This week’s post is basically all about grocery industry
stuff. I have been so overloaded with
school that I have just needed to do something else that’s interesting. That something else has been reading about
the state of the grocery industry.
Yesterday, I did make some scones. My husband had seen Yvonne and her husband
Matt from G:M:Me bakery last week, and they gifted him some of their delicious
scones! After eating those, I had a
hankering for more. Yvonne is out of the
markets right now because she is taking care of her baby (who is beautiful!),
so I had to do it myself. I chose this
recipe specifically because it included butter, which, in my opinion, is of
utmost importance in a scone. Something
interesting I found while I was looking for this recipe is that, in the UK, on
the box of Bisquick there is a recipe for scones, while on the U.S. box, it’s a
recipe for biscuits. In this recipe, I subbed the 1/2 cup blueberries for dried
cranberries, because that’s what I had on hand.
It turned out okay; not the best, obviously, but not bad for 20 minutes’
worth of work. Next time I’m adding more
butter, I think.
News: Nob Hill Offerings Sub-Par
On the topic of grocery stores, according to what I’ve read
on a few couponing forums, it sounds like shoppers aren’t impressed with
Raley’s/Nob Hill; the deals have just been sub-par. This week I’ll be shopping there to pick up
some peanut butter, but otherwise, I haven’t stepped foot into that store in
weeks. It makes me wonder if the recent
union issues have eaten away at some of Nob Hill’s ability to compete with
Safeway’s loss leaders.
This article discusses some things that I’ve experienced in
the last few years of couponing; reduced number and value of coupons that I
want to use. Apparently, there’s been a
6.5 percent reduction in food coupons in the past year, though really the thing
to look at is the value of the coupons, which has declined to an average of
$0.99 for food products. Compounding the
reduction is an increase in the number of items you have to buy to use a
coupon; 45 percent of all food coupons require you to buy two or more items.
My experience reflects this; a year ago, it wasn’t difficult
to find a one dollar coupon for one box of cereal. Now, it’s neigh impossible, as the values have
been reduced to one dollar off two, or even a dollar off of three boxes! The food coupons have been replaced by more
coupons for items like lotion, shampoo, and so on, and even those have been
reduced in value as well.
I’ve reacted to this by buying less, and buying more
private, store brand items. My family
now eats a lot more oatmeal and eggs for breakfast rather than cereal, and we
eat a lot more whole foods in general.
As for non-food items, I stock up when I can get them
inexpensively. I no longer coupon over
at the drugstores anymore, as the increased prices, shoddy sales, and reduced
coupon values have combined to make it no longer worth the effort. Many other couponers have made the same kind
of changes in their shopping habits.
Overall, I think that companies are shooting themselves in the foot by
reducing coupon values.
Yep, that's it for this week. Next week I'll be more interesting, promise. :)
(images from everywhere xP )
Yep, that's it for this week. Next week I'll be more interesting, promise. :)
(images from everywhere xP )
