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2 free blizzards!

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Walmart Price Matching Arizona Android Application - November 6 - 12, 2013

Now it does seem like a few coupon bloggers have, much like myself, stopped posting as much. There are really only a few Price Matching websites I can find.

A few problems with Price Matching.

1. Challenging to find price matching on the phone in store.
2. Bargain Believer website is great. Tried using on mobile - Just text and not easy to navigate.
3. Bashas mobile app showed eggs on sale on Thursday when really, it was a Friday only deal. Unacceptable and embarrassing!
4. Some price matching sites are not accurate and it is embarrassing as well as disappointing.

Scenario:
You go into Walmart to do some ad matching. You see the website for matching shows 5 dozen eggs in carton for $5.99. The website does not specify size. You take a chance. You get to the front and the cashier informs you that it is large eggs and walmart only has medium at that time. You cannot get the eggs.

What the cashier fails to do is to tell you that Albertsons has Large dozen eggs for 87 cents a dozen.
You discover this later and get your eggs from Walmart because - if you are like me, you live 10 miles from the nearest Albertsons.

Ad matching saves time and money.

So, now - there is a mobile app available for Arizona for Price Matching Walmart.
The application is text based only. Well, so was my first webpage, right?

Soon, the menu will include images and it should be better looking soon.
Until then, at least  there is a resource to go to for price matching groceries in Arizona.
If you want one for your area, make the request. Let's see what we can do to fulfill it!

The great thing is that the application is supposed to be updated weekly on Wednesdays so, the application might update itself on those days with the new prices!!

This is a way to reach multiple users without having to email or post the information. If someone has the application, the prices are at their fingertips. 

Holiday Posting and Turkey Deal Nov 6 also - Fresh and Easy Coupons

Since the holiday season is coming and it seems that people are going to be even more strapped for food and cash, I will post throughout the holiday season.

According to one news report, Saint Mary's Food bank stated they will need between 7000-10000 turkeys this year to ensure everyone has a Thanksgiving.
That is a lot of turkeys.

So, remember - Turkeys are 59 cents a lb at Fresh and easy this week!
 Here is the link to some Fresh and Easy Coupons
4 off 20
http://www.freshandeasy.com//media/16196/02_coupon_4119_Nov5_4off20.pdf

5 off 25
http://www.freshandeasy.com/media/16200/5_off_25_coupon_4102_Nov5_5off25.pdf

SNAP Challenge? Information on stretching your food dollars (even if they are SNAP dollars)

So, this past week, I was reading about the SNAP challenge from Panera's CEO. Given the challenge does illustrate a few things such as this guy should not be allowed to shop for himself on a budget.. ever. He bought crazy items that - yeah would not go far to keeping one full.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=732006746824789&set=o.339795970622&type=1&theater&notif_t=wall

Spanish olive oils, lentils and chickpeas?

So, I decided I would help those less fortunate, not by going hungry but by informing.

 Let's get real up close and personal. You see, I was a daughter of a multimillionaire in the 80s.. Then he passed and I was penniless due to the greed of my family and his business partner. I lived in despair. I survived by my wits. I lived in the ghetto, barrio and such. I made my way back up (with education) to a 6 figure salary within a decade of completing my Bachelors. However, I am not a waster and I only work a few months out of the year full time. The rest of the year, I spend homeschooling my children, writing, creating Droid apps and with my family.


So, here is my SNAP CHALLENGE.
If I would be so blessed as to have 31.50 a week per person for 4 people... in a month, that would be something in the neighborhood of 500 a month. That is a lot of money.

I know  food stamp people get free lunches. The school my children attended didn't know what to do with me because my children were not eligible and every single child in that school but mine were eligible for food stamps (we lived on the college campus). After years of struggling as a single parent of 3, I can definitely show you how to make the most of your SNAP benefit.


SNAP Challenge - Eating awesome for 31.50 per person per week.
Example: Family of 4 = $126 for the week (are you serious? That is an obscene amount of food)
504/month

$140
Walmart Cost = approx $ (some here do not charge tax on food - San Tan Valley(for sure) and Mesa(?)) See if you can find one that doesn't charge tax near you.

(3) 10 lb bag of Potatoes (ad match) $4.50
1 Gallon Oil - 7.36
6 dozen eggs $6  (albertsons, ad match or walgreens)
36 pack Ramen $6 (ad match)
10 Avocados $2 (ad match)
2 pk Radish .50 (ad match)
6 head lettuce $2 (ad match)
Cabbage approx. 6lbs $4(ad match)
6 bags Mini Peeled Carrots  $6 (ad match)
Mini Onions in jar $1.99
9lbs Fresh Brown or yellow onion $3 (ad match)
Split Chicken Breasts 10 lbs @.99lb (Bashas or Smart/Final ad match) $10.00
Beef Back Ribs 10lbs @.99lb (Pros ad match) $10
10 Milk 1/2 gallon (safeway ad match) @$1 each = $10
Store saltines 6 boxes (ad match) = $6
10 Powerade .59 = 5.90
5 boxes of Taco shells = $6
1 20lb bag of rice = $10
25lb bag Flour $8
10 lb bag sugar $5.48
45 oz margarine $4
3 Sour Cream = $3 or Mexican Creama (yum!) $3
Olives = $3
Tortillas = $3
Refried Beans $1
$5 more in fruits or veg
Roma Tomatoes (ad match) 9lbs = $3 or Red Tomatoes 9lbs for $4.50
Here is the trick with the tomatoes - simple you could have figured it out or have... here goes anyway - get tomatoes that are ripe and not ripe.

