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10 Ways to Get Deep Discounts on Groceries Without Using Coupons

August 18, 2016 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Shop Aldi. Tremendous savings can be had on produce by shopping at Aldi, but don’t neglect the refrigerated cases where you can find artisan cheeses and deli meat on deep discount from herb goat cheese logs to smoked salami. In fact, Aldi has partnered with Bon Appetite magazine to feature gourmet recipes that incorporate these ingredients.

While sometimes the produce is riper than you would find at another grocery stores, you’re going to save a ton of money buying it there. For example, you can often purchase seasonal fruits for as low as 99 cents a quart like blueberries. Melons are typically one to three times cheaper than varieties sold at other grocers. Aldi discounts organic produce, but this is a smaller section of their produce area so the selection is limited.

Tip: Bring a quarter in order to use a grocery cart and pack your own shopping bags otherwise you’re going to have to beg, borrow, and steal extra cardboard boxes from around the store to get food to your car. Expect to pack your own groceries. Look for white discount tags on items in the cooler cases. You can score deals on meats including chicken, beef, and some seafood items.

Look for WooHoo Stickers at Kroger. By far one of my favorite foodie activities, besides cooking, is cashing in on WooHoo Good Deal red and yellow sticker savings on Kroger groceries. This sale is not the same as a Manager’s Special deal, which is also another opportunity to save money, and these stickers are orange and black. For example, I purchased Odom’s Country Sausage for $1.79 on a Manager’s Special with was about a 50% discount. I made Sausage Caprese Stuffed Portobellos with sausage purchased from a Kroger’s and mushrooms from Aldi, which is one of my most popular recipes on Instagram. 

These link sausages are often regularly priced for 4.99 each. Score!
These link sausages are often regularly priced for 4.99 each. I often blend fruit smoothies in the morning with discounted juices that need to be used up quickly.

Tip: Talk to the department manager if you see them facing meats and dairy in the refrigerated cases. They often carry a reel of WooHoo Good Deal stickers, and if asked, will tell you what they are marking down. Score! Don’t forget to shop in the nearby floral department where you can often find a bucket of fresh package flowers marked down to 99 cents a bouquet. These flowers last longer if you swing by the counter and snag a free package of flower food powder.

Shop Back of Store Exit Door Deals. Items marked with discount stickers are displayed, although a little haphazardly, on shelves near the back of the store next to the employee exit doors. You can also grab deals on day old baked items and clearance items from various departments. Because many store-baked items expire quickly because they lack the preservatives found in the bread aisle, they expire quickly. Need a white sheet cake at half the price? How about hoagie rolls for tonight’s barbecue cookout? They’re half price!

Tip: Buy discounted exit door deals on bread and freeze them for later use.

Look for an end cap of marked down produce. You can find ripe produce from bananas to squash in this bin usually located on an end cap in the produce section.

Tip: Can’t find it? Ask the produce manager where it is located. If your store doesn’t have one, ask he or she if they intend to pitch any ripe fruits and vegetables and if you can get a discount. Stores often throw away slightly ripened fruit if it is blemished or softening. Pre-bagged salad greens are quick to expire so be sure to tour those shelves too.

Shop the grocery ads for advertised one-day only special buys. We have a smaller hometown grocery store named Leeker’s Family Foods that sells bananas for 18 cents a pound on Thursdays every week. They limit you to ten pounds. Ha! Does your local grocer advertise a similar deal?

Tip: Look for a random grocery cart full of discounted produce bagged by the manager. I took home ten limes for $2 and made this Spiked Watermelon Lemon-Lime Cocktail and Beach Berry Blast with extra limes.

Buy Dollar Store pantry staple foods.  Pay a dollar for white rice, dried pasta, canned beans, and basic spices for your pantry. Your family members or dinner guests are never going say to you “Hey, this isn’t Uncle Ben’s white rice!”

Tip: Buy breadcrumbs at the Family Dollar Store. Who wants to make their own breadcrumbs when you can get them at rock-bottom prices?

Purchase dehydrated fruits and nuts in bulk at Menards. While only a slight discount, it is worth seeking out savings at Menards on fruits and nuts. These items are usually located near the canned goods and spices toward the back of the store.

Tip: You can buy retro candies in bulk there and package them individually for future birthday party favors. Make my Nutty Granola With Cranberries and Raisins for a grab and go snack or yogurt topper using their bulk packaged sunflower seeds.

Cruise the seasonal aisles the day after a holiday. I bet your kids love candy and peanut butter stuffed crackers. You can find these kid-friendly snack items on deep discount after Back to School, Halloween, Easter, and Christmas promotions. Add crushed discount chocolate candy to tonight’s vanilla ice cream dish for a super sweet treat.

Tip: Get there early the day after the holiday and save up to 75% off. These snack items and candy bags go quickly! 

