One of the biggest expenses in a typical household after those pesky rent/mortgage/car payments every month is groceries. We all have to eat, and things are certainly not getting any cheaper at the local supermarket. What’s a body to do? Well, I feel your pain, and as someone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen, I employ quite a few strategies to help make my food dollar go as far as possible. I’m certainly no expert, but here…
I know I’ve ranted on this topic before, but every year, I shake my head at the annual pilgrimage of consumerism that is affectionately known as “Black Friday”. I just don’t get it. The Thanksgiving weekend is supposed to be about getting together with friends and family to celebrate, acknowledge, and appreciate all that has happened over the past year. The afternoon following that expansive feast should be spent playing cards, conversing and laughing over another glass of wine, watching…
Ahhhh, fall. Being out and about, I love the sights and sounds of autumn. The crunching leaves, the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg, a hearty casserole, the Christmas shopping. Wait – what? The Christmas shopping? No doubt you’ve already seen some Christmas displays up at your local box stores or favorite department stores. Every year, retailers just can’t seem to get this stuff out fast enough. They’ve got Halloween decorations out in July, Thanksgiving never gets any love whatsoever, and…
As we move into Thanksgiving week, once the turkey has been carved, the football games have been watched, and the pumpkin pie has been served, many Americans then turn their sights towards their next holiday tradition. Black Friday. These shopping sentinels arise in the middle of the night, put on their favorite PJs or sweats, grab their lattes and their shopping lists, and head into the breach to join hordes of other would-be bargain hunters on their quest for the…
So I head out to do my weekly shopping this past Friday at my local grocery store (it starts with “M” and rhymes with “Fartin’s”), naïve as to the scenes that would soon present themselves to me. Much to my surprise and dismay, the general public, whipped up into a coronavirus frenzy, had hit the shelves of my local store like it was the Lord’s eighth plague against Egypt (yes, that would be locusts). What’s wrong with you people? Honestly?…
It’s coming – like a beast that has slumbered all season, waiting to unleash its onslaught of bargains and deals for those brave souls willing to sacrifice sleep and sanity to take on its promise of retail nirvana. “Black Friday”. For most stores, it’s the turning point of their fiscal year – when they actually START to turn a profit (changing their financial figures from red to black, hence the name). You’ve all seen the videos, articles, and news reports. …
As loyal readers may know, I now spend my days working in the retail business – specifically – in the home improvement retail business, grinding out shifts at one of those big-box stores (the blue one, not the orange one). After finishing out the summer season (affectionately known as the “100 days of hell”) in the Inside Seasonal/Outdoor Power Equipment department, I took a chance at some better hours and less customer interaction by applying to work on the Receiving…
Remember when the shopping mall was THE place to be? One could have it all – clothing, sporting goods, home goods, shoes, even check out the latest movie. Big-name department stores anchored each end of the mall, and smaller specialty shops filled all of the spaces in between. You could eat at your favorite fast-food outlet or grab a snack from a nationally-known kiosk. The mall was also a social gathering place. Teens flocked there – to see and be…
As someone who loves to cook, I love to putz around in a well-stocked kitchen shop. I never know what new tool or utensil will catch my eye and have me longing for yet another addition to my kitchen arsenal. Now, I’ve found a new spot to get lost in for hours and dream of culinary possibilities. The Kitchen Shoppe in Carlisle, PA. Located just off of Exit 52 from I-81 (about 20 minutes from Harrisburg), this unique store has…
Grocery shopping. Next to the home mortgage, it’s probably your family’s biggest monthly expense. According to the USDA, the average family of four spends $239 a week on what they call a “moderate” cost food plan. That’s almost $1,000 a month. Wow, that’s a hefty sum. Is there a way to save at the market? Well, you could diligently cut out, sort, and try to use dozens of coupons each week, but that often results in deals on items or…