how will you be utilizing the "loss leaders" at your store this week/weekend?

We get our store ads on Wed, so I studied them last night.  One thing that caught my eye was store brand one liter pop and icecream.   Now I realize that pop is one thing we are all trying not to buy, but doesn't a rootbeer float sound like a great way to liven up a simple meal?  Not much else caught my eye this week, so either I was too tired or there really wasn't much on sale.  Krogers had some buy so many (like 10 or more and get more off at check out) I HATE those types of sales, so I didn't even look at it.  I never need the amount you need to get the savings, which often isn't that much savings-or am I wrong about that?

 

Here is a link to the flyer

http://bakers.inserts2online.com/customer_Frame.jsp?drpStoreID=319

I won't be dropping by Kroger this week. I cringed when I saw their ad. I usually drop by there to pick up items on sale about once a week after work, I don't intend to spend all evening in their store trying to figure out which of their items I'll buy that will actually save me some money. Since their prices are generally higher than some of the other stores in our area these deals don't always end up being a savings in our area anyway. A rootbeer float sounds great to me. When we  were kids mom would make floats using orange and strawberry sodas  topped with vanilla ice cream. We loved them. I occasionally will buy some diet rootbeer and put a glass of it in the freezer to get slushy for a treat. I haven't had ice cream in about a year and a half so no float for me. I do need to make a trip to Walmart at lunch today for a few items and I plan to match some prices on a few items I need that are advertised at other stores. This saves both time and gas.

 No shopping for me.  I shop on paydays for two weeks at a time.

 

benchsitterNE:

Krogers had some buy so many (like 10 or more and get more off at check out) I HATE those types of sales, so I didn't even look at it.  I never need the amount you need to get the savings, which often isn't that much savings-or am I wrong about that?

 

  I do buy those buy 10 items IF the deal is good enough and I can mix and match.  Albertson's has items in their add mix and match 10 for $25.  If you buy 10 items, you save an additional $10.  That makes each item $1.50.  Some of the items are Progresso soup products (the average 2.50 here regularly), trix yogurt and Gogurt (over $3 here and I like these for the kids), 6 different brands/types of granola bars (most of which run $3.60 regularly), General Mills Cereals 8.7 -14.25 oz boxes ($3 and up), and many more items.  I could easily get 10 items off of this list.  I also have coupons for most of them.  Do I need ALL of it right now, no.  But with prices the way they are, I would stock up now if it was my shopping week.  I have also noticed that after these sales, prices on those items go up.  I don't shop Albertsons that much.  Just when they have allot of stuff I would use.  Typically it is these types of sales. 

 

Kim

 

If the items on sale are things we NEED, then I will buy but not otherwise.   Under normal circumstances, if items on sale are things we use, then I wil stock up but we are planning on moving in a few weeks so want to use what is in the house as much as possible.  So I will only be buying what is needed, and at that, only when it is needed.

benchsitterNE:

Krogers had some buy so many (like 10 or more and get more off at check out) I HATE those types of sales, so I didn't even look at it.  I never need the amount you need to get the savings, which often isn't that much savings-or am I wrong about that?

 

We get our sale papers on Wed, too, but I also check 3 different stores online (Food Lion, Kroger, and a local chain).  So far it's been a while since Kroger ran a good enough sale on something I needed to stock up on.  The last time was Ballpark hotdogs for $.99/pack.  You better believe I loaded up!  Plus there isn't one nearby enough to make it worth it to run to every time.  There's one on the way home from church, so if they are running a great deal I want to take advantage of, that's when we stop.  I do dislike the 10/$10 deals.  Most of those things are groceries that I buy store-brand of, or don't buy anyway.

This week there aren't really any sales that help me.  I did stop in Food Lion since it was right beside my eye dr, and got some bananas, peaches (they WERE on sale for $1.49/lb), nectarines and a mango (just for the fun of it - I've never eaten one and wanted to try it).  I also checked out their meat section, and bought a discounted roast.  Then I went to WalMart to get some non-grocery stuff, and bought grapes since I forgot them at FL.  I checked out their meat, hoping to get some hamburger, and sure enough, one of those big 5.5lb pkgs marked down!  It's the regular, and I usually buy the lean, but for a markdown, I'll take it!!  It came out to $1.52/lb, which is cheaper than even regular sales are (usually $1.99/lb at the VERY cheapest).

So... that's my great savings this week!  Otherwise, I spent alot of $ on soaker hoses for the garden.  LOL.  But they should HOPEfully last several years.  I have some already, and really like them, but I don't have enough by any means.  But, we do have $ that we can use for that, so we're not overspending ourselves.

We only have two smaller markets here. They are both part of a smaller upper midwest chain of small groceries: Supervalue and Jack and Jill . Their head quarters are in Minneapolis and the ads are printed there, too.

