Jul 25 2010
An Ode to Jewel (and Target trip)
Ran by Target and Jewel tonight, and I was just thinking: Most other places would have stopped accepting those produce and bread coupons by now (*cough* Kmart!). You know that Jewel didn’t realize they’d put them up as unlimited prints, but they are still honoring them through their expiration date tomorrow. This attitude is one reason why Jewel is my favorite store, and this is why they earn their customers’ loyalty. Because of this free bread coupon, I’ve tried breads I’ve never bought and wouldn’t otherwise have tried, and will be buying them in the future: The naan is very good; the $1.49 sandwich breads are fine and will be making their way into school lunches in the future; the garlic bread was a smash hit with the kids.
OK, enough with the Jewel commercial, on to the shopping trip!
First stop, Tar-zhay.
C9 by Champion socks, clearanced to $4.88. Used $5.00/1 printable (adj. down, no longer available).
2 Aquafresh bubblemint toothpaste, $3.24. Used two $1.00/1 manufacturer printables and two $.50/1 Target printables. (Editorial note: This is something else I’d never have tried without coupons, and really like — much less messy with the kids than the tubes!)
2 Bagel Bites, $4.38. Used two $1.00/1 from the 6/13 SS and two $1.00/1 Target printables.
4 Chef Boy Ardee mini ravioli, $3.88. Used four $1.00/1 Target printables (adjusted down).
2 Bear Naked granola, $7.00. Used BOGO coupon from Facebook, $1.00/1 from Mambo Sprouts, and two $.50/1 Target printables.
3 tangerine Juicy Juice at $2.34 each and one toddler apple Juicy Juice at $1.99. Used $2.00/4 manufacturer printable and four $1.00/1 Target coupons.
Paid with my last $5.00 gift card (sniff) and $.48 in cash, for a net cost of $5.48.
Ran by Jewel on the way home and did two quick transactions with the produce/bread coupons. Paid $.00 for the mini buns + salad, and paid $.49 for baby carrots, avocado, and naan. Net cost: $.49. (Cue Ode to Jewel…)
Catalina alert
Got a Catalina alert at checkout: Buy $30 participating P&G products in a single transaction between 7/28-8/4/10 and receive a coupon for $10 off your next gift card mall purchase. This trend annoys me (the last deal was get a $15 iTunes gift card). I don’t want gift cards, I want Catalinas! Hmm, I wonder if they’d let you buy a Jewel gift card with it or if those will be excluded. Guess we’ll have to wait for the Thursday ad and see.
Fuel for School
Found the elusive Fuel for School booklets at the Lombard Jewel in between produce and meat. Here’s what’s in ‘em:
Save $2.00 on one gallon milk wyb any two Keebler cookies 8.5oz+.
Save $2.00 on one store brand coffee wyb two packs Nutri-Grain cereal bars.
Save $2.00 on school supplies wyb 2 Cheez-It 11.5oz+.
Save $2.00 on a gallon of milk wyb 2 packs Keebler and/or Sunshine multipacks and/or Gripz.
Save $2.00 on store brand bread wyb two packs Rice Krispies treats.
Save $2.00 on Ocean Spray 64 oz fruit + veggie juice or craisins 100 calorie pack wyb 2 Frosted Mini-Wheats.
Save $2.00 on store brand baggies wyb 2 packs froot loops, corn pops, apple jacks, and/or frosted flakes.
Save $2.00 on store brand bread wyb two packs Kellogg’s fruit flavored snacks and/or Yogos.
Save $2.00 on fresh fruit wyb 2 Keebler and/or Sunshine Right Bites.
At the Lombard Jewel
1lb strawberries on sale for $1.49. Looks like a this-store-only special.
15 Responses to “An Ode to Jewel (and Target trip)”
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I was so excited and proud of myself on Thursday, because I printed off one of those produce coupons (for Albertson’s, not Jewel, but same deal) and I was all excited at the thought of $.50 blueberries. Then, of course, I left the stupid thing at home, and I probably won’t make it to town again before it expires. The perils of couponing 32 miles from the grocery store. . . .
