A little more Preferred Card confusion as checkers say they're going away,while corporate says 'not so fast'
Jewel-Osco's 'experiment' in phasing out Preferred Customer Card seems well timed

Hi- Thanks for the link to Eric Zorn's article. I posted this link over at Jill Cataldo's couponing blog, and Jill thanked me because she had not seen it. She said that at the Huntley Jewel that she shops at, the store employees ask her if she knows what is going on with the saving star and ecoupon programs, because the company is keeping them out of the loop.

Jill said that when supervalu owned Jewel, she had a very good relationship with them, and they kept her abreast of changes occurring at Jewel before they actually took place. Now she is in the dark as much as everyone else,

I admit I buy hamburger, tuna, chicken helper from time to time for a quick meal. Jewels old price (with Super Value was $1.99) and would go on sale for $.99. I was happy to see a sticker that said the new low price was $1.39. It was the same old price.
I did buy some frog legs a few weeks ago (super value would have never stocked them) and they were very good but a little high priced, but to have a neighborhood market that carries them.
Some of the old cashers are back (as slow as ever) but they are a little more pleasent.
They are back to having no one in Osco to check out with a bottle or two of wine.
I thought with the new owners I would spend more money there but I don't think so any more.
Tony's here I come again.

When I'm on deadline, I usually stock up on Campbell's 100% Natural soups. Pretty tasty and low in fat. Just open the can, grab a spoon, and get back to the computer. When I was at Tony's the other day, I checked the soup aisle, since they tend to have good prices on many things -- and the Campbell's soups were 50 cents a can MORE than at Jewel. (And that's Jewel's regular price -- $1.99 -- not a sale price.)

I think it underscores the fact that you need to know what things cost, and then stock up when you find a better price somewhere. For me, that means a trip to Jewel for soup as a deadline approaches. But Tony's is better for the "perimeter" foods.

So Jewel can be a good buy -- and even the cheapest stores have some things they aren't so cheap on. I think it's a matter of what the store specializes in. Exotic foods are health foods are usually cheaper at Whole Foods than elsewhere, because that's what they move.

I don't think it's safe to assume that any place will always have the best price on everything.

Of course, as mentioned before, there's the convenience factor. How many stores do you have time for?

Cynthia wrote:Of course, as mentioned before, there's the convenience factor. How many stores do you have time for?

Four or five a week. Nearly everyone of them posts their ads on-line so that can give you some guidance as to which direction to head. (g)

Notice today on my receipt that they have given a date for when the fuel rewards savings accumulation ends... June 25th or something (don't have my receipt in front of me, sorry) and the last day you can redeem them is July 31.

The 'Preferred Card" is officially over. Tomorrow's Jewel ad is plastered all over with the term "card free savings" on every single advertised product along with a contest where you enter by dropping your card into a ballot box.

Hi- It is true that you do not need your preferred card to get the sale prices anymore, but for those of you who are signed up with saving star, you still need to give them your preferred card so they can track your saving star purchases.

I think how of the two years that I have signed up with saving star, I have made a whole $5, in the buy x dollars of a certain brand, and get x dollar rebate. I have used some of the saving star e coupons. I just shop for myself, and so it takes me forever to buy $20 worth of proctor gamble or whatever you need to buy to get the rebate. For somebody that has a family it is a lot easier. BTW- Jewel has not officially said whether they will keep the saving star program. Jill Cataldo did contact Saving Star last week though, and she was told that Jewel was going to continue with the program.
Hope this helps, Nancy

Hi- Well guess what? Jewel has new ecoupons which you can apply to your preferred card, which you are supposed to throw away because you don't need it. Here is the link to the ecoupons.

http://www.jewelosco.com/savings/view-coupons.html

Hi- I just applied the ecoupons to my card, but there were some hitches. You have to sign up to your account first, and then you have to designate the store that you shop at. I did not designate a store, because the email I got from them already listed what my store was. When I logged in, I got 145 pages of coupons! I then realized that I had to give them my store location again, and when I did that I only had to go through 160 coupons, and not 1,450 coupons. Some of the coupons are ecoupons that you can apply to your preferred card, and some are coupons that you can print, and bring with you to Jewel. I like the ecoupons a lot better, because I don't waste any ink printing them. Hope this helps, Nancy

Because it's open all night and is close to where I live, I do find Jewel useful -- and sometimes it surprises me with something unexpected but delightful. Tonight, in the discount bin at the back, I found copies of Harold McGee's newest -- Keys to Good Cooking -- and Edible: A Celebration of Local Foods -- hardcover, pristine condition, $8. Don't know if other Jewels will have these, but it's a reminder that sometimes it's worth glancing in the clearance section.

I got a good deal at my local Jewel yesterday. A refrigerator chest had whole chickens, large packs of thick-cut pork chops, beef roasts, and pork roasts available on a "buy one, get one free" sale. After confirming at the butcher counter that the sale allowed mixing of items, I picked up a large pack of pork chops and took home a $20+ sirloin tip roast for free.

