Before I did my shopping for the day, I stopped at the courtesy
counter and bought a $300 gift certificate. The deal is they give
you a balance of $330. A tax rebate gimmick. Free 30 bucks,
that's my kind of gimmick.

They let me charge it, so I'll get $3 added to my Amex rebate
next year. Can it get any better?

Sure. I needed to spend $48 to get my free ham/turkey breast,
I can do that in my sleep. Deadline is Thursday, so I got in under
the wire.

I made $33 and scored some free meat, without even trying.
It's like a scam. Heh.

nancy

"Nancy Young" > wrote in message
...
> Before I did my shopping for the day, I stopped at the courtesy
> counter and bought a $300 gift certificate. The deal is they give
> you a balance of $330. A tax rebate gimmick. Free 30 bucks, that's my
> kind of gimmick.
>
> They let me charge it, so I'll get $3 added to my Amex rebate
> next year. Can it get any better?
>
> Sure. I needed to spend $48 to get my free ham/turkey breast,
> I can do that in my sleep. Deadline is Thursday, so I got in under
> the wire.
> I made $33 and scored some free meat, without even trying.
> It's like a scam. Heh.
>
> nancy

Okay, I gotta ask... I know turkey breast... but what's ham breast?

"brooklyn1" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Nancy Young" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Before I did my shopping for the day, I stopped at the courtesy
>> counter and bought a $300 gift certificate. The deal is they give
>> you a balance of $330. A tax rebate gimmick. Free 30 bucks, that's my
>> kind of gimmick.
>>
>> They let me charge it, so I'll get $3 added to my Amex rebate
>> next year. Can it get any better?
>>
>> Sure. I needed to spend $48 to get my free ham/turkey breast,
>> I can do that in my sleep. Deadline is Thursday, so I got in under
>> the wire.
>> I made $33 and scored some free meat, without even trying.
>> It's like a scam. Heh.
>>
>> nancy
>
> Okay, I gotta ask... I know turkey breast... but what's ham breast?
>
You just flap your lips to flap them. Ugh.

On Mar 30, 6:11*pm, "cybercat" > wrote:
> "brooklyn1" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
>
>
> > "Nancy Young" > wrote in message
> ...
> >> Before I did my shopping for the day, I stopped at the courtesy
> >> counter and bought a $300 gift certificate. *The deal is they give
> >> you a balance of $330. *A tax rebate gimmick. *Free 30 bucks, that's my
> >> kind of gimmick.
>
> >> They let me charge it, so I'll get $3 added to my Amex rebate
> >> next year. *Can it get any better?
>
> >> Sure. *I needed to spend $48 to get my free ham/turkey breast,
> >> I can do that in my sleep. *Deadline is Thursday, so I got in under
> >> the wire.
> >> I made $33 and scored some free meat, without even trying.
> >> It's like a scam. *Heh.
>
> >> nancy
>
> > Okay, I gotta ask... I know turkey breast... but what's ham breast?
>
> You just flap your lips to flap them. Ugh.

Um, he was typing. Well, unless he has that voice recognition
software.

--Bryan

brooklyn1 wrote:
> "Nancy Young" > wrote

>> Sure. I needed to spend $48 to get my free ham/turkey breast,
>> I can do that in my sleep. Deadline is Thursday, so I got in under
>> the wire.
>> I made $33 and scored some free meat, without even trying.
>> It's like a scam. Heh.

> Okay, I gotta ask... I know turkey breast... but what's ham breast?

That's the kind that's sold in a can with a key.

nancy

On Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:20:39 -0400, Nancy Young wrote:

> brooklyn1 wrote:
>> "Nancy Young" > wrote
>
>>> Sure. I needed to spend $48 to get my free ham/turkey breast,
>>> I can do that in my sleep. Deadline is Thursday, so I got in under
>>> the wire.
>>> I made $33 and scored some free meat, without even trying.
>>> It's like a scam. Heh.
>
>> Okay, I gotta ask... I know turkey breast... but what's ham breast?
>
> That's the kind that's sold in a can with a key.
>
> nancy

that couldn't possibly be as good as spam. sheldon has Standards, you
know.

your pal,
blake

brooklyn1 > wrote:

>Okay, I gotta ask... I know turkey breast... but what's ham breast?

