[Freeda]

I just wanted to point out, in case it will help some people, that about once a month or so all Publix groceries offer a deal of selling certain brands of $50 gas cards for only $40. For each $50 you spend in groceries, you can purchase one $50 gas card with this $10 off discount; and the 'gas card deal' is offered Thursday through Sunday of that week. It's not a huge savings, but for those who are unaware of this, and who are on a tight budget, or just like simple methods of conserving money, it can be a substantial savings if you use this opportunity to stock up on groceries and household staples every few weeks, so that you can buy a few gas cards with this 20% discount. Publix offers lots of grocery bargains each week, so if you plan carefully and study their ad on the week when they offer the 'gas card deal', you can save both on groceries and gasoline.

We've been doing this for quite a while; and we keep our gas cards in the glove compartment; so wherever we are, there is usually a gas station nearby that is a brand for which we have a gas card to use; so, we almost never pay 'full price' for gasoline.

If gas is $4 at the pump, you are actually paying only $3.20 (80% of the pump price) if you use these discounted gas cards. (Plus, because we buy groceries on a credit card that pays rewards for groceries, we get that additional discount on the cost of gasoline, since the credit card company pays rewards on all purchases at a grocery - both food and nonfood items).

The weeks that the gas card 'deal' is offered, it will be shown in a coupon that's on the front page of the weekly ad that comes in the Daily Sun on Tuesday or Wednesday, or can be located at publix.com; or just call your Publix to ask if the gas card 'deal' is offered that week. You don't have to actually take the coupon to the store; they honor it upon request; and the cashiers have the gas cards available at the checkouts.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Freeda

I just wanted to point out, in case it will help some people, that about once a month or so all Publix groceries offer a deal of selling certain brands of $50 gas cards for only $40. For each $50 you spend in groceries, you can purchase one $50 gas card with this $10 off discount; and the 'gas card deal' is offered Thursday through Sunday of that week. It's not a huge savings, but for those who are unaware of this, and who are on a tight budget, or just like simple methods of conserving money, it can be a substantial savings if you use this opportunity to stock up on groceries and household staples every few weeks, so that you can buy a few gas cards with this 20% discount. Publix offers lots of grocery bargains each week, so if you plan carefully and study their ad on the week when they offer the 'gas card deal', you can save both on groceries and gasoline.

We've been doing this for quite a while; and we keep our gas cards in the glove compartment; so wherever we are, there is usually a gas station nearby that is a brand for which we have a gas card to use; so, we almost never pay 'full price' for gasoline.

If gas is $4 at the pump, you are actually paying only $3.20 (80% of the pump price) if you use these discounted gas cards. (Plus, because we buy groceries on a credit card that pays rewards for groceries, we get that additional discount on the cost of gasoline, since the credit card company pays rewards on all purchases at a grocery - both food and nonfood items).

The weeks that the gas card 'deal' is offered, it will be shown in a coupon that's on the front page of the weekly ad that comes in the Daily Sun on Tuesday or Wednesday, or can be located at publix.com; or just call your Publix to ask if the gas card 'deal' is offered that week. You don't have to actually take the coupon to the store; they honor it upon request; and the cashiers have the gas cards available at the checkouts.

Re: the gas cards
They have them for Marathon, Circle K, SHELL and one more I don't recall. We've been doing this for years. My view I prefer SHELL, my opinion it has a better detergent package. We have another SHELL card that gets us another two cents off per gallon and you can triple dip it with a credit card discount. Around here Circle K is buying up the Shell stations.

We've been through this before. Good time to check your car. Are the tires properly inflated? Air cleaner not clogged with dirt etc. I've not done it in a while. Time to again take my bike grocery shopping.

[Michael G.]

Originally Posted by DAVES

Time to again take my bike grocery shopping.

If you have a death wish that is.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Also important to know that you -might- be spending $12 more on that $50 grocery shopping trip by going to Publix, rather than going to Walmart or Aldi. So the savings might be negligible - OR you might actually be paying extra for the privilege of a discount on the gas card.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Also important to know that you -might- be spending $12 more on that $50 grocery shopping trip by going to Publix, rather than going to Walmart or Aldi. So the savings might be negligible - OR you might actually be paying extra for the privilege of a discount on the gas card.

The wife and I were out and stopped by Walmart on Sunday. Decided to grocery shop at the same time.

Yes, some of the prices were cheaper (avocado oil was 1/2 the price she's used to paying). Frozen shrimp was a dollar cheaper. 1/2 & 1/2 was much cheaper. We bought some filets (beef), decent price. I cooked them up tonight... I've tasted better shoe leather... Horrible...

Never had that problem with beef from Publix...

[Carla B]

Wouldn't expect Wal-Mart beef to be good, but also had that problem with Publix, a bone-in rib-eye. Grilled it rare, as usual, couldn't cut it with a steak knife, couldn't chew it. Finally, simmered it in broth, shredded it and made taco meat out of it. Back to Sam's Club for decent beef.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by JMintzer

The wife and I were out and stopped by Walmart on Sunday. Decided to grocery shop at the same time.

Yes, some of the prices were cheaper (avocado oil was 1/2 the price she's used to paying). Frozen shrimp was a dollar cheaper. 1/2 & 1/2 was much cheaper. We bought some filets (beef), decent price. I cooked them up tonight... I've tasted better shoe leather... Horrible...

Never had that problem with beef from Publix...

My usual grocery bill does not consist of beef, avocado oil, frozen shrimp, and half-and-half.

I also don't normally buy beef other than ground chuck for making meatballs and meatloaf.

A typical random $50 basket of groceries for me: milk, jug of spring water, jar of peanutbutter, jar of jam. A loaf of bread. Salad fixin's including field greens or romaine (or both), a couple tomatoes, an onion, maybe a green pepper if they look good that week. A 6-pack of Pepsi for the spouse. A garlic bulb, a box of ziti or package of lasagna noodles. Maybe a DiGiorno frozen pizza and a dozen "Happy Egg" eggs. That'd be my $50 at Publix.

At Walmart, it'd be the same, but now add some ricotta cheese, some mozzarella, a couple cans of tomato paste, a can of crushed tomatoes, (the tomato stuff is for my lasagna), a bottle of Simply Lemonade (raspberry!), and if I have a coupon, a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream.

[Dotneko]

Originally Posted by Carla B

Wouldn't expect Wal-Mart beef to be good, but also had that problem with Publix, a bone-in rib-eye. Grilled it rare, as usual, couldn't cut it with a steak knife, couldn't chew it. Finally, simmered it in broth, shredded it and made taco meat out of it. Back to Sam's Club for decent beef.

I normally dont buy meat at Sams, but they had cowboy rib eyes - with that big bone on sale for 9.99 a pound. Ended up with one just under 3 lbs. Meat man cut some of the bone off and reweighed it to save us a little bit. Started it on the grill and then threw in the oven to finish. Most excellent. And a friends dog scored a lovely bone.
Served 4 people with leftovers, too.