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I know we are in the grip of an economic melt-down and the shops need to boost sales how ever they can but has any-one else noticed everything is 3 for 2 in the shops?

I do the same every Christmas. I make a long detailed list of all my grocery requirements, leave it on the table and then arrive at the shops without a clue other than, a turkey.

All the shops here seem to have this 3 for the price of 2 offer. Then you are faced with the dilemma of 'Do i reallly want 2 extra' and what to do with them.

You are conned into believing that this is an unbeatable offer so you go home with 3 tubs of ice cream instead of 1 and 3 packs of chestnut and monkey stuffing instead of 1.

Being single most of my life, I quickly learnt to avoid such tantalising offers. I hate waste, especially food and especially the guilt trip that comes when I think of those who have nothing to eat.

It depends on what your buying. Cereal in my house is a good bet and I bought 3 boxes of the store brand the other day for $5.00 - I also check out the beat up aisle (damaged goods but still edible). Always cereal bargains there.

jimbo;1091617 wrote: watch it that diet could be the death of you :-3:-3:-3



















its a cereal killer :yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl


Are you kidding, I don't eat that crap:wah: I'm making a sausage casserole for xmas morning and it calls for 10 eggs! My hubs was :-3 cholesterol killer.

jimbo;1091624 wrote: eggsterminate :yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl


:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl

jimbo;1091611 wrote: bogof oscar :D


bogof yourself Jimbo.

I can deal with buy one get one free. You only have two to worry about then but 3 for 2??

E.G. Everyone knows that the only time in your life that you will eat cranberry sauce, is with Christmas Turkey. It's hard enough to get rid of the other half of the jar through the year. So why offer 3 for 2? The price is so good that you'd be a fool not to buy it.

Another e.g. is toys being sold at 3 for 2. So you get the one gift you want and for a small amount extra, you get another 2. Who do you give the other 2 to? If you give them to the kids in your family, you then have to get the others an extra present so they have equal amounts.

oscar;1091644 wrote: bogof yourself Jimbo.

I can deal with buy one get one free. You only have two to worry about then but 3 for 2??

E.G. Everyone knows that the only time in your life that you will eat cranberry sauce, is with Christmas Turkey. It's hard enough to get rid of the other half of the jar through the year. So why offer 3 for 2? The price is so good that you'd be a fool not to buy it.

Another e.g. is toys being sold at 3 for 2. So you get the one gift you want and for a small amount extra, you get another 2. Who do you give the other 2 to? If you give them to the kids in your family, you then have to get the others an extra present so they have equal amounts.


I did that 3 for 2 deal with Quin's friends. They are all getting the same thing. He has lots of friends. Darn, I should have sent one to Jimbo.:-5

qsducks;1091648 wrote: I did that 3 for 2 deal with Quin's friends. They are all getting the same thing. He has lots of friends. Darn, I should have sent one to Jimbo.:-5


If you have any Toddler age gifts, jimbo would love them :yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl

oscar;1091653 wrote: If you have any Toddler age gifts, jimbo would love them :yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl


Nope, outta teething items at the mo.:yh_rotfl

qsducks;1091656 wrote: Nope, outta teething items at the mo.:yh_rotfl


Just as well since he hasn't any teeth.:rolleyes:

OpenMind;1091659 wrote: Just as well since he hasn't any teeth.:rolleyes:


Bald and toothless?? Sounds like my late grandmother :yh_rotfl

oscar;1091667 wrote: Bald and toothless?? Sounds like my late grandmother :yh_rotfl


I cannot see why anyone should be late if they are bald and toothless. That's two less things that have to be prepared before going.

oscar;1091644 wrote: bogof yourself Jimbo.

I can deal with buy one get one free. You only have two to worry about then but 3 for 2??

E.G. Everyone knows that the only time in your life that you will eat cranberry sauce, is with Christmas Turkey. It's hard enough to get rid of the other half of the jar through the year. So why offer 3 for 2? The price is so good that you'd be a fool not to buy it.

Another e.g. is toys being sold at 3 for 2. So you get the one gift you want and for a small amount extra, you get another 2. Who do you give the other 2 to? If you give them to the kids in your family, you then have to get the others an extra present so they have equal amounts.


cranberry sauce I eat with chicken and turkey pieces throughout the year!:p

but I would never buy 3, 2 yes, not 3!

our sales are always in 2's, 3's just suck!:sneaky::yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl

jimbo;1091768 wrote: just in case anyone thought oscar was being rude bogof means





buy

one

get

one

free


No, i was being rude :yh_rotfl

I hear ya Oscar...That's why I don't go to Costcos anymore. I spend so much money because you buy everything in bulk. I waste half of the food that I buy. So I just go for paper products, specialty items and some yummy frozen dinners that will last in my fridge.