Sounds like something out of that cookbook Norman Douglas wrote.

S.

"Nancy Young" > wrote in message
...
> Before I did my shopping for the day, I stopped at the courtesy
> counter and bought a $300 gift certificate. The deal is they give
> you a balance of $330. A tax rebate gimmick. Free 30 bucks, that's my
> kind of gimmick.

<snip>

> nancy

Good Job!

Dimitri

Dimitri wrote:
> "Nancy Young" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Before I did my shopping for the day, I stopped at the courtesy
>> counter and bought a $300 gift certificate. The deal is they give
>> you a balance of $330. A tax rebate gimmick. Free 30 bucks, that's
>> my kind of gimmick.

> Good Job!

Thanks! I got a kick out of it.

nancy

On Mar 30, 5:41*pm, "Nancy Young" > wrote:
> Before I did my shopping for the day, I stopped at the courtesy
> counter and bought a $300 gift certificate. *The deal is they give
> you a balance of $330. *A tax rebate gimmick. *Free 30 bucks,
> that's my kind of gimmick.
>
> They let me charge it, so I'll get $3 added to my Amex rebate
> next year. *Can it get any better?
>
> Sure. *I needed to spend $48 to get my free ham/turkey breast,
> I can do that in my sleep. *Deadline is Thursday, so I got in under
> the wire. *
>
> I made $33 and scored some free meat, without even trying.
> It's like a scam. *Heh.

I love it. I play those games as well. There was a coupon for a free
11oz Lay's potato chips when you buy Sara Lee soft wheat bread (which
was already on sale, cheap) and a Hillshire Farm lunchmeat. But wait,
it gets better. The black pepper turkey had a "try me for free"
rebate. Plus, I used a store gift card that I got at a discount from
an Entertainment book coupon. I got the Entertainment book at a big
discount too.
So for 1.89, plus tax on about $7, plus stamp and envelope, I got all
three items.

People who pay full price subsidize *our* buying power.
>
> nancy

--Bryan

wrote:
> On Mar 30, 5:41 pm, "Nancy Young" > wrote:

>> I made $33 and scored some free meat, without even trying.
>> It's like a scam. Heh.
>
> I love it. I play those games as well. There was a coupon for a free
> 11oz Lay's potato chips when you buy Sara Lee soft wheat bread (which
> was already on sale, cheap) and a Hillshire Farm lunchmeat. But wait,
> it gets better. The black pepper turkey had a "try me for free"
> rebate. Plus, I used a store gift card that I got at a discount from
> an Entertainment book coupon. I got the Entertainment book at a big
> discount too.
> So for 1.89, plus tax on about $7, plus stamp and envelope, I got all
> three items.

Score! Sometimes the stars align just so and you wind up winning
the trifecta. Good job, you worked hard for that one!

nancy
>
> People who pay full price subsidize *our* buying power.
>>
>> nancy
>
> --Bryan

Nancy Young wrote:

> wrote:
> > On Mar 30, 5:41 pm, "Nancy Young" > wrote:
>
> >> I made $33 and scored some free meat, without even trying.
> >> It's like a scam. Heh.
> >
> > I love it. I play those games as well. There was a coupon for a free
> > 11oz Lay's potato chips when you buy Sara Lee soft wheat bread (which
> > was already on sale, cheap) and a Hillshire Farm lunchmeat. But wait,
> > it gets better. The black pepper turkey had a "try me for free"
> > rebate. Plus, I used a store gift card that I got at a discount from
> > an Entertainment book coupon. I got the Entertainment book at a big
> > discount too.
> > So for 1.89, plus tax on about $7, plus stamp and envelope, I got all
> > three items.
>
> Score! Sometimes the stars align just so and you wind up winning
> the trifecta. Good job, you worked hard for that one!


