[Marymary]

If I remember correctly, in the D section, personal finance.
It says the regular stores trying to compete with non-conventional places selling groceries, like WM supercenter, BJ and Costco. Shoppers do less and less "cherry picking" because of gas cost, justgo to the stores with lower overall prices. This why many chains had lowered their regular prices, but do less weekly specials. Hi-C 10 pk. reg. price used to be $2.49, $0.99 on sale 4 times a year. Now the store made it 2/$3 reg. price, but it never will go on special. Do not remember which store they were talking about.
Then they said that coupon usage went down in 2004 more then twice compare to 2000. People do not bother with coupons because the rules got more complicated, and more and more coupons involve purchase of more then 1 item.
What does it mean for us, deal seekers-cherry pickers?

[scpend]

This so-called newspaper - "The Wall Street Journal" - does it have coupons?

[reminbi2000]

Just like rebate. Seems everyone hates it but somehow more and more every day. -

[Marymary]

Originally Posted by scpend

This so-called newspaper - "The Wall Street Journal" - does it have coupons?

If you mean grocery coupons, I haven't seen any.
But I found it interesting report about stores lowering their prices while Edy's ice cream became 5.79 per 56 oz carton, from 5.29 just 2 weeks ago.
this article says just the opposite from I observe in the stores: price lowering and declined coupon use.

[scoopdecoop]

Geez I'd like to know what stores they're talking about. I haven't seen anything but prices going up, sometimes every week. I didn't even use the hi-c coupon, it didn't come below $2.50 on sale.

[BillyP]

Originally Posted by Marymary

If you mean grocery coupons, I haven't seen any.
But I found it interesting report about stores lowering their prices while Edy's ice cream became 5.79 per 56 oz carton, from 5.29 just 2 weeks ago.
this article says just the opposite from I observe in the stores: price lowering and declined coupon use.

I Can answer that one via Dairy Queen. Milk Prices are soaring. Its difficult with the price of gas to have to keep that stuff frozen, along with that goes the demand due to excessive heat therefore the price goes up and will go down (only slightly this year due to gas) in the winter

[Marymary]

Milk prices actually stabilized lately in our area. Demand for ice cream in nowdays weather is great, I agree. But the stores just hiked the regular price to have Edy's on B1G1F sale most of the weeks lately.
How about price of Ballpark franks, $4.29/pack? up to 20 oz. box of GM cereal over $5? Peak of the season 1 lb of strawberries $3.99?

I gave an example of regular prices in our Shaw's. Yes, almost all weeks berries are on sale, but they do not lower their reg. prices.

[chort1313]

wow! milk has stabilized here..Icream hasn't changed that much. Edy's is 5.69 reg price, on sale this week at b1g1f. I have seen it 2/5.00 though combo this with $1 coupon and not a bad deal!

None of the things I have regulary been getting have seem to increased. But I also shop mostly at a store that has no doubles, they seem to keep their prices low.

Strawberries for 1lb for $3.99??? I think I pay 2lbs for 3.99 - it's two of the cartons.. Not sure the weight.

Plums and Peaches are is season right now. Plums $1/lb and peaches .88/lb.

[luvmycoupons]

I would like to know the stores they are talking about as well! I would love to not see an increase somewhere or have it stay the same for a longer while. But as far as coupon usage down from 2000 not in my house it has increased even my 2 teens use coupons now for their own purchases they say Mom do you have a coupon for this or do you think one exists out there for something else. I could see one giving up using coupons with the rules getting stricter. But I have been doing this for way to long it is in my blood! Does anyone remember the days when you would go shopping and they manually put in the price of the item there was no scanner at all. I guess I am showing my age.

[Marymary]

do we have anyone with WSJ online access to provide the link to an article? I do not have even printed copy, just read the article.. It should be in 7/20 Personal Finance section.