How to Grocery Shop Effectively and Save Money

If you know me pretty well, you know I work at Safeway, a grocery store, as a checker. I see dozens, if not hundreds, of different shoppers every time I work. And from what I have learned, experienced, seen, I have gathered enough to provide these grocery shopping tips to you. Some of these you will be able to use, some you won’t.

- Use coupons!
I can’t stress enough: USE COUPONS. Safeway has in their weekly ad coupons on various items in the store. There is also coupons.com (http://print.coupons.com/Couponweb/Index.aspx?pid=13306&zid=iq37&nid=10) where you can print off coupons to use at many stores. There are manufacturer’s coupons in the Sunday newspaper. You are often handed coupons by the cashier (Called Catalina Coupons) which you can use on products in the store. There are many ways to get coupons. You don’t, however, have to use every coupon you get. Why use a coupon on something you’ll never eat or use? So, look for coupons on products YOU LIKE. I can’t stress that enough. It will add up over time, using coupons on items you previously didn’t before. Find coupons. Save them. Use them. It will add up.

- Score on big deals
Sometimes I’ll notice at my store that a certain item will have an almost ridiculous deal. During the holiday season, we sometimes have 12 packs of soda buy 2 get 3 free. So you pay for 2, but get 5. Just recently at Safeway, there was buy 1 get 2 free containers of blueberries. Whenever you can get more free than more that you have to pay for, it’s a good deal and you should take advantage of it.

- Shop alone or learn to say no
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen parents with kids that end up buying gum, candy, a toy, or some kind of item their kid wants. Look, if they want it, they’ll but it themselves (if they’re old enough). Adding gum and candy all the time to your grocery bill will cause it to add up. Either shop alone, or just learn to say no. Perhaps promise them something else at home.

- Look high, low, far and wide
Product placement is huge in grocery stores. They put the eggs and milk towards the back because they are two of the most popular grocery items, causing shoppers to pass by many other grocery items on their way to get their eggs or milk. Besides that, however, items are conveniently placed to attract the customer’s eye. Items the store really wants to focus on selling will be at eye level and/or towards the front of the store. Items that they don’t want to sell, which could be for a very great deal, could either be low, high, far, or on the far side of the store. At my store, there is a 50% off rack of items. But guess where it is. VERY back of the produce department. Not towards the front. The back. So my advice to you is look high and low and in each corner of a store for great deals.

- Avoid the wallet breakers
Sometimes, because an item is displayed very well and looks appealing, you might be tempted to buy it. Look at the price though first. Could it possibly be Honeycrisp apples at $2.99 a pound? A bag of five Honeycrisp apples at $2.99/lb will cost over 10 bucks, I kid you not. Sometimes grapes might be $3.99 a pound, putting the average bag near 10 dollars. Sometimes cereals will be near $5 a box. For those certain items, avoid them. They may be something you really enjoy, but unless you really REALLY want it, let the store deal with overstock and force them to lower the price. If grapes or a certain kind of apple aren’t in season, just don’t buy it. Wait for it to go down.

- Check for mistakes
Mistakes can be made by people who do inventory, people who check your groceries, even by people who bag your groceries (forgetting to put all of your bags in your cart). We’re all human. So, when you’re done checking out, make sure you got charged the right amount for each product. That might entail trying to make a mental note of the price of each item you buy, but it could save you money down the line. When you get home and unbag your groceries, make sure you got them all and got charged the right amount. If you notice any kind of error, the checker or someone in customer service will help you out. That’s what they are there for.

Well, those are all the tips I have for you. In summary, use coupons, score on big deals, shop alone, look far and wide, avoid pricey items, and check for mistakes. If you do all of those on a routine basis, you will see your grocery bill go down immensely.

2010 Seahawks Grades

Well, the 2010 season is over for the Seahawks, and what an odd year it was. It was a third straight losing season, but we made it to the playoffs and beat the defending champs. Here I will grade certain areas of the team, then give an overall grade at the end.

