box after coupons
• Ball Park Franks $1.67 a package with rain check
• Hagen Daz ice cream (my husband's weakness) for $2.49 a pint (sigh! But still better than $4.97). 
• Publix brand water for a penny (Wednesday's penny item).  I get and keep this for emergencies.  Otherwise, we just refill bottles from our filtered refrigerator.

And I get a 5% Senior Discount because it is Wednesday. 

I don't buy most of my groceries there, but it is right across from where I work.  And it is very coupon friendly.

[murphath]

I have been rolling my Plenti Points at Rite Aid the last couple of weeks. Combined with the rebates on Savings Star, I've done pretty well. I got the original Plenti Points on black Friday and have been holding onto them. So far, with coupons, Plenti Points and Savings Star, I've gotten the following items for pretty much free:

2 6pk Viva Paper Towels

2 6pk Dove Soap (1 regular and 1 Dove for Men)

1 Vaseline lotion

1 Caltrate

1 Centrum Silver

1 Vitamints

1 Centrum gummies

2 Halls cough drops

2 Ricola cough drops

1 Pringles

5 Pantene shampoo

2 Tide detergent

I started with $42 in Plenti points and I currently have $28 left. I started with @ $3.50 in my Savings Star account and I know have $28.

I will definitely get more vitamins this Sunday when they are priced at $6.99.  Although I've already used the Savings Star rebate, I do take these vitamins and I still have some $4 q's.  If I buy 4 of them and then something else small on the "Starting Points" deal, I will get $10 back in Plenti Points.  So for @ $30 and tax, minus $16 in q's and $14 in Plenti Points, I'll get all those vitamins as well as $10 Plenti Points.    Net "cost" will be $4 plus tax from my Plenti Points account. 

Don't know how long I'll be able to keep this going but it's been productive.  With what I already had, I should be set on all this items for the next year!

[murphath]

Forgot to add: I purchased 5 of the Finish tabs at CVS when they were on sale there. With the $2 q's and some EB's, I ended up paying just the tax. I'm set on those for awhile, too. Good thing as I was down to one box!

[Deleted]

Price matches were my friend at Walmart. I was much more industrious than usual and did coupons as well.

I got diet cokes 3/$10 (no biggie), but then $6.00 worth of coupons.
I got 4 Chunky chicken soups for $1 each plus a 50 cent coupon
I got 2 Bean/Bacon soups for $1.00 each and 3 chicken noodle soups for 80 cents mins 50 cent coupon
I got 2 small cans of crescent rolls for $1.00 each and $1.00 off the two
I got Tide Pods for $3.97 plus $2.00 off coupon
I got four cans of pork and beans for 52 cents a can that were signed wrong
I got two 14 oz French's mustard for 76 cents . . . The 48 cents left from coupons went to other stuff
I got a large jar of Hellmann's mayo for $1.45 after $1 coupon
I got 4 cans of Bush's beans for 60 cents each
I got an 8 oz can of tomato sauce for 25 cents and a 32 oz can for $1.20.  The small can was store brand (Publix) and the large can was Hunt's.  I needed the small can to match up to another small can at home.

I honestly got so much stuff that I was astounded.  I am leaving out a lot.

I don't do this every week.  For one thing, I don't need this stuff every week.  We just opened our last jar of mayo or I wouldn't have bought it.  I am going to make a double-batch of chili to freeze or I didn't need the large can of tomato sauce or two of the Bush's beans.  I try to stock up, but not unreasonably.

But this should remind people that the bargains are still out there.  A lot of mine was price matching.  Coupons were just gravy.

[Blonde Granny]

I took a road trip Thursday to visit my son and his family in Nebraska, so I didn't do any grocery shopping on Friday. I think I will attempt to not buy anything until my usual day on next Friday. 

I have quite a few steaks in the freezer so plan on putting my Le Crueset grill pan to work tonight for dinner. Some of the steaks are big enough for two meals, so steak salad will be on the menu tomorrow night.

