I paid alot. My total lately are equaling to what they were before coupons months ago. Now these are my totals AFTER coupons. It's ridiculous. 1|1|I hear ya|cinda68|lacinda68@gmail.com|16:51:27|09/27/2008|
I am shocked at the prices on even toilet paper! I joked to my husband that we can't afford cheese anymore, not a joke really...its getting bad. 2|1|I think youre right....I used to be ok with keeping my twice monthly trip at Walmart to about $100 or so, down to about $60-70 with coupons...now I have to be satisfied with keeping it under $200, and down to about $120-40 with coupons :( The last 4 times I have been there (about 2 months time) the prices on the stuff I buy all the time has gone up in price every single time I was there :(|saint6811|waylan@comcast.net|17:00:24|09/27/2008|
"Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy." 3|2|I know the feeling I went today and was expecting it to be like $100 nope it was $140 after coupons granted they don't double but still they used to be the cheaper store.|sarahjones|s.scottjones@comcast.net|20:21:42|09/27/2008|
Sarah S. Jones 4|3|I am finding that the sales arent really all that great either....the sale price is almost the regular price of a year ago, especially on meat.|saint6811|waylan@comcast.net|20:24:05|09/27/2008|
"Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy." 6|4|exactly! Meats. Cheeses( I used to be able to freeze bags and bags|jilda|vze4gj4m@verizon.net|20:53:00|09/27/2008|
of shredded cheese. The last few months....nothing. I'm down to my last bag at home and it was outrageously expensive. 5|1|prices are really jumping up we need to keep sticking|tollman62|thebossatnight@yahoo.com|20:38:56|09/27/2008|
together and helping each other as best we can to get through the tough economic times
bad traders GO AWAY!!!
I mail all my trades from the post office and get a receipt.
you always hear noises in the dark when you work at night 7|1|I hear ya. Since I broke my ankle, I have only done full shopping a couple of times and I couldn't believe my eyes when I was grabbing products off the shelf.|Ranalt|ainebailey@gmail.com|21:08:16|09/27/2008|
The price increase was unbelievable. Not liking this at all.
Life is like a cup of tea,
It's all in how you make it.
Lisa
8|1|I'm having trouble telling what is a GOOD deal|sheliar|sandk95@embarqmail.com|21:12:07|09/27/2008|
Seems like I keep passing on sales, thinking that it's too expensive because I've bought that item for less, but I am starting to wonder if those prices I think are so "bad" are really "good" and are the lowest prices I'll ever see on those items again. It's horrible what staples like milk, eggs, cheese (we LOVE cheese in our house), etc costs! Because of the price of gas, I often don't have enough extra money to stock up anymore when I DO find a good deal. I'm making it, but barely! I spend about $200/week on family of 5--up $50 from last year.
Shelia
"They say that we are better educated than our parents' generation. What they mean is that we go to school longer. They are not the same thing."---Douglas Yates
9|1|It really hurts when it's your normal staple items|whitmarg|robin@whitmannet.com|22:02:57|09/27/2008|
I saw a loaf of bread today (1 loaf, 16oz, nothing special) for $4.59. Holy crap! The sad thing is, a loaf of bread doesn't even last a week. I paid $1.99 for a 2-tub package of LOL margarine - 2 weeks ago it was $1.49. If it wasn't for the outrageous Powerade deals at Stop & Shop this week, I would not have been able to get all my groceries for anything less than $100. Even my poor little furry boy's food budget is out of whack. Fancy Feast cans (the only thing he'll eat) used to cost $.45/can. today they were $.63. He's going to have to get a modeling or acting job or something!! 10|2|LOL-- hey if you...|sunriver|lithiasalt@cheerful.com|22:40:15|09/27/2008|
hear of any cat modeling jobs, please let me know. We had yet another cat wind up with us (LONG, LONG story involving someone I barely know who moved away suddenly) and we still have the 2nd litter of kittens here with us (although they are supposed to go to the shelter in 2 weeks, the date keeps changing). We have 8 cats again! Plus the ferret, two birds and at last count three kids unless you also add in my DH who is really 39 going on 12.
