TEN BUCKS A WEEK!

[Angeejoe]

@dayvewc - I can't believe you ate the Dinty Moore !!!

 

[stayhomemom77]

@dayvewc - I can't believe you ate the Dinty Moore !!!

Me neither! LOL Too funny!

 

[stayhomemom77]

All of our stores around here used to double up to .50c, but I think that extreme couponer in my area may have played a part in that ending. She got tons of local press from her multiple times on the show, she taught local classes, is on the radio 1x/wk & wrote a book on it. I miss the double coupons

Yes. I heard that show airing basically ended extreme couponing. Ironic, isn't it? Personally, I'll take whatever savings I can get but it would have been nice to cash in on it a little more hard core. Maybe they'll come back some day??

 

[Angeejoe]

Yes. I heard that show airing basically ended extreme couponing. Ironic, isn't it? Personally, I'll take whatever savings I can get but it would have been nice to cash in on it a little more hard core. Maybe they'll come back some day??

I'm all about the savings, I really try to stock up around the cycled sales of the stuff I like.

 

[Angeejoe]

Group question:

Are you really loyal to any particular brands or flexible?

 

[Angeejoe]

Group question:

When does every shop? Always the same store?

 

[angierae]

Group question:

When does every shop? Always the same store?

I generally shop at the same store every week but I think with this project I may look around at other grocery stores. If I can duck in and spend my $10 on different loss leaders than my usual store, that will help me build up my stock faster, I think. (Both of my grocery stores only change out their sales every two weeks.)

 

[Angeejoe]

Group question:

Are you really loyal to any particular brands or flexible?

Group questions:

Are you really loyal to any particular brands or flexible?

I'd say for me I'm really loyal for Tide, Cottonelle, Downy, Unstoppables, Puffs, Prego, Pepsi (DH), Kraft Mac n Cheese, Heinz Ketchup, French's Mustard, Miracle Whip- all of which have regular cycles of sales plus regular coupons. Otherwise I shop the name brand sales or buy store brands.

Group question:

When does every shop? Always the same store?

I worked at a hospital, so my days vary as we never close. So I prefer to shop during the week when it's slower, but my grocery store of choice, Meijer, will text me quite often on a Thursday that on Friday & Saturday they'll have 5% off groceries just for those 2 days. So sometimes I will just try to hold out until then & hopefully Friday is my day off so I don't have to go for a crazy Saturday. On occasion I do Krogers as its right next my hospital or when they have a really great sale. Sometimes Rite Aid & Walgreens will have a good deal on something & ill stock up.

 

[angierae]

Question! I've heard about bugs getting into cardboard boxes of Pasta - am I safe buying it in the plastic bags, or should I still move it into sealed containers?

 

[Angeejoe]

Question! I've heard about bugs getting into cardboard boxes of Pasta - am I safe buying it in the plastic bags, or should I still move it into sealed containers?

I guess I never thought much about bugs. Could you tape off the edges of the pasta boxes? I like the idea of keeping it in original box to keep the expiration dates, but I guess you could write it on the container on a piece of masking tape. I usually only put half used boxes in Tupperware storage, but keep my stock in original boxes. If I get a big pasta stock I may now tape the edges! Thanks for the bug reminder.

 

[angierae]

I guess I never thought much about bugs. Could you tape off the edges of the pasta boxes? I like the idea of keeping it in original box to keep the expiration dates, but I guess you could write it on the container on a piece of masking tape. I usually only put half used boxes in Tupperware storage, but keep my stock in original boxes. If I get a big pasta stock I may now tape the edges! Thanks for the bug reminder.

Just recently I had a bug in an (unopened) packet of Chichi's corn cake mix. I have no idea how it got in there, but I was very disappointed. I'm going to be putting packets of stuff (crock pot flavor packets, etc) into ziplocks, but I thought I heard someone mention bugs getting into cardboard boxes, too. I guess I could put them in gallon ziplocks but that seems weird to me!

