Shop Cheap

We can't ignore it any longer. Halloween is 2 weeks away and after that it's all downhill to the holidays. That said, Shop Cheap got her first taste of the holiday season this week with a basket from the Grocery Outlet. Think you can't find special stuff at the Grocery Outlet, think again. And think cheap.

Our basket came with a Nonni's Biscotti gift mug stuffed with cookies ($4.99); a 4-pack of Burt's Bees lip balm ($3.99), a box of Stash Tea ($1.99) and German Spice Cookies ($1.99). They make it easy to put together a holiday basket for a friend or gathering at those prices!

Back to reality and the weekly sales. Again, Shop Cheap is way confused by the Safeway sales. There's $5 Friday; the Weekend Sale (Friday-Sunday) and $5 Mondays, too. It's just too much for the old gal. Note to Safeway: Need to simplify. We want all the deals but not on different days!

Whew, that's better. Since we're already at Safeway, here's what they are advertising this week. Red seedless grapes are 99-cents a pound; Roma tomatoes are 49-cents a pound and celery is 2/$3. Large avocados are 4/$5.

A case of refreshe water is $2.99; Coke 12-packs are buy 2, get 2 free and get a free package of Chips Ahoy! cookies, too. Safeway Kitchens breads are $2 a loaf. The BOGO brands this week include Rancher's Reserve boneless beef roast; Hillshire Farm smoked sausage or bratwurst; Annie's mac & cheese. Buy 4 jars of Ragu for $5, get 2 free packs of Eating Right whole grain pasta.

The coupons worth clipping:  89 oz. Minute Maid OJ for $3.99; Milton's crackers for $1,88; Nature Valley granola bars for $1.77; Mission tortillas for $1.49 and General Mills cereals for $1.97.

And for the daily offerings: The Friday-Sunday specials include BOGO pumpkins; Tostitos and Rold Gold pretzels for $1.88; Safeway salsa for $3 and cooked shrimpmeat for $2.99. Rancher's Reserve top sirloin steak is $3.99lb.

The best $5 Friday only specials are a 6lb. bag of oranges; Safeway bath tissue or paper towels; a pound of deli roast beef and strawberry cheesecake in the bakery.

The $5 Monday specials: Signature Cafe chicken wings and mini-cinnamon rolls.

Over at Raley's we are grabbing the BOGO berries; Cameo or Braeburn apples for 89-cents a pound; large pumpkins for $3 and asparagus for $1.99.

You can get a $5 Raley's gift card if you buy 3 or more club pack offerings like Take & Bake pizza for $9.98; Kettle soup for $9.98 or 128oz Minute Maid OJ for $5.99.

Chicken strips in the deli are $5.99lb; fresh cooked shrimpmeat is $3.99lb and sesame chicken skewers or pot stickers are buy 2, get 1 free in the Wok.

Get a free bag of Doritos when you buy a 12-pack of Dr. Pepper or Pepsi for $3.99.

Save Mart has great variety in their "indoor" farmer's market. Medium artichokes are 3/99-cents; asparagus is $1.47lb and Roma tomatoes are 39-cents a pound. Pomegranates are 97-cents each. Pumpkins are 3/$9.99 and a 10lb. bag of potatoes is $2.97.

Foster Farms frozen party wings are BOGO; Jennie-O smoked turkey sausage is $2.99lb.

Coupons worth clipping: Foster Farms lunchmeat for $1.99; Ramen 8/$1; Hormel chili 99-cents a can.

Save Mart is having a 99-cent sale on Saturday. From noon to 4 p.m. you can purchase Sunny Select items - including cereal, snack mix and oatmeal - for 99-cents with their in-store coupon.

Classico pasta sauce is $1.88 a jar; Sara Lee and EarthGrains breads are BOGO; Kellogg's Rice Krispie treats and Keebler granola fudge bars are $1.99 a box.

And one more Monday special - 8-piece chicken in the deli for $4.99.

If you crave tropical fruit, head to Sprouts where pineapple is 88-cents each and bananas are 3lbs for $1. Apples are 88-cents a pound; bell peppers are 49-cents each and avocados are 88-cents each. They also have raw almonds for $3.99lb.

That's it for this week. .