Sunday, May 9, 2010
So, I’ve been waiting for this weekend for a while now. We have been spending the last 5-6 weeks eating all of the groceries in our kitchen to the best of our ability. I’ve been purchasing only foods and dry goods that we needed to finish off everything in our arsenal. When I looked in the pantry on Friday, I saw rice, Triscuits, and cereal. In the fridge – milk, condiments, grapes, and celery. The freezer: dinner rolls, popsicles, and some banana baby food. Now, don’t call CPS…I did all of this on purpose.
Before you freak – see my blog entitled “Stretching Your Meal Options” from April 1st.
Before I got to the end of the groceries and meal options, I knew that my shopping ventures would be expensive because we were out of everything: mustard, ranch, paper towel, canned goods, chicken breast, EVERYTHING. You name it, we were out of it! So I started by buttering up my husband. “Babe, we’re going to need to do the BIG PUSH this weekend and it’s gonna be ugly.” This way, he was prepared to go with me, help me, and make the whole nightmare that much easier.
However, you KNOW that when you shop with your husband, you often buy stuff that isn’t on the list; it’s just how it goes. They don’t usually do the shopping, so they see things that you never buy, and they want them! I, personally, will take the help and spend a few extra dollars.
Having said all of this, we went to four different stores in two days to complete our list. We started at Aldi – our brand new, discount grocery store to save as much money as we possibly could, and scratch as much off the list as possible. I had a detailed list, but I certainly picked things up as I saw them. After Aldi, we hit up Big Lots to get the majority of the list taken care of. They do not have a cold or frozen section, and I knew I’d need to visit Target or Wal-Mart thirdly.
Big Lots was important for one reason, mostly: Insanely low prices on sandwich bags in all sizes. A nice bonus was the canned goods, crackers, pretzels and chips, and dry goods like pasta and rice all at extremely discounted prices.
Target was third on my list – produce (only the items that I was unable to purchase at Aldi), lunch meat, and Stauffer’s Whales – found in the $1 section which beats the HECK out of the prices on Goldfish.
Wal-Mart was last, and we wanted to kill ourselves momentarily, as we were TIRED OF SHOPPING! Paper towel, frozen chicken breasts, store-brand allergy medicine, and canned tuna fish. DONE!
Now, we have purchased everything that we need except a FEW things that we only purchase in bulk at Sam’s…Purina Dog Food, Splenda, Coffee, lean ground beef, and bacon.
Stay with me – I know you’re exhausted! We were tired and cranky by the end.
Let’s break it down…
1. Aldi: $78.16
2. Big Lots: $51.39
3. Target: $36.54
4. Wal-Mart: $35.71
TOTAL: $201.80
By taking some time…and a great deal of patients…to travel to four different stores in order to complete my list and save the most money possible, I was able to stuff our pantry, freezer, and refrigerator FULL TO THE BRIM with groceries that will last us about six weeks. Of course I will be going to the store for fresh dairy, produce, and the few items that I still need from Sam’s, but I believe I truly saved a great deal of money by doing it this way.
Give my new technique a try one time, and see how much money you are saving. The savings is significant and it is such a good feeling to empty your pantry as much as possible, and then fill it, starting the whole process over again!
Happy Mother’s Day!!
Showing posts with label grocery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grocery. Show all posts
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Aldi = ALL THAT!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
So my Aldi Store FINALLY opened today! Halleluiah! My Mom, Emily and I have been planning to check it out for months now, and we were so excited to see what it was like!
Well, Aldi is everything they claim to be – low prices on the things that you buy regularly. The store was clean, organized, and very well run. The store employees were very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable.
We both pay very close attention to what we pay for the items that we purchase regularly, and the quantity that we purchase them in. We found that Aldi had extremely competitive prices on nearly every item we purchased. If we did not find the price to be LOWER than the prices at Wal-Mart or a similar grocery store, we found that the price was the SAME as the prices we pay at similar grocery stores. The produce was fresh, attractive-looking, and huge in quantity.
A couple of items that I found to be insanely great prices:
1. 64 oz. Apple Juice - $1.19
2. Boxed dog biscuits - $.99
3. Cellulose Sponges - 6 pack - $.99
4. Boxes of fresh strawberries - $.99
5. Varied spices - $1.09 each
6. 32 oz. tub of vanilla yogurt - $1.59
7. One dozen eggs - $.89
See?! I told ya!
All in all, every item that we bought was purchased with excitement as we saved significantly.
At the cash register, we were excited to see that as they totaled our purchases, they then offered us a $5 coupon on top of the savings we already received. BONUS!
I am definitely going to add Aldi to my shopping rounds. I can now reduce my grocery budget every month and spend that money elsewhere.
There are a couple of things that you should know before shopping at Aldi:
1. Aldi charges 25 cents to borrow a shopping cart. You get your quarter back when you return the cart.
2. Aldi does not bag your groceries. You must come prepared with shopping bags, or they offer them for purchase ($1.99) at the register.
