Shop Cheap

The big supermarkets have a couple of big draws this week. Safeway is once again carting out its 48-hour weekend sale and Raley's  is promoting General Mills products at 10 items for $20. That sounds like a lot but the selection is varied enough that you'd probably be buying 10 items anyway.

Here's the deal over at Safeway. To get you into the store on Saturday and Sunday, how about a case of Refeshe drinking water for $2.88  (limit 3). Raspberries are 99-cents a carton (limit 2) and just in time for Sunday football a large size DiGiorno pizza is $3.88 and Tyson Hot&Spicy cooked chicken wings are $2.99 a pound.

The General Mills deal at Raley's/BelAir includes any 10 of the following for $20: Lucky Charms, Total, Trix, whole grain or fruity Cheerios; Betty Crocker Fruit snacks, cookie mix, brownie and cake mix; frosting, potatoes, Hamburger Chicken or Tuna Helper, Suddenly Salad and  Bizquick. There's also Progresso soup, Old El Paso taco shells or salsa, Chex Mix; Toaster Strudel, Green Giant veggies and Yoplait Go-Gurt. 

SaveMart is celebrating Mexico's Independence Day with sale prices on Guerrero corn tortillas for $1.99; El Pato tomato sauce 2/$1; Sunny Select refries $1 a can; Embasa whole jalapenos for $1.49 and Ortega diced green chiles $1 a can.

And the best of the rest:

Safeway: The BOGO is back on Breyers Ice cream; Lay's potato chips; Ritz crackers or Chips Ahoy!; Lucerne large eggs (18-count); Lucerne ice cream treats; Safeway popcorn and Ken's Salad dressing. Produce is still fresh and reasonable with green bell peppers (get that recipe from last week), tomatoes, grapes and peaches all 99-cents a pound. The Gala apples are still on sale for 88-cents a pound (they're $1.47 a pound at Raley's). Meatloaf is the Friday $5 special this week. I'm passing because it didn't go over the last time. But there's a new size of the Safeway Signature Cafe soups and the new 15-ounce version is on sale for 2/$6.  Grab an Artisan baguette ($1.99) and you have a meal. If you haven't noticed, milk prices have dropped and 2 gallons of Lucerne are $5.39. If your house is beginning to smell like your teenager, grab the Renuzit adjustable air freshener at $1 each.

Raley's/BelAir has a good price on seafood with fresh shrimp at $5.99 a pound and fresh salmon fillets for $6.99lb. R Everyday split chicken breasts at $1.69 a pound. The Raley's bakery is introducing a smaller size loaf of  parmesan or ciabatta bread called Pain Pour Deux for $1.29. They also have broccoli crowns for 99-cents a pound; organic heirloom tomatoes at $2.99 a pound and tomatoes on the vine $1.57 a pound. Peaches and nectarines are 97-cents a pound. They also have tasty take-home specials like 12-inch pizza for $5.99 or 16-inch Pepperoni or combo pies for $7.99. Nob Hill soups are $4.99 and sourdough bread for soup bowls is 2/$2.50.

SaveMart's in the BOGO business with Earthbound farm organic salads. Other items worth mentioning include Crystal Geyser spring water for $3.98 a case; Sunnyside large eggs (18-count) $3; Old Orchard frozen juice blends for $1; Bohemian Hearth bread for $1.99 a loaf and Chjcken of the Sea white albacore tuna for $1 a can. In the produce department, green beans and Brussel sprouts are 99-cents a pound; Roma tomatoes are 99-cents a pound and green onions, radishes or cilantro are 2/$1.

Foods Co. is also celebrating Mexican Independence Day with Tapatio hot sauce for $1.88; Calidad flour tortillas (30-count) 2/$5; Cacique Ranchero Queso Freso or Crema Salvadorena for $2.78; Las Palmas enchilada sauce 2/$3 and Jarritos soda 2/$1. Natural Spring water is $3.50 a case; boneless, skinless chicken breasts are $1.87lb and Kellogg's cereals are $2 a box.

The three Vic's Markets are independently owned and charge different prices for sale items. That makes it hard to focus on the best prices when they are different at every store. But if you shop Vic's check out the broccoli crowns for less than $1 a pound and the Foster Farms chicken breasts, cube steaks and pork chops.