c/deal-finder-talk

Rant: Took me 30 years to realize I was stocking the freezer wrong

I always put new groceries in the front. Figured grab the old stuff first. But last week I pulled out a bag of peas from the back. Dated 2019. That's when it clicked. I was burying my own food. Now I rotate everything. New in back, old up front. Simple but I felt like an idiot. Anyone else have a grocery habit they were blind to?

Remember when a family pizza night cost under $10? I miss those days

Picked up a large pepperoni and breadsticks from Pizza Hut last night for my kids. Total was $28 after tax. I remember in 2017 grabbing the same thing for like $12. My oldest asked why I groaned at the register. Anyone else notice takeout prices doubled or am I just going to the wrong places?

My mom called me out for buying name brand peanut butter

I was at the grocery store last week grabbing my usual jar of Jif when my mom texted me a picture of the store brand peanut butter sitting in her cart. She said 'this is $1.89 and the ingredients are literally the same as what you're paying $4.50 for.' At first I got defensive, like there's no way the cheap stuff tastes as good. But she made me do a blind taste test with my kids at her house on Saturday, and not one of us could tell the difference. Now I feel kinda dumb for wasting money on brand loyalty for something so basic. Has anyone else had a family member call them out on a specific product that made you switch to a generic or store brand?

Found a weird trick to save on gas last month

I started driving with my windows up and AC off on the highway in Phoenix, and somehow my tank lasted 3 extra days. Has anyone else tried something like this or am I just getting lucky?

Overheard a guy at the hardware store bragging about his $80 caulk gun and I had to bite my tongue

I was picking up some painter's tape and this dude is telling his friend he spent 80 bucks on a caulk gun for his bathroom remodel. I wanted to say something so bad but I kept quiet. I've been using the same $8 caulk gun from the big box store for 7 years and my bathroom caulk lines look fine. No drips, no mess, just steady pressure and a wet finger at the end. I get that fancy tools have their place but a caulk gun is basically a metal tube with a plunger. What did that 80 dollar one do, caulk the tile for him while he watched TV? Has anyone else seen people drop crazy money on simple tools they don't need?

Shoutout to checking unit prices at the grocery store for the first time last month

I always just grabbed whatever was on sale or had a big coupon. But last month I finally started checking the unit price, you know the little tag on the shelf that says price per ounce or per pound. I was buying a big family size box of cereal for $4.50 figuring it was the best deal. Turns out the smaller box right next to it was $2.00 and actually cheaper per ounce because the big box was a sneaky 'bonus size' with a bunch of air. I went through my whole cart and saved about $12 just by comparing those little numbers. Now I feel like a dummy for all the years I spent overpaying. Has anyone else found a specific product where the big size is a total rip off?

My neighbor swore I was wasting money buying name-brand gas. I've been using the cheap stuff for 6 months now.

So my neighbor Dave, who's a retired mechanic, told me last year that all gas is basically the same and I'm just paying for the brand name. I used to always fill up at Shell or Chevron because I thought the detergents kept my engine cleaner. But Dave said the store brand gas at Sheetz or Speedway is the same stuff just cheaper, about 20 cents less per gallon. I started using the cheap gas back in March, and now my car has started idling rough and the check engine light came on last week. My mechanic says it could be dirty injectors from lower quality fuel. But my brother says Dave is right and I probably just hit some bad luck with something else. Has anyone else had a car act up after switching to discount gas?

That Saturday in March when every coupon actually lined up perfectly

I still think about one random Saturday back in 2019 where I hit three stores in my town and saved $47 on groceries and household stuff combined. The store had a double coupon day and somehow my expired cat food coupon still scanned. Has anyone else had a day where everything just clicked like that?

Shoutout to the store brand that's basically the same as name brand

Honestly, I used to be a total brand snob when it came to canned tomatoes. I would only buy the San Marzano ones from the fancy section. But about 6 months ago, during a tight week, I grabbed the store brand at my local Kroger for $1.50 cheaper. Tbh, I made chili with them and couldn't tell the difference. Ngl, now I've saved like $30 total just on tomatoes alone. Has anyone else noticed the same thing with other pantry staples?

Found my old receipts from 2018 and spotted a pricing mistake

I was cleaning out my desk drawer last night and found a grocery receipt from 6 years ago. For fun I matched it against today's prices on the same items at the same store in Columbus. The store had been charging me a higher price on a specific brand of canned tomatoes than what was on the shelf tag for about 4 months before I caught it back then. It made me wonder how many other little pricing errors slip through weekly... has anyone else ever cross checked old slips like that?

Shoutout to my local grocery store's clearance bin for saving my dinner plans

I was gonna make tacos last Tuesday but the ground beef was $7 a pound at the regular spot. Walked over to the discount grocery on 5th street and found markdown packs of chicken thighs for $2.50 each. Grabbed 3 of them and froze two, cooked one that night. The difference in price was like 60% less for the same quality, just had to cook it that day. Anyone else got a hidden clearance section they swear by?

