Buying sale items

Yesterday I had a few items I needed to pick up at the grocery store. I was again struck by how much you can save if you simply buy items that are on a good sale. Some people carry a price book and keep track of when the prices are cheapest on an item. I haven't ever maintained one long term. However, I do know what a good price is for the items that I use often. The item I needed yesterday was hot dog buns. Because I hadn't picked up more when they were on sale earlier in the summer I was stuck paying full price.

What do I mean by good price? I mean buying when an item is at it's cheapest or significantly cheaper than it usually is. I don't usually bother with sales when an item is only discounted a very small percentage. This week Whipped Topping is on sale at one of the two grocery stores we have here. The sale price is $.88. The regular price is $1.76. (That is half off the regular price!) Because I use Whipped Topping when I make coconut or banana cream pies or no-bake cheesecake, I bought five containers. I used one on a banana cream pie right away and froze the other four. When I go to make one of those desserts, I will be able to make it for quite a bit cheaper because I had the foresight to buy my ingredients on sale.

So keep an eye out for those good deals and stock up when you can. It will save you big in the long run!

You have to try Pomona's Universal Pectin

Our family really enjoys homemade jam. One thing I have never liked about making jam is the large amount of sugar that you use. I have tried the low sugar or no sugar version of the Pectin available at most stores and I didn't care for the taste or texture. This year a friend told me about Pomona's Universal Pectin. It uses 4 cups of fruit and 2 cups of sugar per batch of jam. I made cherry jam (with pie cherries). It was so well liked that our family consumed the whole jar of jam in one meal. The pectin appears to be quite expensive ($4.65 at our local health food store), but each box makes several batches of jam so it ends up being cheaper than the other boxes of pectin. It has such a fresh fruity flavor. I am using Pomona's Universal Pectin now whenever I make jam. Give it a try and let me know how you like it.

Compare prices before buying

It really pays to call around and check prices before making a purchase. We need a new windshield for our Honda CR-V. I called 7 companies within an hour drive of where we live. It took about 15 minutes. The highest priced one was $259; the cheapest one was $165. The one for $165 is an hour away. The best price I could get locally at Glass Doctor was $199. So, armed with the information I had gathered, I called Glass Doctor and asked if they could match the best price I was quoted. They checked and the best deal they could give me was $185. One benefit of going with them is they offer free rock chip repairs for a year. In the end I decided to go with my local company...and I got a better deal just by asking.