Shopping Trips

Do you ever feel like giving-up couponing?  I felt so humiliated at Safeway yesterday trying to use coupons for the Barilla Pasta Sauce deal.  The $.75 coupons were beeping wildly, my Personalized Prices were deducting, and suddenly … the register froze!  My entire order had to be re-rung with the manager and cashier, and a line of customers staring.  The air was thick with contempt & tension.  I just wanted to leave my groceries on the belt and run away!  Now I am a seasoned couponer, but this experience shook me to the core & I question if couponing is worth the hits to my dignity.  So it was sooo liberating & relaxing to shop today at the 99 Cents Only Store, my safe haven for excellent deals… without the drama.  Look at these gems, all $1, no coupons necessary:

1. Oscar Mayer Ready-to-Serve Bacon, 2.1 oz.
2. Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon, 16 oz.
3. Fiber One Bars, 10 pk.
4. Yoplait Go Gurt, 8 pk. (Tip: Enjoy them frozen)
5. Yoplait Greek 2X Protein Yogurt, 4 pk. (0% Fat!)
6. Red Seedless Grapes, 2 lbs.
7. Kiwi Fruit
8. Baby Carrots, 20 oz.

Today I have a storage tip to share.  Outer packaging on food products eats-up precious freezer space.  My goal is to remove unnecessary packaging so that I can fit more product into my freezer, especially when I get a great price & want to stock up.  For example, the bacon I purchased today could be taken out of its outer cardboard box & frozen within its inner plastic pouch (see my photo) — they stacked tidily and compactly.  I cut-out from the outer packaging the cooking instructions & keep it posted on the door of my refrigerator for later reference.  A good photo to study is the Freezer Meal post where the items are stacked compactly & neatly in her freezer.

This week’s shopping trip highlight was brought to you by Jolene, the new TFF 99 Cents Only Store expert! Find a 99 Cents Store location near you.

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With my first post of the new year, I gently encourage you to “shop first” at 99 Cents Only Stores.  For seven years, I’ve shopped first at 99 Cents Only Stores on Tuesdays … going in with no agenda, but very open to possibilities in my meal plan for the week.  As I gather up groceries here (no coupons necessary), I am inspired and my meal plan begins to take shape.  Next, I read the new grocery store ads released on Tuesdays (& check TFF for coupon matchups) for mainstream store deals to complete my weekly food shopping, but that requires using coupons. Shopping first at 99 Cents Only Stores is a huge time saver (no lists, no coupons) and a huge money saver!

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Shopping at the 99 Cents Only Stores is unique.  I don’t bring a shopping list of items & certainly no coupons. It is a free-flowing “sh-opportunity” to see what’s good on a particular day, and then taking advantage of deals that I stumble upon.  Today, however, I HAD a mission … I really need a wall calendar for 2012.  Guess what?  I found the perfect calendar & so much more:

1. Strawberries from Watsonville, 1 lb.
2. Apples from Washington, 3 lbs.
3. Kraft Grated Parmesan & Romano Cheese, 5 oz. (also, only Parm available)
4. Stouffer’s Stuffed Melt & Soup Combo, 10 oz.
5. Lean Cuisine Roasted Veggie Pizza, 6 oz.
6. Pillsbury Gingerbread Cookie Dough, 16.5 oz (also, holiday design cookies)
7. Kellogg’s Egg & Cheese Biscuit Scramblers, 4 pk
8. Athenos Greek Yogurt, 16 oz.
9. Not pictured: Tons of Lunchables in all varieties, and four different coffee creamer options

Thank you to Francee for posting in comments last week about finding the Egg & Cheese Biscuits at the Antioch store!  I love that TFF readers are sharing their 99 Cents Only finds here!  The Athenos Greek Yogurt is diet-friendly because it contains 23 g (46%) protein, which keeps me feeling less hungry through the day–use it in smoothies, as a topping w/fruit, or as a dip for carrot sticks.  I am soooo happy with this 2012 calendar because it has boxes for me (Mom) plus each child–it is called “Mom’s Family Calenda:r Who does what and goes where when” by Sandra Boynton.  At a glance, I can see all my children’s activities & mine so easily.  Unfolded, it is about 2 feet long and very high quality.  Look in the stationery aisle on spinner racks, if you’re a mom this is your essential organizing calendar for the new year:

1. Mom’s Family Calendar, Aug ’11 to Dec ’12 (retail $13.99)

Happy New Year to everyone, and let’s keep sharing our finds in 2012!  This week’s shopping trip highlight was brought to you by Jolene, the new TFF 99 Cents Only Store expert! Find a 99 Cents Store location near you.

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Need a toy for donation or gift?  These were all $1, no coupons necessary, at the 99 Cents Only Store on Clayton Road.  All of them were on an endcap near the stationery aisle, except the Polly Pockets which were in the toy aisle.  In parentheses I list the retail prices that amazon is charging for these toys:

1. Disney Little Einstein Beanz Plush Rocket, ages 6 mos.+ (retail $9.30)
2. Polly Pocket Collect a Cutant (2 figures), ages 4+ (retail $5.99)
3. Dora’s Explorer Girls Fashion Pack (outfits, accessory), ages 5+ (retail $10.99)
4. bizu funky beads, ages 6+ (retail $15.55)

In the paper products aisle, I found Expressions by Hallmark 12-packs of heavyweight colored paper bags with 12 matching stickers.  Another shopper shared with me a really good idea for the colored bags & stickers.  She bakes mini loaves of quick breads and places them in the bags as gifts for the women she mentors at her church MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers) group.  Homemade & from the heart!  Here are a few of my grocery deals, too — happy to get coffee creamer, especially:

1. La Creme w/real milk & cream, 1 pt. (I’m excited to try this!)
2. Silk Pumpkin Spice, 1 qt.
3. Yoplait Splitz, 4 pk.
4. Oscar Mayer Turkey Kielbasa, 14 oz.
5. Kraft Thousand Island Dressing, hefty 24 oz.
6. Oranges, 3 lbs.
7. Bananas, 2 lbs.
8. Artichoke
9. 12-pk of colored bags & stickers by Hallmark

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Lots of new arrivals at the 99 Cents Only Store!  I’ll share grocery first, and then Gift/Donation items for only $1 each.  See the animal print tissue box?  Wouldn’t it look awesome next to Julia’s computer in her office?!  Just had to snap a photo of it!

