I've been thinking of this today. When I look at the flyers that have come in over the Christmas season and see what discounts there are, I've decided I won't pay full price for anything for the next 6 months (June 30th). Whenever we've bought furniture, etc. I've always asked for a discount because I pay cash and have usually gotten it. When at a yard sale I dicker the prices. I have never liked paying full price, however when it comes to smaller items, groceries and such I haven't been as careful as I should be.
I'm challenging myself to not pay full price for ANYTHING, including items we will be buying for re-doing our home, groceries, etc. It will have to be B1G1F, have extra for the regular price (such as the extra vitamins we bought yesterday), be discounted and on sale.
From here on in, I'll watch the flyers way more carefully. When in a store, I'll check to see if the item is marked down. I'll use coupons more (when I can find the ones for the groceries we use). I often get them and then forget them at home. I'll look through the marked down bins.
The boys need new dressers. I found the ones we want in the Sears catalog. Regular price $289.99 or 2 for $249.99 ea. I ordered two.saving $80.00. The great thing about this is they will be delivered to our small town and it's only about 2 mins from us so it means we don't have to make a trip to the city to pick them up.
I'm not sure if I'll make this challenge, however I'm going to give it a good try. Anyone else care to join? I'll report the successes and the failures because I'm sure they'll be some of those too.
This sounds like a great challenge. I don't think I will be able to do it for 6 months like you, but I will defintely start with the month of January. I will add it to my signature!
What a wonderful goal/challenge. I am going to go ahead and join. I believe this will be hard for me especially since we are expecting our first baby in April and have things left to buy before she is here.
I am in as well homesteadmamma! What a great challenge. I am like you and don't watch the flyers close enough and forget my coupons at home but dang it, I am going to get on base and try my hardest. I will try for the six months as well. The only problem I can see is milk and beer (my DH loves his beer and his brand never goes on sale) but if those are the only two things I have to worry about, then that's not bad.
Great challenge. I will deffinately try for January and see what that brings for us. I do know some things i have no choice but to pay full price for such as Milk. Its NEVER on sale LOL.
I know milk is never on sale here too. I think it'll be fun though to see what is on sale. It'll make us all stop and think whether we really need it or if we can wait for it to go on sale.
I think I will join in on this too, I am going to do it on a month to month basis (I don't know if I can do 6 months, but I will definately try).
The only thing is that we have staples we need every week (bread, milk etc.) that is never go on sale, so if it is not on sale and I can make it (ex. bread) I will do that instead.
I created a spreadsheet where I can put in what my total shoping bill is before discounts/sales/coupons etc and then I fill in how much the sales/discounts/coupon etc were and it tells me what percentage I saved.
I'm in on this one too! Can't wait to see how everybody does. As for me, my 1st plans are for hitting those after x-mas sales. I don't celebrate the holiday, but we do have "special days" throughout the year where everyone gets presents. Having one of those "days" in mid-January, so I hopefully will make out as good as I'm hoping
As far as groceries go, I NEVER pay full price anyway. Since my stockpile is at it's peak, I only shop to add to it and replenish it. I keep my bill at around $50-60 a week, feeding ALL of us (& than some ). This includes paper goods & HBA. Thank goodness for coupons & sales.
I love these kinda challenges!
Thanks homesteadmama for starting it! It's gonna be fun!
I'm in! We are trying to reign in our budget and save as much as we can for future emergencies so I am all about not paying full price for anything! I buy most of my produce at one store where they mark it down considerably for some reason. I have gotten free salads there before too with coupons. It's amazing how much you can save if you try to look for the cheapest price, wait for sales, etc.
I need to get a spread sheet going for myself. Any ideas on how to start one?
Sounds like a great challenge Carol. I 'try' to do this all of the time but I'm sure I pay full price more often than I 'think' I do..... . I should track this in a notebook.....nah, too much trouble:lol: Good luck with it and how exciting it will be to watch your progress:thumb:
I am in! I will not count items such as milk or gas for the car that never, ever, ever go on sale but will count evrything else! It will help me to at least pay attention more!
Starting yesterday I bought:
3 listerines mouthwashes, 1 excederin, 2 toothpastes, 2 crest pro health mouth washes, 1 nail polish. All on sale plus used CVS bucks and got more bucks back for next time.
Goodwill shopping also. I am counting thrift store items as being on sale since it sure is no where near full price! LOL.
If I use a coupon for an item, I will consider it as less than full price but I intend to try to match the coupons with sale items or loss leaders to get more bang fore the buck
Good job. I'm going to be doing the same thing in regards to goodwill. Also, yeast never goes on sale here. However, I have found a place where it costs almost $4 less so I'll count that as never paying full price. I just want to really think about what I buy and the cost I pay for it, kwim.
Yesterday I was craving Fresca. Now I don't like buying the 2 litre bottle because it fizzes out by the time I finish drinking it. I sent dh for a case of fresca (12), not even thinking about not paying full price. I know, I know and I probably shouldn't be drinking it either, however I NEEDED a Fresca.
Well guess what, it was on sale. Regular price $4.99, Sale price 2 for $7.00 so dh picked up one case at $3.50.
This is a great challenge...I had to pick up the last of the groceries for Christmas and hopefully the rest of the year and it sure raised my awareness! I was able to get.... I would say about 80% of my groceries either on sale, with coupons, or bonus amounts. I checked every single item I bought and what a difference it made! Thanks homesteadmamma for the great idea for the thread!
I freeze my yeast as well. Superstore's yeast the last time I looked was over $8 and at the health food store it's $4.59. I use instant yeast. I find it works better with freshly ground grain which I do myself.
We bought dd a digital camera for Christmas. It came with a SD card, however not many pictures could be stored on it. We got the Walmart flyer along with the Canadian Tire flyer and each had them on sale.
Canadian Tires had 2GB for $8.99
Walmart had a pkg. of 4 with 4GB for $22.64
We had a heater that had been purchased at Walmart and needed to be returned because it didn't work right. Dh and our older son had to deliver some freight to both cities in our province and so decided to take back the heater and pick up the package of 4 for $22.64. Regular price is $21.84 for 2.
With the credit from the heater, dh ended up paying $3.00 for 4 SD cards. Quite a savings.
Along with that our son had purchased an item at full price before Christmas in Calgary. When I looked at the Walmart flyer it was now $148.83 and he had paid $199.83. He got a refund of $57 which he was thrilled with.
What a great thread.....I'm going to try this starting January 1st. I have a ton of company coming up to the cabin this week so we're takling alot of groceries!! We're so glad to have you back with us homesteadmama!
This is so much fun, it could get to be really addicting. Dh has joined in even more after today.
This is what we got today:
Walmart:
~printer $99.97 sale price $49.97
Shopper's Drug Mart:
~toothpaste $2.29 sale price 99 cents
~toothbrush $3.29 sale price $1.99
~deodarant $4.99 sale price $3.49
~pads $5.99 sale price $2.99
Along with this I used $10.00 from my Shopper's Optimum points.
We also bought printer paper/cartridge set for dd's printer. Future Shop price $44.98. Staples price $35.98.
We also went out for Chinese smorg. We had a $50 gc (a Christmas gift). Total came to $3.56 for a family of 5.
I had a $5.00 coupon so ending up paying 96 cents after taxes.
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