Thursday, May 29, 2008

They Done Gone Tampered With the Snacks

I was watching some grocery shopping guru on some morning show not too long ago (could I be more vague?) and she was instructing us that we should be stocking up on the so-called (to paraphrase) "items that the store needs to get off the shelf", if it is something that your family will use; and to use our club cards. She also mentioned something about buying store brands as opposed to name brands but only if the quantity is the same or more. Or something like that. Honestly? I wasn't really paying all that much attention. But I did hear her say "instead of buying individual apples, buy the already bagged ones". And to make a list. I always make a list, and I looked for the pre-bagged apples which apparently my store doesn't carry. I also didn't wander the aisles aimlessly, nor was I hungry, and I had the list. I was rocking that advice that I was only sort of listening to. Milk in my store? $4.59 for a gallon of 2 percent. Outrageous, no? But with the club card it is 2 for $5.39. Better. And because during these warm longer days, our refrigerator in the garage has a revolving door and we're personally hydrating all of the children on the cul-de-sac with Gatorade and Capri Sun and beer, which was 2 for $6 for the former and $2.79 a box for the latter.

I only strayed twice from my meticulous list. Once for the -excuse me while I see your impulse item and raise you 2 hula hoops because that was an impulse item that I was all, "Hellz ya!", and once for the ice cream. Now, I know the economy is not performing at its level best right now and the government is having to bail out people whose homes are being foreclosed on because that same government made those same people unable to file for bankruptcy, but what the hell were these people thinking buying homes outside of their means and then treating the equity in their property like an ATM, making that hole they're digging go all the way to China. And I mean that literally. It was a recipe for disaster. And it now costs $80 to fill up a 20 gallon tank with gas and people can't afford to commute to their jobs but ohmygod what have they done with the ice cream! When I approached the freezer case I noticed that Dreyers had changed the packaging on their regular brand of ice cream. I had to scrutinize it to make sure it wasn't some fat-free crap that I was getting suckered into. I hate when that happens! Mr. Farklepants is very particular about his Mint Chip ice cream even though he doesn't eat it anymore but the kids do and I like to be prepared in case he changes his mind. So while I'm suspiciously eying this new packaging, I note that it seems as if the container is smaller. As if they'd shaved an inch off the bottom.



Goddammit I was right. However, they did not shave an inch off the price! It is still $6.49 and on sale for $4.99 with the club card just like the last time I purchased the larger pre-screw-the-consumer container. Those shifty ice cream stealing BASTARDS!! It's like they were all, "just make it fancy and those idiots won't even notice because they'll be too busy keeping their toddler from knocking over the display of canned creamed corn". What's next? One scoop of raisins in my Raisin Bran?

Also? In a "go Me!" moment, I saved $75.71 resulting in a $202 grocery bill, using my club card. SEVENTY-FIVE!! My personal best. Excuse me while I get to 2nd base with myself.

47 comments:

Jennifer S said...

News at 10: Woman storms Dreyer's headquarters with 4 loaded weapons and a hula hoop.

Oh, don't mess with my ice cream.

Kristi said...

As if we wouldn't notice?! No letter of apology on the back? Pahleese.

Suburban Correspondent said...

They do that with everything - 16 ounce cans are now 14 and a half ounces on most items.

The smaller bagged apples are a little cheaper, but they don't taste as good. I always buy whatever fruit is on sale that week, and ignore the rest. Right now it is watermelon. And the best way to save money? Stop buying the juice boxes and make the kids drink water! Tell them you're poor now and they all have to make sacrifices. It's sort of fun to watch them whine.

Karen said...

Dont' even get me started on the grocery/gas thing. We could vacation to Aruba yearly on what the kids eat in a month. And it's gonna get worse when they all hit teen years.

I'm hoping that garden produces big-time this year.

Fortune Cookies said...

look closely at more packages in the store, we're paying the same, if not more in some cases, for less and less product, not just Dreyer's.
Besides, how do we know there's two scoops in our Rasin Bran? Trust? Pfffffft! And what size scoops are they talking about? I have scoops, one is huge, one is tiny. I'm just saying...

Madame Queen said...

The coffee I buy does that all the time. The amount keeps getting smaller, but the prices keeps staying the same. Bastiges!

Live.Love.Eat said...

Nothing witty to say since you took ALL the witty but LOL...Enjoyed this post and LOVE the picture!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

As usual, you said it all. Tootsie for President ?!?!?

Anonymous said...

