Comments on: Target, Kroger, Meijer Shopping Trips: Spent $58.02, Saved $77.90

By: michelle

michelle — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 09:33:53 +0000

This just happened to me last night at Kroger around 10pm. The lady said she was warned a few days ago to keep coupons at 4 per transaction, no matter what they say on them. She wouldn't even let me do another transaction, because it would "register on my card". I told her I didn't need my card for one of the items, but she still refused. She said she didn't want to get fired. Sheesh! They don't want to sell anything do they?

By: Tara Kuczykowski

Tara Kuczykowski — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:41:49 +0000

I completely understand, Sherrie. As I mentioned in the post, this is also starting to happen at my store. I suspect some of it is the "Extreme Couponing" effect, so hopefully it will die down as time goes on, but until then just keep trying.

By: Sherrie

Sherrie — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:21:21 +0000

Sadly, our Target almost never has the items you list. No Purex crystals last week when we had the great coupon deal. This week the price is back up and there's plenty on the shelf. Also, the cashiers are not consistent. One will take a $1 coupon on a 97 cent item, and another says that if she does that she will be fired. I keep trying, but it gets discouraging when you have your list and your coupons worked out, and the store doesn't have what you want.

By: Becky

Becky — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:20:48 +0000

If you make a turkey for Easter, use the turkey carcass. If it is a big one, you can break the bones into 2 pots for broth. Its turkey broth, but close enough.

Also, keep a gallon size bag in your freezer and put whatever chicken bones you have into it. When it is full, then you can make chicken broth. This way you can at least reduce the amount of broth you need to buy.

By: Tara Kuczykowski

Tara Kuczykowski — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:08:15 +0000

I don't think that's off topic at all! I definitely do want to try my hand at making my own chicken broth, but my problem is we don't eat a whole lot of bone-in chicken -- and we use a lot of chicken broth. I use it to make whole grain rice for the added flavor. My kids used to turn their noses up at it until I started doing this. I love the crock pot suggestion though!

By: Becky

Becky — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 23:56:08 +0000

This is a little off topic, but I just want you to know that making chicken broth (since you bought it) is so easy and it is practically free. I make mine all the time. Put bones from a chicken (like a rotisserie chicken or bone in chicken) in a crock pot and fill it with water. Cook on high for about 5 hours then cool, drain the bones and there you go. No need to spend $5 on it in the future :)

Thanks for the post though, it is good to see that I am not the only one who is saving money but no where close to those people on TLC.

By: Lacey

Lacey — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 20:08:35 +0000

Nope. Stopped sometime last week.

By: bsmith

bsmith — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 14:00:51 +0000

Beginning May 1st, Meijers will no longer price match on Food, got the sad news this week.

By: Tara Kuczykowski

Tara Kuczykowski — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:42:13 +0000

Good idea, Carrie -- I'll see what I can come up with!

By: Tara Kuczykowski

Tara Kuczykowski — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:40:37 +0000

I have a Canon Rebel XSi. It was worth every penny -- it does take beautiful pictures.

By: Tara Kuczykowski

Tara Kuczykowski — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:37:26 +0000

Yes! I just peel them and stick them on a wire cooling rack in the freezer. After they're frozen solid, you can transfer them to a large Ziploc freezer bag and use them as you need them.

By: Tara Kuczykowski

Tara Kuczykowski — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:34:49 +0000

LOL, I've caught my daughter swiping them and eating them. Tin foil sounds like a great solution -- she's just been wrapping a paper towel around them.

By: HCL

HCL — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:06:32 +0000

Thank you for sharing! We do not have those grocery stores in our area, but I still appreciate your approach to using coupons! I use the same approach, eat healthy and save on the household, beauty, etc!
P.S. I am doing the P90X...Good luck to your husband! I just finished phase 1 and finally lost all the baby weight from both kids in just those 30 days!Cant wait to see what the next 2 months bring from it!

By: Carrie

Carrie — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:54:44 +0000

Great, Tara. Thanks so much for this post. Can you/do you have a post on how to read register receipts to figure out the discounts? That would be most helpful. Store receipts can be kind of hard to decipher with the store coupons, with your Kroger card, manufacturer and e coupons in the mix.

By: Beth

Beth — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:42:49 +0000

I freeze bananas all the time. I freeze them right in their peels. You can thaw them and use them for banana bead/muffins, they pop right out of the peel! No mushing necessary! Or you can pop them out and use them for smoothies, etc.
Food has always been my nemesis when it comes to couponing. I live in a rural area and rarely shop at my local grocery store, but there is a small city about 30 miles away with Target, etc. The best chain grocery there is Weis, (they used to be Giant), and I have found that if I take advantage of doubling...they double to .99...and catalinas, along with meal planning at least dinners I do o.k., but it's getting tougher with the rise in food prices and the shrinking of packages. We also are planting a garden this year so that should help also. The best advice I can give for someone in my situation is to try and save as much as possible on everything else.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:41:34 +0000

A little off the subject (sorry, but I just had to know!), but what kind of camera do you have? It takes beautiful pictures! :o)

By: Mere

Mere — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 09:59:43 +0000

What Amy said. I never froze them either, and I've been complaining mightily about the price of bananas lately. Now that it's getting really hot, I'm making myself huge smoothies for breakfast and lunch and constantly running out to buy them.

By: Sarah Jo

Sarah Jo — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:13:58 +0000

Thank you for posting this

By: Am y

Am y — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 06:13:58 +0000

Wait, wait - you can freeze bananas?? Please share! i've never done this!! I always end up with banana pudding, smoothies, or, sadly, they go in the trash if i just dont have time. =/ Do you peel them then freeze? And just put in a ziploc?

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 05:14:54 +0000

I would like to say thank you for sharing this. This makes me feel much better in the great deals I have been getting.