Deal Alert: Really Cheap Bagels, Bread and Pastry

***Deal Alert***

From now on I will be posting great deals and money saving strategies as I find them. I don't want you to think that just using supermarket coupons is enough to reduce your grocery expenses. While coupon shopping is a fab strategy for saving, there are many other more subtle methods to help you save while shopping/

I was in one of the grocery stores close to my home when I learned something new today. Almost every grocery store with an in-store bakery marks down their day old breads 50% off or more every day. Nothing shockingly new to report there.

What is new though is what I learned from the clerk working in the bakery section, that all "day old products" are not necessarily day old. Depending on how early your store does it's markdowns, day old may mean less than 16 hours old or less.

The store nearest to me sells their in-store bagels for $.79 each. Once the bagels hit the markdown rack they are 6 for $.99, or 80% off the full store price. Nice savings, great quality product. These bagels are so big that I can easily get two breakfasts out of each one, for a cost per serving of just $.08 per meal. Talk about a quick, healthy and cheap breakfast when you are in a hurry.

I don't worry about products being stale when I purchase day old bakery products. Toasting will freshen most breads up, so you'll hardly notice anyway. Just toss them in the freezer and thaw just before toasting. I slice bagels before freezing to make the frozen bagels easier to handle as I need them. Just slice and freeze with the sliced sides out to prevent sticking and you'll be good to go in the mornings.

I used to buy my bagels either in the dollar store, or at the Orowheat Outlet store, where a pack of 5 good sized bagels was a buck. With this latest round of price increases, my favorite dollar store has switched brands and now the bagels come 4-pack and are much smaller. Not as good of a deal, but still significantly less than the full shelf price of major brands at $3.99 for 6, or the in-store bakery price of $.79 when freshly baked. The Orowheat store is a ways out from me, so with the price of gas lately I don't get there as often. It's nice to have options for savings close to home.

Other products on the markdown shelf are similarly priced. Most are a pretty good deal, though you'll need to keep your eyes open for the real gems.

My strategy? The freezer is my friend. If I like what I see on the markdown shelf and the price is right then I'll buy and freeze. If the price isn't right I keep on walking.