I did luck out last week and happened upon a bag sale grocery cart "fill up a brown bag for $5" and I loaded it up with bird seed and treats. So my birds are taken care of for a little while. The rest of them are eating us out of house and home. The shelter gives us a bag (I would guess it is a few pounds) of food per week and some cans, but with the extra strays I am finding I am still buying a lot of food!
I really wanted to find a home for the new cat, but the owner said she would come back. She is flaky and I am not sure if she really will.
Anyway people food prices are awful! I am just cherry picking and then when we really need something I try to buy what I can. Thank goodness for coupons. 11|3|We are eating a lot of grilled cheese(lol....2.49lb at BJ"S when you use the 1.00 of coupons)and I have gotten very creative with egg based dishes(have to watch for sales on these), BUt really itis getting awful, can hardly afford red meat anymore.|dlpavitt|dlpavitt@att.net|04:30:08|09/28/2008|
ALways looking for:
daisy sourcream .60/1 after 10/4
McDonald's Big mac Bogo's, or Free's
utz chips, any
free purina healthy life
viva papertowels, .75/1 after 9/7
cottonelle, 1.00/1 or .50/2
cottonelle wipes 1.00/1 or better
coolwhip, any
Dasani Plus Water .50/1 11/15/08
gatorade g2
coupons good on ANY coke product
jif peanut butter off one
barbie forms
mystic pizza coupons
arm and hammer detergent off 1
NBPN rebates good in Ct
Pull up's coupons( home mailer's only
WINE TAG's bread, beef, poultry,cheese, deli items
Unused Stamps(small denomination's okay)
Well concealed cash
Free's(that I need)
BOGO's(that I need)
bigelow tea, any
pphf, existing funds please
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Try to get all trades out with in 12 hours of confirmation. If you do not have a board name, and feedback, I will mail my end, only after I receive your end. Happy trading. Thanks for looking, Donna
12|4|The deals are still out there for sure..........i buy for our local store here and the $$$$ the companies are offering is still up there. However when you combine fuel, minimum wage increase and other little things increasing|tsquared|ttrail@atwoodtv.net|09:20:31|09/28/2008|
then prices are going up at store level to make up for this. At my store alone gas and electricity is up $2000 from last year at this time. However right now betty crocker, kelloggs, general mills, kraft, crystal farms are all offering huge deals. Betty crocker right now have gigantic deals making their potatoes, chicken helper, tuna helper all under $1 store cost. Crystal farms has given our ad group dirt cheap add deals and later this year we have a 5lb bag cheese deal down to a cost of a third of retail. There have been tons of scan downs out there for stores to use, where the company pays the store a certain amount of each verifiable product that goes through the register. Kelloggs has these monthly and has had for better than a year on their crackers and cookies. They just gave us a cost of $1.25 a box for Zestas 3 different times over the next 5 months. Plus a scan down during certain times will make these even cheaper. So i believe the deals are still out there, but with fuel, the delivery cost has increased and with the mandatory minimum wage increase shelf prices have to increase to make up for this increase.
I'M SO FAST WONDER WOMAN CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE LIKES OF ME!!!!!
