Fun with Charts

Well, Cheepie is having a good day.  Sometimes the word gets out, and sometimes it doesn’t.  

 

Screen shot 2016-01-28 at 9.31.48 PM

                           Thanks, /r/austin! 

Tips from Cheepsters:

All produce is 10% off at Wheatsville, excepting ‘Co+op Basics items which are already at rock-bottom prices’.  You might find something you’ve been meaning to stock up on!

Non-grackle HEBs have prime top sirloin steaks for $4.97/lb.  If you’ve got a reason to celebrate (for example: You made it to dinnertime. Go you!), you might want to grab some. Do NOT be confused–the grackle HEBs have select grade top sirloin for $3.97/lb, and it is NOT a good deal. You can get that cheaper another time. Here’s the list of which HEBs are which!

Many thanks to those that sent in deals!

 

Happy Ad Wednesday!

Boneless chicken breasts are cheap all over, so if your freezer is low it’s a good week.  They’re not rock-bottom, but every one of the Big 4 has them on sale, so you don’t have to hunt them up.   Also at stock-up prices: cheese at Randalls, red bell peppers at Sprouts, canned tomatoes and tomato sauce at Fiesta, Community Coffee at Randalls, and Fiesta bacon. Pretty much an all-purpose stock-up week.

And before you ask, no, I don’t know what’s up with HEB! This is their worst showing ever.  Given last week they started copying Randalls’ style sales, and now have the occasional limit, I’m setting them to a DEFCON 4 on my Cheepie ConcernMeter, which I just invented right now.  I’ll get a guy on it. Probably this guy.

Screen shot 2016-01-27 at 11.53.17 PM

I’m this much worried. It’s concern, but manageable. He’s got this.

Here’s the roundup:

Fiesta

beef sirloin tip roast                                        $2.77/lb (Fiesta limit)

Fiesta sliced bacon, 24oz                                 $4.99/lb

key limes, 1lb bag                                              50c/ea

Fiesta saltines, 6 oz box                                   99c/ea

Fiesta diced tomatoes, 14.5oz                           50c/ea

Red Gold tomato sauce, 8oz                            20c/ea

 

HEB

large green pears                                             87c/lb

bscb                                                                   $1.79/lb

assorted pork chops                                           $1.97/lb

 

Randalls

whole bone-in pork loin                                     99c/lb

bscb                                                                      $1.77/lb

Lucerne shredded or block cheese, 2lb              $4.99/ea

Community coffee, 12oz, whole or ground        $3.88/ea

DeCecco pasta, 16oz                                           B1G1 (note: look at the prices, get best deal)

Signature Kitchens can vegetable                       67c/ea

 

Sprouts

Halos mandarins, 2lb. bag                                   $1.98/ea

red bell peppers                                                      50c/ea

Fuji or Braeburn apples                                          98c/lb

organic Red or Golden Delicious apples                $1.50/lb

bscb                                                                        $1.69/lb

assorted pork chops                                               $1.99/lb

 

Central Market

PEI fresh black mussels, 2lb bag                            $8.99/ea

 

Wheatsville

R.W. Knudsen Simply Nutritious Juice, 32oz                              $2.50/ea

organic brown flaxseeds, bulk                                                         $1.99/lb

As always, if you find a deal I haven’t listed, or a special at your local store, let me know here on the blog, on Facebook or Twitter. Happy shoppping Cheepsters! 

Weekly Flyer Links

Science & Shopping

Here’s a secret you don’t know about Cheepie–I love me an infographic. Combine infographic with grocery shopping, and I pretty much want this one in t-shirt form.

It sums up some of the basic stuff about shopping that we all know (milk in the back of the store to make us walk past everything else) with some stuff that’s news to me, like bigger carts cause people to buy more.

