Grocery Coupon Guide

I am curious to the secret free turkey plan, but there are plenty of wild, plump, turkeys running around Sacramento.

@Monkey Mama

There are surprising number in my area and where my sister lives as well, but if you think that my cooking is a disaster, you would definitely not want to see a gun in my hands. I would prefer to spend Thanksgiving at home rather than in jail for accidentally killing someone

How about bartering for a free turkey? It’s much easier to trade services or time/labor than it is to go shoot a turkey (not even counting the time it takes to clean one!)

@Shans3boys

That certainly could work as well, but it’s not my secret plan

Embarrassing…embarrassing…ooh! Going to the food bank you’re always donating to and asking them for one?

I must not be very creative, There are only two suggestions ahead of me and they were both of the things I was going to guess.

I am guessing that you can get a free turkey at the food bank you donate to, but, I think your heart would prevent that from occuring.

Hmmm, maybe dress up like a turkey to drum up business for a local grocer/deli/bake shop?

Or would you consider it embarrassing to get a turkey from the M. food bank? I know you’ve given a ton with The Penny Experiment…

I’m going to keep guessing…

@Shans3boys @Heather @Wife2.0

I’m pretty sure that the food bank would give me one if I asked considering all the food I have donated, but the goal is to give them food, not take any away from someone that needs it, so I would rather lose the bet than do that (since I have no real need for it other than to win the bet).

Totally agree – you might have to suffer through some “I told you so’s” from sis if you can’t get a free one, but I bet you will succeed!

I am guessing a radio contest? I remember one of our local stations having a ‘Turkey Bowling’ contest every year. So maybe something like that?

@Ruth

Good guess, but my secret plan I think gives me better odds than that

How about finding someone at the grocery store with full cart of groceries (over the $100 for a free turkey) without a turkey in their cart.
You could ask them if they plan on getting the free turkey.
If they say no (perhaps they already have one), then you could ask them if they would be willing to donate or trade their free turkey for something you have in your cart.
A bit embarrassing, but I am sure you could find someone who would be willing to help you out.
The turkey would then be free, but it was actually “bought” by someone.
I am sure that you could perhaps “trade” something that you have gotten for free that day with your overages or coupons. That way it would be “bought” by you too.
I hope that works for you!

@Norine

Interesting idea that I had not considered. While that is not my plan, I may give that a try one day and see if I can get some extra turkeys for the local food bank. being an introvert, that would definitely take me out of my comfort level, but I also think it would be a good exercise to see what happens.

It has to do with buying femenine products jaja.

If everything fails you can go the 25th knock on every door nearby and ask for a turkey leg until you get all 6!! lol

@gwen

heh – good guess, but not what I had in mind (for anyone that doesn’t understand what gwen is talking about, this will explain it).

Butterball’s website has a $10 rebate for buying a turkey and a Disney Christmas movie. Then there was a $4 off coupon for Butterball and buying some other products. Is this strategy allowed?

Saw this today – maybe you can win a free one!
http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/11/win-a-free-organic-dartagnan-turkey-20101108.html

@Emily

Good guess, but I have never been too lucky with contests.

@tricia

Yes, the strategy is allowed, but I would need to get the the “other products” at no cost to make it legit. I can’t spend $100 on stuff to get a free turkey and say it is free unless I get that $100 worth of stuff for free as well.

I just saw on someone else’s blog that Giant Foods is doing the same kind of deal — free turkey if you accrue a certain amount in groceries. But it’s $300. BUT, if you can stack coupons there instead of Safeway… I hope you can do the double-coupons to get a turkey!! I have NO idea what your secret plan is!

~Angela

Well, this isn’t a guess, but it’s a suggestion depending on your work.

http://www.officedepot.com/a/promo/pages/0705_coupon3/

You have gotten deli turkey on the cheap before. Your sister didn’t say it had to be a whole turkey. And hey! no carving!

@T
I was just coming to post that very same suggestion!

@Jeffrey
It doesn’t have to do with winning a free turkey in a wet t-shirt contest, does it?

So, it’s not a contest. It doesn’t involve directly asking for one. It’ not test driving a car. It’s not bartering.

I have 3 guesses:
1. a lot of sport teams in your city/state will be handing out free turkeys this Thanksgiving.

2. The Salvation Army holds annual turkey giveaways every year.

3. The Orem Fitness Center in Utah will once again hold it’s annual, fun-filled 2010 Earn Your Turkey Run.

PS I’ll send you a turkey, if you mail me some Safeway Thanksgiving Coupon Booklets

@Amanda

Sorry, all good guesses, but not my plan — although if I find out about a Turkey run in my area, I may do that since I am currently planning to run a half marathon in Las Vegas at the beginning of Dec.

@Stephanie

heh – even if I technically won doing that, I would have to hear about how I cheated from my sister the entire time. It would be an excellent trick with a real turkey backup just to see the reaction of my sister. It’s not good to get me mind spinning like that

Hello from Reddit! My guess is that you’ll dumpster dive for a turkey. They’d likely be thrown in the dumpster after their expiration (in the cold) and would be reasonably well preserved if you pick it up in time.

@blackleatherrain

Not a bad idea, but not likely that any of the turkey’s will meet their expiration date before Thanksgiving — although you are thinking along the right track

you’re going to make a turkey ???? you didn’t say you could eat the free turkey

heh – while I would love to see my sister’s face if I were to do that, I could never claim victory doing that

I think if all fails hes just gonna steal the damn bird…case closed!…lol

This is a stumper!

What about if you know a vegetarian who is given a turkey each year from his/her employer. You could ask to have it this year!

or

After house sitting, you request your payment in turkey!