We only have Walmart + 1 small family owned store for groceries, and the nearest Aldi & CVS are in an area of the city I won't drive into.

[dogmom]

I'm still shopping sales and using rewards. Sometimes a coupon or two.   I'm trying to get more on track though.

Some "better" buys were:

Meijer:  I had a $6.00 off cart reward expiring.
DH had saved Kellogg's rewards and clipped some coupons for Pop Tarts and Waffles. 
So, I picked them up for him.

Pop Tarts $1.99 - $1.00 coupon = $.99
Waffles (sale) $2.00 - $1.00 coupon = $1.00
1# bacon, sale:  $3.50
1 head of lettuce $1.49
1 package of baby carrots:  $1.29
 
out of pocket was $2.27 plus tax.

I have never had much luck with Walmart matching pricing.  So, pretty much coupons used for paper products and cleaning supplies.

On another note, we've been using more vinegar for cleaning instead of the higher priced packaged cleaning supplies.

[Happy prose]

At ShopRite, Chock Full O'Nuts is $2 each if you buy 3. There's a printable $1 off. I got 3 cans for $3.

[rubyslippers]

I price matched a pineapple for $1.29, a bag (4 lb.) oranges for $1.49 and mushrooms for $.69 at Walmart. I got 2 dozen eggs at Rite Aid and used $2.70 in rewards to pay for them.

The past 2 weeks at Rite Aid I got 6 pks. paper towels, 4 pks. lightbulbs, 2 lotions, 4 pks. diapers, 6-12 pks. toilet paper, 24 bars Dove soap, 3 shampoos, 3 bodywashes, 3 deodorants, 1 Ricola cough drops and 6 pks. Pepsi products. I spent $9.88 and $227.63 in rewards and coupons.

Kroger is having another mega sale starting Wednesday and I will be able to get a lot of free pasta and cheap tomatoes in addition to the freebies they have been offering each day.  

I agree that there are still deals out there; just not as plentiful as in the past.  I like hearing the deals that everyone else is getting. 

Marvholly, are you still around?

[marvholly]

Still here but not much to contribute. Trying to run down my stocks in pantry, freezer so not buying much. Also as a single not needing much.

[marvholly]

I was a bit upset when I saw Aldi had raised the price of the large cans of pinto beans from 0.98 to 1.19 (20%). I did NOT buy them; almost bought dry beans instead. This week one of my regional chains has the large Goya canned pinto beans on sale for 0.98 – guess where I will be buying them for my planned chilli next week . I will check for a coupon too.

See I do come around when I have something to say.

[marvholly]

I really do LOVE my big fruit/veg market. Example: several stores are advertising cauliflower for o.59-0.69/lb. They are 0.39. I see roasted cauliflower, faux baked potatoes and just steamed & raw cauliflower in my future.

they also always have decent/sale prices on stuff NOT listed in their ads.

[rubyslippers]

I price matched 14 boxes of Creamette pasta @ $.49 a box and 6 cans of Red Gold tomatoes @ $.49 a can.  I paid $1.70 after MQs and IPQs. 

I've been looking for a good price on cauliflower, too.  Marvholly, you got a good deal!

Today will be shopping at Kroger and getting mega sale items plus the freebies I loaded on my account last week.  If we stop at Aldi, I want to check out the sheets they have advertised, Egyptian cotton. 

[marvholly]

Ruby

Your Aldi ad is WAAAY different. No sheets this week on mine but they usually do come up about 1x/year here.

[Deleted]

I had fun this weekend!  Not much food in my deals, but they were still awesome.

Publix
4 softsoap dispenser size, 2 refills, 1 wetjet refill, 3 boxes of bandaids, and a box of Townhouse multi-grain crackers - $10

CVS
6 12-packs of diet cokes, 1 Suave body wash, and 1 large St. Ives body wash - $9

I didn't really find much savings for food, which is fine.  We have so much in the freezer and cabinets that we actually need to eat through some of it.  
I made chicken salad yesterday from one of eight cans that I got for 50 cents each months ago!  Yummy!

