Kroger Fuel Reward Promotion

I love saving money, using coupons, rebates and store promotions. There is nothing that makes me more frustrated than not being able to take advantage of an advertised store promotion like the Kroger Fuel Rewards.

I shop at Kroger nearly every week, meaning, at least 5 times a week I am harassed by the Kroger Fuel Rewards Promotion. I see it a couple times when I am looking over my ads, I see it online when I go to add coupons to my card, I see it advertised in the store when I shop and I see it again on my receipt.

In case you are not familiar with the Kroger Fuel Rewards Promotion, allow me to explain. Simply put, each month you can earn points for every dollar you spend at Kroger. $1 = 1 point. This is all kept track of at the bottom of your receipt, along with when your previous months fuel rewards expire. You can then go can redeem your Fuel Rewards in at any Kroger gas station and get .10 cents off each gallon of gas.

Sounds wonderful right? I mean, who wouldn’t want to get a few cents off each gallon of gas they purchase, right?

Why does this frustrate me so much?

Because, from where I live, the closest Kroger gas station is over 14 miles away in another town. Now, I know that doesn’t seem that far, but when we are talking stop lights, stop signs, though town 25 – 35 mph – it’s going to take at least a half hour to get there. And that’s only one way. Were talking an hour’s driving time and 28 miles just to save .10 cents a gallon. Somehow, I really don’t think that is practical. And that would be the only thing I would be going there for, is the gas, because the Kroger I normally shop at (that does not have a gas station) is less than a mile, right down the road where I live.

I wonder how many other people have this same problem, because the fact is; there is only a hand full of Kroger gas stations in all of Ohio, yet they advertise these fuel rewards everywhere.
All I ask is for Kroger to either stop promoting their Fuel Rewards where there is no fuel, because it’s rather pointless. Either that build more gas stations or at least offer Kroger shoppers without gas stations some other form of reward.

What is everyone else's experience with the Kroger Fuel Rewards? Am I the only one who feels it's a complete waste of a promotion or have others benefited from it?

Puffs Plus with Vicks Vapors Review

Even though I am not a fan of lotioned tissues, it was the box, language and design I had issues with. Okay, lets forget the fact that I live in America were English is spoken. I really shouldn't expect everyone to know the main language of where they live. After all, why should they learn the language when they have companies like this trying so hard to cater to them. In the meantime, they have given me a headache. Besides, if they insisted on putting THREE different languages on their box of tissues, they could have been more organized doing so. It's very irritating to read over words you don't know - just to try and find the words you do know.

Anyone else here get a headache when you read this or is it just me?

In case you are wondering, the tissues were actually better than the box design, thank goodness. You can read my whole review on Puffs Plus with Vicks here.

Dirty Lying Telemarketers

The following is a true story!

Today the phone rings and the caller ID reads: Kaplan University. Against my better judgement, because none of my children are old enough yet for college, I answer the phone.

Me: Hello?
Telemarketer: Can I speak to Richard. (Richard is my husband)
Me: Can I ask who's calling?
T: This is Natasha calling from Kaplan University, is Richard there?
Me: What's this regarding?

At this time the babies came running though the house laughing and all I heard was something about him contacting them about a bachelor. I didn't put it together that this was a university calling so I said -

Me: Well, you have the wrong number cause he's not a bachelor.
T: He's not?
Me: No, he's not. I'm his wife.
T: Oh, I mean a bachelor degree. He contacted us because he was interested in obtaining a bachelor degree in accounting.

Now at this point I am starting to wonder why I am even talking to this person and why I haven't hung up already. But this was interesting. For one, my husband has been doing his kind of work for over 20 years - and it has nothing to do with accounting. For two, I would think if he was suddenly going to have a major career change at the age of 45, he would have consulted me, his wife, which he did not.

Me: That's interesting, I wasn't aware that he was looking to change his carer path. I don't even know how he would have time to, as we have 5 children and he works a full time job. I've never even heard of your university, where are you located at?
T: Our headquarters is in Florida, but we have stations all over. We specialize in online courses which is why he might have contacted us if he has a busy life he can take classes online.
Me: Well, Natasha, while this whole conversation has been rather interesting I have come to the conclusion that you are a liar. My husband never called you and my husband isn't interested in any of your online courses.