A store here had a "buy one get one free" dealie on Eight 'O Clock coffee, I
had a coupla one-buck-off-of-two coupons from the Sunday paper, plus which
I'd written them after _Consumer Reports_ rated their java the best several
months ago and they sent me coupons for two free bags (12 - 16 oz.). I got
like four bags of coffee, all free except for tax...not a huge deal (the
regular price was like six buck per bag) but hey you gotta luv it...they are
going into mom's Mothers' Day gift package.


--
Best
Greg

On Mar 30, 6:41*pm, "Nancy Young" > wrote:
> Before I did my shopping for the day, I stopped at the courtesy
> counter and bought a $300 gift certificate. *The deal is they give
> you a balance of $330. *A tax rebate gimmick. *Free 30 bucks,
> that's my kind of gimmick.
>
> They let me charge it, so I'll get $3 added to my Amex rebate
> next year. *Can it get any better?
>
> Sure. *I needed to spend $48 to get my free ham/turkey breast,
> I can do that in my sleep. *Deadline is Thursday, so I got in under
> the wire. *
>
> I made $33 and scored some free meat, without even trying.
> It's like a scam. *Heh.
>
> nancy

That's some shoppin'! I like it.

Kris

On Mar 30, 7:21*pm, Kris > wrote:
> On Mar 30, 6:41*pm, "Nancy Young" > wrote:
>
>
>
> > Before I did my shopping for the day, I stopped at the courtesy
> > counter and bought a $300 gift certificate. *The deal is they give
> > you a balance of $330. *A tax rebate gimmick. *Free 30 bucks,
> > that's my kind of gimmick.
>
> > They let me charge it, so I'll get $3 added to my Amex rebate
> > next year. *Can it get any better?
>
> > Sure. *I needed to spend $48 to get my free ham/turkey breast,
> > I can do that in my sleep. *Deadline is Thursday, so I got in under
> > the wire. *
>
> > I made $33 and scored some free meat, without even trying.
> > It's like a scam. *Heh.
>
> > nancy
>
> That's some shoppin'! I like it.

If too many folks shopped like Nancy and I, the whole scheme would
collapse. I felt that way about the US's economy for years, and
yelled about it to music. It happened, and now hopefully we'll get
behind the guy who has the smarts and the guts to give us a spoonful
of medicine that we need to heal our economy.
Our shopping is gaming the system. Our skills, and the fact that we
enjoy running our little completely legal schemes, do serve to put
balance into the system, kind of like short sellers in the stock
market do. Those who watch prices, are little influenced by
advertising, and buy based on quality and price are a kind of buffer.
Thing is, unlike short sellers, who
do put themselves at risk, careful shoppers cherry pick. We exploit
the system, but all of the parts of market economies make them more
successful than any command economy, and they generally provide more
happiness to more of their populace.
I'm a Lefty, but only to the extent that I think that Capitalism
exposes a society/country to exploitation by the worst of the worst of
human nature. We need safeguards. We need to view greed as a part of
human nature that is inherent, but not admirable. We need to not, as
the Christians who understand 1 Tim Chapter 6 admonish us against,
idolize markets, view *naked self interest* as a virtue, and put our
trust in greed alone, without any standards of ethics. Mammon
worship, I see, as the elevation of greed to a position of esteem,
rather that a moniker for merely indulging in our own personal
selfishnesses.
>
> Kris

--Bryan

"Bobo Bonobo®" > wrote in message
...
>
> That's some shoppin'! I like it.

If too many folks shopped like Nancy and I, the whole scheme would
collapse. I felt that way about the US's economy for years, and
yelled about it to music. It happened, and now hopefully we'll get
behind the guy who has the smarts and the guts to give us a spoonful
of medicine that we need to heal our economy.
Our shopping is gaming the system. Our skills, and the fact that we
enjoy running our little completely legal schemes, do serve to put
balance into the system, kind of like short sellers in the stock
market do.

==============================

I always cash in my Discover card rewards for gift cards at stores I shop at
because they give you incentive to do that. In the last couple of years I
had noticed how the reward dollars added up, so I started charging
everything to my card, even though I pay off the balance monthly. so they
weren't making money on me in interest. I recently received a notice saying
they were changing how they calculated the reward cash. ****ers.

