Posts Tagged ‘Cyber Monday’

The Grocery Game Challenge Nov 19-25-Black Friday and 35 Days Til Christmas

Posted: November 20, 2012 in The Grocery Game
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shopping cart with gifts

There’s only 35 days left until Christmas with Black Friday around the corner and Thanksgiving this Thursday in the USA for our American friends. That means it’s time to get the ball rolling so you don’t leave everything until the last minute including grocery shopping and baking. If you missed my Grocery Game Post from last week you will see all the holiday cookies we will be baking come the first week of December.  I will be posting these recipes every Sunday in December. This week we are staying away from the grocery stores as we have no money left in our grocery budget for the month. What we plan to do is eat what we already have in the pantry, freezer and refrigerator.

I think we have more than enough food to pull off a week of no trips to the grocery store especially since today is already Tuesday. My advice would be to not look at the flyers if you really want to stick to your grocery budget or save some money extra each month so you can shop if they have super deals on so you can stockpile some items. We may do this for next year where we add an extra $20 a month for stockpiling and carry it over as projected expenses. It will only be used if a great deal comes on for toilet paper for example and we have coupons.

Do you save extra money in your budget for stockpiling or do you simply use your monthly grocery budget to stock up on what you can?

Speaking of Black Friday, I  read a post by Mandy at Money Master Mom this morning who thinks it’s only a deal if you need it when heading out into the line-ups searching for a bargain. You can read how her Black Friday Getaway crossing the border ended up costing her more than she bargained for. If you don’t plan to cross the border for Black Friday and shop at home or on-line having a set shopping budget so you don’t get overwhelmed with the mass marketing is ideal in this situation.

I agree, when it comes to Black Friday, Cyber Monday or any deal for that matter unless you “need it” then it’s likely not a bargain. I know many people who spend money using Canadian coupons to buy items in the grocery store just because they have a coupon yet may never use that product or will let the product expire. I’m not talking about laundry, toilet paper and cleaning supplies I’m talking about the food. The thrill of the chase to find the best deal and the best price is always on for some savvy budget savers but ask yourself if it’s really worth it. Have you experienced having too much food and product expiring before you get a chance to consume it? Do you donate it?

Around the holidays can be the toughest time of year for families to stick to a grocery budget or any budget for that matter. We start to see gifts for everyone on our list even at the grocery store. It’s super easy to get carried away with the festivities, the decorations and the lights.  My advice is to make a plan and stick to it but don’t get discouraged if something goes wrong. Everything we do in life is a life lesson and we should learn from our mistakes.

Post your Grocery Shop Below in the comment section and you might be our next Monthly Winner!!!

Grocery Game Challenge Results

Total Grocery Budget for the Month for 2 Adults:$190.00 at $63.33 for 3 weeks of shopping with 1 No-Shop Week per month.

This was a no-shop week so last weeks totals apply to this week as well.

Weekly Grocery Game Challenge Results for Mr. and Mrs. CBB

  • Total Grocery Budget for the Week: $63.33
  • Total Coupons Used this Week:$17.50
  • Total Scanning Code of Practice: $0
  • Total Spent This Week:$14.48
  • Total Spent So Far for November: $99.21+75.13+$14.48=$188.82
  • Total Over/Under spend this shop: $1.18
  • Total Over/Under spend for the month of November: $1.18
  • Total Left to Spend for the Month: $1.18
  • Total Coupons Used This Month : $45.33 + $10.00 Spending Card+$15.99+$17.50=$88.82

Overall: We are happy that we stood our ground and are eating from what we have in our home to stick to our grocery budget.

Frequently Asked Questions 

  • Do I have to be Canadian to post my Grocery Shop?

No, you don’t have to be Canadian to post your shops only to win a monthly prize. We have a few posters from around the world.

  • When does the Grocery Game Close each month?

The Grocery Game Challenge Closes at Midnight of the last Sunday of the last post for the month. You can post your shops all month-long so if you miss a week you can go back and post so you still get your entry in the monthly contest.

  • Does Your Grocery Budget Include Health and Beauty and Laundry?

Yes our Grocery Budget includes such items as shampoo, conditioner, laundry soap, fabric softener, dish soap etc. We don’t mind stockpiling items that won’t be effected by expiry dates or have long expiry dates but not so much food any more. It’s just one way to help cut your budget to save money. We are currently well stocked with those products since we used coupons heavily the past couple of years. We haven’t really stocked up on much but we have taken every opportunity to purchase more paper towel, toilet paper, fabric softener and a host of other items that are an excellent price with coupon.

There are many places you can find Canadian Coupons whether it be in store or via the mail. I would suggest following an on-line coupon community or coupon Facebook page in your area.

