Comments on: Eating Well On $1 A Day: Day 15 – Tampons & Pantiliners

By: jeffrey

jeffrey — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 03:57:28 +0000

@Nancy

I did spend the $20 – The total when first rung up was over $20. The key is to make sure and give the $4 off $20 purchased coupon first. Then once that coupon has been used, you can use all the other coupons you have to bring the price down even more.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 02:13:32 +0000

Sorry this is so late, but I just found your site. How did CVS agree to use your $4 off? Usually you have to SPEND the the amount ($20) to get the discount. Surprised you didn’t have problems with that?

Also, I’m surprised at the deals you’re getting a drug stores – I was always led to believe that most items are way more expensive there.

By: pepsibookcat

pepsibookcat — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:35:58 +0000

Also, always watch for scanner errors on items before you do the couponing and alter the price. A lot of stores have a rewards policy for catching scanner errors. (And, a lot of stores have gotten into trouble for fraud for rampant scanner errors and are now making nicenice.) For example, one local store has a policy where if you catch a scanner error (usually sale items that aren’t scanning sale price), you get $3 off the item or it’s free if it’s under $3. Over the years, I’ve gotten onions, soda, toothpaste, and more for free. One Father’s Day, after sale and scanner error, I ended up getting a dart board for my dad for only about $3 total. That was years ago, and he still plays with it in his garage often.

By: Melonie K.

Melonie K. — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 04:37:54 +0000

I for one got a chuckle out of the whole tampon/pantiliner “problem”. When I was a 16 year old girl, I was really uncomfortable going through the line with my “products” too – so my parents would buy them while I hung back. This is all well and good until you learn that my folks are the sarcastic type who would loudly proclaim to the cashier (we shopped at Target because my mom worked there) and any others around who knew us WHAT they were and WHY they were buying them and WHO they were for. (Any of you who have parents who love to tease know the tone and decibel level that was at. LOL)

As uncomfortable as it was at the time, you were able to get a great deal and you helped others to boot. I say KUDOS to you.

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:08:45 +0000

I am a guy and proudly buy tampons I keep a bunch in my gym bag and use them for bloody noses my team gets in rugby matches. Just remember to cut them in half lengthwise. Those things are absorbent and swell a great deal! This article is amazing. I am going to try the challenge.

By: Mel

Mel — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:08:29 +0000

Oh fiddle faddle. Most men I know from 16 to 60 don’t want to pick up that stuff. It’s not misogynistic. In fact, it always gives me a chuckle to see grown men embarrassed to purchase *womanly* products. It’s really quite amusing, IMO. Look, I’m a women and if I bought 39 packages of pantiliners I KNOW I’d get some comment at the check-out. That’s how the cashiers are where I live. They ALWAYS comment. As for Walgreens, they can have some great deals…especially BOGOs. E.g., I bought one Smart Balance healthy buttery spread, and got one free just recently….AND they let me combine manufacturer coupons w/store coupons w/register rewards. Maybe it just depends on the Walgreens location…

By: jeffrey

jeffrey — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 07:15:03 +0000

@Josephine and @Prexus

I learned the lesson along the way:

http://www.grocerycouponguide.com/articles/ashamed-at-my-embarrassment/

By: Josephine

Josephine — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 03:32:17 +0000

@Prexus Agreed.

In fact it’s pretty offensive that a man would be so horrified to be seen buying them. “Most would rather starve to death than pick up pantiliners and tampons at the store for any reason.” What is the problem? What is YOUR problem? This seems like misogynistic BS to me. I was enjoying these series of posts but this was just disappointing.

By: Prexus

Prexus — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 23:17:09 +0000

Nothing wrong with a guy buying pads/tampons, even if it wasn’t for getting free food! It’s a product, just like any other. Suffice to say, I’m sure many men are quite envious that you would dare “touch” something like that – and I’m sure you impressed the ladies

By: admin

admin — Mon, 24 May 2010 02:50:39 +0000

@Jill B — One of the reasons I took on this challenge is because (and I mean this in all seriousness), if I can do it, absolutely anyone can. I am probably the worst person in the world to try something like this. The only thing I’ve got going for me is that I am stubborn so I will see it through. I have spent more time in the kitchen this month than I have in the past 5 years which is probably not something I should be proud of, but is the truth. And I won’t even go into how I feel about shopping and grocery stores.

While the things I have made are probably pretty pathetic compared to all the food blogs out there, it still drops the jaw of everyone that knows me seeing me actually in the kitchen trying to make something that takes more effort than putting it into a microwave. I am glad that it did surprise and hope that surprise flows into realizing that you, or anyone you know, can do this as well if they want to (obviously not quite the extreme of $1 a day, but enough to greatly reduce your shopping bill) and hopefully have plenty left over to donate to a local food bank.