# Where to buy canning jars??



## therunbunch (Oct 5, 2009)

Where do you buy yours? I would like to get the best price I can.

Also, I read something about reuseable lids or something.. can't think of the name. Anyone use these? Are they worth the $$? Where do you get them?

Thanks! I've yet to can anything but I'm readying myself... took my shiny new canner out of the box 2 weeks ago.. I'm getting a little less scared of it every day!


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## Kmac15 (May 19, 2007)

once you have put the word out to all your family and friends.....I get my new ones from Freds, they seem to have the best price around here, and if I am lucky I find the sales they have once or twice a year.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Tattler is the name of the reausable lids. I get jars from garage sales. Have told folks and they get them for me. Ask on Craigs list and Freecycle.


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

I agree with Freds and other Dollar type stores as well as Walmart. Farm stores and feed stores will have some good sales at the end of the season and you can sometimes find good deals on bulk jar purchases on eBay. But the very best buys are often found at yard and garage sales.


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## PixieLou (May 1, 2010)

Try Craigslist and Freecycle. But also - be sure to know what your local prices are. I see lots of people around here asking $5 per dozen jars - which I can buy brand new at Walmart for $6 per dozen (and that includes lids and rings).


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## jd2pa (Jan 23, 2011)

Man, you guys are lucky!! I've never seen them anywhere around here (Eastern PA)!

I buy mine from AceHardware.com. If I have sent to the store and pick them up, free shipping. BUT, I'm paying from $9 - $13 per doz depending on size & reg or wide mouth.

Last time I ordered I paid around $30 for 1 half doz of 1/2 gal jars and two doz 1/2 pint jars (and I felt like I got a deal).

When originally searching, I went on amazon & the shipping is as much, if not more, than the cost of the jars!!! That's not happening!

Also, wherever you purchase, always do a search for '*coupon codes' or 'discount codes'* for that store. I have not been lucky enough YET to find any. Or if I do, they're expired. Figures!

I am going to check out ebay, freecycle & craigslist, too.

Haven't ordered yet, but have a few things in my cart on Ace.com. STILL it's 2 - 32oz (Qts) @ $12.49 each and 2 - 16oz (Pints) @ $12.99 each, both wide mouth. Total $50.96 for just 4 cases. If I remember right, I don't pay any tax either because they come from another state (don't know where Ball is).

I would feel like I hit the lottery if I could get them for $5 a doz! Geez, I was doing the happy dance when I found Ace & didn't have to pay shipping!

Good luck & REALLY search.


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## Ms.Lilly (Jun 23, 2008)

If I buy new it is usually from our local farm store or Wal-mart. Do be careful buying from Wal-Mart they are now stocking their brand of jars and they are made in China.


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## praieri winds (Apr 16, 2010)

I found WMP at Alco for $9.79 a case about a month ago I got reg qts at Family Dollar for $8.00 a case they are USA made not imported


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## TacticalTrout (Jan 7, 2010)

I've not found them at Freds or Family Dollar locally, but will have to do some digging. After a similar recent thread I checked them out locally at my Kroger grocery store. While they are $1.00 higher per dozen than ACE I am already at Kroger and can pick up a flat or two at a time to help spread the expense.

ETA...and these are Ball brand with a large "Made in the U.S.A." label on them. I'd hate to pick up some jars to find out they were imports.


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## farmerpat (Jan 1, 2008)

Ms.Lilly said:


> Do be careful buying from Wal-Mart they are now stocking their brand of jars and they are made in China.


Thanks for letting us know that! Am I surprised they're made in China? Nope -- disgusted, but not at all surprised. Wonder how much lead is in the glass??? :grumble:


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## therunbunch (Oct 5, 2009)

Thanks!!! I looked on Amazon and it just seemed like they were a bit pricier than what I wanted to spend.


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

The stock at Walmart apparently varies from store to store. Our 2 local stores carry Kerr, Golden Harvest, and Ball jars. For a month or 6 weeks they carried the Better Homes & Gardens jars too but Ball and Kerr is all they had today. I have never seen a "Walmart brand" box of jars at either of them. Ball, Kerr, and Golden Harvest are all made by the same Canadian-based company - Jarden/Alltrista.


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## Ms.Lilly (Jun 23, 2008)

The Wal-Mart jars are mainstay. Our store carries Kerr and Mainstay.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

the BH&G ones our Wallmart carries are made in China. Luckily Menards, Cambells and the two grocery stores carry kerr/ball year round, and Tractor Supply carries them seasonally.

Getting them free or cheap from others doesn't happen unless you get real, real lucky - way too many people canning around here for that.


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## kenworth (Feb 12, 2011)

Oh yes, my local Wally had the BH&G jars too made in China. No thank you. 

Garage Sale, Yard Sale, Second Hand Store, your grannie's basement...LOL. I have even bought crappy holiday decorations with hot glued on fabric and popurri stuff in it and cleaned them up. Last year an elderly lady sold me jars with stuff still in them...I tend to go to extremes for jars.:yuck:

Canning jars are a hot comodity right now, I call every few days to the local GW Fashion store to see if they have any on the shelf.

