Grocery Shopping is Boring

I was just looking through the online fliers for Shaws and Stop and Shop and realized that there were no good deals. I'm a little disappointed but at the same time a little happy- this means I don't have to go to either store (I do have a free milk coupon for Stop and Shop that expires tomorrow so I guess I'll have to pop in there really quick).

This means that tomorrow I will be doing my shopping at Target. I love doing my food shopping at Target because their regular prices are way cheaper that the grocery store. I hate doing my food shopping at Target because I have no self control when I step in that store and tend to buy stuff on clearance that I don't technically need. But, I did just watch an episode of Hoarders where the guy had tons of Target bags full of stupid crap piled up so maybe I'll keep that image in my head when I'm perusing the end caps of the store.

Shaws- I Really Didn't Want to Go But I Had To

I really didn't feel like going to the grocery store but we had no milk, bread, fresh produce, pasta sauce, yogurt for my son and soda for my husband. I have been off my game for a bit so now I must jump back on the deal hunting bandwagon.

1.57 lb Oranges $2.34

2.06 lb Bananas $1.22

1.08 lb Watermelon $1.61

1.36 lb Pears $2.03

5 lb Bag Potatoes $1.79

4.74 lb Apples $5.64

1 lb Strawberries $2.50

1.63 lb Purdue Drumsticks $3.24 - $1.00 Meat Markdown

1.58 lb Purdue Drumsticks $0.00 BOGO - $1.00 Meat Markdown

1.55 lb Purdue Drumsticks $3.08 - $1.00 Meat Markdown

1.52 lb Perdue Drumsticks $0.00 BOGO - $1.00 Meat Markdown

2.89 lb Beef Roast $6.62 - $1.00 Meat Markdown

5 Vanilla/Chocolate Wafers @ .50 each

Fruitables Juice Boxes $2.50 - .75 MC (doubled)

Lance Sandwich Crackers $2.00 - $1.00 MC

Nature's Pride Whole Wheat Bread $1.99

3 Sierra Mist Natural @ $3.00 each with $1.80 bottle deposit

2 Whole Wheat Ritz @ $2.77 each - $1/2 MC

6 Tuttarosa Sauce @ $1.99 BOGO

Hood Milk $3.89

Eggs $1.49

Simply GoGurt $2.99 - $1.00 MC

Less $20 in Catalinas earned last week

Less $3.80 in bottle refund

Total: $36.44

Saved  64%

Thank goodness for those Catalinas I earned last week because otherwise I would have been way over budget. I made a list this week but most of the things I needed were not things that I had no coupons for- produce, eggs, milk and bread.

The Purdue drumsticks were a great deal- I ended up paying about .68 cents a pound after the BOGO sale and the meat markdown coupons. I am going to freeze them tomorrow using my trusty Food Saver and will use them in the future for I don't know what yet.

I made the roast tonight for dinner and will cut up the leftovers into strips so I can make a stir fry for dinner on Sunday night. That means each meal's beef will have cost $2.81. With all other ingredients for the meals each meal will have cost under $5.00- not too bad. One factor that keeps my meal costs down is that I use mostly frozen vegetables. They have about the same nutritional value as fresh vegetables, they don't spoil, they are way cheaper (even free sometimes with coupons) and they are easier for me to prepare (I just steam them in a pan). So say what you want about frozen veggies but I love them and without them my life would be a lot more stressful (and expensive) around dinnertime.

I have been toying with the idea of using powdered milk for my baking. It kind of scares me a bit because powdered milk sounds so weird but maybe I'll try it. It seems like a good way to save money on milk and I would always have milk on hand for when I get the hankering to bake something.

Shaws

1.41 lb Bananas .83

.99 lb Pears $1.48

(2) 3 lb Bags Gourmet Potatoes @ $1.99 BOGO

Green Peppers .88

1.17 lb Eggplant $1.16

2.46 lb Butternut Squash $1.70

.56 lb Steak $3.52 - $1.50 Meat Markdown Coupon

Calise Rolls $3.19

Act Popcorn $1.99 - .75 MC (doubled)

Frosted Flakes $2.00

Shaws Peanut Butter $1.77

(3) 4 Packs Starbucks Frappuccino @ $4.99 each - (3) $1.00 MC

Thomas Fiber English Muffins $2.50 - $1.00 MC

Kraft Meltdowns $3.29 - $3.29 MC ***free***

Hood Milk $3.89

Yo Toddler Yogurt $2.79 - $2.79 MC ***free***

2 Kraft Shredded Cheese @ $2.59 each - $1/2 MC

2 Kraft Singles @ $2.00 each - $1/2 MC

12 Yoplait Yogurt @ .50 each - (2) .40/6 MC

Less $6 store coupon

Total: $43.16

Received $5 Catalina for purchasing 5 Kraft Cheese/Shaws Peanut Butter

Saved 51%

Stop and Shop

1 lb Strawberries $2.00

Dole Salad $1.88 - .75 MC (doubled)

3 Food Should Taste Good Chips @ $2.99 each - (3) $1.00 MC

Kettle Chips $2.50 - $1.00 MC

Fruitables Juice Boxes $2.79 - .75 MC (doubled)

Rothbury Croutons $1.00

6 Cup O Noodles @ .34 each

Ramen Noodles $1.00

3 Skinny Water @ $1.00 each - (3) .50 MC (doubled) ***free***

Natures Pride Whole Wheat Bread $2.50

2 Kraft Polly O String Cheese @ $3.50 each - (2) $1.00 MC

Land O Lakes Butter $2.50

Super Pretzel $2.79 - .75 MC (doubled)

2 Mentos Gum @ $1.00 each - (2) .55 MC (doubled) ***.20 overage***

Grande Tortilla Chips $3.49 - $1.00 MC

Less .15 in bag credits

Total: $28.57

Saved 50%

Stop and Shop has a great deal going on right now- when you by $7.00 or more of certain gluten free foods you get a free subscription to Rachel Ray Magazine.