Finally, in the Disney aisle, there are tons of paperback books for $1 (retail $4.99).  Pirates of the Caribbean comes in an early reader chapter book-style designed for primary grades (K-2), as well as a version suitable for grades 3-5.  High School Musical books also had a readability of about grades 3-5.  I think books make wonderful gifts…easy to wrap, and no batteries required!  Happy hunting at the 99 Cents Only Store!

This week’s shopping trip highlight was brought to you by Jolene, the new TFF 99 Cents Only Store expert! Find a 99 Cents Store location near you.

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I’m sharing two sections today–Gift/Donation Ideas & Grocery–from the 99 Cents Only Store.  If you have a Nintendo DS fan on your list, he or she will love this Nintendo DS System Wrapfor only $1.  There were lots of designs to choose from, including Star Wars.  These are skins that kids can personalize their DS with.  The Wraps are hanging on pegs in Electronics aisle.  For boys, I found these Champion graphic tees for $1 (the retail tag says $9.99) and I’m a little miffed because I purchased this brand for my son at Target & paid a LOT more than $1!  These are size small, but they seem to be a boys size 12-14.  And how about Nivea lip balms for stocking stuffers?  I seem to have a lip balm in my purse, my pocket, and my car at all times!  So, here are my non-grocery finds today:

And since we all have to feed our families, in addition to holiday shopping…here are my bargains in the grocery aisle.  All $1, no coupons necessary!

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While most people are busy planning Thanksgiving feasts right now, I’m thinking about what to serve the next day.  After the inevitable overeating, I think my family will welcome a very light chicken Caesar entree salad.  Today I picked up Kraft Sizzling Salads Chicken Caesar Dinner Kit.  It includes two bottles–a cracked black pepper cooking sauce for eight chicken breasts & a classic Caesar dressing for tossing with the chicken & veggies.  Here are today’s finds, all for $1:

1.)   Kraft Sizzling Salads Dinner Kit, 16.9 oz (Chicken Caesar or Southwest)
2.)   Potatoes, 5 lbs.
3.)   Baby Potatoes in a rainbow of hues
4.)   Mother’s All Natural Toasted Oats Cereal, 12.5 oz. (also Capt’n Crunch)
5.)   Temptations, 3 pk.
6.)   Bananas, 2 lbs.
7.)   Portabella Mushrooms, 2 pk.
8.)   Romaine Hearts, 3 pk.
9.)   Breakstones Reduced Fat Sour Cream, 16 oz.
10.)  Hahn’s Soft Cream Cheese Tub, 6 oz.

Last week, readers Linda & Barbara shared about the Baby Potatoes and how divine they tasted microwaved, mashed, roasted, or left in a crockpot.  Their cute size and color seem to shout “gourmet”, but you’re only paying $1.  I read the back of the Mother’s All Natural Toasted Oats Cereal and it’s manufactured by the trusted Quaker Oats Co. (who knew?).  This cereal resembles Life Cereal.  Keep your eyes open in the chilled section for Buitoni products–ravioli, linguine, and Alfredo sauce tubs.  I happened to visit the Willow Pass Rd. store last Thurs. & they were stocked, so Buitoni may be coming to your store.  They weren’t at the Clayton Rd. store today, but grab them if you see them because these retail for about $5.

This week’s shopping trip highlight was brought to you by Jolene, the new TFF 99 Cents Only Store expert! Find a 99 Cents Store location near you.

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Did you miss out on printing the high-value $1.50 cheese coupon yesterday?  Unless you’re tethered to a printer all day, it’s a challenge to grab the great coupons.  I was busy yesterday at Target’s 90%-off Halloween clearance, so I missed printing the cheese coupon.  But the 99 Cents Only Store has me covered!  Today I got Kraft American & Cheddar Shredded Cheese Bonus Packs for $1 each, no coupon necessary! Shredded cheese freezes well, so I grabbed four. Here are my finds, all $1 each:

1.)    Kraft American & Cheddar Shredded Cheese Bonus Pack, 9.6 oz. – WOW!
2.)    Earthbound Farms Organic Baby Kale, 5 oz.
3.)    Certified Organic Guacamole, 12 oz. in frozen area
4.)    Red Onions, 2 lbs.
5.)    Roma Tomatoes, 8 ct.
6.)    Oscar Mayer Oven Roasted Chicken, 14 oz.
7.)    Fruit 2 Day Smoothie, 6.75 oz.
8.)    Snackwells 130 Calorie Packs, 5 ct.
9.)    Ritz Multi-Grain Crackerfuls
10.)  Keebler Grahams, 15 oz.

They were also beginning to stock the shelf with Nabisco Grahams & Nilla Vanilla Mini Wafers as I left.  I also wanted to mention the large, heavy duty foil turkey trays are in the paper goods aisle & they were marked $.59, if you’re in need of these for Thanksgiving.  I have been reading a lot about Baked Kale Chips as a healthy low-calorie option to chips.  I’ll be trying this Baked Kale Chips recipe with my organic kale.  

This week’s shopping trip highlight was brought to you by Jolene, the new TFF 99 Cents Only Store expert! Find a 99 Cents Store location near you.

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