May 30, 2011

Project Grocery: The Points Game

I've played the game again - the one that splits my cheapskate soul and my regular soul, and makes them fight.

That would be the Optimum points game. (For those of you without Shopper's Drug Mart, Optimum points are their loyalty rewards, and you may recall that back in February I ignored the icky feeling that my regular soul complained about and redeemed 40,000 points for a lot o' stuff.)

This time, the game was a 20x the points when you spend at least fifty bucks deal. So I think to myself, I think: I'm planning to get some of my groceries at Shopper's anyway, and - Lannis will be proud - the Duracell re-chargeable batteries are on sale, with the charger. That's fifty dollars right there.

My Shopper's list said: coffee (on sale), milk, batteries and charger, and (for real) "butter, lots of".

And then, it happened.

I went alone. I looked through my coupon list. I looked at the 20x the points sign. And did this:

Click to enlarge
That's at least $30 worth of points, and you know I won't redeem them unless a really sweet redemption event compels me to do so. (Says the cheapskate soul: cackle, cackle.)

High on getting free stuff, my cheapskate soul went home (and, I imagine, drank a coffee and read an actual book) and my regular soul went to to Sobeys and did this:

Click to enlarge
Surprisingly enough, my Sobey's list said: vegetable oil, pop, dishwasher detergent, oranges, ground beef and pork tenderloin. Four extra things isn't too shabby - for me - and I blame my regular soul for buying cat food.

In total, my points and coupons perfect storm cost us $223.61. But - and call me cheater if you want to - not all of that is coming out of my grocery budget. When I write out those things, I come out at $143.37. Which is why The Pantry Pre-Challenge is still on. More on that tomorrow.