Kathy Ellen;1091796 wrote: I hear ya Oscar...That's why I don't go to Costcos anymore. I spend so much money because you buy everything in bulk. I waste half of the food that I buy. So I just go for paper products, specialty items and some yummy frozen dinners that will last in my fridge.


I think what surprised me, was that the offer was on just about everything that you really only buy once a year, not the essentials that you will buy weekly. It's so easy to get tempted on things like chocolate and booze when they are offering 3 for 2 at little over the price of one.

We had far too much food last year and most of it went inside the dogs or local wildlife. I was determined to get the essentials only this year but i did get caught on these offers.

The shops must be getting hit hard with the credit crunch. I went to Mr Oscar's tackle shop looking for gifts for him and saw a barbel rod at £139. Without my saying a word, the owner offered it to me for £69. That's sad when they have to do that.

Kathy Ellen;1091796 wrote: I hear ya Oscar...That's why I don't go to Costcos anymore. I spend so much money because you buy everything in bulk. I waste half of the food that I buy. So I just go for paper products, specialty items and some yummy frozen dinners that will last in my fridge.


I found Costscos was wayyyyyyyyyy to expensive!



and never needed that much of one thing.

Odie;1091808 wrote: I found Costscos was wayyyyyyyyyy to expensive!



and never needed that much of one thing.


Do you have the big hypermarkets like Asda as we do here? they sell everything from a new TV to a bottle of sherry. It's very easy to get tempted with all the different things they sell. Ours is open 24 hours a day at christmas. The best time is around 8 pm christmas eve as they reduce everything in price even further but i can't bear the crowds of people.

oscar;1091823 wrote: Do you have the big hypermarkets like Asda as we do here? they sell everything from a new TV to a bottle of sherry. It's very easy to get tempted with all the different things they sell. Ours is open 24 hours a day at christmas. The best time is around 8 pm christmas eve as they reduce everything in price even further but i can't bear the crowds of people.


ours are called superstores and we hate them!

they are grocery stores, but have everything else in them.

I hate that ratio junk - forced to buy more & store it....it's not always the best deal.

We have the " $.99 Cent Stores" I find it better for me to wonder thru a .99 cent store first before the grocery stores.

My .99 cent store has alot of fresh foods - frozen foods & canned foods etc..

Fresh bread is delivered on certain days

Raisin Bread is .99 cents

Bagels .99 cents - It's well worth the browse for me, than to pay for 2 or 3 items that would take me forever to use..?

It's tough out there - you really have to weight out what best for you with grocery shopping. I'll do a route - Safeway for the 2 things on sale - Albertson's for another bargain, especially this time of year.. do what ya can.

Patsy

oscar;1091804 wrote: I think what surprised me, was that the offer was on just about everything that you really only buy once a year, not the essentials that you will buy weekly. It's so easy to get tempted on things like chocolate and booze when they are offering 3 for 2 at little over the price of one.

We had far too much food last year and most of it went inside the dogs or local wildlife. I was determined to get the essentials only this year but i did get caught on these offers.

The shops must be getting hit hard with the credit crunch. I went to Mr Oscar's tackle shop looking for gifts for him and saw a barbel rod at £139. Without my saying a word, the owner offered it to me for £69. That's sad when they have to do that.


I thought you said things you buy once a year - they'm be essentials :wah:

oscar;1091804 wrote: I think what surprised me, was that the offer was on just about everything that you really only buy once a year, not the essentials that you will buy weekly. It's so easy to get tempted on things like chocolate and booze when they are offering 3 for 2 at little over the price of one.

We had far too much food last year and most of it went inside the dogs or local wildlife. I was determined to get the essentials only this year but i did get caught on these offers.

The shops must be getting hit hard with the credit crunch. I went to Mr Oscar's tackle shop looking for gifts for him and saw a barbel rod at £139. Without my saying a word, the owner offered it to me for £69. That's sad when they have to do that.


What's sad is knowing they're still making a profit!

If shops can cut costs and still make a profit it just shows what a HUGE mark-up was originally on those goods!

I only get the items that are buy one and and get the other half price....then I give one to my daughter in law. This only works on a few items though.



I guess it works at this time of year for wrapping paper, cards etc.

