My only limit is I don't want to overpay for something just to achieve that spend. For example, I usually buy the Costco toilet paper and paper towels, so I would not want to buy another brand and pay more just for this purpose.
I do have the space to store ("hoard") a bunch of items but I am hoping to find ways to hit my spending limit without buying 50 cases of water or something like that.
EDIT: I should have been more specific. I am actually looking to get the free ham which is about $30. I realize that spending $180 to get $30 does not seem like sound economics. But that is also why I am only interested in buying stuff I would have bought anyway.
I am about $180 away (out of $400) from getting a 2nd free turkey from my local grocery store. I already did most of my shopping, so looking for ways to achieve that spend in other ways before Thanksgiving.
byu/bluegambit875 inFrugal
Posted by bluegambit875
49 Comments
Do you have a freezer and pantry? Butter is usually on sale right now, it freezes easily. Other things like stuffing, flour, canned goods, cream cheese, and spices are often on sale right now.
Do gift cards count?
Spending $180 to get a $20+ bird seems odd.
Edit: This is my response to a fellow commenter.
>Hell, 15 lb birds are under $8 where I’m at
Mine response 🙂
>The average per pound this year for me is 77-99cents. Last year was much better. 49-60cent (12-18lbs) birds were the thing.
Gift cards to that grocery store or to Amazon or wherever you frequently shop?
Do you need the turkey? Do you need other groceries? Seems totally unfrugal to spend just because of a deal?
Cleaners will get you there quick and have a shelf life.
How much is the turkey worth to you?
Maybe a friend or family member can use your membership and buy things for their own needs while you get the credit
The frugal answer is to not spend $180 you didn’t plan to for a second turkey you don’t need.
Add up the things you’ll actually use and need, and that can last long enough. Then see if that gets you to $180.
Yet be careful: loss leader specials count on motivating shoppers to overspend.
You can get a turkey starting at $5.50 near me with the annual sales they do that make it super cheap… the big ones are like $20; this sounds not worth it.
I’d just go buy a turkey and save my money.
I got a 16 lb turkey for 5 dollars at Safeway at 39 cents a lb. Not worth it to spend that much
My personal rule is if I’m really having trouble figuring out how to spend enough money to get a deal, then that deal probably isn’t actually going to be saving me money in any meaningful sense.
Do you enjoy turkey?
after TG the price per pound on turkeys is very low.
Do you have an fsa/hsa? Buy first aid, ibuprofen, tampons, aquaphor, condoms, etc. Then get reimbursed for all of it.
If you have a Giant near you, you don’t have to spend $400 you just have to have 400 points. This week there is a deal if you buy 5 or 6 products out what they have listed you get 500 points. Last week I got a free turkey for spending $10. Same thing the week before that, I got a free large lasagna. For the $10 week I bought 5 bags of frozen vegetables and I got 400 points for that. Right now I have a turkey and two lasagna. I spent no where near $400. I used my card, my husband’s card and my sister’s card.
How much does a turkey cost?? Less than $180, not worth spending that much for a “free” one…
I don’t condone this behavior because my mother was a food hoarder with the same mindset.
I think turkey is gross but if I HAD to spend $180 in 3 days, I would do pantry staples. Flour, oils, spices, nuts for baking and snacking, canned beans, broth, coffee or tea. Chicken breast, ground beef and cheeses to shred for the freezer, frozen vegetables. You could also do laundry detergent, soaps, shampoos, cleaning products like someone else mentioned.
I really wouldn’t have a problem spending $180 on groceries right now. I’m pinching pennies waiting for my Christmas check to come in. Look around you pantry and freezer and see what you are running low on.
Back to my food hoarding mother…One year she got an extra free turkey from her workplace and asked if she could store it in our basement freezer. We never used it for anything so I said yes. It was in there for years. One day we realized that the basement refrigerator/freezer had stopped working so we threw the turkey away because it had thawed and was leaking fluids everywhere. She got mad. That was about 15 years ago and I’ll bet she’s still mad about it.
This is the definition of false economy.
Pantry staples for baking are on sale during this time
My local grocery store (schnucks) has turkey for 37¢/lb if you buy $25 worth of groceries. You can’t be spending $180 for a free turkey that’s just chasing the dragon!