Quarterbacks: C-
Matt Hasselbeck was either average or horrible, and towards the end of the year (not counting the playoffs) he was more of the latter. I saw nothing spectacular at all from Whitehurst. It was a very subpar year for our quarterbacks, who threw more interceptions combined than TD’s.

Running Backs: C
You look at the stats and see the Seahawks were one of the worst rushing teams in the league—but don’t blame the running backs. Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett gave it their all every play, sometimes fighting just to get back to the line of scrimmage. Poor and inconsistent offensive line play caused a horrible running game.

Wide Receivers: B+
We lost Housh and Branch yet still had great receivers this year. Mike Williams came back from the dead. Brandon Stokley became our third down guy. Deon Butler emerged as a threat. Obomanu had his best season. Great season for these guys.

Offensive Line: D+
Hard to give these guys any better than a D+. They were way too inconsistent and injury plagued. What hurt was Alex Gibbs (Offensive Line coach) retiring in the middle of preseason, but I thought what really hurt was losing 2^nd year guard Max Unger for the year. Okung played hurt, as did Spencer. Everyone else was average, except for Pitts, who IMO was awful.

Offense Grade: C

Defensive Line: B-
Raheem Brock and Chris Clemons sure stepped up this year, big time. Losing Red Bryant hurt us, especially in run defense. Mebane and Cole were very solid, but not spectacular. Balmer and Terrill filled in nicely from time to time.

Linebackers: B-
Tatupu was solid yet again, and Hawthorne emerged as a starter in this league and easily had the best season of any Seahawk linebacker. Curry was ok, but he hasn’t turned into one of the premier linebackers like we thought he would. Herring and Davis and the rest filled in really well when need be and played great special teams.

Secondary: D+
The only time they had a good game was against a very below average quarterback, such as Max Hall. They constantly got burned and beat. Trufant was average at best. Jennings was Jennings. Milloy played like a veteran, but a slow veteran. The biggest bright spot was Earl Thomas, who showed he will be our safety for years to come. He is the reason for the plus in D+.

Defense Grade: C+

Special Teams: A
Easily the unit that excelled most for the Seahawks. I don’t think the Seahawks have ever had such great special teams play in one year. Get that ST coach an extension. Leon Washington was dominant and should’ve gone to the Pro Bowl. Mare was as consistent as a kicker can be. Ryan was amazing at pinning the opponents inside the 20 (and not getting a touchback).

Coaching: C
Pete Carroll was very good in his first year. We also had good coaching from special teams and individual units (linebackers coach, running backs coach, etc). However, they sometimes failed to keep the team motivated when they got behind, which caused the Seahawks to lose 9 times by 15 or more points. The playcalling was sometimes horrible, which led to Offensive Coordinator Jeremy Bates getting fired.

Overall: C+
This was (although the record indicated otherwise) an above average season. Give Pete Carroll credit for turning us in the right direction. I expect the Seahawks to contend for the NFC West crown again next year. Go Seahawks!

My thoughts on the Seahawks in the Playoffs for 2011

Well, we made it. The 7-9 Seahawks are division champs. Amazing. It is really hard to believe a team with such horrible stats could make the playoffs, but it has happened. With a 16-6 victory over the Rams, the Seahawks secured a division title and a game at home vs. the New Orleans Saints. More on that later.

You look at the Seahawks right now… we are a team in disarray. Our quarterback situation is a mess, we are the worst running team in the NFL, our pass defense is a joke sometimes, and we still managed to make it to the playoffs. Whoever heard of an NFL playoff team that couldn’t score nor play defense well? Dead last in rushing, our Offensive Line is a game of musical chairs, and we still managed it. Unbelievable.

Moving on to the game against the Saints. The Seahawks are 10 point underdogs… at home… to a team that hasn’t won a road playoff game, while the Seahawks have yet to lose a playoff game at Qwest Field. It’s always when the Seahawks go on the road in the playoffs where they struggle. But, given the way the Seahawks have played, I can see why they are such big underdogs for this game.

