Another trick to getting cheap food - check the "reduced for quick sale" areas. At Foodland yesterday I just happened to go in right after they'd put out about 5 carts full of discontinued merchandise.
Let me interject this here. I grew up in a family that ran, among other things, some convenience stores. Mom always brought home the milk that was a day from expiration, and for the following reason - read the labels and there are guarantees that the stuff is good for X amount of days after purchase, the expiration date is just a limit on when a retailer can sell, NOT when you can consume.
Why? Because if you got sick off the stuff you could sue the bejesus out of them, that's why. They are all about CYA, so you're safe.
Anyway, as Foodland last night I had salad on the brain. It's what I wanted for dinner, and had stopped in, in theory, only to buy a head of romaine and some tomatoes. But all the discontinued things were the organic stuff they carry, and when they mark down, it all goes half off (or better). I picked up plenty o' salad dressing, as well as some tortellinis and hummus mix on the cheap. May still be going on - get yours before it's too picked over.
ANYWAY, tonight I grilled. Lamb chops. Which I'd purchased previously and froze (side note - this was on a Wednesday morning I found them, and quite a selection. Maybe that's they day they refresh all the merch?) for half off because they were close to their expiration date. Actually, that day I grabbed 2 packs of 4 ea., plus some ribeyes and pork chops. The key? Put the damned stuff in the friggin' freezer when you get home. Leave it in the fridge, you'll have to toss it soon. Freeze it, you're cool.
Thawed them out 2 days ago and have been marinading in shoyu and Worcestershire sauce since. Grilled over Maui Kiawe charcoal (purchase previously from Foodland on sale) with black pepper and fresh rosemary rubbed in before grilling.
Another cheap tip - go on up to Home Depot and buy live herbs you use frequently. So easy to grow in a window box and so cheap in the long run, not to mention much tastier.
Chops were AMAZING, according to even my ultra-pessimistic and picky husband.
A huge ribeye is now thawing in the fridge....can't wait....
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Cheap 'Chokes and Beyond
Was at Safeway on Sunday. Bought my artichokes for $1.99 each. Like, um, 8. What can I say? I love 'chokes, especially when they're cheap! Other deals I got:
* 2 boxes of Safeway pasta free when you buy 2 jars of Classico pasta sauce for $5
* Orville Redenbacher microwave popcorn - buy one at $4.19, get one free, plus I had 2 coupons for $.40 off each
* Keebler 100 Calorie snacks - 2 for $5, I had 2 coupons for $.75 off each
* Scott TP (I prefer Charmin myself, but the husband likes this stuff) - 12 pack was $5 off, for $8.99. I had a coupon from on-line for an extra $1 off
* Triscuits - dang, I lost my receipt, think they were 2/$5. I had a $1 off coupon for 2. Incidentally, this coupon was NOT from on-line OR a paper; it was one of those I picked up in the store a few weeks ago. You know how they hang them out sometimes. When you see those, grab some and save them. They are usually manufacturer's coupons, and no, I am NOT above taking them from one store and using them at another that has a better deal.
* Reynold's Recycled Aluminum Wrap - $2.49 ea., on-line coupon for $1 off ea. Bought 2.
So in the end, saved about 60% with club card and coupons AND got a $10 catalina at the register for my next purchase, because every one of those items, except the 'chokes, qualified for the LWFG promo (buy $30, get at $10 coupon).
'Tair has asked me that if the Safeway promo is called "living well, feeling great", does light beer qualify? I checked, and the unfortunate answer is no. Apparently, Safeway thinks that while Sarah Lee Cheesecake Bites are healthy, liquor of any kind is not. But at Foodland, take heart - GOOD beer is on sale - Bitburger 1pt 4pk cans, 2/$9, regularly $7.99 ea. Nearly half off, and that ain't not bad for good beer.
Also, just got my Aloha Diner's Club Card. Really some good deals there. Regularly $21.95; got mine on sale through the bookstore's recent food drive for the Hawaii Food Bank for only $14. Check out the deals here.