You go girl! Tell it like it is! Power to the people!
And way to go on that savings--I've never sniffed that sort of savings--I'm always patting myself on the back when I save $8.00. I should have you tutor me in grocery shopping strategies. Or is that strategeries?

smalltownme said...

We had the ice cream issue, too, with Cookie Dough. What galls me is that they put both sizes on the same shelf. Like we wouldn't notice the difference?

{sue} said...

That is some good savings! WTG! I'm not sure if my club card does me any good because I was too busy getting CPR the last time I checked out at the grocery store. And as soon as school gets out, it will take more money to fill my kids with milk all week than it will to fill my car with gas.

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

We're big ice cream consumers around here; we've noticed that they never have the Dreyer's on sale 2 for 6 anymore. Now this. I think we're going to have to switch to Smart-n-Final in the tub!

AutoSysGene said...

Wow, $75 saved, impressive!! If I was that smaller bucket of ice cream I would be embarrassed, too!

Anonymous said...

Raise our gas prices, dupe us with high interest rates, but eff with our ice cream and the world must be coming to an end because WHO DOES THAT? Now that is below the belt.

(This is why our ice cream consists of those Otter Pops that you can buy like 4,000 of them for $5. HELLS YES.)

Bill and Jenn said...

You're beyond diapers, so this won't be on your radar, but I noticed that Pampers has DECREASED the amount you get in their box (92 down to 86) and INCREASED the price by $1 (formerly $18.99, now $19.99).
JERKS. ALL OF THEM.

Anonymous said...

Only 2nd? That sounds like a homer. Check out grocerygame.com, too. It does help.

I agree about the people who went way beyond their means buying house. STUPID

scargosun said...

Here it's called Edy's and OMG, you are totally right! I thought about it last time I shopped too but thought it was just me. I remember when all the yogurts did it too though and I was all sorts of peeved.

Anonymous said...

Does getting to second base with yourself involve the ice cream? Because that would be a whole 'nuther post.

Congrats on your personal best in saving while spending.

-Stu

Bonnie the Boss said...

I am sure thet will justify it by claiming that americans are overweight enough. Maybe they think we really are stupid. I noticed tto. I also noticed the containers felt deceptivly lighter. How can they charge us for more air?

Bonnie the Boss said...

BTW Awesome on the savings!!!!

Gen said...

I HATE it when they do that. I first noticed it with coffee years ago. They think they are so sneaky. Urg!

Anonymous said...

Good savings!

My local supermarket is running one of those Amazing Savings! Yellow flags and Stickers Everywhere! Buy Two and Save 50c! kind of promotions and last time I shopped I totally fell for it.
Result: $80 extra on my grocery bill - a 40% increase.
Grrrr.

Wineplz said...

so I keep seeing all these commercials that America's New Dairyland is in California...so why the hell is your milk $1 more per gallon and your shrinking ice cream $1.50-$2.00 more per less than half-gallon than my milk and ice cream? They're ripping you off in CA all over the place! Especially cuz we know DC ain't cheap by any means.
But they've been playing the same shit with our food and drinks and diapers and wipes...PLEASE don't get me started on the diapers. Or the gas. I'm going to need to ask for a raise because what I'm paying in gas has nearly doubled just since I started at this job 18 months ago. Obviously I need to work for the ice cream industry so that I can afford to go to work.

Unknown said...

I just got wise to that LAST night!
My mint chocolate chip had shrunk in size as well.
I mentioned (loudly) of this to my husband to whom I was accusing of being some kind of ice cream impaired MORON who had purchased either froyo or lowfat how dare he, when he gently brought it to my attention that it was the carton (not my ass) that was smaller.
Whatever.

Anonymous said...

What screws me up is the old recipe that calls for a 16 oz can of something that no longer comes in a 16 oz can ANYWHERE. My walnut sized math brain cannot handle it.

Anonymous said...

I love your grocery store tales. You should start an entire series on grocery store vigilantes.

Or maybe just start a coupon swap.

Burgh Baby said...

I swear on a bag of gummy worms, I saw that itty bitty thing of ice cream at Wal-Mart today and thought it was just a new size. Sure it was over-priced, but it's Wal-Mart. They are hit and miss on some things. But, you're telling me they think I won't notice that my ice cream carton shrunk? Hardly! I will notice when I am not completely full after I down the whole thing in one sitting. Yes, I will.

Grrrr . . .

Ann said...

How about the cereal boxes not ONLY being smaller width/height - but did you also notice recently that they just made them "thinner" AGAIN?

Pretty soon, it won't BE a box anymore and won't be able to stand up bc it will be 2-dimensional.

Anonymous said...