If you don't want the subscription you can get a refund of $6.99. I spent $7.47 after coupons on Food Should Taste Good and Kettle chips so once I get my refund my out of pocket for them will be .48 cents! A catalina prints out at the end of the transaction that has directions on how to get your refund. Yeah!

Of course I didn't bring my $1.00 Mentos Gum coupons... I will have to go back this week to score more free gum (when I say I will have to go back what I mean is if I feel like it I will go back but there are no guarantees).

And yes, all of the Cup O Soups and Ramen Noodles are for me. I have been craving this junk. Please don't judge because I love it.

Target

2.5 Gallon Jug Nursery Water $2.99 (not pictured)

Chocolate Wafers $2.14

2 Honey Maid Graham Crackers @ $3.29 each - $1/2 MC and $1/2 Target Coupon

Goldfish Crackers $1.49

Market Pantry Sandwich Crackers $1.46

Market Pantry Hot Dog Buns .96

3 Danimals Drinkable Yogurt @ $1.89 each - (3) $1.00 MC

2 Danimals Yogurt @ $1.89 each - (2) $1.00 MC

2 Lamp Shades @ $3.74 each (reg. $14.99 each)

3 Scrubbing Bubbles Power Sprayers @ $6.49 each - (3) $3.00 MC

3 Scrubbing Bubbles Refills @ $3.94 each - (3) $1.00 MC and $1.00 Target Coupon

Less $10 in gift cards earned last week

Total: $34.39

Received $15 in gift cards (a $5 gift card for each set of Scrubbing Bubbles Sprayer/refill- coupons for gift cards were from an insert)

Saved 60%

If you take the gift cards into account, I got all of the Scrubbing Bubbles for $3.39 or .57 each.. I really love this stuff- it cleans my shower really well with minimal effort.

Empty Fridge

When I opened my fridge today I was shocked at how empty it was. I have not really been into grocery shopping lately so I've just been getting what we needed and a few deals here and there. I feel like a little kid when I look in the fridge and cabinets complained that there is nothing to eat but I can't whine to my mom- I am the mom.

My name is Erica and I have been sucking at grocery shopping.

This week I am going all out. I have about $80 in my budget due to underspending in previous weeks and rebates that have come in so I am going to try and spend all of it. I really need to start focusing on buying (healthy) food for me and that I enjoy because I usually buy healthy stuff for the kids that they like. I am the kind of person that if I am busy during the day I will think nothing of skipping lunch. I always eat breakfast- well does Carnation Instant Breakfast count? I always eat dinner because I make a family meal every night and sitting together at the dinner table every night is nonnegotiable.

So, tomorrow during afternoon nap time I will leave the kids with my husband and venture out to the grocery store and spend me some money.

Shaws- My Aimless Trip

.62 lb Sweet Potato .80

.78 lb Pears $1.40

.23 lb Plum .57

1 lb Strawberries $2.50

.72 lb Haddock $6.47

4 Vanilla Wafers @ .50 each (husband loves these)

5 Cup O Noodle Soups @ .43 each

3 Clif Sardines @ .88 each

2 Lays Chips @ $3.99 BOGO

Super Pretzel $2.69 - .75 MC (doubled)

Danimal Yogurt $2.99 - $1.00 MC

Hood Milk $3.89

Sargento Shredded Cheese $2.00

Less $3.00 Catalina

Less $3.75 Bottle Refund

Total: $24.84

The Lays chips were a craving- I haven't been buying myself any treats for awhile so I gave in and bought these. I actually only got myself one bag of BBQ and I got my husband Salt and Vinegar (yuck). The Cup O Noodle Soups are for lunch when I go to work. The work microwave is back to absolutely disgusting status so with the soups I can use hot water from the water dispenser to make them (and no, I am not going to clean the microwave because I did not make the bio hazard mess in it).

Shaws

4 Kraft Shredded Cheese @ $2.00 each - (2) $1/2 MC

2 Kraft Singles @ $2.50 each - $1/2 MC

5 lb Bag Potatoes $2.49

2 Honey Maid Graham Crackers @ $2.99 each - $1/2 MC

2 Wheat Thins @ $2.99 each - (2) $1.00 MC

Chocolate Wafers .50 (not shown, son already tore into them)

Hood Milk $3.89

Pears $1.50

Watermelon $1.82

Apple .73

Apple .74

Bananas $1.06

Kiwi .50

Nature's Pride Whole Wheat Bread $2.50

4 Sprite @ $2.50 each

Bottle Deposit $2.40

Town Trash Bags $10.00

Less $5 off $50 Store Coupon

Total: $52.09

Received $5.00 Catalina for purchasing $25 of Kraft products

I know that the Kraft deal was working on pre-sale prices but I really didn't feel like dealing with it. I would have had to done research on what products were working and if for some reason the Catalina didn't print I would have been out $5.00. Really not worth my time at this point in my life (by this I mean I have two young kids and I feel like my brain is melting by the minute). I bought stuff that we use so I am happy.

Gosh darn town trash bags. I am basically forced to recycle unless I want to spent ridiculous amounts of money on trash bags. I think recycling is such a waste of time- I don't mind it when I can just recycle something but if I have to rinse it or peel labels off I hate it and think that it is wasting a precious resource of mine, my time! Yes, I know that I worm compost and use rags instead of paper towels but those were decisions that were made by me because I wanted to do them- not because I was green and wanted to same some whales. Plus, the rebellious teenager in me hates being told what to do.

On a lighter note, I only need one more milk point to get a free gallon of milk. Yeah!