:grin:GW Fashion Store = Goodwill Store:grin:


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## Judi Reilly (Mar 27, 2008)

I do as Kenworth does...and I have some friends that don't can so they save me lots too..only jars I may have to buy are the 4oz. jelly jars..and Runnings has the cheapest ones so far..prices are going up tho...and pectin is cheapest at wallyworld,,even tho I don't like shopping there...I need to watch my pennies too..


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## julieq (Oct 12, 2008)

I'm fortunate enough to be able to get lots of canning jars at our local thrift store. I haven't tried the Tattler's reusable lids yet though, I need to get some of those ordered.


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## Dixielee (Dec 5, 2003)

I saw some today at Family Dollar for $8.50/doz. They are about that at Dollar General too. I checked out the local thrift store and they were .49 each!


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## salmonslayer91 (Oct 10, 2010)

only a few have sugested thrift stores i couldnt push for it anymore whenever i stop at goodwill saint vincent de paul and others i ALWAYS check for jars .23 cents a jar small extra small pint quart SM WM .23 cents each! i am finally building up a good selection of the 1/2 pints? the small one great for jelly when sharing with friends and family the huge ones 1/2 gallon i think are a dollar when i can get them i have over six great for rice and beans etc 

word of caution check the glass around the lid! only buy perfect ones none that are chipped oh and you can usually get a band to go with for free


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## thesedays (Feb 25, 2011)

I'm preparing to move, and just yesterday, I GAVE AWAY about 30 jars of all sizes via Freecycle.

:whistlin:

If you have a really tight budget, or just want to do it this way, Freecycle is great, as are thrift stores, and be sure to check garage sale listings in the weeks or months to come. You might even be able to get lids and bands this way too.

:clap:


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

I buy the quarts/pints from WM or yard sales. The half gallons I get at ACE. I'm not that impressed with the tattler lids, so I just stock up on regular lids at WM or Big Lots of anywhere I might find them on sale.


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## stamphappy (Jul 29, 2010)

My commissary carries them and there is no tax.


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## whodunit (Mar 29, 2004)

Go yard saleing and thrift store shopping.

I keep hearing from canners that the new jars aren't very strong so they get all the 'old' jars they cant get their hands on.

We got dozens upon dozens from a neighbor family cleaning out an estate, many jars where in use. Chickens where very happy!


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## sticky_burr (Dec 10, 2010)

the one's in grannies basement have SOMETHING in them from the 30-60s really dont wanna open em


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## Lone Pine (Jan 11, 2010)

Sticky Burr, I just got a whole minivan load (FREE!) that where filled with stuff canned in the 70-80's. I just backed up to where we have our pigs and chickens and started dumping. They had a feast! I really wasnt looking forward to that job, but it went fast with the kids helping and didnt smell so that helped. All the rings and lids where rusted so I just put them in the trash as I opened them. My boys then took them by the laundry basket load to the back yard and rinsed them before taking them in the house for me to wash and run thru dishwasher, I think I have 3 more loads to do.....you sould see my kitchen, jars everywhere!!!


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## Scavenger (Jan 1, 2011)

I would suggest buying your new jars at the first place you can get them. I was waiting to find a good price on them and now they are getting scarce. I work for wal-mart and they havent had Ball quart jars in over a week now. They sold out and can't get them. The prices are going to be going up too, so grab them while you can.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

stamphappy said:


> My commissary carries them and there is no tax.


yes, and here they are about 3 dollars less than the stores.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

sticky_burr said:


> the one's in grannies basement have SOMETHING in them from the 30-60s really dont wanna open em


 I've been lucky enough to get my parents and my grandparents 'hoards' of jars filled with unidentifiable black stuff. I unloaded in a far corner of the pasture, poked a hole in the lid, and tipped em over. A year later, they're spotless... amazing what ants and other insects will do for you!



Scavenger said:


> I would suggest buying your new jars at the first place you can get them. I was waiting to find a good price on them and now they are getting scarce. I work for wal-mart and they havent had Ball quart jars in over a week now. They sold out and can't get them. The prices are going to be going up too, so grab them while you can.


 It's the wrong time of year for canning jars/lids. Hardly anything is being canned at this time of year, and the 'big boys' can't abide merchandise wasting precious space.

I've got trucks and trailerloads of free jars... some brand new all the way to ancient jars (the glass turning colors) filled with antiquities...  I let folks 'know' I want them, and they call eventually letting me know they have a few boxes or a truckload.

Up until last fall, I hadn't bought jars in 30 years. The prepping 'bug' had a hold of me and I felt the need for extras. (Still had a 30 or 40 dozen spares...) So, I started searching. Found out from someone here in the SEP subforum that Lowes closed out their stuff in late summer. Picked up over 200 boxes of lids for 43c each. TSC about the same time closed out their stuff. I had coupons, so got half a dozen boxes of lids for free, then a few days later, they closed out their boxes of jars/w lids/rings... all for 2$/box. I got 16 boxes of small jars, figuring the lids were worth at least 1.50/each and I could always put jellies/jams in the small jars. (I prefer quarts..)

So, get what you need now, and if the stores are still open in August, start checking up on your TSC and Lowes for their closeout specials. Never hurts to ask the manager when they think they're going to close out their stuff.

Good luck!


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