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Showing posts with label Savings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Savings. Show all posts

Friday, March 10, 2017

Simple Savings - Discounted Meats and Produce at Target

I love Target, and not just because it tempts me with clearance sales and seasonal decor. Target is one of my favorite places for saving money on food.  Even though I prefer to buy locally produced foods when possible, that isn't always an option, especially at the end of winter. During these times, I rely on store sales.

My local Target store isn't a super center, so that means the selection is small, but it also means the turn-over is fantastic. I am there 1-2 times a week, and I see the employees working in the grocery department, marking and restocking. They are especially diligent about ensuring meat and produce are fresh, and this is how I find some of my biggest discounts. The meat department offers a variety of beef, pork, and chicken, and the produce that gets discounted is already bagged, so it is clearly marked and easy to grab.

There are three ways to save on meat and produce at Target:

1) Weekly Sales -  When the sales circular comes out for the week, it is worth a glance. There is usually a variety of meat on sale averaging 25% off. This puts prices in competition with other mass chains like Wal-Mart and Kroger. These sales are already in the computers, so there is nothing you have to do besides make your purchase as normal.

2) "Special Today" coupons - These coupons are basically clearance stickers for meat and produce. They identify what products have reached the week of their "Use or freeze by" date so they will move quickly and minimize financial loss for the store. They range in demonstrations of $1-$5 with greater amounts usually given to larger packages and items that are the closest to their "Use or freeze by" date. And the best part is that if a product is already on a weekly sale, the coupon is deducted from the sale price, so you can double dip your savings! There is no limit on how many coupons you can redeem in a trip. Markdowns are done in the morning, so you have to get their early for the best selection. 10 AM has always been a good time for me because everything is marked and there is still plenty available, but this will vary by store, so it may take a few tries to find your best shopping time.

3) Cartwheel app - I never shop without my iPod because it has the Cartwheel app (and Target has free Wi-Fi!). The Cartwheel app allows you to add digital coupons to a single barcode that is scanned at the checkout. These coupons are usually percentages off although some are for dollars and cents. These can also be used in conjunction with weekly sales and "Special Today" coupons for a triple dip. Be sure to read the fine print for each coupon; there is often a limit of 4 uses. 

At checkout, discounts are usually done in the order that I have listed. For example, I once purchased 1 pound packages of organic ground beef that were normally $7.99 each. They were on a weekly sale for 25% off with $3 Special Today" coupons on each package with an extra 15% of on Cartwheel. This meant each package was:
$7.99 - 25% = $5.99 - $3 = $2.99 - $0.45 = $2.54 per package

If you do plan to stock up, I recommend freezing everything as soon as you get home, so make sure you have plenty of room before you shop! And finally, don't forget to compare prices per ounce when you considering different sizes of the same product. It may be to your advantage to buy smaller packages if there are better discounts available, so keep your calculator ready when you are shopping.

I grabbed these pork chops this morning. They were marked $4.99, so after my coupon, they were only $1.99!



This post is hooked up with the ohmyheartsiegirl.com linky party!

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Simple Savings - Build-A-Bear

My kids love Build-A-Bear. And I mean LOVE. They play with their BAB "friends" every single day. If they get to pick a place to spend their birthday money, it is always BAB. We go 3 or 4 times a year, and every experience is always a special memory.

Now I know that sounds indulgent. Those stuffed little critters can get expensive really fast, especially when the kids want to add sounds and scents and a wardrobe that is more stylish than my own. But this mama always has some tricks up her sleeve. Our BAB trips are usually half off the normal prices, which means I can get two fully dressed stuffed friends for my kids for the price of one. So what is my secret to these great savings? Planning. With these few tips, you can save a ton.

1) Before you do anything, use your Costco or Sam's Club membership (or find someone who will let you use theirs) and buy discounted gift cards. You can get 4 $25 cards for $79.98. On Black Friday, they are usually $69.98. These cards can be used in-store or online and in conjunction with any sale or reward certificates you have. Occasionally the store will also offer a $10 gift card for $5 depending on the amount of your purchase. This is a great deal too, but since there is a minimum purchase requirement, you can accidentally spend more just to save $5.

2) Sign up for the e-mail list. They send out sales alerts and coupons. Some coupons are $10 off a $30 purchase or for a free outfit or accessory. The important thing is to read the fine print for the expiration date and to see where the coupon can be used.

3) Sign up for Build A Bear Rewards. You earn 1 point for every $1 spent. After 100 points, you get a $10 Reward that can be used on anything. Keep track of your membership number because you will need to input it when you order online. If you make a purchase in the store, you can give the clerk your phone number you used during registration.

4) Watch the sales! While the store does offer some friends for as little as $12 each, the deluxe animals, especially the licensed characters and holiday exclusives, are usually $20-27 each. The store regularly offers 2 for $35, however, this doesn't always include all of the animals, such as the Star Wars characters. So go online to read for exclusions. If you can wait for a sale, all of the animals will eventually go on the 2 for $35. This is usually in July or August when the store isn't receiving any holiday traffic.

5) Shop online. Did you know that you can order the skins (animal bodies) unstuffed? Once you receive them, you can take them to your favorite BAB store and let your child have the whole experience. By shopping online, you can take advantage of sales and stack multiple coupons when it is convenient. I ordered 4 skins on Black Friday so I could save them for birthdays and summer vacation. The website always offer free shipping with a $40 purchase BEFORE coupons and rewards.

6) Check out the clearance sections online and in the store. Outfits and accessories can be discounted 25%-50%.

Thrift BAB Storage - zip-tied file crates
The last time I purchased BAB's, I purchased two My Little Pony characters with their matching outfits. Because I followed my savings rules, I was able to knock down the cost from $81 to $37 (before tax). I ordered online, and Prairie Daughter was still able to visit the store for the full experience.

My final tip is one that is more about personal finance with kids than it is about savings: Let your kids buy the extras. Even though our trips are for special occasions, we have a rule: Mommy will pay for the skins and one outfit, but the kids have to purchase any scents, sounds, or other accessories. They budget out of their allowance how much they can spend. Prairie Daughter is 7, and she is great at planning, so her first question is usually "Do you have any coupons I can have?" Prairie Son is only 3, so I help him plan his visit. By planning, this also helps put some boundaries on the visit so the kids don't get disappointed. They know they can't afford the whole store, and they are contented to find the items on their lists.

I have to admit, I love Build A Bear almost as much as my kids do. Not only is it a fun activity, but the customer service is amazing. If your stuffed friends get a lot of love like ours do, you can take them back anytime to have stuffing added or have stitching repaired free of charge! Have a problem with a soundbox? They will fix that too. Our favorite BAB store at Stonebriar Centre in Frisco, Texas has handled a lot of repairs for us, and they never disappoint.

Have questions? Feel free to comment. I don't consider myself a Build A Bear expert (yet), but we have had a lot of great experiences, and I will help any way I can.