[Deleted]

More great deals at Publix today.  By the way, I also buy food but mostly at  Walmart.  

• Lysol lemon multi-purpose cleaner - 68 cents
  
• Suave body lotion - 53 cents
• Peter Pan all natural - 75 cents
• Friday's cheddar potato skins - $2
• Ziploc storage bags - 95 cents each (bought 2)
• Charmin 12 double roll bonus pack (equivalent of 27 rolls) - $5.25

I think there was a better coupon out there for the Suave because the big league couponers had cleaned them out.  I found one behind another brand.

Extreme couponing is alive and well in our area.  Some of it is silly.  Last week it was Glade air spray.  It was free except for tax (10 cents).  People were buying 35 or 30 cans  That would be a lifetime supply for us since we might use one a year.

[973beachbum]

I have been having a little fun at Acme.  They switched over their house brand and want people to try out the new house brands.  I am sure I have done exactly what they wanted which is wander around the store looking for all the new products.  Key is only one of each coupon per transaction.  I really have searched sections I'm not sure I ever saw before.   There were freebeis involved though.

They have $1 coupons off all their new house brands.  So a jar of house brand mustard for .88 cents is free.  There were also some others like paper towels and single roll toilet tissue.  We don't use much PT's and single rolls of TP is more work than I really am willing to do.

I did get some good stuff though.  My hauls have included canned beans, pasta, mustard, tissues, kitchen garbage bags and paper plates.  I also got some really cheap stuff like organic stock in a box and salsa. 

My last order I got one of each; tissues, cheese, paper plates, organic salsa, veggie pasta, and canned garbanzo beans all for $2.39.

I will add that I didn't do the grab everything even if we don't use it or want it.  I only got stuff we will use.  We just don't have the room for lots of stuff and I hate waste.  I did get tissues every time I go though.  In my defense it is winter and my kids can go through a box a day when they have colds.

[FreeSalsa]

I'm taking a mental health break from shopping, along with other things.  This cold and gray time of year wears me down so I'm focusing on rest and relaxation and rejuvenation (bears have the right idea with hibernating!)  Now, I know some of you are saying, "FreeSalsa, don't you live in a warm and sunny climate?  What bad weather are you complaining about?!?"  But to that I say, it's all relative.

In the last weeks I passed up 88c/lb. ground beef, 29c/lb. chicken leg quarters and $1.67 eggs because I didn't feel like it and already had some, though I could always use more.

Today we picked up some Friday Freebies at Ralphs (Kroger.)  I don't hear anyone talking about that but if you register your Kroger-owned store card, every Friday you can click/download a digital coupon for a free item  Then you have up to three weeks to go get it.  When you slide your store card it takes off the price.  DH and I both do it so we each get a free item.  I had several weeks stored up so we got two loaves of bread, two boxes of rice, and two of the 60 ct. bottles of Trident gum for free.

I still check the markdown shelves and today they had Christmas markdowns.  I got organic fresh cranberries, organic candy canes, and "natural" oreos with mint filling.

[FreeSalsa]

Jan 27, 2016 16:19:03 GMT -5 @bamafan1954 said:

More great deals at Publix today.  By the way, I also buy food but mostly at  Walmart.  

• Lysol lemon multi-purpose cleaner - 68 cents
  
• Suave body lotion - 53 cents
• Peter Pan all natural - 75 cents
• Friday's cheddar potato skins - $2
• Ziploc storage bags - 95 cents each (bought 2)
• Charmin 12 double roll bonus pack (equivalent of 27 rolls) - $5.25

I think there was a better coupon out there for the Suave because the big league couponers had cleaned them out.  I found one behind another brand.

Extreme couponing is alive and well in our area.  Some of it is silly.  Last week it was Glade air spray.  It was free except for tax (10 cents).  People were buying 35 or 30 cans  That would be a lifetime supply for us since we might use one a year.