Bryn Mawr;1091982 wrote: I thought you said things you buy once a year - they'm be essentials :wah:


What on earth are you insinuating Bryn?:yh_rotfl

Rapunzel;1091983 wrote: What's sad is knowing they're still making a profit!

If shops can cut costs and still make a profit it just shows what a HUGE mark-up was originally on those goods!


Yes, I was very struck by the offer. My husband is a very regular customer and well known in there but even so, i immediately thought that if he could sell it to me at £69... what is the mark up?? He wouldn't be giving it away.

I think we will start to see a lot more of this in the credit crunch. I had a woman's magazine last week with a page on advice as to how to haggle.

i only buy on those offers if its something like coffee, or toilet rolls:yh_rotfl but the best thing is to shop online,, asda, sainsburys and tesco do it, that what i did this year and im now awaiting delivery of my shopping nice and cosy at home:D plus you get to see a running total of how much you are spending and dont get suckered in to all these so called deals.

But talking about the mark up,, that rod you said about oscar,, yes it makes you think. for ages now asda has had a deal on 3 bottles of wine for a tenner,,, now some of these bottles of wine are priced at around £5,, some are 7 and 8 pounds normally!!! so who are they taking the p out of here,,, people who think a bottle of wine is only good if it costs a certain amount? see i always knew the £3 or £4 bottles were just as good:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl

kazalala;1092065 wrote: i only buy on those offers if its something like coffee, or toilet rolls:yh_rotfl but the best thing is to shop online,, asda, sainsburys and tesco do it, that what i did this year and im now awaiting delivery of my shopping nice and cosy at home:D plus you get to see a running total of how much you are spending and dont get suckered in to all these so called deals.

But talking about the mark up,, that rod you said about oscar,, yes it makes you think. for ages now asda has had a deal on 3 bottles of wine for a tenner,,, now some of these bottles of wine are priced at around £5,, some are 7 and 8 pounds normally!!! so who are they taking the p out of here,,, people who think a bottle of wine is only good if it costs a certain amount? see i always knew the £3 or £4 bottles were just as good:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl


I had to laugh at your first paragraph. Mr Oscar and i watched the classic Christmas epidode of 'The Good Life' last night. It's the one where 'Margot' has ordered her Christmas in a van from Harrods. She gets all snooty because her tree doesn't measure the full 9ft and sends the lot back only to find they won't re-deliver. They're sitting there christmas morning with nothing.

I like the way they hide all the essentials at Christmas and all the luxery goods is at eye level. Crafty buggers :yh_rotfl

Scrat;1092141 wrote: Seeing a lot of stuff here 2 for 5, buy 2 get one free. It seems they just want to move inventory, maybe if they do they can cut their losses and come out good down the road.

I wish them luck.


I agree with you on small business's and shops but it's mostly the huge hypermarket retail stores doing it here.

Anyone got any tips on what to do with 3 large jars of cranberry sauce? :yh_rotfl

Odie;1091808 wrote: I found Costscos was wayyyyyyyyyy to expensive!



and never needed that much of one thing.


I go to BJ's wholesale about every other month and only buy the essentials, like deodorant, shampoo, tp, and sometimes will grab tomato sauce which I use all year long.

Scrat;1092169 wrote: Same here, Costco is great for essentials in bulk but on some things you can find better deals. Meat is competitive but Wincos here can beat them handily and I found a Korean market that sells whole pork leg boneless for 1.39 a pound. I don'r know how to make use of the whole thing though.


That is a great price! Get them to cut it for you and you can freeze most of it.

Scrat;1092169 wrote: Same here, Costco is great for essentials in bulk but on some things you can find better deals. Meat is competitive but Wincos here can beat them handily and I found a Korean market that sells whole pork leg boneless for 1.39 a pound. I don'r know how to make use of the whole thing though.


Roast the whole leg and then divide into sections and freeze if you can. (Not you, the pork).

Make sure it's not irish pork or beef. they are in a spot of bother with toxic meat at the moment. Some dippy loo lah didn't take the plastic bags off the bread before they fed the pigs. tut.

oscar;1092123 wrote: I had to laugh at your first paragraph. Mr Oscar and i watched the classic Christmas epidode of 'The Good Life' last night. It's the one where 'Margot' has ordered her Christmas in a van from Harrods. She gets all snooty because her tree doesn't measure the full 9ft and sends the lot back only to find they won't re-deliver. They're sitting there christmas morning with nothing.

I like the way they hide all the essentials at Christmas and all the luxery goods is at eye level. Crafty buggers :yh_rotfl


:yh_rotfli used to love that show:) well my shopping was delivered and its all good:D