Bobo Bonobo® wrote:
> On Mar 30, 7:21 pm, Kris > wrote:
>> On Mar 30, 6:41 pm, "Nancy Young" > wrote:

>>> Before I did my shopping for the day, I stopped at the courtesy
>>> counter and bought a $300 gift certificate. The deal is they give
>>> you a balance of $330. A tax rebate gimmick. Free 30 bucks,
>>> that's my kind of gimmick.
>>
>>> They let me charge it, so I'll get $3 added to my Amex rebate
>>> next year. Can it get any better?
>>
>>> Sure. I needed to spend $48 to get my free ham/turkey breast,
>>> I can do that in my sleep. Deadline is Thursday, so I got in under
>>> the wire.
>>
>>> I made $33 and scored some free meat, without even trying.
>>> It's like a scam. Heh.

>> That's some shoppin'! I like it.
>
> If too many folks shopped like Nancy and I, the whole scheme would
> collapse. I felt that way about the US's economy for years, and
> yelled about it to music. It happened, and now hopefully we'll get
> behind the guy who has the smarts and the guts to give us a spoonful
> of medicine that we need to heal our economy.

Before waxing too philosophical over my 33 bucks plus turkey breast,
I know that I'm being gamed. For all my little fun getting a 10%
coupon, I don't actually think it costs the store that much at all. Not
nearly. I gave them $300, then I get to spend that plus the extra
$30 in their store. Whatever I spend that $30 on, it sure didn't cost
the store that much. The free turkey? Gazillions of people take them
up on that offer every holiday. Great for the store because you have
to spend a good chunk of change in a few weeks to get it.

They are the ones with marketers on the payroll. If they didn't see
a benefit to this little 'tax refund game', they would not be doing it.

nancy

Nancy Young > wrote:

> Sure. I needed to spend $48 to get my free ham/turkey breast,
> I can do that in my sleep. Deadline is Thursday, so I got in under
> the wire.

All those buy $xx amount of groceries and get a free yyz are always
calculated exluding tobacco, alcohol and gift cards.

Are you sure that $300 counts towards your free turkey?

-sw

Sqwertz wrote:
> Nancy Young > wrote:
>
>> Sure. I needed to spend $48 to get my free ham/turkey breast,
>> I can do that in my sleep. Deadline is Thursday, so I got in under
>> the wire.
>
> All those buy $xx amount of groceries and get a free yyz are always
> calculated exluding tobacco, alcohol and gift cards.
>
> Are you sure that $300 counts towards your free turkey?

It doesn't. I needed to spend some $50 to get that. I already
had a balance of $250 since the Easter promotion started.

nancy

In article >,
"Nancy Young" > wrote:

> Before I did my shopping for the day, I stopped at the courtesy
> counter and bought a $300 gift certificate. The deal is they give
> you a balance of $330. A tax rebate gimmick. Free 30 bucks,
> that's my kind of gimmick.
>
> They let me charge it, so I'll get $3 added to my Amex rebate
> next year. Can it get any better?
>
> Sure. I needed to spend $48 to get my free ham/turkey breast,
> I can do that in my sleep. Deadline is Thursday, so I got in under
> the wire.
>
> I made $33 and scored some free meat, without even trying.
> It's like a scam. Heh.
>
> nancy

Cool.
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.

Michael "Dog3" wrote:
> "Nancy Young" > news:bUbAl.62825$EC2.35326
> @newsfe02.ams2: in rec.food.cooking
>
>> Before I did my shopping for the day, I stopped at the courtesy
>> counter and bought a $300 gift certificate. The deal is they give
>> you a balance of $330. A tax rebate gimmick. Free 30 bucks,
>> that's my kind of gimmick.

> They do something similar at the Shop 'n Save here. I wasn't even
> aware they did something like this until I was at the courtesy
> counter a couple of weeks ago. The man in front of me bought 2 $50
> gift cards and only paid $90 for them. As he was leaving I heard his
> small daughter ask why he did this and he said something like
> "Because it's like getting $10 free".

I first noticed it when the stimulus checks came out. All the stores
had that, bring your check here and we'll give you an extra 10%.
I just happened to notice in the circular that they have it for tax
rebates this year. For all I know they have had that for years.

