Ida forwarded me an email that Wegmans sent out regarding their ads!

How Do You Use Grocery Ads?

You’ll need about 5 minutes to complete the survey. We truly appreciate your feedback. As a thank-you, Wegmans will randomly draw three names from the list of participants at the completion of the survey period. We’ll award 3 Wegmans gift cards in the amount of $100. Good luck!

Well, since Wegmans will not list there sales, we will! Wegmans page here

here are the questions:

Which statement best characterizes the way that you typically shop for groceries?

I never look at the ads and just buy what I need when I go to the store.
I look through many different grocery ads and choose where I’m going to shop next based on who has the best deals.
I sometimes look at the ad for the store where I’m already planning to shop.
I plan a weekly menu & prepare a list based on the meals involved but do not use ads.

How often do you read / use the Wegmans paper flyer?

Every week
Every other week
Once a month
Less than once a month
Never

How often do you read / use the Wegmans online flyer?

Every week
Every other week
Once a month
Less than once a month
Never

How do you use the Wegmans flyer; regardless of whether it is online or the paper hard copy? Please select all that apply.

I make my grocery list from it
I look for ready-to-cook meals / take-out options
I look for items that I need to stock up on
I use the featured recipes
I enjoy seeing the new products
I compare prices to other stores
Other (please specify)

What other store ads do you typically read? Please select all that apply.

Aldi’s
Big M
BJ’s
CVS
K-mart
P&C
Price Chopper
Quality
Rite Aid
Sam’s
Target
Tops
Walgreens
Wal-mart
Wegmans
Other (specify)
Other (specify)
Other (specify)
None of the above

Which state is the Wegmans where you typically shop?

drop down state menu

What Wegmans location do you typically shop at?

Lists all locations in the state you choose

Are you, or is anyone in your household employed at Wegmans?

Yes
No

Would you like to enter the drawing for a chance to win one of three $100 gift cards for survey participation?

Yes
No

I am.

I started using reusable bags approximately four years ago. Casually at first, then more frequently until I used them more often than not. Until last year I’d have to put them in the front seat of my car because if I went to anywhere other than the grocery store, remembering to bring in reusable bags was hit-or-miss for me. I still get funny looks when I bring them into Walgreens or Rite Aid, but no longer at Target or CVS since they each started a bag credit program. (Target 5¢ per bag, CVS the tags.)

But what makes me a reusable bag junkie is my extensive collection. I laughed to hubby that I should stop buying a bag at every grocery store chain we visit. His response was something along the lines that he’d rather have me collect 99¢ bags than “sparkly things”.

I have discovered that all bags are not created equal. First the grocery store bags seem to have gone down in durability and thickness over the years. The bags I have from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Sun Flower Markets are exponentially better in quality than any of my grocery store bags. The independent grocery stores are generally a higher quality than the chain grocers too.

One drawback to faithfully using reusable bags is we have run out of plastic bags! We used to bring them in by the gross to be recycled just two years ago! Now, I have four because I knew we were out and did not bring them in to Rite Aid last week.

And can anyone tell me where I can buy a hundred-pack of the removable flat bottoms that come inside the bags when you purchase them? I think I’m down to five. Where the heck do they all go!?

So how about it? Are you a reusable bag junkie? Or do you prefer paper or plastic?

I have mentioned in the past how much hubby travels. Until we got the pooch last January I also traveled quite a bit. I am still a frequent flyer on a major airline although I’ll lose my status next month, but, hubby can gift me status due to his high status. When we travel, one of the odd-ball things I do (well, odd to many folks, but maybe not to you all ) is I hit the grocery stores. Not only do I like to view different grocery stores, but in states that sell wine in-store I like to look for wine tags. And, in other states I like to look for nbpr forms.

Ok, maybe you even think that is a tad odd.

Over the years, I’ve probably been in at least one store of 95% of the top 100 grocery chains in the US. And, I wish we a few of those chains locally.

For instance, I would looooove a Trader Joe’s if only for the dried fruit. They have Trader Joe’s in NYC so the no-wine-sales-in-store can’t be the reason they are not here. They built an Aldi’s next door to where the new CVS that is going in near me, and even on a Saturday there are never more than 10 cars (including employees) in the Aldi’s parking lot. My area is is not Aldi-centric. I really think Aldi’s missed the boat by not building a Trader Joe’s in that space instead.