FURTHERMORE, I just ordered BOGO gift cards through the country station I listen to (yes, I'm one of those), KHCM. Each Wednesday at 9am they post a new deal. 50% off local entertainment, coming in the form of buy one, get one gift certs. I got $50 worth of gift card for Just Tacos for $25. Click here to get yours.
* 2 boxes of Safeway pasta free when you buy 2 jars of Classico pasta sauce for $5
* Orville Redenbacher microwave popcorn - buy one at $4.19, get one free, plus I had 2 coupons for $.40 off each
* Keebler 100 Calorie snacks - 2 for $5, I had 2 coupons for $.75 off each
* Scott TP (I prefer Charmin myself, but the husband likes this stuff) - 12 pack was $5 off, for $8.99. I had a coupon from on-line for an extra $1 off
* Triscuits - dang, I lost my receipt, think they were 2/$5. I had a $1 off coupon for 2. Incidentally, this coupon was NOT from on-line OR a paper; it was one of those I picked up in the store a few weeks ago. You know how they hang them out sometimes. When you see those, grab some and save them. They are usually manufacturer's coupons, and no, I am NOT above taking them from one store and using them at another that has a better deal.
* Reynold's Recycled Aluminum Wrap - $2.49 ea., on-line coupon for $1 off ea. Bought 2.
So in the end, saved about 60% with club card and coupons AND got a $10 catalina at the register for my next purchase, because every one of those items, except the 'chokes, qualified for the LWFG promo (buy $30, get at $10 coupon).
'Tair has asked me that if the Safeway promo is called "living well, feeling great", does light beer qualify? I checked, and the unfortunate answer is no. Apparently, Safeway thinks that while Sarah Lee Cheesecake Bites are healthy, liquor of any kind is not. But at Foodland, take heart - GOOD beer is on sale - Bitburger 1pt 4pk cans, 2/$9, regularly $7.99 ea. Nearly half off, and that ain't not bad for good beer.
Also, just got my Aloha Diner's Club Card. Really some good deals there. Regularly $21.95; got mine on sale through the bookstore's recent food drive for the Hawaii Food Bank for only $14. Check out the deals here.
FURTHERMORE, I just ordered BOGO gift cards through the country station I listen to (yes, I'm one of those), KHCM. Each Wednesday at 9am they post a new deal. 50% off local entertainment, coming in the form of buy one, get one gift certs. I got $50 worth of gift card for Just Tacos for $25. Click here to get yours.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Get yer paper!
It's 5:49 am. I got my Sunday paper an hour ago. Great coupons for toiletries and dining out. Definately pick it up; some are high dollar. Will go to Safeway at sun-up to pick up a week's worth of cheap artichokes. Will let you know what other deals I find.
Incidentally, was at the mall last night. Only made it to two stores before I got the call to come home and deal with Dave and his little buddy Matthew. Of course, I spent about an hour and a half at one store....Anyway....at Sephora I needed a new Dior mascara, the best damned mascara on the market. Dave had managed SOMEHOW to actually friggin' BREAK mine (can you imagine?!?). Got a free eye shadow primer for having a club card, so that was cool.
The second place I made it to was BCBG. Current deal - buy $300 worth of regularly priced merchandise, save $100. Now, I did have one blouse there that was from the clearance rack, but they paired it with a dress and gave me the discount, anyway. Maybe it's good to hit them later in the evening when they're not thinking straight....
Anyway, got 2 dresses, a shrug and a blouse and saved $200. Good deal but still....ouch. Those of you who can do math understand. Cute though. If you like (and can afford) higher-end spring clothes, check it out....
Incidentally, was at the mall last night. Only made it to two stores before I got the call to come home and deal with Dave and his little buddy Matthew. Of course, I spent about an hour and a half at one store....Anyway....at Sephora I needed a new Dior mascara, the best damned mascara on the market. Dave had managed SOMEHOW to actually friggin' BREAK mine (can you imagine?!?). Got a free eye shadow primer for having a club card, so that was cool.
