Life has a way of changing on so many levels: something comes along and the scenery changes, the way we do things change, and that, in turn, changes the way we see things, perceive them, even as we change with the ongoing evolution of whatever instigated these changes.
Since the beginning of the year, we've heard about the coronavirus. Medscape has an interesting slideshow/article about COVID-19. Apparently the coronavirus has been around longer than many of us realize, according to the Medscape article. But this version, what we're going through now, was pinpointed in January of this year, starting in Wuhan, China. (The wikipedia site mentioned December 2019 as the start, with a World Health Organization link pinpointing it to December 31, 2019.)
At first, most people I know seemed to feel that it was a problem for others, people someplace else. After all, this is the United States; certainly, this wouldn't affect us.
Until it did. Reports started coming in about the virus going worldwide. It affected people across Asia, Europe, the U.K., and, yes, the Americas - Canada, Mexico, and the good ol' U.S. That's when shit started to get real for many of us.
Soon, though, we started getting a little complacent. It can't/won't get worse, we figured. As long as we live right, we'll be okay.
Then, Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, came down with COVID-19. While many of us have our own favorite actors and movies and TV shows, Hanks has been a popular person, due, in part, for seeming like one of us, not egotistical. The fact that he and his wife got COVID-19 made it real.
But then, it looked like the pair was going to get better (they did get well), and we could breathe a sigh of relief. See? It's survivable, especially for regular people.
But then the virus spread, and people were getting sick and, in too many cases, dying. Many of us knew someone who'd contracted it, and suddenly, it got real...
In March, gatherings were being canceled. At first, it was advised to avoid gatherings where more than 250 were expected, then gatherings greater than 50, then 10.
This, of course, affected most of us, to one degree or another. The city of Pinellas Park (Florida) canceled their 30th annual Country in the Park celebration ("Strange Times We're Living In..."). City council meetings are now virtual affairs, rather than open-to-the-public meetings. (In fact, the city hall is officially closed to the public for the duration.) Schools nation-wide are closed, with students learning online. (Yes, this includes colleges and universities.) Grocery stores, at least where I live, have colored tape on the floors to indicate how far to stand apart at the check-out lines. Publix, probably the most popular grocery chain in Florida, now has colored tape on floors indicating which way to walk through each aisle, so that the aisles are now one-way. More than once, I've heard people - both customers and workers - point out to others, "Excuse me, but you're going the wrong way!" Yikes!
Yes, it got real.
Life changed in other ways. Businesses are furloughing employees, while the number of people out of work due to COVID-19 has grown to crazy numbers. (My son, M., has been furloughed, and having loads of fun - note the touch of sarcasm - trying to work through Florida's unemployment website.) Easter services were virtual, including the Easter service from the Vatican City, with Pope Francis holding the service via TV. Beaches were closed, though some beaches in northern Florida are starting to open. (The photos from these beaches show people getting too close; so much for social distancing!)
Then, several weeks ago, the Tampa Bay Times (formerly the St. Petersburg Times) announced that they'd be publishing only twice a week (Sunday and Wednesday) for the duration. Since many non-essential businesses have had to close for the duration of the pandemic, these businesses are no longer buying ads until they're able to get back to work. This, of course, affected the paper's income. It is still available online; subscribers can log in and see what the paper would look like the rest of the week.
This stuff got real...
This seems to be the new normal, wondering how long we'll be quarantined, when people can get back to work, when people can actually get back to the old normal. At this point, having life back to the way it was, or something similar, would be welcome.
In the meantime, here's hoping we all stay well and safe.
Showing posts with label Publix. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Publix. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Friday, August 9, 2013
Coupons and Saving, part two
We did it again: we saved money at the local grocery store. Actually, if you want to get technical, my daughter M.H. save a bunch of money. I simply came along for part of the ride.
So, here's how it went: I'd gone to Publix first thing in the morning. I figured if I had my friend Kevin, the cab driver, drive, I could get a case of cat food from the vets' office and a case of bottled water at Publix, then get home and have the rest of the day to work. Of course, it turned out Kev needed a few items, so the trip took a little longer than planned. No biggie.
I'd been home maybe 15 minutes when M.H. called. "I need to go shopping. Want to come along?"
Sure, why not. Hitting Publix, or almost any place M.H. plans to shop can turn into a small adventure.
Disclaimer: I am not, by nature, a shopper, at least not the way my daughter is. I lean towards the hit-and-run method. Yes, I'll use coupons and occasionally even come up with a list. I don't dare leave that list in Kev's cab, though. I made a stop once on the way to the store, leaving the list on the front seat and came back to read, "Lots and lots of RED MEAT, cake mix boxes (one each of chocolate, vanilla, and yellow cake), six cans of frosting mix, soda, hot dogs (10 packages),lots and lots RED MEAT." But, as far as shopping with M.H., it is definitely an adventure.