Canadian Coupon Match-Ups- Match your coupons with flyer sales!

Here are your latest Coupon Match-ups  of the week from around Canada compliments of Save Big Live Better. Just one of my favourite Couponing sites for finding the hottest grocery deals in Canada!

Here are a couple of coupons we picked up while shopping this week at Canadian Tire. 

Canadian Tire Coupons November

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Grocery Game Challenge Rules

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Make The Most Out Of Black Friday Deals Without Crossing the Border

Posted: November 8, 2012 in Canadian Coupons 101
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Black Friday Canada

With at least 18% of Canadians expected to cross the border to enjoy deals on Black Friday in the U.S., some might be wondering if it’s even possible to save money from within Canada?

I’ve been blogging about shopping deals and frugal living in Canada for a few years now, and I wanted to share some of my best tips to get the most out of your Black Friday shopping in Canada. That’s right, there are some great discounts to enjoy on our side of the border too!

Black Friday Deals in Canada

Since the Canadian dollar is now on par with the U.S., many Canadians have picked up the habit of crossing the border to shop the Black Friday sales. Now, Canadian stores aren’t blind, they have taken note, so that more and more Canadian retail stores are also offering comparable deals on Black Friday to keep paying customers on Canadian soil.

Shopping the Black Friday deals in Canada avoids the long waiting lines at customs and the crazy hordes in shopping centres while saving money on gas too. Some offers might not be as good as what’s on offer in the U.S. (it’s getting closer though). But you also need to take into consideration the amount of time you’ll save.

Spot the Deals Before Shopping

It is really important that before you go shopping on the high street, have a look at what the sales are going to be beforehand. To do that, there are many helpful tools such as a saving community blog, forums and of course flyers from the most popular stores.

This will allow you to spot which stores will run Black Friday deals in Canada and what kind of discounts you can expect and on what type of products (for example, expect electronic accessories to be heavily discounted). And with the number of stores participating increasing every year, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding offers for most of your favourite stores.

Make a List

Making a list before shopping for any kind of occasion should always be the first step to help us spend more wisely. It allows us to plan what we really need ahead of time, and if we manage it properly, it can also prevent us from buying items that are not on the list. Take a few minutes to do a list of what you really need to buy and put them in order of priority, starting with what’s most important.

Compare Prices

Merchants normally advertise most of the upcoming deals in their flyers, newsletters and/or on their website, so customers can easily spot the offers they are interested in. This price comparison allows you to compare the current price of the items with the upcoming one and analyze how much of a good deal it is. But you probably already know what the average price for it is and if what on offer is a tremendous discount or not.

Or go one step further, simply find the best price for the product(s) you are interested in, then find a coupon (if applicable) to get further discounts.

Read the Store Price-Match and Returns Policy

Some stores change their returns policy during the Black Friday sale, so make sure to be aware of the appropriate policy if you need to return the product. You might also want to have a look at their price-match policy—in case you find it cheaper later.

Print Coupons

Using a coupon (printable or on-line code) on top of a Black Friday deal is the best you can expect in terms of saving money. Make sure to read all the fine print on the coupon and all the terms and conditions of the store’s Black Friday sale to see if you can use it.

If you decide to shop on-line as the following section recommends, look for coupon codes to unlock better deals on select products. Canadian coupon sites, such as vouchercodes.ca, normally list all the latest codes and promotions available for top merchants, especially for events as big as Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Shop On-line

Since most U.S. stores are now on-line and Canadian customers can shop them from within Canada, shopping on the web is a great option to enjoy the U.S. Black Friday sales from your own home. Expect to pay for handling and shipping fees, but if you saved on gas and you didn’t have to fight to grab an item(s), you might be more comfortable with this option.

It’s not only convenient, but it could also be cheaper in some cases, owing to lower overheads for stores, which in turn can lead to lower prices for the consumer.

Following Black Friday, Cyber Monday is another great event where products are highly discounted and deals are mostly available on-line  Customers can expect to find the same kind of promotions as on Friday, but all on-line a must see for avid shoppers.

Shop Early

It doesn’t matter if you’re shopping on-line  in store, in the U.S. or in Canada, getting to the store as early as you can, will maximize the chances of getting the item you need, as most of the products are only available in limited quantities. For the on-line part, make sure you find out at what time the sale is going to start to be among the first cyber-shoppers. Some stores start it on Sunday night so be aware.

Voucher Codes Canada

Guest Post By: Erin is a Canadian savvy shopper and blogger at vouchercodes.ca, an on-line savings community. She is always looking for the best deals available in Canada and for the latest tips on how to be more frugal.

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