The Science of Grocery Shopping
Source: BestMarketingDegrees.org

We’ve all got triggers that will have us buying things we don’t necessarily need. I’m a complete sucker for nearly anything with a 50% off sticker, for example. Knowing your own triggers, along with the science stores use to snag everyone, can help you save. We all like to do that!

Thanks to a BestMarketingDegrees.Org for sharing this infographic.

Cheep Cheep!

Free Fruit Trees!

There’s free fruit trees being handed out on Saturday by  the good people over at Tree Folks.  Every household can get two, just bring your Austin Energy bill or driver’s license with an Austin address.

This time around you can get pear, plum peach and persimmon.  Next month they’re handing out citrus and fig! These are some good people–get there early so you don’t miss yours.

Healthy_Harvest

 

 

Happy Ad Wednesday!

Limits. 

Not very long ago the only time I had to mention limits was when Fiesta had their meats on such a deep discount that they required ‘limit 2 w/$25 or more additional purchase’. I specifically avoid dealing with HEB’s Combo-Locos, or anything involving coupons because I want this to be very simple:

List of cheap stuff, buy these if you want.

If you glance down at the list this week, you’ll see I’ve got three of five stores with limits on their loss-leaders.  This is a pesky trend, and one I hope abates.  Limits make it harder to do what I suggest, which is walk in to a store, buy the thing on sale and walk out–which is of course what they’re trying to stop.  If it continues to expand I’ll have to address it somehow. It’s one thing to go buy two pork shoulders at Fiesta and also get milk, tortillas, produce (stuff I would need for the week anyway) and call it good, it’s another to work with having to buy five (Randalls new favorite thing).

On to the sales!

If you want to make tamales, Fiesta has you covered this week with pork and masa both rock-bottom cheap. Avocados are just a buck a few places.  HEB has blackberries and seedless cucumbers for $1. Citrus is still on sale, but watch out on mandarins–they are not at their best prices this week.

Last, Fiesta has their chicken leg quarters at 28c/lb. This is very, very cheap. You have to be ready to cope with this bag of chicken though, as you can’t just toss it in the freezer–you’ll want to portion it out and vacuum seal it, or at least bag/wrap it well in single meal portions.  They also tend to have some backbone section incorporated, which is great to cut off and make stock out of, but if you’re not that sort of person you’re paying for weight you won’t use.  So use your best judgment once you get a look at what you’re buying. Throwing away a 10lb ice cube of chicken leg quarters next time you defrost the freezer is not what Cheepie likes to see!

photo.JPG

Sprouts

navel oranges                                                      33c/lb

Braeburn or Pink Lady apples                        98c/lb

mild cheddar cheese, bulk cut                       $2.99/lb

French bread                                                       $1.49/ea

 

Fiesta

oranges, 5lb bag                                                      $1.99/ea

pineapples                                                                $1.50/ea

pork sirloin roast or chops                                      87c/lb (Fiesta limit)

chicken leg quarters, jumbo bag                           28c/lb

Tortimasa masa mix, 4.4lb                                     99c/ea (limit 2)

Fiesta vegetable oil, 24oz                                         $1/ea

Fiesta chicken noodle soup, 10.5oz                       33c/ea

Fiesta tomato sauce, 8oz can                                  20c/ea

 

HEB

large Hass avocados                                                                      $1/ea

blackberries, 6oz                                                                            $1/ea

hot house cucumbers                                                                    $1/ea

ground pork, value pack                                                              $1.97/lb

H-E-B Seasoned boneless skinless chicken leg meat       $1/lb (limit 2, value pack)

 

Randalls

split chicken breast, bone-in                                                    88c/lb

pork shoulder blade roast                                                           99c/lb (limit 4)

LucerneAA Large eggs                                                                 $1.25/ea (limit 4)

Oak Farms Ice cream, half gallon, selected                         $2.99/ea  (must buy 2)

Fri-Sun Only:

      80% lean ground beef, value pack                    B1G1 (save up to $3.99/lb)

      large Hass avocados                                              $1/ea

      quaker Cap’n Crunch or Hot Cereal                   $1.39/ea (must buy 4 or more)

 

Wheatsville

organic Russet potatoes, 5lbs                                                          $3.49/ea  (good for organic                                                                                                                                    NOT ordinary potatoes)

R.W. Knudsen Simply Nutritious Juice, 32oz                              $2.50/ea

organic brown flaxseeds, bulk                                                         $1.99/lb

 

Happy shopping Cheepsters!  Let me know what you think about limits, and if you find a deal I haven’t listed be sure to let me know.  Cheep cheep!

