Free Lunch

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Magickman

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Budgets are strained, for just about everyone. There is little economic security for either families or singles.

So what do we do?

Not much choice. We have to balance our budgets, on the head of a pin.

Yesterday, I was doing just that. With pockets full of coupons, and a stack of store advertisements, I went out shopping for free lunch.

Really, I had a coupon for a free lunch at an Asian buffet restaurant.

Then, over to the nearby supermarket, to secure two pounds of free grapes, with a coupon.

At Walgreen’s drug store, another free coupon procured two four packs of invisible tape, for wrapping presents.

Down the road, to a gas and convenience store, where my coupons were traded for two half gallons of premium label ice cream and some hot dogs. All free.

There were some things I had to buy, although at sale prices.
I watch my pennies.

At the bottom line, my free merchandise was valued at over $30.00.

Savvy shoppers can take advantage of bargains and promotions, and even give-aways.

It made me feel like Jesse James, to take all that stuff, without paying for it.

But, you know what? I’ll do it again next week, because money does not grow on trees.
 
Just watch that you don’t spend more in gas money and time!

If all the stores are relatively close, then that is a great deal.

If, however, you have to chase all over to get this, then it may not be as great.

Yesterday, I went to my regular grocery store and used 3 coupons - each was a B1G1 - I got a back of meatballs, a gallon of OJ, and a pack of bacon, saving $16 if I would have purchased those w/o a coupon.
 
I just wanted to throw in here how great beans are as a cheap food in place of meat. They’re high in protein and fiber and even count in your daily servings of veggies. I’ve been using a lot more beans lately!
 
Don’t talk to me about beans! I have more than enough trouble passing gas as it is. I could probably clear a room if I weren’t careful.
 
If you want to find some great deals, go to www.moneysavingmom.com and check out her How To guide for scoring free/almost free stuff from CVS and Walgreens. You’d be AMAZED at how easy it ends up being.
 
If you want a free lunch on Thursday or Friday, and don’t have coupons, make use of the free samples offered at your local supermarkets, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Target, Sam’s Club and Costco. Tis the season to have samples out there to entice you to buy more, but if you have the willpower, you can probably go through the sample lines a couple times at each place. The little squares of pizza are always popular, but the seafood is always fresh and no waiting.
 
Thanks for starting this thread. Great Idea!

I also hear that it is good to find products that are on sale already and then maximize by using a coupon. You can search through a couple of sale papers and then seek coupons that match their sales.
 
By watching carefully, sometimes, you can catch double coupon specials, stacked with sale prices. Of late, K-Mart has been having double coupon values for one week each month.
 
I wish there were more coupons for things we actually use. The ones for laundry detergent and canned tomato products are great, and I’ve gotten some good ones for baking supplies lately, but I don’t normally buy frozen pizzas, refrigerated bread or cookie doughs, Hamburger Helper or similar, sugary cereal, packaged cookies, bags of candy, frozen heat-and-eat junk foods, or “buckets” of prepared meat products. It seems like coupons for those make up about 75% of the coupon inserts in the Sunday paper. It’s only a deal if it’s something you would have bought anyway.

So instead I buy a lot of store brands, seasonal produce, and local products like bread from local bakeries that is sold in the supermarkets. Better quality and it’s usually cheaper.
 
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