The second place I made it to was BCBG. Current deal - buy $300 worth of regularly priced merchandise, save $100. Now, I did have one blouse there that was from the clearance rack, but they paired it with a dress and gave me the discount, anyway. Maybe it's good to hit them later in the evening when they're not thinking straight....
Anyway, got 2 dresses, a shrug and a blouse and saved $200. Good deal but still....ouch. Those of you who can do math understand. Cute though. If you like (and can afford) higher-end spring clothes, check it out....
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Tips and Tricks
Okay. I'm going to take a moment to write down certain techniques I've learned for getting great deals on groceries and more. Props to Jill Cataldo, an old friend I knew as Jill Ratzlaff back in the day, and her awesome website for being such a great reference. Her website is pretty specific to the Chicagoland area; this here is my attempt to provide a similar service locally.
1. Coupons should be viewed as money. If you can at all conceivably see yourself ever purchasing that product, CLIP IT. Sure, you may not need Pepto Bismol today, but tomorrow when the market drops another 150 pts you just might, and that $1.50 off may lessen the pain a little.
2. Just because you got the coupon this week doesn't mean use it this week. Look. Grocery and big-box stores have a 12 week cycle of sales, meaning at some point in that 12 weeks each item in the store will be at it's lowest price point. That's when you swoop in with you high value coupon to couple it with the low priced merchandise and get the awesomest possible deal.
3. Bigger is not necessarily better when couponing. The Walmart mentality has conditioned us to think we get a better deal buying in bulk. But it is not usually so. First, studies show that much of bulk purchases are thrown out, spoiled before consumed. But beyond that, consider this - some coupons to not specify a minimum size. Which means you can take, say, a coupon for $1.25 off Dove deodorant, and instead of buying the $2.99, 4 oz version, pick up the 1.4 oz trial size at $1.29. Do the math - $0.04 for 1.4 oz is a better deal than $1.74 for 4 oz.
4. Store coupons can be stacked with manufacturers coupons. An example. Walgreens advertises in their weekly circular that all Garnier shampoo is half off - $2.99. But they've got an in-store coupon for an additional $2 off. Cool! But if you also have a coupon from the paper or internet for $1 off, they'll let you use it - and pay you $0.01 to relieve them of their shampoo.
5. Watch for catalinas - those coupons that print up at the register. They're called catalinas because of the printer that's used to generate them. Some will come up with no advertising. Often when you purchase one brand, say, Boca veggie patties, that'll trigger a catalina for a dollar off Morningstar veggie patties. You can't really know in advance when those will come up. But then there are other times stores will advertise a promotion, and sometimes they're for kinda high-value catalinas. The only two stores I know of locally that do it are Safeway and Walgreens. At Safeway it'll work like this - buy $30 worth of selected merchandise and get a coupon for $10 off your next purchase at check out. Walgreen's calls theirs Register Rewards. Target occasionally gives gift cards.
6. Each week each store will usually have one or two super-awesome deals. When not perishable - STOCK UP SHAMELESSLY.
7. Big chain stores have websites. First, get to know them for the circulars and printable coupons. Secondly, sometimes you can load coupons onto your club card that can be paired with paper coupons.
It's late. I'll blog more when my mind clears. Aloha.
1. Coupons should be viewed as money. If you can at all conceivably see yourself ever purchasing that product, CLIP IT. Sure, you may not need Pepto Bismol today, but tomorrow when the market drops another 150 pts you just might, and that $1.50 off may lessen the pain a little.
2. Just because you got the coupon this week doesn't mean use it this week. Look. Grocery and big-box stores have a 12 week cycle of sales, meaning at some point in that 12 weeks each item in the store will be at it's lowest price point. That's when you swoop in with you high value coupon to couple it with the low priced merchandise and get the awesomest possible deal.