 

Weekly Flyer Links

Weekend Sales!

I realize I missed my ad roundup this week. You’ll just have to trust me that I was busy. If it helps you to know that I was busy for a darn good reason, you can go ahead and rest easy, because I was.

If it helps you to know that I also took a few more naps than usual, that’s true too, so I’ve got you covered there.

To make up for it I’ve got a couple weekend sales to post.

Randalls has an 8 piece fried or baked chicken tray for $5 Friday today, so if you don’t have a dinner plan yet that’s pretty easy. Though how easy depends entirely on the kind of checker you get. Sometimes you get a line there and it seems like maybe your checker is new to groceries. Good luck!

Sprouts has a whole weekend long sale with lots of great prices on chicken, almond milk and apples.

Fiesta, being Fiesta, has a Sunday/Monday sale. Because even something simple like when the weekend gets wonky once Fiesta gets a hold of it.  I mean look at this–they’ve even got weird Wonder Bread. Whole wheat Wonder Bread? That doesn’t even make sense!

Screen shot 2016-01-15 at 3.49.24 PM

Here are the links:

Sprouts

Randalls

 

Happy Ad Wednesday!

It’s Citrus Time!

There’s not a song for it, like Hammer Time, but it’s still a good thing. Fresh juice is cheap to make at home, and I can easily get everyone their daily dose of Vitamin C.  Sprouts and HEB both have great deals on citrus this week. $4.98 for fifteen pounds of grapefruit is a lot of fruit for under $5!

Hopefully you also find some things for the freezer this week. Boneless skinless chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, and pork loin are all on sale at a few different places this week, and all freeze well.

Happy shopping, Cheepsters!

Randalls

Russet potatoes, 5lb bag                                     99c/lb

assorted pork chops                                             $1.79/lb

split chicken breasts, value pack                      $1.49/lb

Fri only:

32oz shredded Lucerne cheese                             $5/ea

avocados, 10ct                                                            2/$5

(I feel like this might be a misprint. 20 avocados for $5 is 25c/ea!, a most non-Randalls price!)

 

Sprouts

Halos mandarins, 5lb box                                    $3.98/ea

blueberries, 6oz                                                      $1.50/ea

navel oranges                                                           48c/lb

Texas Rio Red Grapefruit, 5lb bag                    $1.98/ea

eggplant                                                                      98c/ea

organic Braeburn apples, 3lb/bag                     $1.98/ea

pork loin roast or chops                                       $1.79/lb

chicken breast tenders                                          $1.79/lb

 

Fiesta

Ataulfo mangos                                              33c/ea

pork loin half, sliced                                   $1.49/lb (Fiesta limit)

Fiesta can corn or green beans, 14oz      25c/ea (limit 8)

Fiesta chuck light tuna in water, 5oz      50c/ea (limit 4)

Screen shot 2016-01-06 at 3.37.53 PM

Throwin’ tuna on sale, y’all!!

Fiesta box macaroni & cheese                                   33c/ea

Fiesta long grain rice, 4lb bag                                   $1.88/ea

 

HEB

Jonagold apples                                                          77c/lb

Texas grapefruit, 15lbs.                                           $4.98/ea

eggplant                                                                        98c/ea

pork tenderloin, whole in bag                              $2.97/lb

bscb, value pack                                                         $1.79/lb

 

Weekly Flyer Links