@Laurel,

Good guesses, but not the right answer. I am actually surprised nobody has gotten it since it is simply an extension of something that I have done in the past (that is about all I will give in hints)

@Tom

heh – I think I would like to spend the holidays with my family rather than be in jail

Are you planning on using the turkey right out of the frig from your house sitting job?
Wow, super embarrassing!

@Norine,

Ha – no, I think that would be a good way to never get a house sitting gig again

Do you have an overage deal planned out?

@Gwen

Unfortunately, there is no way to really plan an overage deal out since it depends on what sales grocery stores offer each week. Still have my fingers crossed that something will materialize, but nothing at this point.

Are you buying things with coupons, making money or coming even, and then exchanging those free items with someone who bought a turkey…so your free items count as free turkey?

@Lisa,

hmmm, interesting — might be something to consider if my plan fails, but not my current plan.

Here’s an idea… you can walk around your neighborhood and when you see gatherings of people you can ask for a part of their turkey.
It sound awful, but you’ve done it before with people’s fruit trees! I doubt people would turn you down. Especially if you explain why you need it / or look homeless and lonely.

@Prissy

heh – I could see the look on my sister’s face as I say, “Okay, I’m out hunting for the next meal – be back in about half an hour and we can all eat.” Not what my current backup plans are…

I was going to guess that it had something to do with your post, “Should I Be Allowed To Buy Things For Others To Get Free Food? Day 51: Eating Well On $1 A Day”, but looks like Lisa’s guess is the same as what I was thinking.

This certainly is puzzling, I can’t wait for you to reveal your secret technique. Does it involve squirrels and loquats?

@Dana

heh – funny you should say that because I had a squirrel come up and casual eat some nut he found right outside my window as I typed about 30 minutes ago, and I thought back to all the grief they had given me during those 100 days.

Well I don’t know about you guys but I like my plan for the free turkey. I get everything I can on coupons/sales/discounts for the holidays free or cheap which I can get almost everything-minus the turkey so I tell everyone that Ill get everything just have someone in the family pick up a free turkey with all their other shopping they do normally since we all use the same ingles card number and that way we build up those free turkey points quick last year we got 4 free. I used one for thanksgiving and one for christmas then gave 2 away to the food bank..lol

@Misfit

I sure do wish there was a point program at one of the grocery stores around here to get the free turkey — I would have had no problem getting a bunch with all the food I buy for the food banks.

Getting one free from the Food Pantry.

@Janet

While I probably could do this, I would rather lose the bet than take food away from another family since I am in the fortunate position of not needing it.

Do you know someone who raises turkeys? Perhaps on a farm? Lol!

@erika

nope, but I do know where there are wild turkeys and all of a sudden that is looking like a good option (although not my secret plan)

Are you going to buy so many money makers that you will be able to afford a turkey?

Ask for a donation.

is it taking a bad turkey back to get a good one?

someone i knew bought one and took it back and the store manager gave them two good ones and three hams too

I am curious what the secret turkey plan is..

what area are you located in? I’m not sure..there must be some turkey promotion somewhere.

@Michele — that was one of the three main options I was hoping to use, but no quality moneymakers have come my way thus far to give that a try. It was not my secret plan.

@Harry Taylor — While I could probably do this, if I ever asked for donations, I would use it to help the food banks, not me.

@hahn — interesting idea, but I would need a bad turkey that I bought at the store before I could do that.

@mary — I am currently in the San Francisco Bay Area for the holiday

Are you going to collect bottles and cans and take them to a recycling center for cash?

@Dana

Ooooh, I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe that will be my back up in case my secret plan doesn’t work

Hello everyone I’m in San Jose,Ca and I’m trying to locate any company that would be willing to donate(6-turkeys and 6-hams for a Thanksgiving Meal), that going to take place at my sons elementary school on Wed. Nov.23,2010 the place that was going to donate to this cause pulled out last night because they said that they did not have enough food to go around right now! There are going to be 200 people coming to have a Thanksgiving meal-can anyone out there help me please!

Are you going to sign on as a food demonstrator – say to demonstrate roasting turkeys in one of those tabletop oven thingies and tell the company you need some turkeys to practice on first before you demonstrate live in the store?

@Donna

Heh – you all are getting very creative. Love the ideas, but now I’m afraid you will all be disappointed when you actually hear my secret plan (I think most of you will go, “what? Is that all?)

I hope you aren’t going to Washington to find a turkey.

@Blondie

Not sure that they taste that good from those parts

I haven’t seen this one yet, go to the local soup kitchen to see if you can get a turkey.

@Teresa

While that would be a possibility, the goal is to give food to the food bank. Although I do want to win, I have decided that I won’t take a meal away from someone that really needs it in order to win since this is a challenge and not the reality I only have $1.

Ok that was the most embaressing that I could think of. But I will definately keep track of your progress as I have been thinking about doing something like like the $1 per day idea. I have 3 in my family tho.

At my kids school every year is a race to win a free turkey, my kids never won anything, but I’m thinking you are going to train your kid to win this race at school?

You can go to a grocery store and ask if they would donate one or more turkeys. Or go to a store like savemart and tell them you are having a fundraiser or event, what ever it is that you are going to do with the turkey and ask for a donation such as gift card to purchase the turkey with.

Um, go buy the dollar amount required to get a free turkey, and keep the turkey while returning everything else???

I’m curious to know… hihi

You could always go out and hunt your own turkey, though you would need to already have a hunting license, as they’re much more than a dollar.

beg lol that’s embarrassing and it works lol