Coles is going on a discount blitz, but you have to be a Flybuys member to reap the benefits.
The discounts will be clearly ticketed, spread across a range of departments, and will include Nudie juices, Coles schnitzels, Vittoria coffee, chocolate, yoghurt, olive oil and butter.
The savings are considerable, with some lines discounted by up to 30 per cent.
The Flybuys Member Pricing program will run until 14 March.
Find the full list of discounted products here.
Besides this discount program, it’s also a good idea to download the Flybuys app, activate every offer that comes your way and set up notifications to let you know when they’re expiring.
It’s not just the discounts that are handy, the points can also be put to good use.
I’m not overly points orientated, but by following the above steps, Flybuys recently let me know I’m in the top 15 per cent for points collectors in the state.
And I tell you what, those points come in handy when you’re feeling the pinch. We have a lot of birthdays around Christmas and it really helps spread the budget when you can pick up a few presents or even gift cards at the rewards store.
Another little-known but handy money-saver is Coles’ ‘raincheck’ system. If you want something that’s on sale but there is nothing but an empty shelf where your product should be, you can ask the staff for a ‘raincheck’. They will fill out a slip which notes the item, the discounted price and the date.
When the item is back in stock, take in the slip and claim the reduced price. The raincheck is valid for 30 days.
However, there are some rules. Sometimes item limits may apply, rainchecks are not available for products marked ‘while stocks last’ and ‘no rainchecks’ and they can’t be used for online shopping.
They are never available on smoking products, gift cards, mobile phones and accessories and prepaid mobile services.
This week’s best deals
IGA
Sensible: Balfours hot cross buns, $5.50, save 50 cents. Hot cross buns may not be on the ‘sensible’ list in your house, but they certainly are in ours. Apple and cinnamon are my favourite variety and the Balfour versions are a step up from the usual supermarket offerings.
Indulgence: Dine Classic Collection, 95 cents, save 45 cents. Not an indulgence for you obviously – hopefully – but certainly for your cats. Just be careful, if you have been feeding your cats anything less than this, they may not want to return to their standard fare.
See the catalogue here.
Woolworths
Sensible: Twinings tea bags, 80-100 pack, half price $6.75. Another product that is on special so often you should never pay full price. That’s probably why they hold the bulk of the market share.
Indulgence: Lipton Ice Tea varieties, half price $2.45. Why does Twinings hold the hot tea market and Lipton the ice tea market? Please explain. I’m calling this indulgence because everyone knows you can make ice tea at home, but no-one ever does.
See the catalogue here.
Coles
Sensible: Coles Australian lamb boneless leg roast, $16/kg, save $4/kg. Great for kettle barbecues and slow-cooked lamb recipes.
Indulgence: Coles lamb cutlets, $34/kg, save $9/kg. This is a jaw-dropping price. Lamb is like petrol, you never think it will reach the next extravagant level, but it just regularly keeps ticking over and we keep buying it.
See the catalogue here.
Aldi
Sensible: Taste Nation Pork Belly Bites, $9.99. The lazy person’s perfect party starter. Simply bung them in the oven and you’re done. I love a product that looks like you’ve gone to some effort when the opposite is in fact true. This is peak low-performance cooking.
Indulgence: Corte Carista Prosecco Rose, $11.99. Prosecco is having a moment, rose is having a moment, they are both having a moment together in this bottle, all for under $12. Enjoy the last of the summer wine with this delicious bottle of bubbles.
See the catalogue here.
Are reward points important to you? Will you be taking advantage of Coles Flybuys member deals?
Also read: Eating an avocado a day can help you reduce your belly fat
Not the sort of selection one would be feeding a family in tough times for goodness sake.
No savings for the average punter.
There is not much healthy ever, on special, only processed. Price rises negate produce specials. We are not idiots!
I agree with the two comments below. When you look at the actual number of these products you are likely to buy times the savings, it’s hardly worth traversing the shopping mall to buy them. There are plenty of non essential (non desirable) processed products and crumbed meat products which generally means second rate in disguise.
If supermarkets want customer loyalty they could scrap the policy of de-stocking items as soon as they fall below a certain sales level.
If Coles and Woollies ran hardware stores (please no, not again) they would sell nuts without the fitting bolts because nuts outsell bolts 4 to 3.
The biggest savings are often made by avoiding buying certain items. At the moment, fruit and vegetables are very expensive. About 3 in 4 people have the opportunity to grow a few vegetables and herbs. Even if you live in a flat and have a stamp sized balcony, you can grow stuff like chives, spring onions, lettuce, spinach etc. You may decide to save money by buying frozen vegetables instead of fresh vegetables.
Avoid buying anything which has become too expensive. Nobody died because they did not buy $12.00 lettuce a few months ago and you can survive without paying over $10.00 for grapes. Never reward ripoff prices.
As have already been said most are processed products as well as a lot of Coles branded products of which I wouldn’t buy anyway because I have tried a lot of them aqnd they don’t stand up for me.