Groupon and Advertising

I see very little advertisements these days.  While the average American (who I'm always talking about), sees 3000/day, I see maybe 10.  Maybe.  I never watch live tv and even on Hulu, I mute the advertisements to do something else.  Once in a while I'll actually see the ads on various websites, but it's hardly compelling in their static state.  

However, recently I signed up for Groupon, which is a website that sends you a deal of the day- usually 30-60% off.  They do this by ensuring the deal giver a certain amount of customers.  Power of the numbers sort of thing.  Usually when my Groupon email comes, I read the title and ignore it.  I don't need massages and another fruffy nonsense.  But today, the deal was 45% off Let's Be Frank.  And to my surprise, Let's Be Frank is a sustainable hot dog place.  Maybe the first in the nation.  They source their beef from 180 miles away and the mission statement was to create a slow fast food.  Pretty sweet. 

And at 45% off, the franks were 5.33/lb.  That is a very respectable price, comparable to non-local, but organic Aidells (kicked out of Ferry Building Farmer's Market, oooooooo, scandal!).  So I bought the max amount, 36 ounces or 12 links.  

I am really happy with the purchase for a couple of reasons.  (1) I have not tried to make my own sausages.  While the endeavor would be interesting, sourcing it locally is not worth it.  I already have plenty of meat in the fridge and don't feel like butchering it further than ground meat (of one animal) or slices.  Maybe someday, along with my own bacon, when I start buying whole animals.

(2) I have only done a little research on sustainable sausages but pretty much resigned myself to the fact that everybody sources pigs from Iowa.  Which let's be frank, Let's Be Frank does for their pork sausages.  Their reasoning is that pigs do eat corn and so they should be as close to the corn source as possible.  I think this is...strange logic at best so I'll have to question whether or not I want to buy their pork sausage (or spicy Italian sausage).  Hopefully the latter is too spicy so I'll just end up with the beef sausages and call it a day.  Because I really love Italian sausage.

(3) We eat less meat when we cook with sausages.  One sausage is about 2-3 oz, and we'll eat 1/2 or 1 sausage per person.  And since less meat, even if the meat you buy is sustainable, is better, I think sausages are a good, flavorful way to trick my palate into submission.  It certainly worked this weekend when we had 4 sausages/person cover 4 different meals.

(4) Sausages are quick.  They are individually proportioned and freeze well.  And with my impending loss of freedom (more details later!), this may be the saving grace of it all.  But don't think I don't see your trick Groupon, I already was thinking of buying sausages last night, so this doesn't count as an impulse buy right?  Right?