13|1|my dh and i paid 120 for grocerys last weekk.....|athena|aburns1982@hotmail.com|09:45:58|09/28/2008|
FOR 2 PEOPLE!~!!! 14|2|I went to Shop Rite on Friday...|savbebe|savbebe@aol.com|10:42:57|09/28/2008|
$186 before coupons, $86 after. This was only because I had $20 of catalinas to use up from the Glade candle deal from last week. I try to go to the supermarket after 7 as they sometimes add $2 off coupons to some of their meats. We've added loads of turkey into our diet and I've taken my breadmaker out and am making our own bread and pizza dough. With two kids in school, I'm buying juices from larger containers (64oz), and pouring them into their own sippy's - got rid of the juice boxes. I also started buying more store brands if I don't have the coupon...12pk of coke were 2 for $11 - over the summer there were weeks of 5 for $11 - I bought the SR brand instead. Stores are empty and carts are even emptier. 15|1|It is hard out there for sure. What are some of you doing to help keep your prices low besides coupons. I have been getting things like my can tomatoes and sauces tuna and beans at Aldies thats a bring your own bag store no frills. I have been buy dawn or palmolive dish soap and splitting it to 2 bottles and watering it down half and half works pretty good. Any one else have a few ideas?|nancygal|brennansnanna@hotmail.com|19:55:24|09/28/2008|
nancygal 16|2|I am going to start going to Aldi's for canned and boxed items also....and whatever else I can find cheaper than sale price with coupons....other than that, I stockpile what I can when I can....what else can we do?? :( *sigh*|saint6811|waylan@comcast.net|20:02:00|09/28/2008|
"Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy." 17|2|I found out where some of the warehouse outlets are for |Skaytes|skaytez@gmail.com|20:12:15|09/28/2008|
Red Gold tomatoes so I make the trip (about 1hr 20 min one way) every few months and stock up on items from there. I can even buy Tshirts there ..various ones..with Red Gold logos of course..but they are only about $7 or so and they are very very good quality..last forever and don't fade with washings. Can't get them at that quality and price even at Wally World. I even occasionally get things non tomato at Red Gold..like once I got there in time to get the last 9 or so of the tarter sauce they had..label said packed for Save a Lot stores. How about that? :) I try to let friends and family etc know when I am making a trip and we pitch in together for everything..divide it up..saves on gas and such. I now do the same thing with Angelfoodministries food as well. That Angelfood sure makes a BIG difference too with helping with food bills as well!
I know there are a couple major popcorn factory outlets about that same distance from me..just got to find out where they are at for sure as well. We used to be able some years back to go to the Deans Milk factory in Rochester IN and get our milk products there but they stopped doing that as they make more money selling it to the farmers for their livestock..even the whey which they used to just dump in the fields they sell to the hog farmers now.
Also for day old stuff (it sits in my house for waaay more than a 'day' anyway!lol) check out the bakery outlets. In a couple different cities I know where there are butternut and nickles bakery outlets so good places to go and get bread, donuts, croutons, buns, cookies, stuffing etc cheap plus the nickles bakery gives you a ticket which they punch out for every dollar you spend. Once the entire outside edge of dollar signs are punched you get a item of your choice totally FREE! They dont' expire either so you can save and use them for whenever. :) 19|3|ive been getting mark down meats..every morning.....|couponsnsamples|couponsnsamples@hotmail.com|20:22:11|09/28/2008|
last wk i got about 7 pks of porkchops..some boneless...they were $12.xx before mark down..i got them for $2.62,,,got ground chuck,hamburger..been getting like 7lbs for $3..even got some t-bones for $3.xx..some for $2.xx......the day it is supposed to exp..they mark it down...nothing wrong with it.......and ive saved alot doing that 30|3|In CVS today they had these things marked down..|Skaytes|skaytez@gmail.com|18:05:16|09/29/2008|
I had to pick up a prescription for hubby and seen they had $1 boxes of Malt O Meal cereal for $.50 each. Also they had backpacks marked down 90% so took the 4 they had and will donate them to kids at school who need them..just a FYI on that although you can't 'eat' those..well..supposed you COULD eat them but sure wouldn't be very tasty. Lots of fiber though..literally..LOL! 18|2|I think I might invest in a freezer....I havent done it yet, as I am trying to weigh the cost of the freezer plus keeping it running (electricity) to the money I'd save by stockpiling more food items I could freeze....gonna have to do some figures on that and get to it.|saint6811|waylan@comcast.net|20:20:39|09/28/2008|
"Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy." 29|3|Joy do you have albertsons or osco?|sunriver|lithiasalt@cheerful.com|17:26:42|09/29/2008|
I've been wanting a freezer as well and I remember seeing a deal that they seem to have each feb or march where you buy a freezer for $150'ish dollars and you get $150 in free product coupons to help you fill it. I am planning on getting one next year unless I find a free one before that.