Maybe I'm being overly paranoid but tearing open that packet and dumping it in the bowl and seeing a bug was frustrating!

 

[bcwife76]

Group question:

Are you really loyal to any particular brands or flexible?

Most of the time I am fairly flexible. However, I will only buy Heinz ketchup, French's mustard and Kraft peanut butter!

 

[DnA2010]

PC Points really add up quickly - do you have the World Elite Mastercard with PC financial too? 30 points per $1 baby!! At Shoppers Drug Mart, too.

I have been pondering switching my main credit card to a Mastercard- either this one, or the cash back from Costco- just wondering you know which one is better- I do shop at Superstore

 

[DnA2010]

This is a cool thread- I already do buy mostly everything when it's on sale, rather than menu planning and buying what I need, but I do want to follow and see if a strategy can be adopted for us

 

[bcwife76]

Group question:

When does every shop? Always the same store?

Eventhough I'm a stay at home mom I don't have a particular set shopping day each week. Plus now that both my kids are in school I find I'm running out of food a little faster (two school lunches to make vs one etc) so I find I'm going to the store at least twice a week (sometimes even 3 times) which is bad I know because I end up spending more overall.

I shop at Extra Foods (because it's 2 blocks from our house), Save On (again, just down the street), Real CDN Superstore, Safeway and Walmart. Depends on my needs (small shop vs big shop) and how the deals are that week in the flyers. I don't usually price match with the flyers, I just go to the store that has the best deals because they are all within a 10 minute drive of our house. We also shop Costco once every 6-8 weeks.

I have been pondering switching my main credit card to a Mastercard- either this one, or the cash back from Costco- just wondering you know which one is better- I do shop at Superstore

Although we do have a Costco membership (share it with my mom) we don't shop there enough to make the cash back card worth it. We use the mastercard a LOT (and pay it off in full every month lol) so the points add up quickly. I would rather just redeem them for free products at Superstore/Extra Foods - you can buy anything with your PC points except for gas and cigarettes. So last Christmas I saved my points and bought gift cards!

 

[stayhomemom77]

I'm all about the savings, I really try to stock up around the cycled sales of the stuff I like.

Yep, me too. And now that I am extremely organized, I am better equipped to maximize the things I was already doing! Love it!

Group question:

Are you really loyal to any particular brands or flexible?

Basically, Kraft Peanut Butter and a couple of their salad dressings and Jane's chicken fingers/nuggets. DH prefers Pepsi over Coca Cola, but will drink the President's Choice Pepsi knock off stuff. Other than that...we're fairly flexible and we do a lot of store brand items.

Group question:

When does every shop? Always the same store?

I always go to No Frills, but they've recently scaled back on which stores they price match, so I do occasionally run elsewhere to get a deal on something. I also usually go to Real Canadian Superstore, Walmart, FreshCo and Shoppers Drug Mart, but generally only a few times each per month, not each of these each week.

Question! I've heard about bugs getting into cardboard boxes of Pasta - am I safe buying it in the plastic bags, or should I still move it into sealed containers?

Never experienced it, have heard about it though. Yuck!

Most of the time I am fairly flexible. However, I will only buy Heinz ketchup, French's mustard and Kraft peanut butter!

Kraft Light PB is the only stuff my family eats without complaining. I hate PB, so I'm happy to get them the particular kind they like. They aren't fussy about much else. Thankfully, the PB goes on sale fairly regularly.

I have been pondering switching my main credit card to a Mastercard- either this one, or the cash back from Costco- just wondering you know which one is better- I do shop at Superstore

I've never had a Costco card, so I can't really advice...but I love my PC Mastercard!!

This is a cool thread- I already do buy mostly everything when it's on sale, rather than menu planning and buying what I need, but I do want to follow and see if a strategy can be adopted for us

Welcome aboard!!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Eventhough I'm a stay at home mom I don't have a particular set shopping day each week. Plus now that both my kids are in school I find I'm running out of food a little faster (two school lunches to make vs one etc) so I find I'm going to the store at least twice a week (sometimes even 3 times) which is bad I know because I end up spending more overall.