With that I hung up. (Then quickly called my husband at work to make sure he didn't call someone about online classes. He laughed and said he was not.)

Later, I thought. You know these telemarketers are getting awfully brave. It's one thing to call and ask me if I need new windows or siding for my house - now they are calling and out right lying about someone in my household calling them.

My husband and I are blessed, and don't have any marital problems. However, I am left to wonder, what kind of problems this could cause a marriage that was having problems by possibly causing additional disbelief and trust issues.

Shame Shame Shame on you Natasha!

You Want the Good News or the Bad News First?

When someone asks you that, which do you choose? I like hearing the bad news first. That way when I hear the good news the outlook will be better and maybe not so bad as to when I heard the bad news.


So here's the bad news. Notice anything strange about the magazine below?





I was a ding-a-ling tonight and bought a magazine in French - or at least something other than English, I know that. Now is a good time to inform you, English is the only language I know. Nice huh? I will try not to go into the fact that this is one of my biggest pet peeves. Why in the heck would a store in the United States, who's language is English, be selling a magazine printed entirely in French? I could go on about this but I said I wouldn't. But I do have to laugh at the irony of it. I am the fool who bought the dang thing. Pet Peeve and all. *insert eye rolls here*

Now, for the good news. In my defense, I have a very good reason for purchasing this magazine in a language I couldn't read. First of all, I found this printable coupon at coupons.com for $3 off Peoples magazine! So when I went to Walmart tonight I was looking mainly at the price at the bottom, which was $2.69! I got .31 cents overage - just enough to pay the tax! Yay! Free Peoples magazine! I was even more distracted as I picked up the magazine and opened it up and found a coupon insert in the middle! I think then I noticed that one side of the coupons were printed in another language but when I flipped the coupon page over, they were in English. (sad to say, I still never noticed that the whole magazine was printed in another language and I've seen coupons in the past that were printed one side English and one side Spanish before so I really didn't think anything about it.) So anyways, I was excited that I was getting a Free Peoples magazine and coupons for a bonus -- until later that night when I sat down to read my magazine and I couldn't!

You can print a $3 coupon and get a free Peoples magazine by using the Quick Print Coupon Box on the right.

Tip: When you go to buy your magazine, make sure you get it in a language you can read!

The Purpose of the Reusable Shopping Bags

I understand the purpose of the reusable shopping bags. That's why I now have 6 of them, and hope to get more. With my large family and as much shopping as I do, we go though an enormous amount of plastic bags. Most stores are selling the reusable bags for .99 cents or giving them away free so why not stock up on them so that I can reduce the amount of plastic bags I am using.

The key words here are: reusable bags, reduce, plastic bag intake

Okay, so I go to CVS this morning to get my Zone Perfect Bars and Soft Soap. I walked in the store with one of the reusable shopping bags I got from Kroger. Instead of getting a shopping basket, I just placed everything into my reusable shopping bag and walked up to the counter. I take everything out of my shopping bag and set the shopping bag up on the counter. The cashier rings everything up and somewhere between getting in my purse to get my coupons/wallet I look up to realize she has placed my entire purchase in two plastic bags. When I hand her my coupons she pushes the plastic bags towards me and I say something like: I have my reusable bag here. Then you wouldn't believe what she did. After saying something like: Oh... She picked up both of the plastic bags that had my stuff in them and placed them inside the reusable bag!

I thought for a moment - what was wrong with this picture? Was I the insane one? Was I the one confused? Was I the one missing the purpose here? I think not.

So after scanning my bank card I reached in the reusable bag and carefully dumped out the Zone Bars and Soft Soap in the bag and handed her the empty plastic bags saying something like: you can use these on the next customer, this is a reusable shopping bag.