Grab and to-go dinner items (in the morning from the deli case) marked with discount stickers. Having worked in a grocery store deli, I know first-hand that last night’s deli case leftovers become the next day’s grab and go savings for you. That’s why you see the meatloaf and mashed potatoes sitting next to General Tso’s chicken in pre-packaged containers with orange stickers on them! This pre-packaged food isn’t bad, it’s just as good as eating leftovers from your fridge and you didn’t have to cook either. Typically, you save 50% on these dinner options.

Tip: Save money on your weekday lunch by buying discounted deli food in the morning on your way to work. 

Make deals with vendors during the last hour of a farmers’ market. Although farmers’ markets are only open during warmer months, you can find great deals on homegrown produce there.

Tip: Ask a vendor, during the last hour of the day’s sale, if they are willing to give you a cheaper price for lettuce, kale, or soft skinned fruits that haven’t sold. You’re doing them a favor by keeping them from packing it back up on the truck and you score savings. Where else are they going to sell it that day, right?

Why overspend on groceries when you don’t have to?

If you have a dynamite way to save dollars without using coupons or store apps, write them in the comment section below!

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Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: Aldi, bargain, budget, cheap, coupons, discounts, Dollar Store, groceries, grocery, grocery shopping, Kroger, savings, shopping, staple food

35 Free Summer Activities for Adults

June 15, 2016 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

If summers “off” as a high school teacher taught me anything, it was that I was always on the hunt for free (or nearly free) summer activities. I certainly couldn’t afford to go out every weekend for a wine night or to a summer concert series on my salary alone. So, I created a fun list of 35 Free Summer Activities. Scroll down to choose an activity!

35-free-summer-activities-for-adults

  1. Visit the local art museum. Most offer a no-cost day on the weekend, but it is common courtesy to donate a dollar or two when you enter.
  2. Ask a friend if you can swim in their neighborhood’s community pool.
  3. Walk the air-conditioned mall and head to a department store’s make-up counter to try on a shade of summer lipstick.
  4. Check out the latest magazines or books from the local library. They often have summer reading group discussions planned. Ask for their calendar of events.
  5. Sample tasty local fare at the area’s farmers market. Many farmers offer samples of honey, sausage, and artisan cheeses.
  6. Host a summer-themed movie night for friends with fresh-popped popcorn. (See our popcorn seasonings recipes). Encourage each attendee to bring their favorite candy to share.
  7. Volunteer to be on the building site crew for Habitat for Humanity.
  8. Tour a flea market, mall, or city-sponsored event. Enjoy the people watching.
  9. Plan a seriously competitive game night at home. How long has it been since you broke out the ol’ Scrabble board?
  10. Mark down your not-so-new belongings and host a one-day garage sale. If it isn’t sold, it goes to Goodwill.
  11. Stop by an area winery for free samples. Check their calendar for the release of their newest blend.
  12. Go on a model home tour.
  13. Test drive a convertible.
  14. Go fishing at the state park or your neighborhood’s pond.
  15. Invite your musician friends over for a jam session on the deck in front of the chiminea.
  16. Seek out your area’s nature center. Walk hand-in-hand with your honey or take the dog for a brisk walk.
  17. Check your park board’s event calendar. Yoga in the park at sunrise anyone?
  18. Brush up on your Shakespeare while enjoying a dramatic local theater production at the city park.
  19. Put the chairs in the middle of the yard and stargaze with ooey-gooey smores.
  20. Go geocaching. Don’t forget to bring your own trinket, pen, and paper to leave in the capsule once you find it.
  21. String up a hammock or lay back in the gravity chair and read a hot romance novel checked out from the library.
  22. Kick off your flip flops and dance with your special someone on the deck by the light of the moon.
  23. Go on a photo shoot outdoors capturing beautiful landscape, nature images.
  24. Take the dog to the area dog park and meet other fur baby parents.
  25. Take up frisbee golf.
  26. Turn on the sprinkler system and have a backyard water party.
  27. Make a competition out of catching fireflies in a jar with a friend.
  28. Host a BYOB party or assign each guest a food item to bring.
  29. Play quarter pool (or going during a open to the public free time) at billiard hall.
  30. Have a watermelon seed spitting contest from the deck.
  31. Lay on a beach blanket at the park and let your thoughts wander while you declare cloud shapes.
  32. Wash your car in your swimsuit. Take breaks to drink lemonade. Let’s face it. Detailing your car is hard work.
  33. Make alcohol-infused fruit popsicles.
  34. Go to a local airport’s airshow or tour their aviation museum.
  35. Actually talk to your neighbors when out for a walk. They secretly want to break the ice with you too.

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: activities, affordable, at-home, cheap, entertainment, fun, games, inexpensive, summer, summer break

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Hello! I'm Vanessa. Welcome to One Delightful Life, a blog created to add more delight to your life with delicious recipes, travel destinations, and lifestyle improvement ideas. Thanks for exploring my blog!

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