I shop at Extra Foods (because it's 2 blocks from our house), Save On (again, just down the street), Real CDN Superstore, Safeway and Walmart. Depends on my needs (small shop vs big shop) and how the deals are that week in the flyers. I don't usually price match with the flyers, I just go to the store that has the best deals because they are all within a 10 minute drive of our house. We also shop Costco once every 6-8 weeks.



Although we do have a Costco membership (share it with my mom) we don't shop there enough to make the cash back card worth it. We use the mastercard a LOT (and pay it off in full every month lol) so the points add up quickly. I would rather just redeem them for free products at Superstore/Extra Foods - you can buy anything with your PC points except for gas and cigarettes. So last Christmas I saved my points and bought gift cards!

Seems like you have a pretty good system. As long as you can stick to your list, you should be able to get in and out multiple times a week without blowing the budget. It takes practice (and sometimes discipline) but it can be achieved.

I've always considered getting gift cards with my points but then I never do it. I guess it's fine though...I use the points on groceries and then toss the money from the checking account into the vacation account, so it's basically free money for vacations. I do love free money for vacations.

 

[DnA2010]

Although we do have a Costco membership (share it with my mom) we don't shop there enough to make the cash back card worth it. We use the mastercard a LOT (and pay it off in full every month lol) so the points add up quickly. I would rather just redeem them for free products at Superstore/Extra Foods - you can buy anything with your PC points except for gas and cigarettes. So last Christmas I saved my points and bought gift cards![/QUOTE]


I think the new mastercard cash back is applied on all purchases though ? it says 3% at restaurants, 2% at gas, 1% everything else? I guess I'd have to look at the PC one and see if I'd be better off. We tend to use credit for everything (only use debit at costco) and then pay off every month (don't carry a balance)

 

[stayhomemom77]

Alright guys...I have a dilemma!

Generally speaking, Kraft PB in the 1 kg containers has a sale price for around $3. (I have paid, $3, $2.99, $2.97 and $2.88 since I started tracking prices) but this week it's on sale at FreshCo for $2.47!! Six of them would be $14.82 so that would take all of this week's budget as well as half of next week's budget. Should I go ahead and buy them? Should I just get six or should I get more? This is the cheapest price I have ever seen and we go through the PB in this house fast!! I don't generally like to spend ahead but I feel like I just can't pass this one up!

What should I do??

 

[dayvewc]

@dayvewc - I can't believe you ate the Dinty Moore !!!

Me neither! LOL Too funny!

Ok, the really sad part is that is STILL tasted better than most of my "try it on my own" cooking experiments.

Group question:

Are you really loyal to any particular brands or flexible?

There are a few brands I prefer - French's mustard, Hunt's ketchup, Peter Pan PB, and a few others. I am not so set in my loyalty that I can never be dissuaded, but it has to be a REALLY good deal to get me to switch from my preferences.

Group question:

When does every shop? Always the same store?

I generally shop in the same couple of stores - Wal-Mart, Sam's, Target (red-card discount), and Kroger occasionally. And normally on Sunday and Wednesday (when I am driving home from my 2nd job, and when I fill up midweek.

Alright guys...I have a dilemma!

Generally speaking, Kraft PB in the 1 kg containers has a sale price for around $3. (I have paid, $3, $2.99, $2.97 and $2.88 since I started tracking prices) but this week it's on sale at FreshCo for $2.47!! Six of them would be $14.82 so that would take all of this week's budget as well as half of next week's budget. Should I go ahead and buy them? Should I just get six or should I get more? This is the cheapest price I have ever seen and we go through the PB in this house. I don't generally like to spend ahead but I feel like I just can't pass this one up!

What should I do??

I say go for it. If you know you're going to use it, spend the extra now so the unit cost is lower instead of ultimately spending the same amount but getting less for it.