3. Bigger is not necessarily better when couponing. The Walmart mentality has conditioned us to think we get a better deal buying in bulk. But it is not usually so. First, studies show that much of bulk purchases are thrown out, spoiled before consumed. But beyond that, consider this - some coupons to not specify a minimum size. Which means you can take, say, a coupon for $1.25 off Dove deodorant, and instead of buying the $2.99, 4 oz version, pick up the 1.4 oz trial size at $1.29. Do the math - $0.04 for 1.4 oz is a better deal than $1.74 for 4 oz.
4. Store coupons can be stacked with manufacturers coupons. An example. Walgreens advertises in their weekly circular that all Garnier shampoo is half off - $2.99. But they've got an in-store coupon for an additional $2 off. Cool! But if you also have a coupon from the paper or internet for $1 off, they'll let you use it - and pay you $0.01 to relieve them of their shampoo.
5. Watch for catalinas - those coupons that print up at the register. They're called catalinas because of the printer that's used to generate them. Some will come up with no advertising. Often when you purchase one brand, say, Boca veggie patties, that'll trigger a catalina for a dollar off Morningstar veggie patties. You can't really know in advance when those will come up. But then there are other times stores will advertise a promotion, and sometimes they're for kinda high-value catalinas. The only two stores I know of locally that do it are Safeway and Walgreens. At Safeway it'll work like this - buy $30 worth of selected merchandise and get a coupon for $10 off your next purchase at check out. Walgreen's calls theirs Register Rewards. Target occasionally gives gift cards.
6. Each week each store will usually have one or two super-awesome deals. When not perishable - STOCK UP SHAMELESSLY.
7. Big chain stores have websites. First, get to know them for the circulars and printable coupons. Secondly, sometimes you can load coupons onto your club card that can be paired with paper coupons.
It's late. I'll blog more when my mind clears. Aloha.
Free Burgers at BK!
In today's KaLeo, on the back page, there are coupons for free Double Stackers, Whoppers, and Croissan'wiches when you purchase a value meal, and one for a $0.99 kid's meal. Talk about a cheap date!
And DON'T throw away you're receipt! On the back BK has a number to call. They'll make you take a short survey and give you a coupon code for ANOTHER free Whopper.
BTW, if you're not on UH campus to pick up a KaLeo, no worries - they usually put the same coupons in all the local papers.
And DON'T throw away you're receipt! On the back BK has a number to call. They'll make you take a short survey and give you a coupon code for ANOTHER free Whopper.
BTW, if you're not on UH campus to pick up a KaLeo, no worries - they usually put the same coupons in all the local papers.
Helpful websites
If you don't already know, there are lots of great websites to visit to get printable coupons, free stuff mailed to your home, etc. Just Tuesday I got a Duncan Hines Warm Delights in the mail. Cool!
Here's a few where you can print your own coupons:
www.redplum.com
www.smartsource.com
www.coupons.com
Now, a few weeks ago I'd been to Foodland and tried to use an internet coupon for some Lucky Charms, which they happened to have on sale for St. Patrick's Day, which cracked me up. But I was informed by the cashier that they don't accept internet coupons. Later, I was checking their website and right there on Foodland's own website was a link to print your own coupons! So I emailed corporate asking who's wrong, your cashiers or the webmaster? The response - they DO take internet coupons. Last time I tried it at Foodland, though, they tried to refuse me until I whipped out my copy of the email. And after the manager read it and said, "Oh yeah, I've heard about you..." they took them. LMK if you want me to forward you a copy of that email so you can get your deals, too.
Safeway has a cool deal you can do with your club card. If you click here and sign up, you can load coupons right on to your club card. The savings will come off automatically at the register. AND you can still use a coupon on top of that. Example: a $5.99 tube of Crest toothpaste was on sale at Safeway for $2.99. Half off is good! But I'd loaded a $1 off coupon on my club card AND had a $1 off coupon I'd found on-line. Ta-dah! $0.99 for $6 worth of toothpaste!