Okay so maybe it was just that one cashier. Yeah, but I went to another store that same morning and the same thing happened. So, what is it that the cashiers don't understand about the reusable shopping bags? I mean they are selling these things and they don't understand the purpose or what they are for?

School Fundraising - Rant

I don't know about anyone else out there, but I could surely scream if my kids bring home another sausage and cheese fundraiser - or any fundraiser that requires them to market goofy, expensive stuff. I understand that the school is trying to raise money, and it's not that I don't want to support the school. It's just that these types of fundraisers are a major PITA!

They offer these prize incentives, so the more they sell, the more chance the child might have to get a cheap, useless. .50 cent toy that's going to break in the first 30 minutes. However, the kids don’t understand that. All they know is they want the cool looking toy that is on the prize list. So of course, they want to go around the neighborhood begging asking everyone they know to buy these overpriced, useless products. This, of course, is the easy part and I have discovered, this is where the child’s job ends.

In 4 - 6 weeks, all the products come in and the parent is then required to go to the school and pick them up. You then get the joy of sorting and matching up products to names and address on the form where people didn't write clearly or the form got wet and smeared making it unreadable.

Now you get to go back around to every one's house (if you can read their address) and attempt to try and catch him or her at home. This of course could take several attempts or phone calls, especially if the person owes money and either doesn’t want to pay or just ordered something to be nice to the kid. Maybe after the fifth attempt you give up and have to return the product (if it’s not lost by now) to the school. If it isn’t lost then it’s probably bent up or in bad shape from being scuffled around all over the place. All this, of course, falls in place as the parents responsibility. Especially reminding the child daily to see if Mr. Baker or Mrs. Robinson is home to collect the money they owe and give them their order.

And not to mention the money. Either way, if the child collects at the time of order or after the products come in – is just another added headache, I personally don’t need. Somehow, I always either end up paying for a product I don’t want or dishing out some of my own money cause someone, somewhere, didn’t pay the correct amount and I am coming up short. Who ever in the world invented these types of fundraisers, I would have to question their insanity. The fundraiser alone is enough to drive you insane. My biggest complaint is that the parent is the one who has to do most of the work. That is why I have taken an oath to never do another fundraiser, like this, ever, ever, ever again.

On the other side, I do understand that the schools need to raise money. For that reason, I wrote two articles below that explain a much better, calmer, peaceful way to raise money for your school or other non-profit organization. I hope you find them useful.

Carnival Ideas for How to Raise Money for Your School


How to Raise Funds Without Selling Anything

It's my turn - so bug off!

I'm a couponer. I love coupons and saving money. It's my hobby and in a way, it's my job. It's my way of being able to provide more for my household and allows me to stay home and raise my kids instead of shoving them off to the sitters.

I don't get why people get so ticked off at this. You get nasty attitudes from the cashier when you hand her your coupons, why? Because she's at work and has to actually - uhhhh - work? I mean, what else could she be doing besides taking another drink of her pop she has stashed on the side of the cash register. Maybe she's in a hurry to scan the next customers order behind me. Yeah right. If she's so concerned about too many customers standing in her line then maybe customer service needs to open up more than two lanes. That is beside the point. The cashier’s objective is to deal with the customer at hand, and if that means ringing up my coupons, just do the job and do it without the entire attitude. I mean, sometimes these cashiers act like the coupons are coming out of their paycheck.

Then you have the customer standing behind you in line making rude comments under their breath and giving you dirty looks. Hey, I'm not complaining or griping about the fact that they are paying too much for their stuff so why do they have a problem with me wanting to save some money? Maybe they are in a hurry? Who cares? I'm in a hurry too. Like the two extra minutes, that it takes to ring up my coupons is going to affect the out come of global warming. (Which, by the way, you do know is a conspiracy, right?) I've even had people comment that I didn't tell them I had coupons. So what? It's non of their business. I can imagine the weird looks I would get if I turned to the person behind me and said, 'I'm planning on paying with coupons and a debit card, will you be writing a check or using a credit card?' The point is; it's my turn, so just shut up and wait in line until I am done. When it's your turn, you are more than welcome to take as much time as you want.