Here's a simple way to save on grocery items when you need something on sale now and it's out of stock:
Substitute a like product for the sale item.
We were at the store the other day looking for ice cream. The brand we wanted was on sale but was sold out of the flavor we wanted (happens a lot when a popular ice cream flavor is on sale), so my wife asked a clerk if they had any more. They didn't. She then grabbed a competing brand of the same flavor and asked the clerk if the store would substitute this brand for the one on sale -- at the sale price. He said they would.
So we put it in our cart, and when we got to the front to check-out, we informed the checker of what we'd been told. She called to the back to verify the agreement, got confirmation, and charged us the sale price. We got our ice cream and the sale price, so we were happy as clams.
And once we got home and ate some of it, we were even happier. ;-)
Nice - great idea! On a similar note I was at the big ShopRite can can sale and they were out of one of the items I wanted, so I requested a rain check for it and I then asked, "What else are you sold out of that people are getting rainchecks for?" and she told me about 4 other items that I can use, but didn't have on my list this time and I got rainchecks for them too! :)
Posted by: SUSAN | July 17, 2008 at 03:18 PM
You cheated on Moosetracks? Oh dear.
Posted by: Kevin | July 17, 2008 at 04:58 PM
To much work for me. That turned a 5 minute trip into the store into a 15 minute trip. I rather have my time back... But I guess it depends on how much you like your ice cream.
Posted by: Matt | July 17, 2008 at 09:48 PM
Great tip! I knew about rainchecks, but I didn't know stores would sub products. I wonder how widespread that kind of policy is.
Posted by: Elsie | July 18, 2008 at 12:27 AM
Kevin --
Ha!
The flavor (Moose Tracks) was the same -- it was just in a different brand.
Posted by: FMF | July 18, 2008 at 07:52 AM
On a slightly related note, the other day I was checking the "manager's special" section and found two packages of organic chicken sausage marked down to $3.99 a package (from $5.99). However, I glanced at the regular shelf to check the regular price, and saw that the regular stuff was on sale for 2 for $6 (but they were out). So I took the manager's special packages up to the front and asked the checker to please ignore the manager's special stickers and charge me "regular" (sale) price ... glad I looked at the shelf to save two bucks.
I liked the great deals on ice cream last week ... but it's too bad that "half-gallons" are now 1.75 quarts. :(
Posted by: Cheap Like Me | July 21, 2008 at 11:21 AM