I think they learned from the stimulus thing, make it clear in the ad
that you don't actually have to bring proof of receiving a check.

nancy

> "Nancy Young" > news:bUbAl.62825$EC2.35326

>> Sure. I needed to spend $48 to get my free ham/turkey breast,
>> I can do that in my sleep. Deadline is Thursday, so I got in under
>> the wire.
>>
>> I made $33 and scored some free meat, without even trying.
>> It's like a scam. Heh.

About the free meat ... I decided on a turkey breast because it's
tough for two people to eat a whole ham. I'm just not big on ham.

The joke was on me, they didn't have any of the free turkey
breasts, even the manager helped to look. There's a ham in
my refrigerator. I think I'll probably drop it off at the soup
kitchen.

nancy

On Apr 2, 7:25*am, "Michael \"Dog3\"" > wrote:
> "Nancy Young" > *news:bUbAl.62825$EC2.35326
> @newsfe02.ams2: in rec.food.cooking
>
> > Before I did my shopping for the day, I stopped at the courtesy
> > counter and bought a $300 gift certificate. *The deal is they give
> > you a balance of $330. *A tax rebate gimmick. *Free 30 bucks,
> > that's my kind of gimmick.
>
> > They let me charge it, so I'll get $3 added to my Amex rebate
> > next year. *Can it get any better?
>
> > Sure. *I needed to spend $48 to get my free ham/turkey breast,
> > I can do that in my sleep. *Deadline is Thursday, so I got in under
> > the wire. *
>
> > I made $33 and scored some free meat, without even trying.
> > It's like a scam. *Heh.
>
> They do something similar at the Shop 'n Save here. *I wasn't even aware
> they did something like this until I was at the courtesy counter a couple
> of weeks ago. *The man in front of me bought 2 $50 gift cards and only
> paid $90 for them. *As he was leaving I heard his small daughter ask why
> he did this and he said something like "Because it's like getting $10
> free".

Right now that is only available with the coupons from the
Entertainment Book. Last Summer they had a 10% bonus, a $220 gift
card for $200. Shop 'n Save is the least expensive of the big 3 union
grocers anyway.
>
> Michael
>
--Bryan

On Apr 2, 8:24*am, "Michael \"Dog3\"" > wrote:
> Bobo Bonobo® :
> in rec.food.cooking
>
> > Right now that is only available with the coupons from the
> > Entertainment Book. *Last Summer they had a 10% bonus, a $220 gift
> > card for $200. *Shop 'n Save is the least expensive of the big 3 union
> > grocers anyway.
>
> Does Shop 'n Save still have the coupon Thursday deal going on? *Gawd....
> I was in there awhile back on a Thursday at about 1 in the afternoon and
> the place was mobbed. *All I needed was some hamburger buns and got in
> the middle of it all. *I asked one of the employees why the store was so
> packed in the afternoon and he told me about the coupon thing. I *think*
> it was $10 off for every $50 spent or something like that. *A couple of
> weeks later I avoided Shop 'n Save on a Thursday because of that only to
> discover Dierberg's was honoring the Shop 'n Save coupon and it was busy
> too. *Bleh...

In order to stop other supermarkets matching, SnS has a no-coupon
Thursday sale. They don't have it this week.
>
> Michael


--Bryan

Michael "Dog3" wrote:

> Bobo Bonobo. >
> :
> in rec.food.cooking
>
> > Right now that is only available with the coupons from the
> > Entertainment Book. Last Summer they had a 10% bonus, a $220 gift
> > card for $200. Shop 'n Save is the least expensive of the big 3
> > union grocers anyway.
>
> Does Shop 'n Save still have the coupon Thursday deal going on?

Yes and no. They don't have coupons anymore, but they still have the
deal. Shop n Save is inconveniently located for me, so I basically
never go.

> A couple of weeks later I avoided Shop 'n Save on a
> Thursday because of that only to discover Dierberg's was honoring the
> Shop 'n Save coupon and it was busy too. Bleh...

Other stores don't honor coupons anymore.




Brian

--
Day 58 of the "no grouchy usenet posts" project