Dented and damaged cans...score!

[Beekissed]

I recently discovered a dent and damage bin at my local grocery store, where I do not shop frequently because they are pretty high on their prices. But, man, did I clean up on this bin! Things like a box of Lipton tea for a buck, V-8 juice in a large can~$1, Campbell's soups 3/$1, etc.

Now, I did buy things I don't normally buy, as they don't have the nutritive value that I normally shoot for and I don't normally buy a lot of canned or boxed goods....but some of them, like Pork and Beans, is teenage fodder!

Yes, I have a 17 year old in my house that eats like Jethro Bodine! He's always hungry and he stays thin...which is good but irritating to us fatties that eat 1/10 of what he consumes!

He loves canned beans, soups and the suchlike, so, if it keeps him off the more expensive fresh produce and homemade bread, so be it!

They had large cans of freestone peaches for $1, pineapple for $.50, and spaghetti sauce for $.50....these I could not pass up!

Yes, I know there is some danger in buying bent or dented canned goods, but if one exercises caution, I don't see why some of them could not be used. Some of them just had the label damaged or peeled off.

Anybody else do this? The boys said it was like the movie, "Big Daddy", with Adam Sandler!

 

[hoosier]

Wow! You did great!

I wouldn't buy dented cans for long term storage in case the metal was stressed to the point that it would fail over time, but for consumption in the near future, I have no problem with them.

Wish I could find some deals like that.

 

[FarmerChick]

SCORE!

you did well. and you are right, as long as you are careful there is nothing wrong with dented cans.

we have a dented can grocery store. I love it. everything is there and prices are cheap!!! I stop in once every 2 weeks to see what is new on the shelf. I got maple syrup (big bottle) for 1.25 and I bought the last 3 they had. I grab the deals when I see them!

yea alot of items I don't buy cause I don't use them either but you gotta grab some staple foods and keep them in the pantry. soups are great for a fast eat or if power goes out. And your kid I am sure is eating up a storm like you write so good for him to grab and go.

Keep looking...those deals are out there and yes, I buy dented stuff alot.

 

[justusnak]

I always browse through the dented bin....sometimes I can get things..I dont normally buy because they are not in the budget...like those little pudding cups. We dont eat pudding very often, but if its in there..a 6 pack for 50 cents....ITS MINE...ALL MINE!! HAHHAHAHA!! Oh, sorry...I sorta went off the deep end there a little. Yes, dented bin, and DOLLAR TREE! LOVE it!!

 

[FarmerChick]

Ya know dollar tree or dollar general or family dollar, etc....those stores do have great deals. I never truly looked til someone mentioned it on here.

also walmart - their great value brand. it is way cheaper than alot of name brands.....I never shop food in walmart but someone mentioned it here and YUP---like Club Crackers that Tony loves. Great Value brand is $1.10 cheaper per box. score! in my book!!!!
and they taste the same.

I never had to look much for alternative brands and all, but now, sure do if I want to keep eating..LOL

 

[Beekissed]

You know, FC, my best friend in high school lived on a farm and their folks were quietly well-to-do. The thing that impressed me the most and brought home the difference between our two lives?
They never comparisoned shopped for bargain brands....whatever they wanted, they just bought it! To my young mind, coming from my off-grid homesteading existence, this was tantamount to true wealth~never having to worry about what something costs, just throw it in the cart!

I used to dream about living like that and what a luxury it would be to want something and just buy it, no matter what it costs. That is how they lived all the time and I was always amazed!

 

[FarmerChick]

yea that type of situation amazes me also.

When I bought my used SUV---I got a fab deal. The lady just traded it late the evening before and it wasn't even cleaned or worked up from the dealership. I grabbed it immediately.....BUT....she bought it 8 months prior new, and drove by the Chevy place and saw a $44,000 Avalanche truck and stopped and said to her hubby, oh now I want that. And bought it right then and there. I know she took a massive loss on the SUV.

Who can do that? I sure can't.

Even something like food. I used to just shop with my coupons and hit sales but never had to comprise in food area. NOW I DO....I have to cut costs or I am going under..LOL...well, you know...won't have a pot to P in if I don't manage money well.

Yes I have mentioned to Tony about the lottery. If we won 75 million....WOW...NEVER EVER havig to worry about a bill or payment in our lifetime. Unreal. I wouldn't know how to react to that..LOL
Financial stuff is such a downer. That is why I now adopted the frugal self sufficient lifestyle. I can't fight those prices, won't win the lottery, jobs are what they are and ain't going to become no million dollar a year doctor, hmmm...so I best be smart and learn to live on what I do have.

you can't win...well maybe we can!!

 

[prairiegirl]

Great bargains, Bee. Good thing you were able to take advantage of them. I know how those teen boys eat - I feed several of them from time to time.

There's an Amish bulk food store (DD calls it the Amish Sam's Club) that has some dented cans and slightly smashed boxes real cheap. They also have slightly expired items real cheap. It's hard for me to come out of there under $100, but the savings is tremendous.

 

[Beekissed]

I'm beginning to think about it more.....is it a savings if it wasn't food you would be buying in the first place? Or did I just spend a bunch of money on stuff that I wouldn't even look twice at ordinarily?

 

[FarmerChick]

yea that is a hard decision to make on how much OVER a normal budget to spend on "sale items, or dented items, or cheap for whatever" reason items.

If my budget is $60 for the week and I drop another $30 cause I saw great sales, DID I DO WELL??? ---I don't know. But I do not buy --no matter how cheap--something I know I would never eat. So I guess that helps me there..LOL