Gift Card to closing grocery store ...

**ironmaiden** · 11-18-2008, 12:14 PM

Not only has my favorite independent toy store and favorite fabric/knitting store closed but now I heard that the town grocery store is going under. Three mega grocery stores have popped up within the past year and they simply can't compete.

However on Friday, I sent a check to the PTO to buy $250 worth of gift certificates to this store. The PTO makes alot of money doing this and as it turns out, the PTO pays for these certificates ahead of time, so cancelling my check wouldn't be a nice thing to do. And I haven't received my certificates yet.

The store's closing date is rumored to be the day after Thanksgiving.
And I heard through the rumormill that they will have a 25% off sale on the last day. They do sell beer/wine.

So the question is what should I buy?
And should I wait for the last sale day or will I get screwed as I could get stuck with food we don't want or too many perishables that we couldn't possibly eat.

**itsahumanzoo** · 11-18-2008, 12:22 PM

I don't know if you want to wait too long because sometimes when a store is closing, they won't accept gift cards.

**Contrary Housewife** · 11-18-2008, 12:24 PM

The first thing I would do is confirm the date they plan to close. This can be as simple as calling the store manager. You need to know this in order to plan what to buy and when.

Then contact the PTO and see if they are going to be able to honor your request for gift certs in time. Because if they can't it doesn't matter what's on sale or when.

I would start going as soon as I got the gift cards, to get the best selection. Then go back each day and buy a little more and see what has reduced in price. Dry goods keep a long time, I'd concentrate there. Only buy what perishables you can eat, plan to freeze meats if you have room.

**ironmaiden** · 11-18-2008, 01:27 PM

On the plus side, my sister asked me to meet her and boyfriend at Hilltop Steakhouse and then we stopped in their butcher shop.

I bought boneless skinless chicken breasts for 99 cents!
And pork ribs for $1.39.

**ironmaiden** · 11-21-2008, 02:56 PM

And the result ..

I was on the phone with the PTO person saying that I needed these things sooner rather than later and my son who is doing his homework gets up and goes to his backpack and throws the envelope with my check in it on the counter. HE NEVER TURNED IT IN!! This kid is normally extremely responsible.
So his one act of not following through helped us out. So I don't have to go megashopping all at once.

And as it turns out the store will close sometime in December and starting the day after Thanksgiving, everything will be 25% off. So I will get to sale shop.