3. Aldi is a one-directional grocery store. If you realize you forgot to grab something and have to go back, your best bet is to leave your cart behind and sneak back to the forgotten item. People were very understanding as we had this happen numerous times.
Visit Aldi.com to find the store nearest you! Your wallet will be SO grateful!
So my Aldi Store FINALLY opened today! Halleluiah! My Mom, Emily and I have been planning to check it out for months now, and we were so excited to see what it was like!
Well, Aldi is everything they claim to be – low prices on the things that you buy regularly. The store was clean, organized, and very well run. The store employees were very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable.
We both pay very close attention to what we pay for the items that we purchase regularly, and the quantity that we purchase them in. We found that Aldi had extremely competitive prices on nearly every item we purchased. If we did not find the price to be LOWER than the prices at Wal-Mart or a similar grocery store, we found that the price was the SAME as the prices we pay at similar grocery stores. The produce was fresh, attractive-looking, and huge in quantity.
A couple of items that I found to be insanely great prices:
1. 64 oz. Apple Juice - $1.19
2. Boxed dog biscuits - $.99
3. Cellulose Sponges - 6 pack - $.99
4. Boxes of fresh strawberries - $.99
5. Varied spices - $1.09 each
6. 32 oz. tub of vanilla yogurt - $1.59
7. One dozen eggs - $.89
See?! I told ya!
All in all, every item that we bought was purchased with excitement as we saved significantly.
At the cash register, we were excited to see that as they totaled our purchases, they then offered us a $5 coupon on top of the savings we already received. BONUS!
I am definitely going to add Aldi to my shopping rounds. I can now reduce my grocery budget every month and spend that money elsewhere.
There are a couple of things that you should know before shopping at Aldi:
1. Aldi charges 25 cents to borrow a shopping cart. You get your quarter back when you return the cart.
2. Aldi does not bag your groceries. You must come prepared with shopping bags, or they offer them for purchase ($1.99) at the register.
3. Aldi is a one-directional grocery store. If you realize you forgot to grab something and have to go back, your best bet is to leave your cart behind and sneak back to the forgotten item. People were very understanding as we had this happen numerous times.
Visit Aldi.com to find the store nearest you! Your wallet will be SO grateful!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Stretching your meal options
Thursday, April 1, 2010
I have learned a variety of different ways to save money since we have become a one-income family. Because that one income only comes once a century…I mean once a month, I have learned how to stretch a dollar until it squeaks!
One great way to save is to challenge yourself. Challenge yourself to eat all of the groceries in the pantry/fridge/freezer until it is gone.
How? Make it a game of sorts. Create a list of all of the main dishes, side dishes, and odds and ends that you have. Create the BEST pairings with the things that you have. Once you have done this, make a store list of the necessities that you CANNOT make it through the week without: milk, eggs, diapers, and the like. Then, look at the meals you’ve created with what’s left in your kitchen, and add several odds and ends to make additional meals.
Have leftover roast? Pick up a couple of bolillo rolls and have barbeque sandwiches.
Have a can of fruit and some frozen chicken breasts? Grab some romaine lettuce, marinade your chicken in orange juice and you have Hawaiian chicken salads!
Remember the bolillo rolls that you bought for bbq sandwiches? (They usually come 8 in a bag for about $2 at the bakery) And the romaine lettuce from the Hawaiian chicken salads? Have some bacon? Pick up a large, fresh tomato and serve BLTs for dinner tonight!
These are just a few examples of things that I’ve done in the past. This will keep you from spending money at a restaurant, and cut your grocery bill significantly when you use things that you already have in the pantry. I am a BIG TIME list-checker-offer, so I love to cross off the meals that we’ve eaten or the side/main dishes we have used.
I hope you find this helpful as we all have to make changes in our lifestyles and become good stewards of what we have.
I have learned a variety of different ways to save money since we have become a one-income family. Because that one income only comes once a century…I mean once a month, I have learned how to stretch a dollar until it squeaks!
One great way to save is to challenge yourself. Challenge yourself to eat all of the groceries in the pantry/fridge/freezer until it is gone.
How? Make it a game of sorts. Create a list of all of the main dishes, side dishes, and odds and ends that you have. Create the BEST pairings with the things that you have. Once you have done this, make a store list of the necessities that you CANNOT make it through the week without: milk, eggs, diapers, and the like. Then, look at the meals you’ve created with what’s left in your kitchen, and add several odds and ends to make additional meals.
Have leftover roast? Pick up a couple of bolillo rolls and have barbeque sandwiches.
Have a can of fruit and some frozen chicken breasts? Grab some romaine lettuce, marinade your chicken in orange juice and you have Hawaiian chicken salads!
Remember the bolillo rolls that you bought for bbq sandwiches? (They usually come 8 in a bag for about $2 at the bakery) And the romaine lettuce from the Hawaiian chicken salads? Have some bacon? Pick up a large, fresh tomato and serve BLTs for dinner tonight!