Approx $100
Sams Club (get a membership or ride a complimentary _ *Students, military get $15 card after membership sign up - tell them you are student or military. )

10lb box of frozen 1/4lb patties = $28
2 BOXES Breaded cod fillets (40 fillets)- $24
 Mushrooms = $5
Coleslaw mix - $3
5lb block Cheese = $11
2lb block Colby Cheese = $6
Box of pasta - elbow macaroni = $6
12 bags Frozen Veg - $10
5lb bag peas or some other frozen veg = $6

That's $240. That is a TON of food for the month. This leaves approx $260

So, now, you can get a sandwich pack for $8 at Sams and bread for 4 = $12 for a treat each week.
48 dollars which leaves approx. $190

Here's your menu. To make it simple eat the same type of items each week just as an example.

Remember to eat veggies with your food. So - Salad or veg pack works.

Week 1
Chicken   Chicken     Fish         Burger     Tacos          Pasta/Casserole    Sandwiches
1 lb           1lb            8 fillet      4              4 or 1lb       4 or 1lb                       
Rice         Potatoes     rice          bread      taco shells   pasta bag          

Week 2
Chicken   Chicken   Fish      Meatloaf   Tacos Salad  Pasta/Casserole   Sandwiches
1 lb            1lb         8 fillet       4           4 or 1lb            4 or 1lb                       
Rice          Potatoes     rice        bread     tortilla             pasta bag        

Week3
Chicken     Chicken     Fish        Burger     tostadas      Pasta/Casserole  Sandwiches
1 lb                1lb         8 fillet         4          4 or 1lb      4 or 1lb                       
Rice             Potatoes     rice          bread    tortilla        pasta bag         

Week 4

Chicken     Chicken     Fish        Burger    7 layer dip        Spaghetti     Sandwiches
1 lb                1lb         8 fillet         4          4 or 1lb              4 or 1lb                       
Rice             Potatoes     rice          bread    chips/tortilla       pasta bag      


Left with  2lbs of Chicken
Left with 2lbs of Hamburger
Left with 8 fillets

 Some  quick dinners.

1. chicken in a crockpot - use broth to make a soup
2. fish tacos are an option
3. Chicken with rice and cabbage/veg to make asian dish
4. Burgers or meatloaf or even shepherd's pie
5. Taco or tostada night !
6. Pasta or casserole dish
7. Sandwiches or whatever $12 treat

Breakfasts - eggs, cheese, milk and you still have like 190 dollars which amounts to about 50 a week more for other stuff.

I mean, let's get real. It really is more than enough if you stretch it.
The problem I think and I see around here is this:

At the beginning of the month people tend to get their food SNAP benefits through about the middle of the month. You see them with their multiple full baskets. Sometimes kids will eat a lot if a parent is working. So, getting food they can easily eat could be a challenge in keeping food in the house.

Solution I found with consuming is - don't get easy to cook items like burritos, corn dogs, sandwich meat or even a roast (yeah... they ate a pot roast for a snack one day).

What I did was get some frozen dinners and let them put their names on it and just have those if they were going out or missing dinner or I was exhausted from work.

To be honest, before I had a mother's helper, all I gave them was frozen dinners.
If you want to go that direction - you can get dinners for about $2 each.

7x2 = 14
14x4 = 56

56x4 = 224 dollars for dinners.

You still have 275 dollars for other food for the month....




There are a lot of options and ways to make the most out of your benefits or money, even without couponing.

Also, did you know that you can buy plants and seeds for planting with your SNAP. I heard that in Alaska you can buy a bow and arrow!

Plants would be great because you would have fresh food free... like parsley, rosemary, other items. I saw a website where you can grow potatoes, strawberries and mushrooms in buckets! Of course, mushroom picking or growing should be done with caution. I wouldn't do it.

Ad matching - Round 159 - Tips

Well, here it is, now there is a new policy at Walmart which has its advantages and disadvantages. They actually state in the new policy that it must be each for each and pound for pound matching on produce, etc.

Now, that being taken into consideration, Walmart is accepting competitor coupons that have a price included. For Arizonans, this means that the Fresh and Easy coupons can be used at Walmart. At least, this is what the clerk in Gilbert told me! I am very excited about that one.

