Frugal Family: Grocery Savings and More

We're all watching our family budgets these days. Whether shopping with coupons or looking for two-for-one deals, we're taking advantage of all sorts of offers and savings that help us stretch our dollars.

This column is dedicated to giving you five great local deals each week that will help your family’s bottom line, and since we do the scouting for you, you can save time as well as money.

You are a big part of this column. Let us hear about the deals you've seen. Just add them to our comment box.

Then come back each week and see what we've uncovered together.

Below are five great deals that can be applied at local stores and restaurants.

Macy's Perfect Wardrobe Event

Through today (Sunday, Feb. 27), Macy’s is offering 25% off a $100 or more purchase at Macy’s. Now may be a great time to shop those winter sale items or to check out what’s new for spring. Macy’s can be found in the Quaker Bridge Mall on Route 1 in Lawrence Township, and in Brunswick Square Mall on Route 18 in East Brunswick. There are also several other New Jersey Macy’s locations, including the Freehold Mall in Freehold.

ShopRite Coupons

With SuperFresh about to have closures in the Mercer County area, more of us will be shopping at our local ShopRite stores. (At least in East Windsor, where ShopRite will be the only main grocery store left.)

For those of us looking for savings at the grocery store, ShopRite offers various ways online of getting coupons for groceries – they can be saved directly to your Price Plus card, emailed to you or sent to your mobile phone. You can also find the most recent ShopRite circular online to find any deals the grocer is offering.

 Free T.G.I Friday’s Free Appetizer

Restaurant-goers who newly join T.G.I. Friday’s Give Me More Stripes  program can receive a free appetizer for joining. A free appetizer could be a nice treat these days, especially when our eating-out budgets may be limited. Some local T.G.I. Friday’s locations include West Windsor, East Windsor and North Brunswick.

P&G Coupons in the Mail

Most frugal families love coupons, but many of us don’t have the time to search in newspapers or online for them. With the P&G “Have You Tried This Yet?” brandSAMPLER program, getting coupons is made a little easier. Just register for their program, click the coupons you’d like to receive, and the coupons will be mailed to you. Available are coupons for products such as Pampers, Tide, CoverGirl, Crest Pro-Health, Head & Shoulders, Puffs, Always, Olay, Pantene, Charmin, Downy, Secret, Swiffer, Febreze, and Gillette.

Pizza Night for Less

Before you call the deliveryman for your next pizza night, print out some online coupons from your local pizza place. Mannino’s 4 in Hightstown offers coupons, with offers like $1 off any large pizza, and a buy a large pizza, get a 2 liter soda free deal. Brother’s Pizza in Hightstown offers discounts online through Money Mailer, like two large pizzas for $17.99. Pizza Hut, with locations in Lawrence Township and North Brunswick, offers deals like any Pizza Hut Pan Pizza for just $10 and a medium pizza with up to three toppings for $8 or a large pizza with up to three toppings for $10.