I'm glad to hear that someone is still finding good deals!!

[marvholly]

Aldi has some good produce prices in my area: celery 0.79 and grape tomatoes 0.99.

The price of eggs must be getting MUCH better. Aldi is running then this week for 0.99 (been 1.49-1.89. Chinese NY is Monday but our stores are pushing Super Bowl foods & snacks MUCH more. Avg ad has <10 oriental items on special although one of my regional chains has not posted their ad yet.

[hopetoberich]

I saw 49c lb chicken legs this week. Not any good to us, dh won't eat legs.
i got 5 bags of spices from an Indian store. They were big bags came to $11. $25worth from a regular grocery store.
we still  have 9 free coke mqs from Christmas.  Ill use them as we need it but am not buying them all at once this year. We both drink to much that way. Bulk anything doesn't work for us.

[Deleted]

Feb 3, 2016 18:32:09 GMT -5 hopetoberich said:

I saw 49c lb chicken legs this week. Not any good to us, dh won't eat legs.
i got 5 bags of spices from an Indian store. They were big bags came to $11. $25worth from a regular grocery store.
we still  have 9 free coke mqs from Christmas.  Ill use them as we need it but am not buying them all at once this year. We both drink to much that way. Bulk anything doesn't work for us.

I found the most amazing coupon at a convenience store. It is $2 off a twelve-pack coke product. I took a few every day for a week. I'm not greedy. There are actually probably some still there. I should check since I haven't been there since last week.

Anyway, I stocked up on diet coke at CVS where if you bought $30 worth of whatever (coke products were included), you got a $10 ECB.  They sent me a $5/$15.  Then it was my birthday that week so they sent me a $3/$10.  I have maybe seven cartons left.  This week it is buy $15 worth and get $5.  I need to remember to do that one as well.  With 5 of the $2 coupons, it is just tax.

I don't worry about drinking too much.  Well, maybe I should because I have three every day . . . one for breakfast, one for snack, and one for lunch.  I can't drink caffeine after lunch, though.  And I do rotate my stock. 

Around here, you have to take advantage of deal when you find them.  ::Poof.  They are gone.  And the extreme couponers can clean the store out in just a few hours.

I did get a deal at Publix, but I'm not sure I wanted it.  Lol  They had ziplocs at 2/$4, and I had a $1/2 coupon.  The sign said the 10-count gallon ones were included so I put one of those in.  It then rang up at $4.79.  That didn't even sound right; who would pay 50 cents a piece for these?  The bagger went to check, and she said that it was only the quart-size and brought me another one back.  I took it, but I kept thinking something wasn't right.  I went back after checking out: the sign said gallon bags.  So I went to Customer Service.

It turned out that the sign was put in front of the two-gallon bags so the CSA insisted it was free because of the Publix Promise.  I kept saying, "Are you sure?"  I am not even sure what you DO with a two-gallon Ziploc.  But she insisted.

Suggestions for two-gallon ziplocs? 

[kittensaver]

Like Pat, we use them to keep clothes organized in a suitcase.

I also use them when we donate from the community garden to the food bank. The gallon size is not big enough for the types and amounts of food we give them.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

I also store two-three bags of flour and granulated sugar in them, use them to store freshly purchased beef and chicken in until I can get a chance to "process" it (leaking beef and chicken juice is gross), use them to pack disposable plates/utensils/cups for when we travel, etc.  

I love the 2.5 gallon bags.  

[973beachbum]

I love the 2 gallon ones too!  Those things never go on sale here.

When I work the desk at my GC job we have a scan price guarantee.  Most people love it and I think know when they come up they are going to get it free.  But every now and then someone will get a little upset thinking they should only get the over paid part back.  I think they think they might have done it on purpose.

We are actually not allowed to not give it for free.  I was told to always give it free because they didn't want anyone else seeing or hearing that there was a scan/tag wrong and they only got the difference.  The company is afraid people will think it is just a gimmick and they don't actually stand by their promise.