I will say this: The Seahawks have a shot of winning, especially if they do these things:
- No big plays allowed
- Win turnover battle
- Rattle Drew Brees

No big plays allowed means on defense, limiting the Saints to plays of 5, 8, 10 yards instead of plays of 15, 20, and 25 yards. Have the safeties play back a bit and even bring in extra defensive backs in nickel and dime coverage. The Saints are missing both Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory, so they will be pretty one-dimensional. Therefore, the Seahawks need to play tight coverage, pressure Drew Brees, and not allow big plays.

Winning the turnover battle means that Hasselbeck has to control the ball—the same goes for Lynch, too. Hasselbeck cannot force it into tight spaces and get it picked off. Lynch, who fumbled twice in our previous game against the Saints, must hold onto the football. If the Seahawks can hold onto the football and maybe get a turnover or two on the other side of the ball, they have a decent shot of winning.

There are the other small factors, too. There’s the whole QB controversy with Hasselbeck and Whitehurst, the Saints having to prepare for both quarterbacks, because we might see both play in the game. Then there is the short week, the travel of over 2,000 miles, and of course, playing in Qwest Field, the loudest outdoor football stadium in the NFL. If Drew Brees has an off game, or an unspectacular game, the Seahawks have a shot. They really do.

I am glad we are starting Hasselbeck. He has the experience and the wherewithal to keep us in the game. Whitehurst would be too panicky and would cause us to stall too many drives. Yes, Hasselbeck has been rusty and banged up, but you always want to go with the veteran in a playoff game. Experience means a ton in these kinds of games.

So, I’ve laid it out there that the Seahawks CAN win. But will they? Probably not. I have to admit it, they probably won’t win the game. I hate to say it, and I desperately want a win, but it’s more than likely not going to happen. I think the Seahawks will be as one-dimensional, if not more one-dimensional, than the Saints, who will carve up the Seahawks secondary in zone coverage. I think we will turn the ball over. The Seahawks have to almost play perfectly to win, and we haven’t really seen them play perfect all year.

I predict about an 8 or 9 point loss. I think the Seahawks will fall behind but scratch their way back closer to make the game a closer result. I can’t see a game where the Seahawks lose by 20 points. The Saints aren’t planning on that. All they want is a W at the lowest cost, which probably means a closer result than 20 points.

However, let’s just have fun for a bit. There is actually a way that the Seahawks could get to the Super Bowl, and it’s not as improbable as you might think. First off, of course, they’d have to win against the Saints. If they do what I mentioned above, that is very possible. Secondly, the Packers would have to beat the Eagles (and then later beat the Falcons). In that case, the Seahawks would travel to Chicago, where, oh by the way, they’ve won already this year. If they get a win there against a possibly shaky Jay Cutler and his Bears, then they would play the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game… at QWEST FIELD. You heard me right. The NFC Championship game could be at the home of a 7-9 team.

But the odds of that are probably slimmer than an Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl. But one can always dream. The Seahawks will need to show up even more so than they did against the Rams. The Seahawks will need the fans, the energy, the momentum, and to feel the electricity coursing through their veins. It could happen. So Seahawks, make it happen. Beat the defending champs. Show the world what you’re made of. GO SEAHAWKS!

After Week 6 - Insanity Blog

After Week 6 of Insanity Blog

Weight I’ve lost: None. I stayed right at 163.5

What Hurts the Most: Not much, really. My body seems to be adapting to the workouts. However, for a short period following the “Core Cardio and Balance” DVD, my shoulders and legs hurt. If anyone’s done Insanity, they know what I mean.

What I did: Did a couple 2^nd month workouts, then once I travelled to California, I did Core Cardio and Balance, which is only 37 minutes.

