Items you should NEVER pay full price for...

[mamasaidshop]

Patty said something SOOOO important-

ALWAYS ASK FOR A DISCOUNT!

I just bought 2 pair of running shoes at the Running Room (one for at home, one for running) and asked for a 10% discount, and I got it! I was so surprised that they gave it to me, but the worst they could have done is say no.

[jandbby]

Great post thanks.
Would like to avoid paying full price for meat too. Anyone care to share how Please?

[JRWBowling]

This is also where you can be a good citizen to your own community. I'm always buying books at garage sales, and I usually go at the end and buy books when you can get super deals. I read them them donated them to the local library. I might guess over the year I've donated close to 500 books. I just think of it as giving a book to an older or disabled person that can't afford to buy them new. I feel good and they get a good read. It's win/win if you ask me.

[rachel1496]

- find a european/middle eastern type fruit/veggie market/store they are dirt cheap because that's the way they do it - market style shopping is their way of life

We used to have this really great middle eastern bakery/produce place but they had to close because people wouldn't stop vandalizing the place

One more for the list: baby clothes

Between Kijiji, Ebay, thrift stores and hand-me downs there's no real reason to pay full price for baby clothes. They get used for such a short period of time that they're usually still in great condition. Especially "special occasion" clothes, most of the time they've been worn once and then outgrown.

[frugalmom]

Milk will sometimes go on sale at our SDM. At least twice in the past year. Also bananas will be reduced in the stores quite often when they are overripe. Just ask if they are not out on the reduced cart. Many times at FB I have had guys price them in the back room and bring them out to me. Sometimes these bananas are perfectly fine for eating and not even going brown yet. Overripe bananas are great for muffins and can be frozen for future use. I over did it a little last year when I brought home a box with 82 bananas in it for 4.00. My mom and sisters appreciated getting some.

[matrix82]

In order to save money on buying meat, first you have to make room in your freezer. That way when it is on sale you can buy an extra package or two. Almost sometimes when it is closer to expiry, say a day or two away from expiring, the stores will mark it down (just make sure to use this before the expiry).

I find also when making dishes I can sometimes get away with using less meat by adding more vegetables. Such as with a stirfry. We only need a small portion of protein per day.

I try alternatives to traditional meat, such as using eggs as the meat part of a dish (eggs can be bought on sale most weeks from different stores), or with breakfast having some peanut butter, or having beans with supper etc. There are many alternative ways of getting protein. It is also fun to spice things us a little and experiment. I am finding myself eating better, and getting more vegetables.

[stephanie73]

Great idea! I agree with everyone and I always stock up on cheese, cereal, toilet paper, snacks and soups.

Something I learned that was really interesting from someone who is management at a grocery store is that their sales run in a 12 week cycle. He said most grocery stores are like this. I was not aware of this and it seems to be pretty true. If you can stock up for 12 weeks of something, it will come up for sale just as you are running out. Who knows if it works everywhere but I have had a lot of luck with it

[Natalka]

For getting 'discounted' meat - you really have to know your local grocery stores, and their individual ways. For example, we have three Safeways within relative closeness to us - but the closest is the biggest and the busiest, so I don't like going there. They will discount meat when it is already 'off' - you can tell by looking, don't need more than that - it's green. However, another smaller Safeway is the place to go, about an hour after they open in the morning. They will put discounts on meats way before the best before date, and there are often awesome deals. Once I carted home 15 packages of ground beef, one day old. That's also the place where I will buy cuts of meat we can't afford otherwise - like boneless pork chops, which are premium.
Our local Co-op waits way too long to put meats on sale, though they were good several years ago. Now they just season it and repackage it.
For Sobeys, we have two we use - the one which more frequently discounts meat, often chicken, doesn't put clearance stickers on - but you have to read carefully, because they are totally relabelled with a lower price - but the original best before date - but they are nice and put those packages in the front, at least.
With only three of us, it doesn't pay to use a butcher - except for a few things when they are really good prices and we can afford to buy bigger quantities (a splurge to get multiple racks of baby back ribs once a year, or a case lot of lean ground beef).

[GottaLoveFreeebies]

Yeah I had a store that we used to get a big bag for 99cents but they seem to have stopped doing that....mabe too many people started to buy them like that as there was absolutely nothing wrong and after a few days were great for muffins and bread.

Milk will sometimes go on sale at our SDM. At least twice in the past year. Also bananas will be reduced in the stores quite often when they are overripe. Just ask if they are not out on the reduced cart. Many times at FB I have had guys price them in the back room and bring them out to me. Sometimes these bananas are perfectly fine for eating and not even going brown yet. Overripe bananas are great for muffins and can be frozen for future use. I over did it a little last year when I brought home a box with 82 bananas in it for 4.00. My mom and sisters appreciated getting some.

[tasamy]

For coupons, I need to wait until the item is on sale and then we use our coupons! The latest success was this week, Co-op has $4 big box cereals come with $10 off coupons use WB2S2 coupons to make it $3/box!

[vsaint]

check out the fruit area, there are always discounts on fruit that's pasted its peak.
mangoes, oranges, apples.

[EvilTofu]

Never mind full price, I never pay a cent for shaving creme! There is always this $2 off Gillette coupon at save.ca, and they go on sale at SDM for $1.99 every 6 weeks or so.

I don't recommend getting bruised fruits because the wounds harbor bacteria. If you eat local and according to the season, you can always get something cheap.

If you are savvy shopper, you don't have to pay full price for anything except for emergency like safety and medicines. (Even so, you can always ask for discounts for medical/dental services if you pay cash.)

[koukladd]

Great ideas, especially Patty Smyth! Also some people might not know this but alot of stores (old navy, gap, Browns & others) have a price policy, which is that if you buy an item and it goes on sale, you have a certain amount of days to get back the difference between what you paid and the sale price (even if the item is already on sale...I think it is 10 or 14 days, don't remember. You can ask at any store what their policy is....most people do not know about this! It is also great for buying a sale item in the size that you need without missing the further reduced sale price!

[Coley]

Hi...I'm new.

Also, I never pay full price for anything. I always buy at the end of the season where possible, or shop at outlets. I'm also not a slave to fashion or fads....so maybe that's what makes it easier for me.

As for what I will only get for free to really cheap:
- razors
- shaving cream - almost always free
- toothbrushes
- toothpaste
- mouth wash
- maxi pads/tampons - this one always kills me - OB come on sale at least 2-3$ off per package once a month - why pay full price?

[groceryalerts]

I thought it might be nice to start a thread so we know what we should always use a coupon for to get the best deals, i.e. coupons that come out so often for these items that you can get them for free or almost free...Here is what I have come up with so far:

Toilet paper- Cottonelle, Royalle

Paper Towels- Scott

Mr Clean

Windex

Body Wash- Olay, Dove, Aveeno

Shampoo & Conditioner- Gillette, Herbal Essences, Pantene

Febreze

Swiffer

Glade

Please add to the list !!

Diapers/ Wipes- Huggies/Pampers

Laundry Soap

Facial Soap

Razors/ Blades

Bread

Soup

Meat

Cheese

Kitty Litter, Pet food

Thanks everyone!

I find it difficult to always find bread on sale. At least good bread. The local bakery I go to (Cobbs) makes great bread but over $4 a loaf.