[rubyslippers]

I have been price matching a lot of Aldi sale prices this week.  I got bananas for $.29 lb., mushrooms $.59, grape tomatoes $1.29, apples 3 lbs. for $.99, red potatoes 5 lbs. for $.99, eggs $.99, and asparagus $1.69 lb.

I bought 2 lbs. Bob Evans sausage @ $2.00 lb. and used a $4.00 catalina I got at Kroger to pay for it, so free.

I'm still working the Rite Aid deals this month with their new promotion and stocking up on items for next year like paper towels, soap and light bulbs.  They had senior coupons on Wednesday and I got a box of pasta for a penny and steel cut oats for $.76. 

At Kroger I always the Friday Freebie on both of our cards.  I also got a one lb. bag of Kroger brown rice for $.34 after digital coupon and discount. 

Ziplock:  I love the 2 gallon size.  I use them to freeze casseroles, dishes included.

[Deleted]

Ok, you guys have convinced me to hide the 2 gallon ones from DH. Lol.

Do many of you hold Walmart to their shelf pricing?  I do even though there is no scan price guarantee there except that you will get it at the shelf price.  The Van Camp pork and beans (I make my own baked beans out of them) have had a shelf price of 58 cents since July 4th.  Lol.  They are currently ringing up 86 cents.  The Nature's Own bread that we like has a shelf price of $2.98, which is awful, but it rings up $3.27.  Week after week, I get the price adjusted.

Good for me, but you would think someone would run an audit at some point to see what is consistently having to be adjusted.

[rubyslippers]

SouthernSusana, I would hold them or any store to the shelf price.  That's a good price for the beans and I use this brand to make  Dancinmama's baked beans recipe.

Aldi has 3 lb. bags of onions and 8 oz. mushrooms for $.69 this week in addition to $.29 lb. bananas.  I'm out of both onions and bananas so this came in handy.

At Rite Aid I am rolling my points and so far got 5 Gain Flings, 1 Tide Fling and a lot of makeup.  I'll go back tomorrow and get light bulbs, paper towels and deodorants.

I got a free 8x10 photo ordered today at Walgreens for a Christmas gift and used a $10.00 JCPenney coupon for a free bath towel for part of a graduation present.

 

[973beachbum]

I was trying to organize the pantry this morning.  I got some freebies from Acme last month.  I thought I was good about not getting too much of anything but I did get a good haul.  I will say that this was over the course of a month.  It was real fun getting so many things we need for free!!  These are my freebies. 

10 boxes tissues, 6 rolls paper towels, 4 packs napkins, 4 single roll TP
4 packs paper plates, 7 packs egg noodles, 10 boxes veggie pasta
3 jars marinara, 3 bottles mustard and 7 cans of beans.

I did also get lots of things that were really cheap.  My best buy probably was 8 32 oz boxes of organic stock.

There might have actually been more that was used up since I got it.  My kids can go through a box of tissues a day it seems sometimes.

[murphath]

I've been rolling my Plenti points at Rite Aid, as well.  I now have $82 toward their new promo.  I've gotten all kinds of stuff for extremely low prices/free since January.  I'm sure it will all come to an end soon.  I've tried to buy stuff that I will use (of course) but also a part of SavingStar so I get the double blessing of cash back.  I started January with $1.69 in the SavingStar account and I now have @ $38.  I'll take it.  I was able to get one of the GE LED 75 watt light bulbs:  $7.99 with $5 in Plenti points given back.  I had a $2 IP, used some already banked Plenti points, so got it no oop (plus the $5 back).  LED light bulbs around here are usually only 60 watt ones when they go on sale.  The higher wattage are always way more expensive.  I do notice a difference in the light this one provides.

If I do have to pay anything, I use the Rite Aid gift card from giftcardgranny.com which I purchase at anywhere from 15-20% discount.

Hey Dancinmama:  You still reading/in the game at all?