Whole Foods aka Whole Paycheck. Yeah, yeah so it ain’t cheap. So deals are hard to come by at Whole Foods. I’d still like one to pick up the mambo sprouts coupon booklets and use the coupons at a cheaper store. While I’d really like a Whole Foods I doubt we will get one. I have a feeling they consider Wegmans too much competition (odd because around me the Tops have the better organic sections).

A Super Valu Store of any kind! Acme used to be here… oh maybe 30-40 years ago. They could just move back. Can you tell I am jealous of all the Super Valu loss-leader deals others get?

I’d like a Kroger affiliate just so I could get in on the Kroger conversation. I don’t go to Salt Lake much anymore, therefore no Smith’s shopping and so it is difficult for me to chime in. *pressing my nose against the glass* I don’t like to be excluded from the conversation.

What brought this on? Well, with Tops poised to buy Penn Traffic we are going to be losing another choice in the area. While I’ve seen a rise in independents, and with them, loss leaders, it is getting tight in the NY market outside metro-NYC.

So which stores do you currently not have access to that you wish you had in your area?

In tomorrow’s Quality ad are four (4) $3 doublers with $20 purchase. That means a $3 coupon = $6 when doubled!! They are only valid 10/16 – 10/17/ and 10/18 Check you local P&C Foods or Bi-Lo to see if they are participating too! link

Here are a few $3 coupons from the last few weeks of inserts. More insert coupons can be found here

Prilosec OTC $3 (10/11/09 P&G)
Glade Multi-Wick Candle or Reed Diffuser $3 (10/4/09 SS#1)
Inpruv Dry Skin Care Solution $3 (10/4/09 SS#1)
All Liquid Laundry Detergent (96 load+) $3 (10/4/09 RP)
Mach3 Disposable (6ct), Sensor3 (8ct), Custom Plus3 Value Packs $3 (10/4/09 RP)
Snuggle Liquid Fabric Softener (32 load+) or Sheets (70ct+) $3 (10/4/09 RP)
Whole Body Cleanse Internal Cleansing System $3 (9/27/09 SS))
Oral-B Refill Brush Head (3ct+) $3 (9/27/09 P&G)
Pur or Pur Flavor Options System, Pitcher or Faucet Mount $3 expires 10/31/09 (9/27/09 P&G)
Pur Pitcher or Faucet Mount Multi-Pack Replacement Filters or Pur Refrigerator Filter $3 (9/27/09 P&G)
Bic Soleil Disposable Shaver $3 (9/20/09 SS)
Glade Plug Ins Scented Oil Lasting Impressions Holder $3 (9/20/09 SS)
Tarsum (4oz) $3 (9/20/09 SS)
L’Oreal Revitalift Deep-Set Wrinkle Repair 24 Hour Eye Repair Duo $3 (9/20/09 SS)
SlimShots Appetite Controller (excludes 2-count) $3 (9/20/09 SS)
Similasan Dry Eye Relief/Allergy Eye Relief $3 (9/13/09 SS#1)
Surf $3 (USA Weekend & Parade Magazine 9/13/09)
Woolite Rug Stick $3 (8/30/09 SS)
Adams Flea & Tick Product, excludes collars $3 (8/30/09 RP)
Windex Outdoor All-In-One Glass Cleaning Tool Starter Kit $3 (8/23/09 SS)

Weekly Deals

Purex $2.99 – 35¢ manufacturer coupon doubled (from the 10/4/09 SS#1 inserts) = $2.29

Skippy PB $1.99 – 75¢ manufacturer coupon doubled (from the 10/4/09 RP inserts) = 49¢

And for doublers, Huggies is $9.59 – $2 printable doubled = $5.59
Huggies $2 printable
$2 printable (ie link)
$2 printable (ff link)

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Check your Penn Traffic Store (Quality, BiLo and P&C Foods) to see if they are participating.

I did not get an early Quality ad yedterday so I did not know about this until hubby told me this morning.

Basically four (4) $3 doublers ($3 = $6, $2 = $4) with additional $20 purchase. Since it has been a long time since they had doublers at Quality I do not know if that $20 includes what you are spending and using the doublers on (like at Tops). I know there were huggies pure and natural $3 coupons last week, so $6 off each pack with the doubler. Probably could walk in there, get 4 and be out for the $20.

