This week's Grocery Store Deals

This week, there is a money saving crop of great grocery store deals - much better than the holiday sales.

Vons

Foster Farms fresh whole chicken fryer - $0.77 per pound
Rancher's Reserve Boneless Beef Pot Roast - $1.99 per pound
Boneless Pork Sirloin Chops - $1.77 per pound
Pork Loin Back Ribs - $1.97 per pound
Yoplait 10 for $5
Grapefruit 3 for $1
Apples - 3lb bag for $1.49 with a coupon
Dennison's Chili 10 for $10

Albertson's

Fresh Peaches $0.99 lb
Blueberries $0.99 for 6 oz with coupon
Green Bell peppers 2 for $1

Ralph's

Boneless Chuck Roast $1.99 lb.
Cornish Game Hens $0.99 lb.
Cantaloupes 3 lbs. for $1
Iceberg Lettuce 2 for $1
Roma tomatoes 2 for $3
Carrots 2 lb. packages for $1

Sunday Circular Sales

Today, there is a new crop of worthwhile sales listed in the Sunday paper.

Michaels - 40% off coupon. Many items are 50% off and the Christmas items are up to 80% off.

Von's - Yoplait yogurt - 10 for $5

Walgreen's - Puff's tissues, $.89; Progresso soup, 4 for $5; Deerfield Farms dried fruit, $1; Ajax cleanser, 3 for $1; Wax paper and Reynolds aluminum foil, $.99

Long's Drugs - They are having a good Thursday through Sunday sale this week. Normally, I don't like these sales, because I often accidentally shop on an off-sale day and end up paying full price. However, It is time to stock up on the following items that will be offered at 12 for $10.
Stove Top Stuffing, Lindsay olives, walnut grove whole peeled tomatoes, S&W beans, Anderson's split pea soup, Duncan Hines cake mixes.

Rite Aid - Free with rebate items...Gotta love them. Garnier Fructis Shampoo, conditioner or stylers, SoyJoy nutrition bar.

Victory Garden - Veggies

When we first purchased our townhouse with its 200 square foot backyard I had visions of starting my own victory garden full of vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees. I thought that we could preserve the surplus and enjoy nature’s bounty for much less than what we were paying at the grocery store. How wrong I was! While gardening has many benefits, saving money is not one of them. After spending money on amending the soil, plants and seeds themselves, fertilizing, and water, every tomato, squash, and bean became more expensive than the organic asparagus in Lazy Acres!

Now that the economy has shifted a bit, I am rethinking my decision. Certain plants do make some sense. Herbs that come back every year like oregano, basil, and rosemary do very well in our Mediterranean climate. Grapevines are a beautiful addition and only cost $3.99 for two plants. I use the young leaves that I remove for stuffed grape leaves and the culled vines for wreaths. Tomatoes and berry bushes are the best homegrown value, since they are so expensive in Santa Barbara. I have replaced my annual plant borders that took so much water with attractive herbs, citrus trees, and vegetables and hope for the best.

How to thrive and have fun in this economy.

Happy New Year to you too! To make the most of the year, I have a few pieces of advice.

If we are in a depression, go against the grain.

1. When people are panicking and selling - BUY - That goes for homes and stocks.

2. Use up what you already have and own before you buy new things - they will be cheaper the longer you wait.

3. Turn off the news, cancel the newspaper, and get rid of any financial subscriptions that you have. They are full of bad advice.

4. Spend time with family - the best and cheapest way to spend time.

5. Enjoy the downturn in the economy. It is now hip to be frugal. No need to buy the latest and greatest things. Even Bloomingdales is going back to their brown paper bag.

6. If you are married and have a 2 wage earning household and one of you loses your job because of the economy, why not try living on one wage for a while. In the meantime, the non-working person can fix up the house, make gourmet meals, go back to school to get a better job, take care of the kids, etc. There will never be a better time to live on one wage, because costs are dropping for everything right now.

7. Plant that vegetable garden in your backyard or on your apartment patio. Tomatoes, radishes, fancy lettuces, and beans grow well on patios.

8. Besides the veggie garden, get rid of all water hogging shrubbery. There are plenty of succulents that thrive without ever needing water from a hose.

9. Only buy new items for the things that would make you squeemish if you were to buy used - underwear, bras, swimsuits, workout wear, and things that baby's pee on.

10. Embrace the savings game. Coupons are back in style.