I'll post more handy links as I think of them.
Here's a few where you can print your own coupons:
www.redplum.com
www.smartsource.com
www.coupons.com
Now, a few weeks ago I'd been to Foodland and tried to use an internet coupon for some Lucky Charms, which they happened to have on sale for St. Patrick's Day, which cracked me up. But I was informed by the cashier that they don't accept internet coupons. Later, I was checking their website and right there on Foodland's own website was a link to print your own coupons! So I emailed corporate asking who's wrong, your cashiers or the webmaster? The response - they DO take internet coupons. Last time I tried it at Foodland, though, they tried to refuse me until I whipped out my copy of the email. And after the manager read it and said, "Oh yeah, I've heard about you..." they took them. LMK if you want me to forward you a copy of that email so you can get your deals, too.
Safeway has a cool deal you can do with your club card. If you click here and sign up, you can load coupons right on to your club card. The savings will come off automatically at the register. AND you can still use a coupon on top of that. Example: a $5.99 tube of Crest toothpaste was on sale at Safeway for $2.99. Half off is good! But I'd loaded a $1 off coupon on my club card AND had a $1 off coupon I'd found on-line. Ta-dah! $0.99 for $6 worth of toothpaste!
I'll post more handy links as I think of them.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Jeff forced me to!
K. Jeff - the brat who works for me - asked me to start this blog. So here goes. Let's see if we can't advertise the slick deals in Honolulu.
Right now at Safeway they've got their "Living Well, Feeling Great" promo going on. The deal: buy $30 worth of indicated merchandise, get a coupon at the register for $10 off your next purchase of $10 or more. Imagine - $30 of stuff that's already on sale PLUS $10 back at the register! Killer! But there's more. Bear in mind that that $30 is BEFORE you use coupons. So you'll be able to ring that total down some. I'll probably go over the weekend and will blog again to let you know what best deals I see.
Last week, for example, I got the following deal:
* Marzetti's salad dressing. Regular price: $5.39 ea. Sale: Buy one, get one free. Coupons I had: $1.00 each. Since both rang through the register, even though the second is "free", you can still use a coupon on it. The end result? $10.78 worth of salad dressing for $3.39. PLUS it qualified for the $10 off coupon.
Other past deals:
*Intuition razors: Target had them on sale almost half off for $7.69 ea. Buy 2, and get a $5 gift card at the register. I had 2 - $4 off coupons. SO I paid $7.38 AND got $5 back - like paying $2.38 for $30 worth of razors!
* Kellogs cereal and eggs - Foodland had Kellogs cereal for 3/$12. Okay deal. But wait. In their circular they had a store coupon for buy 3, get three free. That's 6/$12. Better deal! But wait. I had coupons I printed from on-line for $1 off 2 boxes of Frosted Flakes. That's only $9 for 6 boxes of cereal. But wait! In the store they had coupons for buy 2 boxes of Kellogs, get up to $2 worth of eggs free. And that week they had eggs for $1.88 for 1.5 dozen. Remember, you can stack store and manufacturers' coupons. End deal? $9 for 6 boxes of cereal and 4.5 dozen eggs (yeah, right, who can eat so many eggs, you ask? But it was the week before Easter....)
* Garnier Fructis shampoo and conditioner for $2.99ea. at Walgreens. Good deal. But wait. In-store coupon for $2 off. Better deal. But wait. I had $1 off coupons from the Sunday paper. SCORE! FREE SHAMPOO.
Deals this week:
* At Safeway, buy 2 Classico pasta sauces for $5 and get 2 Safeway brand pastas for FREE. Two meals for your family for $5. Awesome!
* Still at Safeway - artichokes, $1.99 ea. These are usually $4.99. One is a whole meal for me. Good deal. Available Sat and Sun only.