Tip:

When you have a BOGO or Buy two get one - and the clerk needs to enter the cost, if that cost is around 4 dollars, the clerk will need to manually enter this as a vendor coupon.

Today, I went to Walmart to ad match Frys (Kroger) for Gillette and Secret products as that someone had already raided my Frys by 9am this morning. The coupons expired today so I could not play the "raincheck game".

Just as an FYI, there is some confusion about the "clarification" of the raincheck policy on Fry's Facebook page. According to the employee, only items in the ad can get a raincheck and if there is a coupon for the item, you cannot get a raincheck. That seems a bit odd. Then, the person stated you can use coupons with a raincheck. It's all so not worth the trouble when you ad match at Walmart or Target.

So, I purchased the Secret deoderant and had coupons for:

$1/2 secret
Buy 2 secret - get free secret spray

$2 off Gillette.

Well, the Gillette was ad matched for 1.99 and the $2 off coupons scanned fine (4 of them).
The System did not like the Free secret spray coupon because the value was too high. So, the clerk entered these as Vendor coupon. Since this was entered as a vendor coupon, the $1/2 Secret coupons scanned without any issue.

4 Gillette Body Wash
4 Secret Deoderant
2 Secret spray

$3 and change.

Now, at the Frys earlier today, I purchased

4 Old Spice Body Wash
8 Old Spice deoderants

for $8

Frys also took the $1 off 2 and the Buy one Old spice body wash, get one deoderant free.

In the past, I have always had issues combining coupons. However, today was an odd day for combinations!

Snackwells! Yum.

These were 3.29 at Frys.

Order 1:
Purchase 2 boxes of Snackwells Cereal bars.
Use $1/1 coupon. 2.29 ea.
Total = 4.58 OOP
Get $3 OYNO wyb 2.

Order 2:
Oscar Mayer hot dogs found on sale at certain Frys for $1.99.
Buy 5 packs of hot dogs for $9.95
If you have the Target Buy 3 get one free, even better!
Use $3 OYNO snackwells.

Pay $4.96 (approx)OOP

Get $4 OYNO.

Purchase 2 boxes of Snackwells Cereal bars.
Use $1/1 coupon. 2.29 ea.
Use $4 OYNO
Total = .58

Get $3 OYNO wyb 2.


You still have $3 OYNO to use also.
So for about $10 OOP (but you still have the $3 off you can use so $7) you can get 5 packages of hot dogs and 4 boxes of cereal bars.

This is not a great deal when you consider that in the past, cereal bars were either free or less than 10 cents before the recession.

However, this deal may work for you, if you like snackwells.

Remember, at some stores you can use these OYNO at Starbucks if they have one inside!

Ad matching - Target:NO, Walmart:OK

About a month ago, I started taking the Pros ranch market and Food City flyers to Walmart and Target and ad matching.

After all 7lbs of Navel oranges for $1, 10 cucumbers for $1 and 4lbs of Fuji apples for $.96 was a great deal. The fresh produce at Food City and Pros leave a little to be desired. They are, in my opinion, bottom of the barrel.

Also, I was able to get heads of lettuce 3/$1 at walmart.

So, here is the breakdown.

I go to Target and Ad match apples with no problems.
So, another day, I go to Target to ad match some chicken.
Well, according to the customer service, I cannot ad match chicken because Target's chicken is Market Pantry brand and the ad was generic. It was just Chicken Breasts.
So, I left the store. I said to the rep, "Well, I can just go to Walmart or to the store directly. Tell me, what is my incentive then, to shop here?"

So, I called the store later to find out if this is really the policy. I was informed that a Target Watermelon is different from an Albertsons Watermelon and they would not ad match that. What????

Yes. They will ad match name brand items but if you can get them to match fruit, vegetables or meat... consider yourself fortunate.

Well, I called Corporate and they confirmed this.

Walmart does ad match apples for apples but if you try to ad match oranges for oranges, they might try to say no.

Remember, they have a new policy for ad matching that came out in April.

"If you can find a lower price anywhere, we will be sure to match it."

Anywhere? Well, that seems a little like misrepresentation. I found an item in Mesa, and Chandler Walmart tried to deny me. I was like, "I have your ad on my phone, would you like to see it?" Then, I was told that since oranges are sold per item and not by the pound, that could not be matched. This changed quickly as I recited the ad matching policy and told a lower level manager that I had spoken to a manager in Gilbert who informed me that, "Yes, they are supposed to match it."

The fact is that they can and have ad matched this in some stores with no problems. I think the cashiers are either misinformed or simply do not know how to manage the register to get the price in lbs rather than per item.

Overall, it is a little bit of a pain in these situations but getting 1.79 Romaine lettuce for .50 or getting $13 dollars in oranges for $3 does save my family a substantial amount of money and the kids can have fresh fruit and veggies that are decent quality.