My Morning Prep
Woke up dead set on saving some cash today. Sartini ain’t exactly cheap, you know? Grabbed my phone, opened my notes app – that’s where I keep my serious shopping battle plans. First thing: made a rock-solid list. Just stuff we actually needed: pasta, coffee, some veggies, maybe a small treat if there was a killer deal. No random junk allowed.
Mission: Target Sartini
Got in the car, rolled down to my local Sartini around 10 AM. Figured it’d be less crazy than weekend crowds. Parked way out back – more steps, but hey, free parking is free parking. Grabbed a cart instantly checked them wheels. Ain’t nobody got time for the wobbly cart that pulls left.
Started strong in the produce section. Went straight for the ugly vegetables. Yup, those slightly dented bell peppers and the carrots that looked like they grew funny. Perfectly fine inside, way cheaper. Scooped ’em up quick. Saw those pre-cut salad kits – looked tempting but checked the price per gram on the shelf label. Way pricier than grabbing a whole head of lettuce and some tomatoes myself. Skipped it.
Playing the Middle Aisles
Okay, middle aisles are where they try to trick ya. Stuck to my list like glue. Needed pasta. Instead of grabbing the big shiny brand name at eye-level, I crouched down. Sure enough, the store brand stuff sat right below, basically the same thing but cheaper. Tossed two bags in the cart.
Coffee next. Big display of the expensive stuff front and center. Nope. Wandered over to the regular coffee shelf. They always put the smaller bags with the higher price-per-unit near the front. Reached wayyy back and snagged a bigger bag from the back row. Better deal per ounce. Felt like a ninja.
Endgame: Checkout Smarts
Headed towards the registers. Almost grabbed some candy bars by the checkout – classic move, right? Took a breath, remembered the list. Did not need it. Chose the line with the crankiest looking cashier – sounds weird, but honestly, those folks scan stuff fast to get rid of you. Worked like a charm.
Bagged my own groceries. Didn’t wait for the bagger. Tried to keep heavier stuff together. Saved a little time, maybe saved a bag or two. Every bit counts! Pulled out my Sartini loyalty card, scanned it. Saw a couple of digital coupons pop off automatically – nice little surprise win.
Paid cash for what was left after the card. Helps me actually feel the money leaving instead of mindlessly swiping. Pocketed the receipt, checked it quick right there against the stuff in my cart. All good. Total haul cost way less than my usual run. Mission accomplished!
Saved maybe 25 bucks just by paying attention and playing their game smarter. Felt pretty darn good pushing that cart back to the car. No fancy stuff, just needed things for less. Made the cut.