Diet: Breakfast: Small bowl of cereal or oatmeal usually with a banana. Snacks: Sometimes I didn’t have one, but they varied. Lunch: Varied, but I had leftovers a lot and sandwiches. Dinner: Varied, I ate out quite a bit, but tried to watch what I ate. I stuck to high protein, low-fat options if possible. My biggest splurges were when I ate out, either at Chevy’s (Steak tacos) or Mary’s Pizza Shack (Meatloaf Sandwich). I drank mostly water, but I also had green iced tea and orange juice (on the plane).

Summary: I didn’t expect to lose weight this week, and I don’t really expect to next week, either. I ate out quite a bit (on average once a day). I also had fewer meals (but larger ones), which is not what I have been doing the past month. I hope to get my diet back down to eating five small meals a day and I will be eating out a lot less. The Cardio and Balance workout really got pretty easy the 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th times I did it. Now, it’s onto more 2^nd month workouts. Back to a regular schedule and a diet that (mostly) fits into my plan.

After Week 5 - Insanity Blog

After Week 5 of Insanity Blog

Weight I’ve lost: Almost a pound. I went from 164.2 to 163.4.

What Hurts the Most: Same body parts as before, but after I did “Max Interval Plyo” the first time, my shoulders and arms were killing me—there were a lot of pushups in that exercise video. I also sustained a painful rug burn on my knee on the very last workout of the week.

What I did: Full 60 minute workouts this week. I did Max Interval Circuit (twice, 60 minutes each), Max Interval Plyo (twice, 55 minutes each), Max Cardio Conditioning, and Max Recovery (Surprisingly hard).

Diet: Breakfast: Small bowl of cereal or oatmeal usually with a banana. Snacks: Nutrition or protein bar or trail mix bar or veggies. Lunch: Varied, but I had leftover pasta and sandwiches. Dinner: Varied, sometimes was small from snacking all day (Such as Christmas Eve or Christmas Day). On Christmas Eve we had a party at work and there were lots of foods. I probably ate too many chips and sweets… the only time I have caved so far. On Christmas I ate veggies, crackers with salami and various cheeses, shrimp, and chips. I drank only water except for on Christmas day when I had a mimosa. Hey, I can enjoy one if I want to.

Summary: Again, just a small bit of weight loss, which I’m fine with. For this 60 day workout, I’m going for appearance more than how much I actually weigh. I might’ve lost a bit more weight had I not splurged a bit this week, but it was Christmas week. During this week, however, I travel down to California for a small week off to see my girlfriend. I will definitely try to limit my splurges to few or none. I will be starting my Core Cardio and Balance the day I leave and finish it the day I get back. It’s in an odd place to be in my workout schedule, but I really didn’t want to bother my girlfriend with my 60 minute Max Interval workouts. The next time I will be posting a blog will be on Wednesday the 5^th, Thursday the 6^th, or Friday the 7^th of next year when I get back, depending on how busy I am. I will be sure to weigh myself and keep notes while I am down there, although my girlfriend’s scale has been to known to sometimes be inaccurate. See you all next year!

My Thoughts on the Survivor Finale, my predictions, and next season

My thoughts on the Survivor finale, my predictions, and next season

*SPOILER ALERT*

If you have not seen the Survivor Finale, do not read any further. This is your warning.

*END SPOILER ALERT*

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Wow, what a season. Not the best season, but a pretty darn good one in my opinion, and I must wish congratulations to Jud “Fabio” Birza, the youngest player to ever win the game of Survivor. He outlasted Chase Rice and Matthew “Sash” Lenahan to be the ultimate survivor. I picked him to win from the final 7 and he did indeed win, making my prediction correct. However, not all my predictions were correct. Here they are, with how each survivor did and my thoughts on them:

Benjamin “Benry” Henry
Predicted: 7^th
Finished: 7^th
I nailed this one. I just knew he was on the outs and he was a threat. I saw it coming. If Benry had lasted a couple more tribal councils, I think he could have gone on an immunity run like Fabio did.

Jane Bright
Predicted: 4^th
Finished: 6^th
Wow, I didn’t see the threesome alliance of Chase, Sash, and Holly picking her out as a threat so soon. I thought she would’ve finished right where Holly did. But Jane definitely deserved the title of *Corporation name omitted due to me opposing corporate sponsors* Player of the season.

