What is a reasonable price for Ball canning jars?

[Carmen]

I'm hitting a garage sale tommorow that says it has 5 boxes of new ball canning jars for sale..doesn't say what size, so I'm wondering what ya'll pay for canning jars in the various sizes? I'm wanting to get started canning and this seems like a good way to get a good deal. But I need to know what I should pay! Thanks!

 

PS also if they're just the jars without the rings or lids, is it hard to find those things seperately?

[CrabGrassAcres]

New jars always come with lids and rings. You can buy them separately of course, but that is an additional expense.

http://www.acehardware.com/family/index.js...Search&008=

I order them thru ace and they ship free to the store, I just go pick them up.

[Dee]

Around here the pints are $7 something per box and yes the rings and lids come with them. At the garage sale, if the boxes have not been opened, it should include rings and lids since the ad says new. If you can get them for $5 or less per box I'd say it's a good price. I wouldn't spend that much because I don't need jars but if I did I'd consider the price acceptable.

 

I can't tell you the price of quarts in the stores but of course they'd be higher than the pints.

[motherearth]

i buy all the canning jars that this town wants to throw out from garage sales and and 1 thrift shop...i pay 25 cents a jar.......about 3.50 dollars for a case and will go a wee bit higher for 1/2 gallons....have them stored away and share with daughters and a friend if they need them...i give them the small mouth ones first i keep all the wide mouth ones cause i can't get my hand in the narrow mouth jars to was them...no dish washer that is me and hubby...take care and keep the faith

[Virginia]

We pay about 25 cents for used jars here, pints and quarts. Even with buying new lids, a good deal. That is my limit. Thrift stores are about the same.

 

If I find new ones in the box, I pay up to $5 for a dozen pints (since sometimes the lids are old). Don't buy quarts much. If I found a half gallon jar, I would pay up to a $1. A box of 6 half gallon new here are $9.50. We can get new boxes of pints here for $6.99 up, quarts $8.99 up.

[MamaHill]

I'm in NC and I just saw canning jars at their lowest price ever at Wal-Mart. It was $7.88 for a flat of pints and $8.88 for a flat of quarts. They are MUCH higher in price at the grocery stores and Ace Hardware though.

 

I've never been able to score any used ones in this area. They seem to go fast.

[ScrubbieLady]

Ouch. I only buy pints and half-pints anymore. Brand new in the store at Fred's Discount is $6.99/dozen. I buy Golden Harvest. Ball are a bit higher. Wal-Mart has one of the highest prices around. I pay $1.00 per box for standard lids and the rings and lids are $2.00/box.

[ScrubbieLady]

I just checked and Fred's is all over the Southeast. You can check at fredsinc.com to see if they have a store near you. Around here, they have the best prices for all canning supplies.

[MamaHill]

Scrubbie - I had never heard of Fred's! I just looked and it seems they have one about an hour and half from me. But we are occasionally out that way, so I'll make a point to add it to my to-do list. Thanks...

[ScrubbieLady]

You can call them before you go and they will probably tell you IF they have supplies and maybe one or two of the prices. At least around here. They even advertise around here that if you will need a large quantity, you can talk to the manager and arrange to make sure they put them back for you. I have heard that some managers can be generous with you if you are buying a large quantity (say 10 cases).

[Amishway Homesteaders]

We get ALL our jars from thrift shops and yard sales and even Autions (cheap) and NEVER pay more them 25 cents each (for the big ones) but LOVE when they are $1.00 a dozen ( but they need to be clean). If we find tons at one place we share with our Amish friends.

I can't remember when I ever bought 'new' jars?

 

Now we will NOT use any rings that look 'rusty' and NEVER use lids that we get EVEN if new in a box unless they have a date on them.

 

***and before ANYBODY says it about buying 'USED JARS" after the first time you can in your 'store bought' jars they BECOME USED JARS!

 

So save your money and hunt around.