Out this past Sunday pre Bears game wearing a Richard Dent jersey and happened to make a quick stop into Jewel on Ashland for some stuff. Surprised when the cashier mentioned that due to wearing a Bears jersey, 10% would be deducted from my bill! Doesn't apply to alcohol, cigs or the typical excluded items but seems odd as I haven't really heard too much about this offer previously.

Their Wednesday flier mentioned a kids promotion to be a "Chicago Staley" but nothing about the jersey discount. May have to now wait til Sundays (or whatever game day for the week) for the remainder of season.

Happy shopping!

smokinjoe wrote:Out this past Sunday pre Bears game wearing a Richard Dent jersey and happened to make a quick stop into Jewel on Ashland for some stuff. Surprised when the cashier mentioned that due to wearing a Bears jersey, 10% would be deducted from my bill! Doesn't apply to alcohol, cigs or the typical excluded items but seems odd as I haven't really heard too much about this offer previously.

Their Wednesday flier mentioned a kids promotion to be a "Chicago Staley" but nothing about the jersey discount. May have to now wait til Sundays (or whatever game day for the week) for the remainder of season.

Happy shopping!

http://www.sistersavealot.com/featured- ... ars-jersey

Jewel is running a promotion akin to the old Green Stamps books (reference is for those of a certain age!) -- receive a stamp for every "X" amount of your purchase value, paste into a booklet, and redeem for Racheal Ray dinnerware. While I don't want the items, I'm taking the stamps in case anyone else is interested.

If you want my stamps, let me know!

Hi- You are going to need tons of stamps to get anything. The only good thing is I believe the purchase amount required to receive the stamps is I believe pre coupon. I think you get one stamp for every $20 though, and since I only shop for myself, and I mostly hit the farmer's markets in the summertime, I almost never spend $20 in one sitting at Jewel. The last time I went, I spent a total of $3, and I got two big bottles of dawn, 4 boxes of puffs, a bunch of green onions, and a chili pepper. I would have bought some clearance coffee too, but I discovered that I left my debit card at home, and I only had $3 on me. BTW- The sale on dawn and puffs is over. I was lucky that my Jewel even had any puffs. They were a hot item this last week. Thanks, Nancy

Actually, it's one stamp for every $10. And, like sdbond, I'm saving them for an as yet unidentified person who actually needs dishes.

You can either save up 20 stamps to get an item for free, or you can buy an item for $2.99 with only 10 stamps. So not too far out of reach, really, if someone needs a few pieces.

Hi- I am just pointing out that you have to purchase $200 worth of groceries to get one free plate. I don't know too many people that would spend enough money there to get a whole set of dishes. You can get a 16 piece set of Rachael Ray dinnerware on Amazon for $69.95. I am not saying that if all your friends save their stamps for you that you can't get enough to get a set of dinnerware. I am sure that there are going to be lots of stamps that people throw away in the store too.

No offense Nancy but most of us don't do the extreme coupon thing and don't have time to shop at 5 stores weekly to get deals. I shop weekly, sometimes less, at one place and rarely spend less than $200. And that's just for a household of two full time. I don't shop at Jewel that often these days but if I had to feed a family, I'm sure I would or some place like it. And the deal is a freebie--money you are presumably spending anyway--so whether you save up and get the stuff for free, or save half and pay $3 per plate, if you like the stuff, that seems like a worthwhile incentive. At least RR hasn't been publicly disgraced yet so they have that going for them!!

Is the promotion time-limited? I mean, I know it can end anytime Jewel wants it to end, but is it announced from the get-go that this is for the next month, the next six months, or anything like that? Or, instead, is the impression that the stamps are an ongoing thing for the foreseeable future?

Hi,

I picked up two stamps and a card on my last visit. I had the impression this promotion for the Rachael Ray dishes was until just after Christmas. When I get out to the car, I will look at the card again.

I know I will never accumulate many, I will bring it to the picnic and give it to whomever wants it.

Regards,

I will gladly take stamps if you like. The past-President of a Bar Association I belong to is asking for them. She wants to give cookware to a shelter or alumni of some such shelter.

PM me if you want to pop them in the mail or arrange to meet.

I rarely shop at Jewel. Dominick's is closer but I tend to do Plum, Treasure Island, Mariano's , Stanley's & Fresh Farms.

Cheers,

pairs4life wrote:I will gladly take stamps if you like. The past-President of a Bar Association I belong to is asking for them. She wants to give cookware to a shelter or alumni of some such shelter.

PM me if you want to pop them in the mail or arrange to meet.

I rarely shop at Jewel. Dominick's is closer but I tend to do Plum, Treasure Island, Mariano's , Stanley's & Fresh Farms.

Cheers,

They are yours! I knew there would be someone who could make good use of these!