We also have those sdales 10 for $X. However, we have so many widoes and older retired couples in town the stores sell you the number of those items you want or they would not sell any of it or very little. People here are getting together and do car pooling to Walmart and Dan's in Fickinson,  a 150+ mile round trip. You often get the same items there for 1/2 price.

benchsitterNE:

We get our store ads on Wed, so I studied them last night.  One thing that caught my eye was store brand one liter pop and icecream.   Now I realize that pop is one thing we are all trying not to buy, but doesn't a rootbeer float sound like a great way to liven up a simple meal?  Not much else caught my eye this week, so either I was too tired or there really wasn't much on sale.  Krogers had some buy so many (like 10 or more and get more off at check out) I HATE those types of sales, so I didn't even look at it.  I never need the amount you need to get the savings, which often isn't that much savings-or am I wrong about that?

 

You do not need to buy 10 of the item, just divide it by 10 and see what the price would be for 1 or 2.  Sometimes that's a good price and sometimes it's not.

 

For this particular promotion at Krogers, you have to buy 10 (not of one item, but what is on the list) and then the sales register reduces the price.  and there are several different categories.  and I don't think you can combine them.  If the ad confuses me, imagine what happens in the store.  You have to go prepared!!!

Whole chickens are on sale at Albertsons for $.69 a pound, the cheapest I have seen in a while. I plan on stocking up the freezer with a bunch. Also, buy 4 select General Mills products for $4. Many times these are not items I normally buy, but this list has several cereals as well as cake mix and salsa, all good for stocking up the pantry.

I have noticed a trend lately, let me know if you have observed this also. So many times the sales are on highly processed foods and "junk" type foods. It is getting harder and harder to find good prices on actual ingredients for scratch cooking and baking. I'm talking eggs, sugar, flour, butter, pasta, noodles, fresh fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, etc. But always potato chips, cookies, frozen prepared dinners and the like are on sale. It's almost as if they are trying to price out the home cook that uses basic foods to create meals and treats. I do use some convenience foods but try to cook from scratch when I can. Healthier and tastes better, too!

 

arabella

I have noticed basics are seldom on sale much.  Flour was $1. off last week on 10 kg (22 lbs.)

This week sugar was advertised & the shelf completely empty!  I don't ask for rainchecks at that store because they send you over to wait in line at customer service & often you're told "the truck will be coming in tomorrow so rainchecks are not being given on that item".  The same store frequently has empty places where their best store brand products should be.  That leaves you with the choice of a cheap, not so healthy brand, or name brand, which is always more.  I go there about once in 2-3 wks. because a couple items/brands cannot be picked up elsewhere & sometimes the good store brands are restocked. 

arabella_pinky:

I have noticed a trend lately, let me know if you have observed this also. So many times the sales are on highly processed foods and "junk" type foods.

 

Yes, I have noticed this trend.  It seems, to me anyway, that some stores are WAY worse for this than others.  Safeway here, has healthy stuff in their ad this week.  To me, most of it is still too high.  I personally feel that Albertson's has the best mix of stuff in their ads, but again some of their sale prices are higher than other stores' regular prices.  And the junk type foods do seem to have the better mark downs.

 

Kim

pepmint:

the truck will be coming in tomorrow so rainchecks are not being given on that item". 

 

I would tell them give me a raincheck or lose a customer (unless it's your only store).  I would follow that up with, "I am here today and won't be back in until next week as my schedule doesn't allow me to come here every day."  

 

Kim 

Oh, I've tried a number of polite tactics & finally decided the store simply has poor management.  They have a high turnover rate for help & that probably doesn't improve the situation.

I'd be fine with not going there again but DH insists on a couple things found only at that store so I generally try to pick up a couple specials also.

One of my rainchecks never did get used as it expired before the items finally came in months later.  I don't have time to stand in line every 2 wks. for a new raincheck!  (After I've stood in line to pay for groceries too.)  My time is worth something.  Lol!  At least Co-op is great about rainchecks, no expiry date, & I do the bulk of my shopping there.

 If it's a chain store, write a letter saying just what you said, send it to the manager. If he/she doesn't respond soon, or not satisfactorily, find thearea manager and send a the same letter, with remarks that you were not satified with the response from the manager, and what that result was. Oh, and send a copy to the manager, letting him/her see that it's a CC and who is getting the other copy. 

These days, you have to fight for your consumer rights. It's your dollar, and they don't want to lose your business. (Not that they will if DH has some items that he prefers from that store, but they don't know that) 

I've also pointed out, in a consumer complaint, when I was told that they just didn't care, that my community involvement is quite far flung, and that within a week, I am in conversational contact with literally hundreds of people, many who shop at that store/chain. They KNOW that word-of-mouth can be the most damaging or the best marketting tool. USE IT.

 

ViolaB