I like free as much as the next savvy shopper, but I’m tired of seeing so much made of “buy one, get one free” specials. What you’re really getting then are two at half the regular price, which may or may not be much of a bargain, and the items may be one more than you need. And don’t get me started on fliers that advertise four, six or 10 items for four, six or 10 times the price of one item.

Still, there are some good values at the markets this week. Starting July 17 (through July 23), Stop & Shop/Milford has 3 pounds or greater value packs of boneless breast of chicken for $1.69 a pound and 48- to 56-ounce containers of Edy’s ice cream for $1.99 (limit three).

(By the way, if you’re looking for a big hint about a great deal, look for when market fliers caution there are limits on the number you can buy at the low price.)

In its flier for July 19-25, Market Basket has fresh pollock fillets for $2.99 a pound, 1-pound loaves of Country Kitchen Scotch oatmeal bread for 99 cents, Ivory soap 10-packs of 3.6-ounce bars for $2.99, 30-ounce packages of store brand cheese ravioli are $2, 26- to 32-ounce packages of McCain french fries are $2, 6-ounce packages of Dannon yogurt are 40 cents and gallons of Wesson vegetable or canola oil are $5.99.

From July 19-25, Hannaford has 4- to 6-pound packages of its split chicken breast for 99 cents a pound and 3- to 4-pound packages of southern-style ribs for $1.29 a pound. Also, at Hannafords in Nashua, Hudson, Londonderry and Pelham, you can also get Dannon yogurt in 6-ounce containers for 40 cents each.

Starting July 17 (through July 23), Shaw’s/Milford and Shaw’s/Merrimack have 1-pound packages of store brand butter for $1.77, and green peppers or broccoli crowns are 99 cents a pound.

In their July 19-25 fliers, CVS and Walgreens are advertising “back to school” items, a month early it seems, but at least CVS doesn’t terrorize the generations by playing up the items on the cover. This week, as in the past couple, CVS has several true freebie back to school items (after Extra Bucks) from Sunday-Tuesday, including PaperMate pens, filler paper, memo books and wooden pencils. Walgreens has school items for free, notably Pilot G2 Gel Pens, and it has a number of markers, pencils and pens on sale for 9 or 19 cents each.

Always try to use manufacturers coupons to save even more.

Sherman Smith, Telegraph copy editor, can be reached at 594-6420, or at ssmith@nashuatelegraph.com.