These are just a few examples of things that I’ve done in the past. This will keep you from spending money at a restaurant, and cut your grocery bill significantly when you use things that you already have in the pantry. I am a BIG TIME list-checker-offer, so I love to cross off the meals that we’ve eaten or the side/main dishes we have used.
I hope you find this helpful as we all have to make changes in our lifestyles and become good stewards of what we have.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Coupons: Part 2
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
This blog correlates with yesterday’s blog, and I hope to hear from you regarding your thoughts of the Nightline segment.
This tip stems from an experience that I had on a Sunday afternoon at Wal-Mart: I was in the check-out line behind two older women. The lady checking out was taking a particularly long time to move through the line and leave. Because of the length of time that she spent at the register, I began paying attention to what it was that she was doing.
Well, about 20 minutes later I figured out what was going on. I was frustrated and impatient, but I was also intrigued at the outcome of her shenanigans. She came to Wal-Mart completely prepared with everything that was on her list. She made notes in the margins of her list with the sale prices and the stores that were offering these prices. She presented these ads (from the Sunday paper) to the cashier and she honored each and every one of them. This was a tedious process, but she ended up saving nearly 50% of the cost of her trip. The cashier was so patient and friendly, and she encouraged me to try and do the same.
I have yet to try this technique myself, but I am excited to do so. This little-known technique will keep you from driving from store to store in order to find the best deals and complete your shopping list. Sounds like a winner to me!
This blog correlates with yesterday’s blog, and I hope to hear from you regarding your thoughts of the Nightline segment.
This tip stems from an experience that I had on a Sunday afternoon at Wal-Mart: I was in the check-out line behind two older women. The lady checking out was taking a particularly long time to move through the line and leave. Because of the length of time that she spent at the register, I began paying attention to what it was that she was doing.
Well, about 20 minutes later I figured out what was going on. I was frustrated and impatient, but I was also intrigued at the outcome of her shenanigans. She came to Wal-Mart completely prepared with everything that was on her list. She made notes in the margins of her list with the sale prices and the stores that were offering these prices. She presented these ads (from the Sunday paper) to the cashier and she honored each and every one of them. This was a tedious process, but she ended up saving nearly 50% of the cost of her trip. The cashier was so patient and friendly, and she encouraged me to try and do the same.
I have yet to try this technique myself, but I am excited to do so. This little-known technique will keep you from driving from store to store in order to find the best deals and complete your shopping list. Sounds like a winner to me!
Monday, March 1, 2010
Saving at the Grocery store
Friday, February 25, 2010
Let’s talk bargains! My favorite subject!! I am always looking for steals and clearance items. This week, I found my deals at Target – my home away from home. I noticed that they had replaced the “holiday aisles” (I’m waiting impatiently for them to unveil Global Bazaar) with a new concept that involves a consolidated section for clearance and some weekly specials. I don’t normally mess around with 30% off bargains, as I’d rather they quit messing around and give me the 75% off that they are going to eventually get to. However, for the past 2 weeks, Target has had their signature brand, Market Pantry 100% Pure Apple Juice on clearance for $2.08 for a two-pack of 64oz. bottles. I decided that $1.04 for a bottle of apple juice is a very good deal – rivaling the savings that you find when you buy concentrate. So…I bought a few! The juice is regularly inexpensive at around $4 for a two-pack, but I’ll take whatever savings I can get, especially since we’ve been drinking apple juice like it’s youth serum around here!
The other item that I found to be a particularly good savings was an economy-size box of Nabisco Triscuits. The box contains (4) bags of Triscuts for $4.18. When a box of crackers runs me nearly $3, I found $1 per bag to be a real savings. Happy shopping!
Let’s talk bargains! My favorite subject!! I am always looking for steals and clearance items. This week, I found my deals at Target – my home away from home. I noticed that they had replaced the “holiday aisles” (I’m waiting impatiently for them to unveil Global Bazaar) with a new concept that involves a consolidated section for clearance and some weekly specials. I don’t normally mess around with 30% off bargains, as I’d rather they quit messing around and give me the 75% off that they are going to eventually get to. However, for the past 2 weeks, Target has had their signature brand, Market Pantry 100% Pure Apple Juice on clearance for $2.08 for a two-pack of 64oz. bottles. I decided that $1.04 for a bottle of apple juice is a very good deal – rivaling the savings that you find when you buy concentrate. So…I bought a few! The juice is regularly inexpensive at around $4 for a two-pack, but I’ll take whatever savings I can get, especially since we’ve been drinking apple juice like it’s youth serum around here!
The other item that I found to be a particularly good savings was an economy-size box of Nabisco Triscuits. The box contains (4) bags of Triscuts for $4.18. When a box of crackers runs me nearly $3, I found $1 per bag to be a real savings. Happy shopping!
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