I tried to use a produce coupon tonight and the machine said “Quantity Limit Reached”. Has this happened to anyone else?
Laura — Oh no! The produce coupon has been fantastic, one of my favorite deals ever, I must say.
Deborah — did you use a gift card on back-to-back transactions? Sometimes it gives that message.
We love Jewel Osco as well – the bread and produce coupons have been a great deal and for us only 2 coupons seemed to be the ethical thing to do. Supervalu – the parent company for Albertsons and Jewel has been really struggling to the point that some shareholders have been urging to dump the stores. It wasn’t a very popular merger to begin with. When they report earnings this coming week, Wall Street is already predicting they’ll be one of the worst in the Supermarket group. To combat the infiltration of Wal-Mart, and Super Targets into the Chicago area, Jewel this month said they will be cutting 25% of SKU’s from their stores, to cut back inventory as competition will be heated and to boost their private label brand. SVU continued losses will not be sustainable forever and the heated Chicago market will continue to be challenging in a market suffering from deflation. While we like a deal like everyone else, and love the thrill of super-couponing, we should all be conscience of the economics and the unsustainable model that is in the current marketplace, which could leave us with nasty expensive alternatives in the future. We’d hate to see Jewel go away, but if the current environment lasts much longer, you can bet on it.
Anyone notice the price on Simply Orange juice at Target?
I’m wondering about the store Q stacked with the manQ on the back of this week’s Jewel flyer
So you can get the culinary circle items also? I wanted to but wasn’t sure if it was just things labeled Jewel. I will have to try that tonight.
Yup — it’s in the bakery bread section. The naan is quite good.
My first comment would have to be “get a set, whiner.”
Don’t throw a whole heap of facts into the mix and expect your finished result will make any sense of which I’m aware (or conscience – I assume you mean “conscious”). If the head of a company is a former Wal Mart exec, he will think like a Wal Mart exec and use Wal Mart merchandising/marketing designs. Sending your preferred customer base unlimited print coupons on certain types of items encourages people to not only try new items, but most people will pick up a few additional things while they’re there. Even I picked up some sale Romaine and grape tomatoes over and above the free produce value! By the way, the produce coupon does not say you are limited to one use, so why should you take it upon yourself to suddenly blame couponers everywhere for all of Jewel’s stock market blues? Isn’t it more likely that Supervalue overpaid for entry into the Chicago market? Same with most of these mergers (did the Sears/Kmart/Lands End merger really bring value to the company and shareholders?). If Jewel goes the way of private labels (a la Aldi), then they will lose not only most of their shoppers, but also the revenue they get from selling the coveted middle shelf spaces to manufacturers. While I could dissect your entire comment line by line, it’s not worth the bother; your’s is a classic case of knee-jerk reaction: If we use too many coupons/run too many cat deals, they will stop them. Puhleeze.
I have yet to find the Yellow School Bus coupon booklets. I have been to the Mchenry and Barrington Jewel’s …has anyone seen them at Cary or Fox Lake? Thanks
Bonnie–I was at Fox Lake this morning and didn’t see any there. Going to Spring Grove tonight to do a few more rounds of produce, so I’ll check there.
Val, Thank you very much! I forgot about the Spring Grove Jewel.
Rachel – thanks so much for the juicy juice finds!! They were marked $2.04 at my target for the large ones – so $.54 a pack!! I’m stocked just in time for school lunches! TY, TY!
Never did find the school bus coupons at Spring Grove or Fox Lake, probably as these seem to be heavily shopped stores by Super couponers I guess. I looked over a week ago and the holders were empty as with the Meijer in McHenry.
Priscilla — They have been refilling the holders — the one in Lombard was empty the first time I saw it, then it was refilled the second time. You might ask at customer service if yours is empty just to see if they have more to put out, because the holders don’t actually hold very many.
I haven’t seen any booklets or even stand in the Glen Ellyn store. Hopefully they’re just slow…