* At Target - Herbal Essences shampoo/conditioner for $2.99. Sunday before last had a $2 coupon for the same. $.99 for a $6 bottle of shampoo
* Back at Safeway - they have awesome deli sandwiches. Get one this week with free chips and a 20 oz. soda. If you have the sales circular (ask at customer service if you don't get Midweek), there's a coupon to get the sandwich for $4.49. Let's do some math. $5.99 for the sandwich, $.99 for the chips, $1.49 for the soda.....you just got $8.47 worth of food for almost half the price. Not bad!
* At Foodland - Suave shampoo for $1 ea. A few weeks ago, there was a coupon for $1 off 2 in the Sunday paper, and $0.50 for a bottle of shampoo ain't not bad.
Will go shopping and post new deals soon. In the interim, pick up the Sunday paper and don't let go!
Right now at Safeway they've got their "Living Well, Feeling Great" promo going on. The deal: buy $30 worth of indicated merchandise, get a coupon at the register for $10 off your next purchase of $10 or more. Imagine - $30 of stuff that's already on sale PLUS $10 back at the register! Killer! But there's more. Bear in mind that that $30 is BEFORE you use coupons. So you'll be able to ring that total down some. I'll probably go over the weekend and will blog again to let you know what best deals I see.
Last week, for example, I got the following deal:
* Marzetti's salad dressing. Regular price: $5.39 ea. Sale: Buy one, get one free. Coupons I had: $1.00 each. Since both rang through the register, even though the second is "free", you can still use a coupon on it. The end result? $10.78 worth of salad dressing for $3.39. PLUS it qualified for the $10 off coupon.
Other past deals:
*Intuition razors: Target had them on sale almost half off for $7.69 ea. Buy 2, and get a $5 gift card at the register. I had 2 - $4 off coupons. SO I paid $7.38 AND got $5 back - like paying $2.38 for $30 worth of razors!
* Kellogs cereal and eggs - Foodland had Kellogs cereal for 3/$12. Okay deal. But wait. In their circular they had a store coupon for buy 3, get three free. That's 6/$12. Better deal! But wait. I had coupons I printed from on-line for $1 off 2 boxes of Frosted Flakes. That's only $9 for 6 boxes of cereal. But wait! In the store they had coupons for buy 2 boxes of Kellogs, get up to $2 worth of eggs free. And that week they had eggs for $1.88 for 1.5 dozen. Remember, you can stack store and manufacturers' coupons. End deal? $9 for 6 boxes of cereal and 4.5 dozen eggs (yeah, right, who can eat so many eggs, you ask? But it was the week before Easter....)
* Garnier Fructis shampoo and conditioner for $2.99ea. at Walgreens. Good deal. But wait. In-store coupon for $2 off. Better deal. But wait. I had $1 off coupons from the Sunday paper. SCORE! FREE SHAMPOO.
Deals this week:
* At Safeway, buy 2 Classico pasta sauces for $5 and get 2 Safeway brand pastas for FREE. Two meals for your family for $5. Awesome!
* Still at Safeway - artichokes, $1.99 ea. These are usually $4.99. One is a whole meal for me. Good deal. Available Sat and Sun only.
* At Target - Herbal Essences shampoo/conditioner for $2.99. Sunday before last had a $2 coupon for the same. $.99 for a $6 bottle of shampoo
* Back at Safeway - they have awesome deli sandwiches. Get one this week with free chips and a 20 oz. soda. If you have the sales circular (ask at customer service if you don't get Midweek), there's a coupon to get the sandwich for $4.49. Let's do some math. $5.99 for the sandwich, $.99 for the chips, $1.49 for the soda.....you just got $8.47 worth of food for almost half the price. Not bad!
* At Foodland - Suave shampoo for $1 ea. A few weeks ago, there was a coupon for $1 off 2 in the Sunday paper, and $0.50 for a bottle of shampoo ain't not bad.
Will go shopping and post new deals soon. In the interim, pick up the Sunday paper and don't let go!
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