I will pick up freebies, but don't go unless I need to be there anyway. I love Walgreens free after manufacturer rebates. I end up in the store once a month anyway for prescriptions.

I go to the local grocery stores for their loss leaders. I don't buy the other stuff unless I really need it right away. Making one stop sometimes does save money even if you're paying more for an item because you're not tempted to pick up excess items in another store.

Like you, I know when to quit. A lot of people haven't figured that out.

Did someone say that brain exercise (and self-awareness exercise) is equally important to the physical variety?

ole joyful

The best one around here for this type of thing is Menard's, a home improvement store - sort of a Home Depot/Lowe's competitor. They often, although decreasingly so, put things on sale and then a rebate in the form of a merchandise credit. Keep using the credits to buy the rebate/sale stuff and of course use the rebate checks when I need something else there.

Great stuff too. Stanley tools free to 99¢,and same prices go for things like plastic totes, laundry soap, window seal kits, paper towels, candy, rugs, extension cords, outlet strips, well, it can be anything in the store. I look at it this way: I'm buying stuff anyway so essentially it's a buy a bag of softener salt and get a hammer and a tote for free. Buy a roll of duct tape and get a bag of candy and a jug of laundry soap free. Granted there's the tax on the item and postage to mail in the rebates but you can send everything in one envelope so it's cheap.

No other stores around here have the loss leaders like these anymore. Kind of sad. Must mean there's more of us Frugal Freddies out there, perhaps?

The "Free Enterprise" devotees like to talk about the wonderful competition that keeps the market on the straight and narrow, i.e. charging realistic prices.

They love competition among their suppliers, which means that they can demand reasonable quotes for stuff they purchase - actually, not exactly. They'll take the lowest price offer for comparable merchandise, unconcerned whether the maker can make it for that price.

Which is why U.S. factories (paying $20.00/hour, plus benefits) are sitting idle, while Wal-Mart and other such buy stuff by the boatload from ... it used to be Mexico, or Japan/Korea, etc. when they paid workers $20.00/day (if that high, and no benefits), then Hong Kong/Singapore when their prices went up, now India or China.

They love competition among those buying their stuff, as well.

But ... they hate competition on their own level. And will do what ever is necessary to get rid of it, e.g. buying out the competition (often at unreaklistically low prices), squeezing them out, whatever. Just get rid of them.

What they really llike is "Private Enterprise" - and as few of that number in their own field as possible.

Can you name an industry/commercial system in our part of the world where there are more than half a dozen or so entities (and often fewer than that) that carry on something like 80% or more of the business in that field?

When that is the situation - prices become artificial.

The monopolies/oligopolies can charge what they like, when the real competitors have disappeared from the market.

We've had several studies, evaluations, investigations, etc., etc. here regarding the price of gasoline.

All have concluded that there really is competition in gas pricing!

Does the public believe it?

Do you?

Have a great week, everyone.

ole joyful

My husband does the grocery shopping. Last week he went in one store and spent 99 cents on a half-gallon of Edy's ice cream, and 59 cents each for four bottles of Pepsi. Nothing else. And he has a handicap parking pass, so he got a spot right in front.