Rising food prices

[SMinGA2]

I order from Zaycon Foods from time to time, when they have an event near me. This Saturday I'll pick up 40 pounds of chicken breast and 40 pounds of 93% lean ground beef for about $200 total. Will need to package it for freezing, of course.

I coupon/deal shop. Get alot of personal care products for next to nothing at CVS or Walgreens or Riteaid with their rewards programs. Like yesterday bought hubby's favorite brand of toothpaste on sale for $2.99. Bought 2, used 2 $.75 off coupons, and got rewards back for $4. Net cost $.24 each plus tax. Got a bunch of bottles of Head & Shoulders shampoo/condition a few weeks ago for free - by using B1G1 coupons at the same time CVS had them on sale. For groceries I'll stock up (buy 4-6 of an item) when its a really good price, and buy generics when its cheaper than deals.

[AngelinaCat]

I had a $13.50 rewards coupon from CVS. We needed bath soap. So I went shopping and bought two 8-bar packages of their store brand soap--cheaper than their sale of buy two name brand 6-bar packages for $7.00--some deodorant, and a newspaper. I only had to add $0.2 to the coupon to pay my total. I loved it!

[pamkev]

Great job Cat!

[ksgirl38]

CVS & Wallgreens always seem so high to me compared to Target or Walmart. How much do you have to shop there to get rewards like that? I use coupons at Target. You can stack manufacturer with the Target coupons on their website.

[SMinGA2]

Not everything there is a good deal. But they have sales, and sometimes they are really good. CVS also issues store coupons, like last week they issued a $4 off $20 order. You get $5 extra care bucks for every $50 in beauty products. That is before coupons. One example: I bought 2 Clearasil Perfectawash automatic face wash dispensers each with 2 facewash refills. Used a $5 ECB, $2 off facial care store coupon and a B1G1 manufacturer coupon. The kits were $19.99 each and I paid $12.99 plus tax for both. CVS had a deal where you get $5 ECB for spending $15 on Clearasil products so I have that now for a future purchase. (Too bad it was a limit of 1 per customer.) And it counts as $39.98 in beauty care products. That's about 6 months worth of acne care/face wash. Its compared to Proactive, which is too expensive for us. Hoping for good results as my 14 year old is having a rough time with acne.

There are websites that post the store sales - and match up coupons to them. Such as letting you know where to get the coupons, either from a certain date Sunday paper, from a website, magazine, etc. CVS is good for deals each week, but sometimes they are major. I went for the after Thanksgiving sale. Ended up with lots of free stuff. Well, pretty much just paying sales tax.

CVS & Wallgreens always seem so high to me compared to Target or Walmart. How much do you have to shop there to get rewards like that? I use coupons at Target. You can stack manufacturer with the Target coupons on their website.

ONe tip: each time you go in CVS scan your card at the red coupon machine. You never know what it will print out.

[keepsmiling]

Iheartriteaid -- often some amazing deals as well.
Can be quite time consuming tho.

[ksgirl38]

We don't have Rite Aids around here.

Last time I shopped at a CVS was only because there was a new one that opened up in the area and I got some coupons in the mail. The problem was that the shampoo I pay $3 for at Target was $5 at CVS so even after the coupons I used it still seemed like I paid more at CVS. I compared some of the prices while I was there and my contact solution was $4 more at CVS and I rarely see coupons for that. Even a CVS coupon wouldn't save me more than what I could get it for elsewhere. I guess I'm curious what you guys are buying that you are getting savings on because I never seem to see much savings. Maybe I'm just buying different products. I do get some of those emails that match up the coupons, but there just don't seem to be much that make it worth the trip.

[pamkev]

Okay can someone give me those site that match up coupons with stores

[SMinGA2]

The sites I know are valid for the sales in GA so PA may be different. But I use Southernsavers dot com and iheartpublix dot com.

[keepsmiling]

Okay can someone give me those site that match up coupons with stores

Try Afullcup.com

[pamkev]

Try Afullcup.com

Thanks

[pamkev]

The sites I know are valid for the sales in GA so PA may be different. But I use Southernsavers dot com and iheartpublix dot com.

I think you are right

[AngelinaCat]

CVS & Wallgreens always seem so high to me compared to Target or Walmart. How much do you have to shop there to get rewards like that? I use coupons at Target. You can stack manufacturer with the Target coupons on their website.

They can be in the general scheme of things. But sometimes you have to figure in the cost of getting there and back home into your purchase price. The closet Target is 35 miles from me and the closest Wal*Mart is 14. CVS is 5. Plus, I hate the crowds that usually are at Wal*Mart. I like to get in and out quickly. That usually does not happen at a Wal*Mart.

Plus, if you watch the weekly circulars that usually are published in the weekend newspapers, and plan, you can end up with some good buys and bonus perks. I have two $10.00 gift cards for CVS to use when I am in dire need of something, and am flat out of cash. And 'Hub and I each have two $10.00 fuel cards that I have gotten through CVS, likewise for times when we are cash-strapped and we need fuel in the car.

[ksgirl38]

Okay can someone give me those site that match up coupons with stores

I get emails from a website called commonsensewithmoney.com. Although there are others too.

[SMinGA2]

Shopping where its convenient is a big factor. I am fortunate that I live in a major area. There is a CVS literally across the street from my 2nd job. And 3 within 2 miles of my full time job. (I have always thought that odd!) Walgreens & Riteaid each have a few locations. One nice thing about CVS is they are great on rainchecks. If they are out of something and its on sale, they'll issue one and they never expire.