Last Sunday, Publix had a $10-off-$50-or-more coupon. At the store, M.H. told me that had to buy enough to ring up $50 at the cash register. (This doesn't include the BOGOs, which kick the cost of the freebie off before it all rings up.) After wandering through the store with coupons and shopping list in hand, we headed for check out. I'd put a box of Tazo Chi Tea into the cart and handed her the $3.99 for it; this tipped the amound to just over $50 without costing M.H. anything.
Then the coupons were handed over. I went to sit down and watched as the cashier scanned first the $10 coupon, then an entire fist-ful of the pieces of paper. M.H. had six boxes of cereal (it was one that she, her husband, and my granddaughter like, it was buy-one-get-one free, and she had six coupons for the stuff), several four-packs of yogurt, Kraft Mac and Cheese, coffee creamer...all stuff they use on a regular basis. After the coupons were scanned, the register read $17.33. However, she had a $10 Publix gift card that she had gotten for clipping three or four UPCs a month or so again and sending them in, along with the receipt. So a $51 shopping trip cost her $7.33 ($4 of which I paid for).
It gets better. Her husband B. pointed out that they were almost out of something-or-other (yes, that's the technical term!), so M.H. would have to go back out. Fortunately, someone else had given her a second coupon. That $58 trip cost her right around $7. So, because of couponing, BOGOs, shopping lists, and buying only things that they really use, they ended up with almost $110 worth of food for less than $15.
While B.H. may never be seen on Extreme Couponing, she does know how to save some serious money for what her family needs. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go check on some couponing sites. (Yes, I'll pass 'em along...eventually.)
So, here's how it went: I'd gone to Publix first thing in the morning. I figured if I had my friend Kevin, the cab driver, drive, I could get a case of cat food from the vets' office and a case of bottled water at Publix, then get home and have the rest of the day to work. Of course, it turned out Kev needed a few items, so the trip took a little longer than planned. No biggie.
I'd been home maybe 15 minutes when M.H. called. "I need to go shopping. Want to come along?"
Sure, why not. Hitting Publix, or almost any place M.H. plans to shop can turn into a small adventure.
Disclaimer: I am not, by nature, a shopper, at least not the way my daughter is. I lean towards the hit-and-run method. Yes, I'll use coupons and occasionally even come up with a list. I don't dare leave that list in Kev's cab, though. I made a stop once on the way to the store, leaving the list on the front seat and came back to read, "Lots and lots of RED MEAT, cake mix boxes (one each of chocolate, vanilla, and yellow cake), six cans of frosting mix, soda, hot dogs (10 packages),lots and lots RED MEAT." But, as far as shopping with M.H., it is definitely an adventure.
Last Sunday, Publix had a $10-off-$50-or-more coupon. At the store, M.H. told me that had to buy enough to ring up $50 at the cash register. (This doesn't include the BOGOs, which kick the cost of the freebie off before it all rings up.) After wandering through the store with coupons and shopping list in hand, we headed for check out. I'd put a box of Tazo Chi Tea into the cart and handed her the $3.99 for it; this tipped the amound to just over $50 without costing M.H. anything.
Then the coupons were handed over. I went to sit down and watched as the cashier scanned first the $10 coupon, then an entire fist-ful of the pieces of paper. M.H. had six boxes of cereal (it was one that she, her husband, and my granddaughter like, it was buy-one-get-one free, and she had six coupons for the stuff), several four-packs of yogurt, Kraft Mac and Cheese, coffee creamer...all stuff they use on a regular basis. After the coupons were scanned, the register read $17.33. However, she had a $10 Publix gift card that she had gotten for clipping three or four UPCs a month or so again and sending them in, along with the receipt. So a $51 shopping trip cost her $7.33 ($4 of which I paid for).
It gets better. Her husband B. pointed out that they were almost out of something-or-other (yes, that's the technical term!), so M.H. would have to go back out. Fortunately, someone else had given her a second coupon. That $58 trip cost her right around $7. So, because of couponing, BOGOs, shopping lists, and buying only things that they really use, they ended up with almost $110 worth of food for less than $15.
While B.H. may never be seen on Extreme Couponing, she does know how to save some serious money for what her family needs. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go check on some couponing sites. (Yes, I'll pass 'em along...eventually.)
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Coupons, or How We Saved a Bundle
My daughter, M.H., moved here a year ago with her husband and daughter. It's definitely nice having them around, although I don't see nearly enough of my son-in-law or granddaughter. Such is life.
One of the things I've really learned to appreciate about M.H. (among other things) is the way she can save money, and not just a little. She's been into saving as much money as possible; between couponing, looking at the deals in the local stores, and rebates, she's been able to save a bundle. She's also been after me to follow her example. I'm beginning to see how she does it. Granted, I doubt she'll end up on an episode of Extreme Couponing, but she does do a great job of saving.
