Korean supermarket issues rebate card

Image by wallyg via Flickr

The Super H Mart in Ridgefield is the largest Korean supermarket in Bergen County.

H Mart, the Korean supermarket company with four stores in Bergen County, is now issuing a Smart Savings Card that rewards customers with a $10 gift certificate for every $1,000 spent -- effectively a rebate of 1%.

The card also entitles holders to discounts on four items every week. This week's items are SPAM, olive oil, red-pepper powder and pickled radish.

I was at the Little Ferry store on Tuesday and heard a store announcement for the very first time, alerting shoppers to a sale on Organic Valley milk for $2.99 per half-gallon, compared to $3.99 or more elsewhere, but the lactose-free variety wasn't available.

The Smart Savings Card is presented at checkout and shoppers accumulate one point for every dollar spent.

I rely on H Mart for fresh seafood, greens and other produce, California-grown rice and prepared Korean food, including stewed tofu and Alaska pollock, both prepared in a spicy red-pepper sauce.

Lyndhurst-based Hanahreum Group operates supermarkets in 10 states. Other New Jersey stores are in Fort Lee, Ridgefield, Englewood, Edison and Cherry Hill.

American Express Costco card

I received a $322 rebate check from American Express for purchases I made in 2010, including 3% back at restaurants and on gasoline purchases, 1% back for Costco purchases; 2% back for travel purchases and 1% everywhere else.

As an executive member, I will receive another 2% rebate on Costco purchases with the card, which is called the Costco True Earnings Card. The warehouse store only accepts American Express cards.

Second look at fish sticks

We tried The Ultimate Fish Stick from Costco for dinner again last night, and found they are "crunchy," as advertised on the package.

I preheated the oven to 475 degrees, not the 400 degrees I used last time when I misread the package directions, and turned them half-way through the 11 to 13 minutes cooking time. I cooked them a little longer.

The finger-long fish sticks are made by Trident Seafoods from fillets of wild-caught Alaska pollock, a cod-like fish. 

I still think "ultimate" is going overboard, but these are delicious fish sticks.