If you are stopping, here are some other deals:

Gallon Milk $1.59

Schick Disposable Razor $4.99 – $3 manufacturer coupon (from the 8/16/09 SS) = FREE!
(just free, no overage)

welch’s 64oz Grape Juice $3.69 – $1 manufacturer coupon doubled (from the 8/16/09 SS inserts) = $1.69

Birdseye SteamFresh Meals for Two $5.99 – $1.50 manufacturer coupon doubled (from the 8/9/09 SS#1 inserts) = $2.99

Ball Canning Supplies 20% off – Ball or Kerr Jar Cases $2.50/2 manufacturer coupon doubled (from the 7/12/09 RP inserts) = ??

Got that printable Healthy Choice Fresh Mixer printable coupon from a few weeks ago? The $2 or $2.50 one? They are on sale for $2.50 each, so free even without doublers.

I am a big proponent of buying local whenever it is economically feasible. I belong to a csa buy beef farm direct and generally patronize all the little shops, roadside stands and farmer’s markets I can.

I may list sales for Pathmark, A&P and Tops, but the places I seem to find the best deals are my locally owned grocery stores. I just got back from a local grocer that is celebrating their anniversary with a sale. I picked up cherries for $1.86#, peaches 86¢#, plums 86¢# and Edwards singles for 86¢ and used a $1/2 coupon (since they only double 4 alike it wasn’t worth using my 75 centers on this deal) and 36¢ each after coupon was pretty darned good.

I shop at a local P&C store on Sunday, although it is my husband’s job to write up the Quality ad in our house. We went this past Sunday and got a ton of marked down meat with additional savings via on-pack store coupons. I’m sending for a nbpr offer with that CRT to stretch my savings even further.

There is another local store that also has great sales. I stop when I go into the city and the REALLY nice thing about this store is they will hand you the following week’s ad … as early as Sunday, the start of the current sale cycle. So I can go in on Sunday morning and get this week’s ad AND next week’s ad. That certainly makes planning easier. I wish all grocers would do this but we know thet won’t. An informed consumer is not where they make their money.

Or are they?

These small store chains are growing. In an area of a little more than a million people we have an awful lot of grocery stores. We have some big-boys too in Tops, Wegmans, and Wal-Mart. So how do these little guys not only survive, but expand?

My personal opinion is they are successful because they remember a fundamental that seems to have gone by the wayside: The customer is why we exist.

Those local stores offer carry outs directly to your car (one place has valet parking! I kid you not!), they offer loss leaders something that seems forgotten by the big-boys and they offer sales, something that is not in Wegmans vocabulary. And somehow, these little markets seem to stock everything! I think they do it by forgoing the six aisles of Rubbermaid, books and seasonal merchandise. I can’t imagine how much the stores are being paid by the manufacturers of that stuff that it is worth up to 30% of their floor space. *cough*Wegmans*cough* The produce selection varies with the little market, but one store has better quality (and cheaper) than Wegman’s and Wegman’s claim to fame IS their produce department. Also, it is not unusual to see the owner in the store. The Owner! At the big-boys sometimes you can’t find a real manager yet the at the smaller stores not only is the manager available to help, so is the person that owns the joint. Amazing!

I love locally owned stores, how about you?

… in spite of yourself.

We have a Penn Traffic store called Quality Markets . I do not read their ad, my husband takes care of Quality. One thing he wanted to get there for this week was Breyers Ice Cream $2.48 – $1 manufacturer coupon (from the 5/17/09 inserts) = $1.48

So, I had 13 coupons but Quality has a nasty little habit of limiting to six per wild card, so my husband and I each got six.

My husband does his order, gives (6) $1 coupons, pays and out pops a $7 OYNO Catalina!

*thud*

He never read the Unilever Catalina deal, spend $20, get $7 OYNO; spend $15, get $5 OYNO.

They are clearly crediting non-sale price since 6 x $2.48 = $14.88

So, if you have coupons and are near a Penn Traffic store tomorrow (BiLo, P&C or Quality), here’s how it should work:

5 Breyers x $2.48 = $12.40 (crediting at $4.99 each = $24.95)
- (5) $1 manufacturer coupons
= $7.40 + receive $7 OYNO Catalina

The Catalina does roll as I used my husband’s Catalina on my order immediately.

This means your next order will cost 40¢ for five (5) half gallons (or there about) of Breyers if you have five more $1 manufacturer coupons.

Rinse and repeat until you run out of coupons and/or freezer space.

Now, his not reading the ad was actually a blessing in this case. I’d never have known they were crediting retail price instead of sale price and I’d have spent a lot more than an extra ice cream finding out.

BTW,
Quality Markets still has Kraft Coupons available
BiLo still has Kraft Coupons available
P&C still has Kraft Coupons available