When M.H., B., and G. still lived in Rhode Island, M.H. would periodically call to tell me about her saving exploits. There was the time when she called to let me know I'd be receiving a rebate check. How so? I wondered. Turns out she had made out her shopping list, then checked the local grocery store's website, as well as Wal-Mart and Target's sites. She worked at one of the box stores at the time, and had an employee discount card. She and B. started where she worked. Between the buy-one-get-one-free offers (BOGOs), her employee discount, and her coupons, as well as only buying what she'd put on her list for that particular store, she ended up with around $150 worth of stuff and paid all of $5. (Yes, you read that right.) Sure, she ended up with enough disposable razors to last several months, as well as laundry and dish detergent, but those were all on sale, they have a longer shelf life than, say, a gallon of milk, and they're stuff that they honestly needed. Ever try doing a load of laundry or a sinkful of dishes without detergent? Exactly. On top of that, she also qualified for a rebate check of almost $9. End result? $150 worth of stuff the family needed, and she ended up almost $4 ahead of the game. Phew!
M.H.'s shopping seldom went that well, but as she's told me numerous times since moving here, "I hate paying full price for that!", as she pointed to detergent, coffee creamers, and the like.
Two weeks ago, I had M.H. drive me to the nearest Publix. I'm sure there are people who don't like Publix, but it's where I do most of my shopping. (And no, I'm not getting paid or rewarded in any way for writing that.) I picked up a few items, while M.H. picked up stuff for her family. At the end, between the BOGOs and her coupons, she ended up with around $67 worth of groceries and parted with a little over $22 in cash. That's roughly a 66-percent savings!
Yesterday, M.H. came by. As her first load of laundry went through the washer, she drove me to one of the local drugstore chains (where she happens to work). They had laundry detergent on sale, as well as toilet paper and 12-packs of soda. We do occasionally drink soda, though not nearly as much as we used to. (I can get by with maybe a glass or can of it every couple of weeks.) Had I bought the detergent (the brand I usually buy) at Publix, it would have run between $4.99 and $5.79. It's presently on sale, but M.H. could do better than an 80-cent savings. The stuff was on sale for between $2 and $3 a bottle; between the sale price, her employee discount, her savings card, and the nine $1-off coupons, we loaded up. Then we threw in a 12-pack of toilet paper and three 12-packs of soda, which will hold us for quite a while. The nine bottles of detergent would have run $45 plus tax at the grocery store; between the sale prices of everything, the discount cards, and the coupons, we shelled out $20.73! I can live with that.
At least I won't have to buy t.p., detergent, or soda for a while...
One of the things I've really learned to appreciate about M.H. (among other things) is the way she can save money, and not just a little. She's been into saving as much money as possible; between couponing, looking at the deals in the local stores, and rebates, she's been able to save a bundle. She's also been after me to follow her example. I'm beginning to see how she does it. Granted, I doubt she'll end up on an episode of Extreme Couponing, but she does do a great job of saving.
When M.H., B., and G. still lived in Rhode Island, M.H. would periodically call to tell me about her saving exploits. There was the time when she called to let me know I'd be receiving a rebate check. How so? I wondered. Turns out she had made out her shopping list, then checked the local grocery store's website, as well as Wal-Mart and Target's sites. She worked at one of the box stores at the time, and had an employee discount card. She and B. started where she worked. Between the buy-one-get-one-free offers (BOGOs), her employee discount, and her coupons, as well as only buying what she'd put on her list for that particular store, she ended up with around $150 worth of stuff and paid all of $5. (Yes, you read that right.) Sure, she ended up with enough disposable razors to last several months, as well as laundry and dish detergent, but those were all on sale, they have a longer shelf life than, say, a gallon of milk, and they're stuff that they honestly needed. Ever try doing a load of laundry or a sinkful of dishes without detergent? Exactly. On top of that, she also qualified for a rebate check of almost $9. End result? $150 worth of stuff the family needed, and she ended up almost $4 ahead of the game. Phew!
M.H.'s shopping seldom went that well, but as she's told me numerous times since moving here, "I hate paying full price for that!", as she pointed to detergent, coffee creamers, and the like.
Two weeks ago, I had M.H. drive me to the nearest Publix. I'm sure there are people who don't like Publix, but it's where I do most of my shopping. (And no, I'm not getting paid or rewarded in any way for writing that.) I picked up a few items, while M.H. picked up stuff for her family. At the end, between the BOGOs and her coupons, she ended up with around $67 worth of groceries and parted with a little over $22 in cash. That's roughly a 66-percent savings!
Yesterday, M.H. came by. As her first load of laundry went through the washer, she drove me to one of the local drugstore chains (where she happens to work). They had laundry detergent on sale, as well as toilet paper and 12-packs of soda. We do occasionally drink soda, though not nearly as much as we used to. (I can get by with maybe a glass or can of it every couple of weeks.) Had I bought the detergent (the brand I usually buy) at Publix, it would have run between $4.99 and $5.79. It's presently on sale, but M.H. could do better than an 80-cent savings. The stuff was on sale for between $2 and $3 a bottle; between the sale price, her employee discount, her savings card, and the nine $1-off coupons, we loaded up. Then we threw in a 12-pack of toilet paper and three 12-packs of soda, which will hold us for quite a while. The nine bottles of detergent would have run $45 plus tax at the grocery store; between the sale prices of everything, the discount cards, and the coupons, we shelled out $20.73! I can live with that.
At least I won't have to buy t.p., detergent, or soda for a while...
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