My Recent Terrific Scratch and Dent Shopping Trip

I love sharing with you when I get good deals, also because I'm excited, and also to encourage you to shop around like I do, and stock up when you can on great deals. I also like to encourage people to go to scratch and dent stores, and buy things that are banged up, in less pretty packaging, or close to expiration dates, because the food is just as good, just as safe, even the USDA says that, and it is a great way to save money. 

To be honest, I haven't done so many trips to the scratch and dent store lately. Two of the ones I used to go to have closed down. The few times I was in the area and popped into one that was still open, the pickings were very slim there. Most of the time, it was just candy or things that I never use. I try to get things from the scratch and dent store that I anyhow would buy, but just cheaper. 

The scratch and dent store, where I usually find the most useful things and largest variety, where I've gotten amazing deals in the past, is in an area that I don't typically go to, that parking there is hard to find, and when you can find it it is usually expensive, so I haven't made it there lately. 

However, I had a doctor's appointment for my kid and I arrived there a little early, and the doctor's appointment was about a block away from this store, so I needed to park there anyhow, and I found free parking across the street from that store. I decided to peek into the store and was pleasantly surprised to see how many things were being sold at great prices that I'd gladly use.

Most of what I saw being sold was either name brand or organic, but since I don't usually buy name brand or organic, I decided to price compare to the cheaper brand that sells the same item, unless locally this only is sold organic. 

So first off, they were selling TVP soy flakes, which I rehydrate to make a bolognese type sauce, for much cheaper than I can make it with ground beef. I've been having a hard time finding these for sale, period. But at $1.42 per package it was cheaper than the $5.11 per package it usually is. Unfortunately, they only had 2.

For the second time, ever, I saw them selling folio, a gluten free grain that I want to write more about, because it is awesome. I've never seen it in any other store in person, but while I paid $1.42 for the package, online I can buy it for $5.29. 

Do you know how hard I used to need to look to buy molasses? I needed to buy expensive stuff from an American store that imported American brands, where I'd buy it for $7.50 or more per bottle, and I'd hoard it and use it only sparingly. Fortunately, it began to be easier to buy it locally, and now you can get it for $4.70, but I got a few jars for $1.42 each. 

I try to keep my car stocked with healthy snacks, so if my kids are hungry and we're out and about, I can feed them without needing to stop and buy food. Last time I saw these date nut bites at the scratch and dent store, I bought as many as I could there... unfortunately they only had a few, and they cost $0.95 per package. The closest thing that I could find online to that cost $4.78 for the same amount.

I'll admit, lately my favorite easy way to make chicken is either dump barbecue sauce on it, or sweet chili sauce (or a mixture of the two) and I go through a lot of those. Usually barbecue sauce costs $1.76-$2.85 per bottle, but they had Thomy brand for $0.95, so I bought a bunch.

I usually make my own garam masala, but sometimes it is nice to buy it ready made. I paid $0.95 for the bottle instead of the $4.25 it typically costs. They had dried ginger for $1.14 instead of $1.71 or more for a package.

I love chocolate, and so do my kids. And they had bars for $0.70 each instead of $1.42, so I bought a bunch.

I need a lot of salt, so I eat pickles and olives in addition to drinking my homemade sports drink. They had black dried olives (my absolute favorite kind) and they were either $1.14 per jar or cheaper instead of  $2.54-$3.85. So of course I bought a ton.

They were selling red lentil pasta which I don't usually buy for $1.14 per package. I usually buy the cheaper "regular" gluten free pasta for $2.85 per package when red lentil pasta is $4.28 each.

Last but not least they had completely sugar free (just fruit concentrate) jam $1.90 instead of $4.58 and it was delicious.

Do you shop at scratch and dent stores? What do you usually get there? Have you gotten any great deals lately?