Sharon

Hi- I don't shop at five stores a week. Last week, I spent $18.50 at the farmer's market, and then I had to go to Home Depot to get some fencing for my garden, and Aldi's was right next door, and so I went in Aldi's to get a gallon of milk. That is less than what I usually buy though, and today I spent $20 at the farmer's market, and I am walking to Jewel and the new Trader Joe's to pick up a few things, and they are right down the street from each other. Tuesday I am driving past a Jewel and a Dominick's, and so I will stop in one of those stores and buy some more milk. I almost never go out of my way to go grocery shopping. I an more likely to go to Dominick's than Jewel, because I drive past a Dominick's at least once a week, and I love their J4U program, where I can apply coupons electronically to my card, and it only takes me 10 minutes.

I have more time than money right now, and one of my sisters lives in New Orleans, and she makes a whole lot more money than I do, and she probably spends $50 a week on food. She shops at Whole Foods, the farmer's market, and one other store usually. She stops at the grocery store on her way home from work usually, and uses some coupons. She loves to cook, but usually saves any major cooking for the weekends, but she goes out to eat at a restaurant only maybe once a month. I think the majority of the people on this site spend more on groceries than the general population does. There are some people here like me though that can't afford to spend $200 on dinner at Elizabeth's though, and some of them do hit a multitude of stores every week, and spend even less on groceries than I do, which is usually about $30 a week. By the time I factor in gas, it is not worth my while to drive 5 miles just to hit a bargain. I love to cook though, and I don't eat a lot of meat.

riddlemay wrote:Is the promotion time-limited? I mean, I know it can end anytime Jewel wants it to end, but is it announced from the get-go that this is for the next month, the next six months, or anything like that? Or, instead, is the impression that the stamps are an ongoing thing for the foreseeable future?

I just looked at the booklet -- you can collect stamps between now and Dec. 26, and redeem them for merchandise until Jan. 7, 2014.

NFriday wrote:Hi- You are going to need tons of stamps to get anything. The only good thing is I believe the purchase amount required to receive the stamps is I believe pre coupon. I think you get one stamp for every $20 though, and since I only shop for myself, and I mostly hit the farmer's markets in the summertime, I almost never spend $20 in one sitting at Jewel. The last time I went, I spent a total of $3, and I got two big bottles of dawn, 4 boxes of puffs, a bunch of green onions, and a chili pepper. I would have bought some clearance coffee too, but I discovered that I left my debit card at home, and I only had $3 on me. BTW- The sale on dawn and puffs is over. I was lucky that my Jewel even had any puffs. They were a hot item this last week. Thanks, Nancy

Crowd-sourcing!!

While I have finally learned not to accept things just because they are free, I am happy to help those who would benefit from this promotion.

Hi- I was in Jewel today,and you do only have to spend $10 to get a stamp, although I spent $11 before they deducted my $4 in coupons, and I did not get a stamp, and so maybe the $10 is post coupon. Since the offer does not end until December 26, maybe once the farmers market closes, I will spend more than $10 in one sitting. BTW- The day that I bought all the puffs and dawn along with a few other things for $3, I did not use any coupons even though there was a coupon out for the puffs which I did not have. The puffs were on sale for $1.79, and if you bought three, you automatically got $5 deducted from your bill. and it was the same with the dawn.

sdbond wrote:

riddlemay wrote:Is the promotion time-limited? I mean, I know it can end anytime Jewel wants it to end, but is it announced from the get-go that this is for the next month, the next six months, or anything like that? Or, instead, is the impression that the stamps are an ongoing thing for the foreseeable future?

I just looked at the booklet -- you can collect stamps between now and Dec. 26, and redeem them for merchandise until Jan. 7, 2014.

Thanks, sd. I kind of like this promotion. I mean, there's no such thing as a free lunch, which means the prices of groceries at Jewel somehow have to "build-in" the cost of the free plates, but that cost is so minimal, and the amount of required purchases so large, that the "build-in" must be minuscule. And hey, a free plate is a free plate. This would not cause me to shop at Jewel if I weren't already shopping at Jewel, but it does make me about .5% happier to be making the same shopping trips to Jewel that I'm already making. Which maybe is part of the point.

NFriday wrote:Hi- I was in Jewel today,and you do only have to spend $10 to get a stamp, although I spent $11 before they deducted my $4 in coupons, and I did not get a stamp, and so maybe the $10 is post coupon.

Nancy,I would have argued for one. The four dollars in coupons will be reimbursed by the manufacturers so Jewel is still going to get the full amount of $11.00.

Secondly, I guarantee that you paid tax on your entire $11.00 bill. I would have argued that if I paid taxes on $11.00 worth of purchases,then I am entitled to the stamp.

Jewel-Osco is getting rid of self-checkout lanes from some of its stores.

Jewel said it’s an effort to reconnect personally with all of its customers despite the higher costs the shift entails.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ ... 2858.story