This week as I expected there were no good sales on baking supplies, canned goods or meat. I did a lot of stocking up on these items in the fall. One store did have a sale on bagels which are a big staple in my running DH's diet. The day I shopped for groceries was the same day that we had a snow storm and near white out road conditions. I live here in town and the grocery stores are only a few blocks away so it wasn't any trouble for me to get to a store. I knew that the one grocery store that marks down produce would be having those mark downs due to the bad weather and people staying home and not shopping. Well, as anticipated they did. I spent a total of $33.71. Here is a picture of what I purchased and I have decided to detail what I spent on each item. (As to the background, yes I am peeling off the wallpaper in the kitchen to eventually paint the walls.)
Dole Salad Mixes ($1.44 each), marked down zuchinni (49 cents), marked down mushrooms (49 cents), marked down red and green peppers (99 cents), marked down bunches of broccoli (39 cents per bunch); Sara Lee Bagels (sale for 99 cents); fresh pineapple ($1.99), cantaloupe ($1.58) Clementine tangerines ($4.99); cabbage (33 cents lb.), ruby red grapefruit (4/ $1.00); Buddig deli meats ($1.00 after coupon); pasta (77 cents); tomato soup (3/$1.00); Chinet comfort cups (free with a coupon), salt (39 cents), Hawaiian bread (day old - $1.49 and then used a $1.00 off coupon), Nestle cocoa (2/$1.00), ziploc containers (3/$2.00 and then used a $1.50 off coupon), Italian bakery bread - 69 cents; Potato Chips ($1.50); Cottage Cheese (99 cents); American Singles ($1.69 on sale and then used 50 cent off coupon), Grapefruit juice ($1.50).
Well that is the total. We have eggs and milk on hand and I will probably need to go and buy some more milk on Monday. I appreciate that one of the grocery stores in town does mark down the produce for quick sale. Because of that we have had a lot of fresh vegetables and salads. Clementine tangerines are so good and I enjoy when I am able to get them. Many people wonder about nutrition when you spend less on groceries. I think I have been able to provide my family with fresh fruits and vegetables without breaking the bank. Of course it does help to have a grocery store in town that does mark down produce. The trick is to balance the mark down produce with the produce that is on sale at a good price and to make sure you get those items used up before they spoil. When I am at the grocery store I can easily adapt our menus to what is on sale.
So far this month I have spent a total of $58.75. My budget is $150.00 for the month. The cost of living here in Iowa is a lot lower than other areas of the country and I know that with planning and will power I will be able to stay within our budget.
3 comments:
Very good! I, myself, on the other hand, had every intention of being a good little shopper today, but when I entered that magical world of grocery "heaven", somehow I lost ALL control! I went in for only a "few" things, since school was closed here since Thursday and we also needed fresh druit and veggies. WELL, they just so happened to have EVERYTHING in the world on sale!! Boneless skinless chicken breast($1.49), ground chuck($.99),pork loin($1.99) WOW These prices were the lowsest I have seen them in YEARS!!!!!!!! My husband and son were patiently(HA,HA) waiting in the car, and when I finally came out with my overflowing buggy, my husband shook his head and started "blah,blah, new year's budget, blah, blah,blahing". So there you go! I blew it. But I couldn't HELP it! The devil made me do it! I was having shopping withdrawls due to this weather! It's only the 9th and I have about $5 left in my budget to last the rest of the month. Maybe we'll go on a diet, all of us. Or eat lots of meat and no fruits or vegetables. Not very balanced. Maybe I should get a job at the grocery store.........hummmmmm.. there's a thought ;D)
Well, it sounds to be like you were stocking up on some good deals. If I was able to get ground chuck for 99 cents lb. right now, I would buy as much as my freezer could hold and it would balance out in the end. My husband did a double take at my grocery receipts back in November. In December I told him that I would be cutting back but those sales were better than ever. He looked at the receipts in December and said "I thought you weren't going to spend so much?" I told him that I couldn't resist a good deal.
I think I would have hid my head and ducked low when I was pushing the cart out to the car. The next time he should go with you into the store. But that could in and of itself mean more grocery spending.
I never,ever,ever go grocery shopping with that man!!.(Gotta love him!) He doesn't "get it". (Sort of like I don't get the whole Home Depot thing.)He looks in the pantry, or one of the freezers(3), sees that we have have food, then starts blah,blah,blahing about "why do you need to go to the store? We have everything".
I told him about the pantry challenge. His comment was "Isn't that what you do already?" True enough, sort of. It's the thrill of the hunt. It's what keeps me sane sometimes. I should start cooking some really crappy meals, and then maybe he'll think,"Gee, Tammy you need to TRIPLE your food budget for a few months to get back in the swing of things". Yea,right! A girl can dream can't she? By the way,I'm actually going to suggest we order pizza for dinner tonight, so if you never hear from me again................
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