Overheard a guy at the pharmacy comparing coupon apps

Was waiting for my prescription at CVS on Main St. and heard this guy tell his friend he saved $38 last month just using two different drugstore apps. Never thought to stack those things. Downloaded a couple on my phone right there. Anyone else actually get real savings from those or is it mostly junk?

Pro tip: I started checking the clearance rack at my local grocery store every Tuesday morning

Last week at the Safeway on Elm Street I found a whole ribeye roast marked down to $8 because it was set to expire that day, so I froze it and now I'm wondering if anyone else has had luck asking the meat counter when they put out the discounted stuff.

Rant: That warehouse club membership I almost cancelled last month

I was ready to drop my Costco membership after a whole year of just buying paper towels and rotisserie chickens. Then last Tuesday I had to buy new tires for my Honda and the price difference floored me. Discount Tire quoted me $680 installed but Costco had the same Michelins for $560 with a $70 rebate. I walked out saving almost $200 on one trip. That got me looking at their pharmacy prices too since I take a blood pressure pill. My CVS copay was $15 a month but Costco's cash price for a 90 day supply was only $12. That's $168 a year on one prescription alone. Has anyone else had a similar experience where one big purchase made you rethink a membership?

Bulk buying vs. weekly trips which one actually saves more?

That $5 'expired' protein powder turned out fine

Found a tub of whey isolate at a discount grocery in Phoenix marked down to $5 because it was 8 months past the date. I was sure it would taste like cardboard or worse but figured why not. Took a scoop, mixed it with milk, and honestly couldn't tell a difference from fresh stuff. Has anyone else gambled on expired supplements and gotten away with it?

That week I found $40 worth of gift cards in my couch cushions

So I was cleaning out my old recliner last Tuesday trying to find a lost remote, and I pulled out three gift cards from under the cushion. Two had like $0.80 each left on them, but the third one from Target still had $37.42 on it from like two years ago. I ran out and bought groceries with it that same day, felt like I won the lottery or something. Anyone else ever find forgotten cash or cards hiding in random spots?

Found out my local butcher will grind any cut for free if you ask

I was at the butcher counter last Saturday buying chuck roast for burgers. The guy behind me told me to just pick a whole piece and have them grind it right there. I paid $4.99 a pound instead of $7.99 for the pre-ground stuff. Does anyone else have a butcher that does hidden stuff like this without advertising it?

Bought a 20 dollar instant pot knockoff at the flea market and it either saved my meal prep or ruined my Sunday dinners

It worked great for 3 weeks then started burning everything on the bottom, but the real brands are 80 bucks so which side do you fall on for cheap kitchen gear that might crap out on you?

Had to choose between store brand laundry soap and name brand...

I ran out of detergent last Thursday and stood there in the aisle at the Walmart on 41st Street trying to decide. The store brand was $6.49 for 100 loads and the Tide was $12.99 for the same size. My mom always swore by the name brand stuff, said the cheap stuff leaves residue and smells weird. But I'm trying to cut my grocery bill under $400 a month, so I grabbed the store brand. First load came out fine, no smell, clothes felt clean. But after about three washes, I noticed my towels felt kinda stiff and not as soft. Then my husband mentioned his shirts felt scratchy. So now I'm wondering if I should've just spent the extra $6.50. Has anyone else had this problem with the off-brand detergents?

Had to pick between two laundry detergents for a bulk buy at Costco

Last week I stood there comparing the Kirkland brand pods ($18 for 108 loads) against Tide pods ($28 for 81 loads) and went with the cheaper option to save $10. Three washes later and my work shirts still smell a bit off, especially after a sweaty day on the pressure washer rig. Should I just suck it up and switch back to Tide even though it costs more per load?

The cashier at Kroger taught me about coupon stacking five years ago

I was checking out with about $50 worth of stuff and this older lady behind me swiped her card and paid like $12. I asked how she did it and she just pointed at a stack of coupons in her purse. She spent 10 minutes showing me how to match store sales with manufacturer coupons on the same item. That one conversation saved me around $30 a week for the next two years. I still think about her every time I see a good deal in the weekly ad. Has anyone else had a stranger just casually change your whole savings game?

Caught myself buying name-brand trash bags for 10 years straight

I realized last Tuesday while staring at the receipt that Glad bags cost $8 for 30 count while the store brand at Kroger was $4 for 50 count and they hold just as much trash without ripping, so what other stuff am I overpaying for without thinking?

I keep seeing people stack coupons wrong at the register

Was at the grocery store yesterday and watched a lady try to use a store coupon plus a manufacturer coupon on one item. That works at some places but not others depending on the fine print. I used to mess this up all the time until a cashier at Food Lion explained it to me. Do y'all combine coupons or stick to one per item to avoid the hassle?

Almost got scammed at a Target in Phoenix on Sunday

Saw a deal on a air fryer for $29 but when I checked the box it was clearly a repackaged older model with a fake sticker. Anyone else notice stores being lazy about checking returns before putting them back out?