Bro just buy a second turkey. This is stepping over a dollar to pick up a dime.
Canned soup
I’d just buy beer. I’ll drink anyhow. Especially around the holidays with family around.
My local store had turkeys for 29 cents a pound if you spent $25 on other stuff. Better deal than spending $400 for a free one.
Winco has or had free turkeys for spending $125. I split my cart in two and got two free turkeys. I don’t really like turkey, not on the menu this year. Looking to donate.
Do they allow gift cards to count toward your total?
You could get some canned goods for a local food bank.
If you’re stocking up, all the turkeys go on sale for radically low prices the week after New Years in my area.
Ask a friend or neighbor who is overwhelmed or busy if you can do their grocery run for them
Detergent, cooking supplies (pots, pans, aluminum foil, food storage containers, bottled water, canned drinks and food, broths and stocks, spices.
Let us know what you end up getting!
Gift cards?
So a few things check and see what coupons are also available for shelf-stable. Items that you may not need this moment. But you will use in the next 30 minutes. For instance, I needed some diarr for me, I didn’t need 60 deodorants, but it turned out that by getting those 60 deodorants and using the coupons. Available Those 60 deodorants became less than 99 cents apiece, and therefore it was quite good for me to be able to do also, most companies will not discount a non-store coupon towards your purchase. This means that manufacturer coupons are counted as cash at the. Register, so because the vast majority of that was my manufacturer’s coupon. I didn’t have to worry about not reaching my Hundred dollar volume I am in total.Got two hundred and ninety dollars worth of food for fifty six dollars after coupons.But because the before coupon value was a hundred dollars or more.I still got my free turkey.
I know i’m crazy. Lol.
Can you buy a gift card for the grocery store?
If I spend 2x the amount I get another one for free
If I absolutely had to spend the money (I wouldn’t by choice), I would be looking at these things that can add up fast:
* Coffee beans
* Protein powder/protein drinks/protein bars
* Frozen fruit
Some personal hygiene products could help (deodorant, body wash, shampoo, toothpaste, floss, eye drops, etc.)
Buy gift cards to places you already shop or would gift for Christmas, if they count. If you can, just buy gift cards to the same store.
Cans or pouch meat
Sardines
Salmon
Tuna
Kipper.
Beef
Pork
Chicken
Ground
beef
Sausage
Goetta
Spam
Just buy extra soap and toilet paper and paper towels and tissues and etc etc etc m, youll use it eventually and prices are only going to so technically youll probably save like 12 cents
If I’m trying to make a spend for a $ off coupon, here’s some ideas:
You already listed toilet paper & paper towels. Paper plates, ziplock bags, garbage bags, etc.
Bath soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, mouthwash.
Cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, dishwashing soap
Food that (practically) doesn’t go bad, canned goods, cooking oil, coffee, spices, cereal, protein bars, pet food.
Anything you might want to replace? Worn out pans, measuring cups, spatulas? New food storage containers? Food items for Christmas basket / presents?
If you usually buy instant coffee from the store you could stock up. It’s one of those things that last forever and gets used fast.
I was in the same predicament on Sunday, but only needed to spend about $120.00. I ended up buying boxes of diapers that were on sale. I have few occasions coming up that I could gift them.
Coffee, you’ll always use coffee beans.
Buy yourself a $180 gift card for that grocery store to useater?
I buy an entire year’s worth of coffee pods (which are totally _not_ frugal) on prime day because they are .40 each instead of .70 or more. You gotta pick your frugal.
I’d spend it on the big tins of olive oil, coffee beans, wine, cheeses, San Marzano tomatoes, coconut milk, curry pastes, or meat for the chest freezer.
Or I’d load up on supplies like dishwasher pods, laundry soap, body wash, razors, deodorant, etc.
Basically anything that I already use or consume on a regular basis. Never hurts to have some extra stuff in stock anyway, unless you have hoarding issues.
I ask a family member if they’ve reached their limit, and if they have or they aren’t close, I ask them to use my loyalty card when they go shopping. I’ve done the reverse for others as well.