It has long been a game of mine, a hobby if you will, to see how much I can reduce our grocery bill, by shopping the ad paper for what's on sale while using a coupon for it too. It takes time to do this, but the money savings are worth it. I've saved $102.00 on a $211.00 grocery bill. That is my all time record savings.

At the grocery store that I frequent the most, they'll run a special for many different items at 10/$10.00 with the 11th item being free. You can mix and match any of the 10/$10.00. One week the items may consist of Pringles, salad dressing or pasta sauce, etc. In order to take advantage of this offer, you really have to pay attention to how many or each item you're getting.

A couple of weeks ago the grocery store had their name brand salad dressings as part of the 10/$10.00. So I picked up 3 bottles of Light Ranch along with (8) other 10/$10.00 items to make a grouping of 11 items for $10.00.

It wasn't until I got home and took a look at my receipt that I realized that just because I had purchases the light salad dressing, my Light Ranch dressing was not part of the 10/$10.00, but full price... thus messing up my "grouping". Not only did I pay FULL PRICE for this salad dressing, I didn't get my 11th free item. Boo! BAD FORM!

So my question is... Shouldn't Light be less? Why aren't the light varieties included in these promotions? Since they are "light", isn't there "less" to them? Making them cheaper to produce even?

Dang... you really have to pay attention.

I was in Walmarts on Monday and they had Pringles (which I LOVE!) for 88 cents a can. I could only find (1) can of "Light" Pringles so I took it to the register with my other purchases and asked the cashier to check first if the "Light" Pringles were 88 cents like the BBQ, Sour Cream & Onion, Cheddar Cheese, Pizza and Regular varieties. Sure enough... NOPE! $1.97 for the Light variety. I told her, never mind. I'm not paying twice as much for less calories. She giggled at me, said she didn't see any reason why the light ones weren't marked down... especially because they were with the ones that were a lower price... and reduced the price manually.

Justice at last!