# Where to buy jars



## sbanks (Dec 19, 2010)

Is there a place cheaper than walmart? I paid $9 for 12 pint jars this week.


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

This time of year it can be difficult. Many of us stock up during and after canning season when they go on sale and once you have laid in a good supply you seldom have to buy more. 

Various Dollar stores like Dollar General carry jars in season for about $3 less per box. Ace and some mom and pop hardware stores will often be less expensive depending on the brand the carry.

I have noticed that Walmart here has switched to the new Better Homes & Gardens brand jars which tend to be more expensive than Ball, Kerr, and Golden Harvest brands.

But the least expensive source is often country garage sales and farm auctions. If you are living in the city or suburbia you may want to consider a day trip to the country where canning is a common practice and check out the farm and feed stores there.

You can also put a request on craigslist and similar freelists for jars. Goodwill used to be a good source but they caught on to the prices and are often over-priced now but some Thrift stores are still good.

Forgot to add that there are also online sources where you can order jars and lids in bulk quantities so the per jar cost is reduced.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

WM is actually the cheapest jars I have found. I pay about seven dollars a dozen for qts. I was so blessed last fall when I bought 12cases of qt jars for $2 a case from a yardsale.


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## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

I get many of mine from auctions and yard sales. Auctions prices are good unless there are alot of Amish present. They will pay close to retail price.
One of the best places for great prices is Lowes in the fall when they go on sale. I cleaned out two stores last fall.


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## Just Cliff (Nov 27, 2008)

I get my Qt jars from Dollar General. I get my pints from Ace Hardware. I will not buy Jars from Wal-Mart. They are made in China and on a close inspection they look and feel cheap with poor mold preparation marks.


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## Lucy (May 15, 2006)

All the jars, Ball, Kerr, and Golden Harvest are owned and made by the same company..
don't know about the Better Homes and Garden ones yet. 
If you attend any sort of church or other organization where you meet older folks, often they are happy to give you free jars or sell cheaply. I was given a few dozen the other day the the lady said she had more jelly jars if I wanted them.


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## laughaha (Mar 4, 2008)

The BHG ones even have China misspelled on the bottom of the jars, lol


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## MD Steader (Mar 11, 2010)

You want jars try freecycle.org I have bought three cases since I got back into canning last year. I've picked up at least 10 beer cases worth of mixed jars from people on freecycle. I got a lady that has been cleaning out her house over the last year that emails me from time to time to pick up another box full. You would be surprised what you can find. I have 5 blue green Ball "perfect mason" 1/2 gallon jars on my shelf for dry beans. Cost me zip, the lady was just glad I would use them. I just pressure canned turkey soup in some of the same labeled quart jars, the glass has to be 1/4 inch thick. Not sure how old those are. One word of advice is that a lot of people will advertize canning jars that are nothing more than glass jars from mayo or whatever. We still use them for various storage or put them in the blue bin.


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## Lucy (May 15, 2006)

Really, China is misspelled on the jars ? I would like to see the jars to see how thick they are, etc. 
I do find jars for usually 25 cents each at thrift stores, too. I am careful to check for nicks on the sealing surfaces. 
Often I am given so many jars that I have no place to store them. Like the ones sitting in the entry way right now. One of my projects for this weekend is to find some place to store them. I don't want to get rid of them, considering the price of new jars.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

Try big lots


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

I second Big Lots. Our Goodwill and thrift stores sell them for 50 cent for pints and 75 cents for quarts :Bawling:.


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## salmonslayer91 (Oct 10, 2010)

goodwill and thrift stores if you dont mind used do as others have said also yard sales and auctions i cant get wide mouths at the local goodwill for a quarter a piece with a band

guess i should have read lucy's post before writing but anyhow i second the thrift stores


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## sbanks (Dec 19, 2010)

asked at the local dollar general. "we don't have any now but we ordered"


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

> asked at the local dollar general. "we don't have any now but we ordered"


Yes, not the time of the year to be buying them but as the gardening season draws nearer the supplies for canning become more available. Near us even the stores that carry some canning supplies year round will more than triple the canning shelf space come May.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

Watch craig's list...................... I got an unopened case of wide mouths including lids and rings plus a dozen other quarts for $10.. When I picked them up she included about an open box of lids and rings with about 10 in it.....

Yard sale........................I got 42 at .25 each..................... Had about 10 mayo jars in there, but had several half gallons, several one and half pint wide mouths. Some of the quarts have in intersting weave pattern on all four sides?

If you get a farm bulliten, watch it for canning supplies near you. This ad is from November and are sold I am sure, but an example http://www.agr.state.ga.us/mbads/results.aspx?PrintDate=11/3/2010%2012:00:00%20AM&FirstName=&MiddleName=&LastName=&Phone=&City=&State=&ZipCode=&County=&Category=&Keyword=jars&


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## laughaha (Mar 4, 2008)

Yup, said Chine. 

Note: I did NOT buy them, a friend did and I was looking at them and remember laughing my butt off about that one.


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## PixieLou (May 1, 2010)

I just got a Freecycle score. I had posted a "Wanted" ad saying I was looking for jars, and hinted that I would be willing to pay for them. 7 cases of pints and a case of jelly jars for $30. The real bonus is that 5 of the cases of pints are full of salsa - the woman had been selling salsa at Farmers Markets all summer, but has decided to liquidate her business. And I ran out of home made salsa last week!


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