Dan Lembo
Predicted: 3^rd
Finished: 5^th
Well, at least Dan fought hard, but man he was ticked in his confessional (after getting voted out) and then when he, as a jury member, talked to the final three. Either he is a sore loser or we just haven’t seen this side of him before.

Holly Hoffman
Predicted: 2^nd
Finished: 4^th
Holly was almost as big of a threat to win as Jane, so I’m not TOO surprised she got voted out before the finals. However, she definitely deserved to be there. She was the one female that lasted the longest.

Mathew “Sash” Lenahan
Predicted: 6^th
Finished: 3^rd (No votes in the final)
I was shocked when he didn’t get any votes in the final vote. I was sure the final vote would be something like 4-3-2. Sash, however, didn’t really deserve any. Yes, he was probably the most strategic player, but he was like the Russell Hantz of the season. Not in the way he steals and hides things (that’s NaOnka’s thing), but in the way he deceives, lies, and makes alliances with anyone just to further himself in the game. It just goes to show if you play like Russell or Sash (and they played very similar games), you can get to the final, but don’t expect many jury votes, if any.

Chase Rice
Predicted: 5^th
Finished: 2^nd
Chase did much better than I thought he did; I mean, he almost won. But man, his emotions probably cost him the game. He did not play extremely smartly or strategically like Sash. He just did what everyone else was doing. He reminds me of Mick in that way from Samoa (with Sash as Russell).

Jud “Fabio” Birza
Predicted: 1^st
Finished: 1^st
Fabio, my man, you did it! Fabio is an inspiration to all us young people out there (not just guys) that we could get on Survivor and win it. Fabio was incredible in winning three challenges in a row. The guy won those challenges simply because he needed it and wanted it more. Oh, and I guess if Sash is Russell and Chase is Mick, that would make Fabio the Natalie of the season. Quiet game, then sneak attack! BAM! Winner of Survivor. Just… like… that. Congrats Fabio!

Next season: Survivor: Redemption Island

I’m a little skeptical of this season and how it is going to work. Allowing people to come back (like when they created the “Outcasts” tribe one season and allowed two players to rejoin the game) has not generally been well received. It will be interesting to see how it works. In one way, it’ll be nice to see your favorite players come back, but if someone you absolutely hated (i.e. NaOnka) comes back… man, that would P.O. a lot of people. However, I can’t wait for it to start, next February!

After Week 4 - Insanity Blog

Weight I’ve lost: Just over half a pound. I went from 164.8 to 164.2.

What Hurts the Most: Almost everything now, which includes my arms, thighs, shoulders, and feet.

What I did: I finished the first month of Insanity. No more Pure Cardio, thank goodness. But now I go from 40 minute workouts to 60 minute workouts.

Diet: Breakfast: Small bowl of whole grain cereal or oatmeal (sometimes with a banana). For snacks I ate all kinds of bars, bananas, and mandarins. Lunch usually involved a small sandwich with meat in it (either ham, turkey, or meatloaf). Dinner varied; my biggest splurge of the week was probably the Christmas party I went to this past Saturday, where I snacked on foods (I had a few chips to go with salsa and some M&M’s). I only drank water with my meals; except for at the Christmas party I had warm apple cider, which isn’t that bad for you.

Summary: One month done, yay! I still have five weeks to go, however (which includes a week of rest doing nothing but core cardio and balance). I will do that week while I am in California to see my girlfriend, Amanda. I have Christmas coming up, so I’m definitely gonna try to stay away from all the Christmas cookies my sister baked! The sixty minute workouts take a long time and on days I work 8 or 9 am to 4pm it’s hard to find a good time to do it. This week is really going to exhaust me, but I will let you all know how it went next Monday. I also expect to lose a lot more weight this month as I’m working out 360 minutes a week instead of 240. Big difference. See you next week!