Frugal Family: Debunking Expiration Date Myths

Here are some examples of errors that are made in regard to expiration dates:

Scenario # 1: You open the refrigerator in anticipation of finding a  delicious cup of yogurt, cold glass of milk or juicy burger to toss on the grill. Having checked the date on the packaging, though, you feel obliged to throw it out.

Myth: You can’t eat any food if its stamped date has passed.

Fact: There are time frames built into the dating process for foods. Most are still safe to eat shortly past their expiration dates.

Here are the important distinctions in regard to food safety, courtesy of ConsumerAffairs.com:

The major codes are:

Best if Used By or Best Before: Quality and flavor are peak at or before this date. Afterward, the product is still edible.

Use By: This is the last day that the manufacturer vouches for the product’s quality. But, depending on the type of food, it may still be fine to eat.

Sell By: It’s not safe to buy the product after this date. Chances are the grocer will pull the item from the shelf or cooler before this date arrives.

Dietician Tanya Zuckerbrot gives practical advice about food safety. “Trust your nose and eyes," she told CBS news. “ If it looks or smells funny, throw it out. If you see mold, it's too old.”

Anecdotal evidence abounds that people have thrown caution to the wind, ignored these dates, and lived to tell about it. A recent Boston Globe article illustrates this point.

Scenario # 2: You find a gift certificate to a store or restaurant that you forgot about. It’s several years old.

Myth: You have lost out.

Fact: In 2003, Massachusetts passed a law that gives consumer seven years from the original purchase date to redeem gift certificates and gift cards. Have a card from another state: Consult this chart to see if it’s still good.

Bonus: The seven year guarantee applies to merchandise credits as well.

Scenario #3: Your CVS Extra Bucks have expired.

Myth: You can't redeem them.

Fact: While expired coupons that appear at the base of your CVS receipt are no longer accepted, Extra Bucks past their expiration date are honored.

Note: Retailers that issue rewards certificates through frequent buyer programs generally do not accept them in the stores once they’ve expired. However, it is possible to CALL the program and have your points reinstated, which will generate a replacement certificate. I have successfully done this and not lost out on free merchandise from Dick’s Sporting Goods and Eddie Bauer, to name a few.

Scenario #4: You bought a Groupon (or other group-buying deal) and forgot to use it before the expiration date.

Myth:  You threw your hard-earned money away.

Fact: You can recoup the price you paid for the Groupon by patronizing the merchant within 7 years. For example, I bought vouchers to Six Flags for $28 each through Groupon. They expire on October 30, 2011. If I don’t use them by then, I can apply the $28 value of the certificates to the admission prices at the gate and pay only the difference.

Exception: Events with specific dates, like concerts or sporting events, don’t apply.

Scenario #5: You forgot to return an item of clothing that doesn’t fit, but the receipt says it’s too late.

Myth: You can’t return it.

Fact: In many cases, it’s possible. Some retailers will issue a store credit (for the lowest selling price) for items that are in new condition and clearly their merchandise for those of us who “lose” the receipt.  It can’t hurt to ask. (One is TJ Maxx.)