A financial guru once said that shoppers should only get what’s on sale if they’re budget-conscious or on a tight budget, so now that I’m practicing how to shop smarter in preparation for retirement, I keep my eye out for good deals. At FreshCo last weekend, I chanced upon frozen marinated milkfish on sale, so I grabbed a pack and put in my tiny freezer.
Today, I trudged through knee-deep snow and brushed about 10
inches of snow off my car before I could get to the nearest Walmart Superstore
early enough to avoid the long lines. Surprise! Surprise! There were $2 bags of
good potatoes, apples, carrots and limes as well as near-expired pecan and
strawberry pies – to expire in 24 hours, that is. Good blueberries were on
sale, too, so two packs went into my cart. Why on sale? Oversupply,
introductory price from a new supplier or brand, or jobbed? Okras on sale may look
good but too woody to be edible. Opo squashes on sale may have flawless skin
and may be firm to the touch but rotten inside. Once they just went to the
compost bin. What about blueberries on sale? Yikes! Really sour! Into the
freezer they went for future shakes and smoothies, along with chopped carrots
and squeezed lime. Rice, bread and eggs were not on sale, so they were skipped
as my pantry still had sticky rice, tuna, and instant noodles.
Years from now if I’m still around, that is, I might not be
scraping ice off a windshield and driving on slippery roads. Maybe I’m riding
the HandiBus or walking to the nearest store with my shopping trolley. For now,
it’s good practice to scout for deals and see what meals they can bring. Today,
it’s a feast with French fries with mayo and ketchup dip, arroz caldo or sticky
rice porridge with leftover roast chicken, fried milkfish, Silk milk and carrot
and apple shake, and pecan pie for dessert. Not bad! Wouldn’t you agree? Should
retirement be scary? MLJ/24/11/2024
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