If I was Dave, I would say, I have been mizled…but I am not entirely sure how he would spell it…and even then only my community group would understand the joke. It is true…I have been bamboozled and boy am I ever angry.
You know, I try to be super diligent about every penny I spend on groceries. I clip coupons, buy things on sale, cook for the season, I really try. I don’t always succeed in getting the best deals (I am not like that woman who buys groceries for her family of 5 for $38/week), but I really do try to be conscious of how much I spend and to save when I can.
So, as I clipped coupons on Monday morning I realized that Kroger was having several great things on sale this week. I didn’t need a lot of groceries, but just a couple filler things. Milk was listed at $2.99 and boneless chicken at $1.99/lb, avocados at 10 for $10, etc. I always try to stock up chicken when it is on sale, so I headed to Kroger. I try to avoid Kroger at all costs, but these things were just too good to pass up, so I decided I would make a little trip to Kroger. I packed up the girls (here is one thing in its favor, they have a grand selection of grocery carts that accommodate children…impressive) and headed in. My first stop was the avocados…sweet 10 for $10. Next I arrived at the chicken and was puzzled. It was posted as buy one get one free which put the price at $2.34/lb. I was a bit confused, but picked it up anyway and decided I would just ask at the register (I knew I was right about this…I had JUST looked at the mailer). I swung by the milk that was listed at $3.19…now I was getting worried and confused. I ended up at the register, and had to wait forever to get through (why is it that I never wait in line at Publix?). Upon reaching the register I immediately asked the cashier about the chicken. We had a 5 minute conversation as she tried to explain to me that once I scanned my Kroger card it would all be taken care of. I, in the mean time, was trying to kindly explain that half off is different than $1.99/lb. She finally called a supervisor (the people in my line were getting antsy), and I explained that the circular said $1.99/lb, etc. She understood and went on a trek…we all waited…and waited…and waited…Annelise begins to cry…I am feeling nervous.
The manager arrives back with the circular in hand, opens it up, and voila…there is chicken listed at buy one get one free. Wow, I was horrified and embarrassed! I humbly apologized (and was thankful that I had been polite), and made some comment about how it must have been cheaper at Publix. And went home. The minute I walked in the door I pulled out my circular…and it had chicken listed at $1.99. So confused, and angry, I looked to see what the issue was, did I have the right week, what was happening. I finally found it, in the fine print it noted that these were the prices for the Kroger up by Wal-mart…I never go to that Kroger, and it is at least a mile farther away than the one I went to. So, all the cheap prices that I went to Kroger for, were basically null.
And as I looked at my receipt I realized they charged me more for the avocados…$6 instead of $4. I was livid.
Dave got home, and I started packing up everything to take it back to Kroger. He actually talked me out of it…which I am still a little annoyed about. It would be a waste of gas and time to return those things and then drive to the correct store and try again. I also had coupons attached to my purchase, so it would have been difficult to get everything settled. So…I am eating the $8 I would have saved if I had gone to the right store…and am cursing Kroger in my head…NEVER AGAIN! I will not let you get me again. In the future I will always travel with my circular…and I think I am going to swear off Kroger for at least a month.
In happy news I did find red bell peppers for $1.59/lb at the farmer’s market…that sure beats $4/lb at either grocery.