My old man told me 15 years ago to never buy the cheapest paint on the shelf because you'll just end up recoating twice. I ignored him for a while and grabbed a $12 gallon of house brand flat white at Lowes. After three coats still showing drywall tape, I finally shelled out for the $35 Benjamin Moore stuff and it covered in one coat. Anybody else have a piece of advice from a family member that cost you more to ignore?
I was grabbing some stuff at the Home Depot on Elm Street last weekend and this guy had a cart full of those GE 60-watt equivalent LEDs at $4.99 each. Our utility company does a mail-in rebate for LEDs that drops them to like $2.99, but you gotta check their site first. He just grabbed them off the shelf without looking. Anyone else notice people ignore utility rebates?
I was just checking my price tracker spreadsheet and realized I've saved $3,200 so far in 2024 just by stacking store coupons with manufacturer ones on groceries and household stuff. Anybody else keep a running tally of their savings or just wing it?
He watched me take a sip between deadlifts and pointed out I was tilting my head back too far, which messes with my neck alignment. I switched to bringing the bottle to my chest and turning my head to the side instead, and my next set felt way cleaner. Anyone else get a random form tip that actually improved something simple like hydrating?
Was grabbing some cereal last Tuesday and this woman in her 60s watched me pick a box off the shelf. She straight up told me I was throwing away $2 a week by not matching their app deals. Has anyone else had some stranger try to school them on saving money?
I was buying a new comforter set at the Target on 5th Avenue last Tuesday and the cashier told me my digital coupon was expired even though I had just pulled it up that morning. After 10 minutes of back and forth she finally called a manager who manually applied the discount. Has anyone else had trouble with those app only coupons not working in store?
I was at the Walmart on Main Street last Tuesday grabbing my usual single-serving yogurts for lunch. An older lady stocking the dairy section pointed at the 32-ounce tubs and said those are way cheaper per ounce. I did the math right there and she was right, the big tub costs about $0.12 per ounce versus $0.35 for the little cups. Now I buy one big tub and portion it into small containers myself, saves me around $4 a week. Anyone else had a random stranger save them money on something simple like that?
I bought a giant bag of paprika from a discount warehouse site thinking I was saving big, but it lost all its smell and taste way before I could use it up. Turns out buying spices in bulk only works if you cook professionally or share with neighbors, otherwise you're just tossing cash. Anyone else fall for this trap and find a better way to buy small amounts cheap?
I went to grab some cinnamon for a recipe and saw it's now $1.50 instead of $1.00. Has anyone else spotted a quiet price bump at their local store?
I always thought those grocery store loyalty apps were a scam for your data. Last month my neighbor saw me digging for coupons in the paper and said 'you're throwing away money, dude.' He showed me his phone with a $5 off coupon just for scanning a box of cereal. Now I check the app before every trip to Kroger and I'm saving about $12 a week. Has anyone else had an old person or neighbor change how you shop?
I used to hit the regular store every Sunday and blow $200 on stuff I didn't need, but after splitting a 50-pound bag of rice with a neighbor I started saving like $40 a week. Anyone else try buying from a wholesale place for everyday stuff?
Was at the Target on Main Street last Wednesday and the manager came over while I was checking out. Said I'd price matched 8 items in one trip and that was 'abusing the system.' Told me I couldn't do it anymore there. I wasn't even being shady about it. Just had the Walmart app pulled up on my phone showing the same stuff cheaper. Anyone else ever get flagged for price matching at a store?
I stopped by the Goodwill off Elm Street last Saturday and saw a used Keurig for $35, which is $10 more than a new one at Walmart down the road. The clerk told me they base prices on what they think people will pay, not what the item is actually worth. Has anyone else noticed thrift stores getting greedy with their pricing lately?
I always thought the yellow clearance stickers went on at closing time. Turns out I was showing up 12 hours late every single day for months. Stumbled on a Reddit thread where a Target employee spilled the exact markdown schedule for my store in Denver. Now I grab $5 ribeyes for $2.50 before work and my freezer is packed. Anyone else find out their store does markdowns at weird times?
She showed me the unit price difference at the Harris Teeter in Falls Church and I switched to the store brand, saving about $4 a box, and honestly I haven't noticed any difference in how clean the dishes come out - has anyone else found a generic that actually works worse than the name brand?
I always scrubbed every plate clean before loading because my mom said it was the only way. Then my neighbor in Denver told me she just scrapes big pieces off and lets the dishwasher do the work. Anyone else waste years doing extra work because of an old rule?
Ngl, they were supposed to make my clothes last twice as long but after 3 washes my favorite t-shirt from Target had holes in the armpits. Anyone else fall for one of those Instagram ad products?
I've been using a 2% cashback card for groceries and gas for about 18 months, and the total hit $500 last week without me really tracking it. Has anyone else noticed how fast those small purchases add up when you just set it and forget it?
I bought a 200 pack of kitchen trash bags from a discount store for $12 last week. My usual brand at the grocery store costs $8 for just 30 bags. I was worried they'd rip or leak but so far so good after 5 days of use. Has anyone else tried the no name brands and had them hold up?
Was at Target in Portland grabbing dish soap and paper towels. Saw a sign for a digital coupon but couldn't find it in the app. Stood there like an idiot refreshing the page for 45 minutes. Finally found it buried under 'personalized offers' and saved a grand total of $2.50. Anyone else waste way too much time chasing tiny savings?
My sister Jenna came over last Saturday and saw me ordering pizza for $25. She casually mentioned she gets the same pizza for $12 using a combo of the app's rewards and a coupon code from a blog she follows. I used to think couponing was for hoarders, but she showed me her phone and she saved $180 last month just on groceries at the Giant near her place in Philly. Anybody else totally slept on how easy those store apps actually are?
I bought a box of the generic frosted flakes at Kroger last week for $2.50 versus the name brand at $5.80. Honestly, I could not tell the difference in taste or texture. Has anyone else noticed the quality on store brands getting better across the board?
I never tracked it before but after adding up all my app rebates and credit card points from buying food, I realized I basically paid for a month of groceries with stuff I would've bought anyway - has anyone else found a category they never expected to save so much on?
I was grabbing some gallons of Benjamin Moore for a job last week and the old timer behind the counter goes 'you know the mistints in the back are half price right?' I always thought mistints were just messed up colors nobody wanted but he showed me a bunch that were perfectly fine shades of white and gray. Got 5 gallons for like $60 total instead of $200. Have any of you actually had good luck with mistint paint on real projects?