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Sunday, March 21, 2010

Big Lots Scouting Expedition: Sidetracked by Children and Dogs

I should be waxing philosophical about something or other in the frugality department, but I have been sidetracked by the presence of Lucy Marmalade and a little dog named Sandy. We put out the word that my mother was in need of an older, trained dog. She is very lonely without my father. First, courtesy of the Lenox (MA) Humane Society, a wonderful dog named Molly, whose owner was going into a nursing home. Said owner estimated that Molly was 5 years old, but a visit to the vet revealed that she was 14. My mother's carpenter John took Molly.

Next is Sandy, a tiny dog found in a ditch and then adopted by Lucy's friend's mom, Deb. Sandy is very sociable and Deb works all day....so my mother can adopt Sandy when she visits next week. Sandy had an overnight chez nous. We love Sandy, though a name change may be coming up.

Then, I noticed that a loyal reader went to her Big Lots many hundreds of miles from my own and bought the 50 cent Thai broth. Isn't that great? Since I only live a mile from Big Lots, I get to stop in often. So I did some research today.

Good deals are:
28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes with basil at 50 cents.

28 oz cans of organic tomatoes at $1.30.

De Cecco kamut pasta for $1.30. That's a specialty item and I don't know if it is any better than regular old pasta.

Most of the food at Big Lots isn't all that well-priced, at least not for fanatics like me.

At Dollar Tree, right next door, they have Muir Glen tomato sauce (vodka spiked) and Muir Glen canned soups for $1.00. Good price for organic food.

I am still overstocked on everything, so my only purchase today was a head of garlic (desperately needed) and some tangerines. My trips to the world of discount food were in the spirit of public service.

Speaking of which, I have been absolutely riveted by the Health Care vote today. Back to CSPAN.

4 comments:

Duchesse said...

A marvelous idea and I hope the right animal joins your Mom. If he is Sandy, would he not like to remain so? or is that not a big deal to a dog?

Funny about Money said...

DiCecco pasta is very good, as dried pasta goes. Nice bargain.

LOL! Glad to hear you're getting a li'l dog for Mom. Wise move to avoid the 14-year-old, which will only create more grief as the dog is already at the end of its lifetime.

And I second Duchesse's question: what's wrong with "Sandy"? Wasn't that the name of Little Orphan Annie's dog? No question that Cassie knows her name--it was easy to tell that she responded when she heard it, and she would come when you called her name. Why confuse the poor little pooch? It's probably already confused enough.

Frugal Scholar said...

@Duchesse--My mother wanted to change the name to Molly (female) b/c she liked the 14 y.o. dog.

@Funny--I hope my mom agrees. She wanted one, but now is getting cold feet. This dog answers to anything: Sandy, Molly, Sadie (my choice).

Revanche said...

Shaking my fist at missing a Big Lots run before I left town. Alas, there was one right on the corner of a major thoroughfare a mile away back home, nary a one to be found where I've gone. *wistful*