I can't remember what other stores Albertsons might be called, jewel? HTH. 22|2|kinda silly but I do this|cinda68|lacinda68@gmail.com|00:04:13|09/29/2008|
I love the softsoap pumps by the sinks to wash my hands ( I wash my hands a lot!) Anyhow, I use my stockpile of cheapie shampoos, suave etc and refill the bottles with that. I also found that cheap conditioner makes a nice shave lotion. 23|3|I do that too....I add 2 tbs of cheap shampoo and the rest water to the foaming hand soap dispenser---a bottle of shampoo lasts me about 6-8 months for that, and we wash hands alot here (DH and I are both nurses, so we are hygeine freaks, lol)....it is sooo much cheaper than the storebought stuff!|saint6811|waylan@comcast.net|08:51:22|09/29/2008|
"Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy." 20|1| A freezer is a fantastic investment. Dont think just meats but buy vegetables in bulk frezze them,I buy alot of my sugar ,flour on sale and I frezze that chees, fruit, coffee I have so much in my frezzer I want another lol |nancygal|brennansnanna@hotmail.com|20:47:12|09/28/2008|
nancygal 21|1|considering a local barter group|cinda68|lacinda68@gmail.com|23:57:40|09/28/2008|
Posted on Sep-28-08 at 11:57 PM (Eastern) by 207.255.75.215
I am thinking of starting a local bartering group in my county, possibly hook up with other couponers who I know have stockpiles and we can trade.
I am also very grateful my husband works at a restaurant brings home food every night, sometimes prime rib and I make soup with it, sometimes chicken for salads. It is really helping a lot.
24|2|I tried to start a bartering group where I work....went over like a lead balloon, lol....maybe now that times are getting even tougher, I'll give it another shot :) |saint6811|waylan@comcast.net|08:52:28|09/29/2008|
"Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy." 25|3|That is why, I am so happy to have found RS, I was trying to find local people to trade coupons with for years. Seems as though, know one really understands them, like I do. Bummer!!! Yet, my co-workers, know I do this as a hobby, are always amazed at the deals I get. Oh well, more for me.....LOL DOnna|dlpavitt|dlpavitt@att.net|09:10:09|09/29/2008|
ALways looking for:
daisy sourcream .60/1 after 10/4
McDonald's Big mac Bogo's, or Free's
utz chips, any
free purina healthy life
viva papertowels, .75/1 after 9/7
cottonelle, 1.00/1 or .50/2
cottonelle wipes 1.00/1 or better
coolwhip, any
Dasani Plus Water .50/1 11/15/08
gatorade g2
coupons good on ANY coke product
jif peanut butter off one
barbie forms
mystic pizza coupons
arm and hammer detergent off 1
NBPN rebates good in Ct
Pull up's coupons( home mailer's only
WINE TAG's bread, beef, poultry,cheese, deli items
Unused Stamps(small denomination's okay)
Well concealed cash
Free's(that I need)
BOGO's(that I need)
bigelow tea, any
pphf, existing funds please
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Try to get all trades out with in 12 hours of confirmation. If you do not have a board name, and feedback, I will mail my end, only after I receive your end. Happy trading. Thanks for looking, Donna
26|1|I miss the triples in Nj I hate 55/1 coupons I can't double them here I can't remember when I spent $100 at the market|teener|teenerzacsneenee@yahoo.com|11:48:57|09/29/2008|
Ugggggggggg 27|1|I noticed this too, thank G_d for HT triples last week|glennie58|glenn_scott@alumni.ksg.harvard.edu|14:09:39|09/29/2008|
am more organized for the next time and understand how it works now, and will take FULL advantage believe me! 28|1|We mostly eat at the restaurant DH and I work at too, thank Heavens, I worry|Mackiesmudder|Mackiesmudder@aol.com|15:56:37|09/29/2008|
not so much for us but for my daughter with a baby and her money cut and for all the rest of the families with children. I just don't understand how this is happening. LOL, I do understand how, just not why????
Cathie