Grocery shopping makes me cry. Getting gas makes me swear at inanimate objects. Paying bills makes me call for the EMTs. Is it going to stop? I can't even have the ice cream to make it all better! Wahhhh...

EatPlayLove said...

Lol! That's a honkin container (even the smaller version) of ice cream..We are pint consumers in this house!

Don't you wish the grocery store could just price food accordingly and not jack up the price, so you can buy it on sale and feel like you saved a whole bundle!

I loathe club cards!They reel me in every time.

Muddlin' Mother said...

Gawd, you crack me up. Please write a book. Don't ever go on vacation or I might have to go into funny blog withdrawal. Which I know can be very scarey.

The Girl Next Door said...

Even my FIL noticed the smaller container.

And why club cards? Why can't they just put the darn stuff on sale and call it a day?

Indy said...

Tricky Tricky! I had heard that companies were doing this. Now there is proof! Bastards.

OHmommy said...

2nd base. LMAO off woman. You are hysterical. How does your husband stand it?

Anonymous said...

Honest to god I almost blogged about this same exact thing! I literally spent 5 minutes in front of the Dreyers trying to figure out if the carton was smaller. I thought it was, but then thought maybe they just made it shorter and wider. I get home and run to the freezer to compare. Sure as shit it's smaller. Burned my hiney, I tell you!

BTW, try www.thegrocerygame.com This week I spend $158 and saved $107. I love that site!

katydidnot said...

f-ers. giving us less ice cream.

1blueshi1 said...

that's awesome, girl. you have my nomination for Official Grocery Shopper of the Bloggers.
speaking of vague, the DH & I totally rocked this conversation last night:
me "I heard Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart yesterday. And some other eighties song too. Except I can't remember any of the lyrics to that one. Or the title of the song. Or the artist. It was something about...light and dark."
the DH (stares at the basketball game on television)
me "So honey what song is that?"
laughs uncontrollably
easily entertained, that's me!
hehehe

stephanie said...

Funny, but when I have a hot, barely legal checker in my grocery store, I don't even notice the prices...I suggest you talk to the management immediately.

Nora said...

Seriously, you should be an epidemiologist, that is some impressive surveillance you did there. I have heard about this smaller portion same price thing.

Angie @ KEEP BELIEVING said...

What does Tong have to say about all this???

Seriously, though, I was shopping in the forbidden superWalmart yesterday because we have either that or Kroger and Cub Foods and it is the closest and usually the cheapest - I'm all for buy American, but I am a totaly hypocrite and shop for wherever I can get things cheapest. I admit it. ANYWAY, EVERYTHING WAS MORE EXPENSIVE except the marked down cereal and potato chips. I noticed the already recently downsized ice cream was down to 1.5quarts from the skimpy 1.75 they changed to from the 2 it was just 5 years ago (for the same price). And the generic is down to the 1.75 quarts. AND APPARENTLY the people at Walmart cannot do math because the price per ounce are NEVER ACCURATE. I am a price per ounce/unit of measure girl because I'm, you know, cheap, that way.

KEEP BELIEVING

Angie McCullagh said...

Bagged apples taste like ass. Never as good.

Tootsie Farklepants said...

**Googling epidemiologist

I can haz smart readers.

Kalynne Pudner said...

I could be wrong, but that looks like a kitchen counter beneath those two tubs of ice cream. Do I conclude you bought them both? To compare, of course, not necessarily to eat.

And in re Suburban Correspondent's suggestion for hydrating kids: You can put some water in a big pitcher, add a couple drops of food coloring...et voila! Faux Gatorade. Chances are, not a single kid will question the taste, but have your "Gosh, golly...really?" face ready to put on, just in case.

Marmarbug said...

Love your blog. i just found you through someone. God i can't remember. My brain is slowly shrinking.
I hate grovcery shoppping. I clip coupons and have noticed that the coupons are sucking more and more each day.

calicobebop said...

Glad I'm not alone in noticing the "green" theme in the last few months of magazine subscriptions. Everything from Better Homes And Gardens to Real Simple to Self was preaching the "green" message.

I went out and bought some new green shoes in order to fit in. Hey! Whatever let's me sleep at night, right?

Cheaper in Baht said...

I've been thinking of buying an ice cream maker. Breyers was over $5.00. Seems like an ice cream maker wouldn't take long to pay for itself and the kids would learn what ice cream is and all of that.

Minnesota Matron said...

The Matronly hand was reaching for a pound of organic butter at our local grocery store when she saw said product was being pimped for $7.99!!!!!

Needless to say, this John went home unsatisfied.