My main resolution/goal for 2014 is to become financially healthy, and that is a big task that will require big commitment on my part. I have always shopped the weekly ads looking for specials, but have often wandered and bought unnecessary or items that weren't on sale several times. It usually has to do with family impulses! I have to be on a mission to keep the rest of the family on board, and sometimes that will require me to buy things I might not have bought otherwise, but I will check for sales on their 'treat' items, and when I can buy them in bulk, I need to find a better hiding place! I'll explain why further in the post ~ you'll spot the 'treat' items right away!!
Every Tuesday, we get the sales circulars in the mail, usually along with the coupon pack just like the ones that are in the Sunday paper. I usually look through the new coupons before I check out the sales for the week. I have three major stores I look at each week, they are Aldi, Bottom Dollar, and our local grocery store chain, Giant Eagle. Here's what I'm looking at buying this week:
Aldi has a very nice produce section which I utilize in the winter and non-gardening months. During the growing season, I grow most of my own veggies. Anyway, Aldi has nice and very affordable produce. I like that the handling is minimal too. this week I'll be buying some pineapple to make some pineapple jam, grapefruit, bananas, and the organic spring mix lettuce mix, it comes in a plastic container which keeps the tender lettuces and swiss chards from bruising and being crushed, that's a big plus in decreasing waste of food, and the container can be either used for another purpose or recycled.
I've needed this for a long time, we adopted a dog from the Humane Society last year who loves to dig in the rubbish! I've checked out small lidded garbage cans and the cheapest I could find was for $13.96 and it seemed, well, very cheap. I like the $8.99 price here, and they have an amazing buyer I'm guessing who can buy quality items at a great price. It's non food, but a necessary item for this house!
On to Giant Eagle, our grocery store chain. There prices are higher overall, so I sale shop with coupons there. This week is Uncle Ben's Ready Rice. I have a coupon for $1.00 off on 4 packages, and I like to keep some of the brown, wild grain and brown, or Santa Fe brown rice on hand for days when I suddenly realize I need a side dish in 5 minutes! I tend to forget about side dishes sometimes, and with gardening season coming up in a couple of months, I'll need to prepare meals fast! I usually buy the bulk brown rice, but we all forget sometimes, and there's no super quick way to cook brown rice, so this is a stock up item. I'll probably buy 10 packages since the usual price, even at Walmart is $1.74.
Dog food! I almost usually feed our two dogs Purina One dog food since years ago, my old Sadie girl dog had allergies to the food dyes and artificial flavors in the cheaper and colorful food, and we didn't know that for years, so now, I play it safe. The usual price for this dog food is almost $21 for the 16 lb. bag, it's on sale this week for $18.99 AND I have a competitors coupon for $2 off!! Yay, Giant Eagle accepts competitor coupons, so I'll get it for $16.99!!
We use Ken's Chunky Blue Cheese salad dressing for our homemade wings and for buffalo chicken dip, so when I have a coupon, I'll stock up on some of the blue cheese or the Aged Romano Italian. I have a $1 off on 2, so I'll get them for $1 each.
I like to buy produce in season, and oranges are a good price right now. I'll buy these if they look good. I'm a very picky produce buyer, that comes from growing up on a farm and knowing what really fresh food looks and tastes like! (I've embarrassed friends who have shopped with me before by inspecting each and every fruit or veggie item I buy, but I pay good money for it, so why not?!?)
Now on to Bottom Dollar, they also have a very nice produce section where they don't 'display' fruits or veggies, but leave them in the boxes/crates so they are usually not over handled or bruised They usually have good buys on onions and potatoes, but I have plenty of local potatoes I bought at our local ag. auction this week, so I'll pick up some onions for 98 cents/3 lbs. We use onions in so many things around here, I never have enough
And to impulse items to keep the family feeling special and loved! We usually make our own cookies and cakes for snacks and desserts, but every once in a while, I'll buy Oreo's or Cheez It's. This week the Oreo's are on sale with a limit of 4 per person/per day. I'll buy 4 packages IF I can find a good hiding spot at home, otherwise, my family can smell them and will hunt the pantry! It's crazy how my kids and hubby can go crazy over a store bought cookie when I am a good baker, and my kids like to bake too, but they do!!
It's always like they hit the jackpot when the come home to find a package of Oreo's in the cupboard!
So that's it for the week. I try to buy sale items, so I will add staple items that aren't on 'sale' usually from Aldi, or from a specialty store that carries the whole grain flours and bulk spices, that sort of thing. I also buy meat in bulk at our local packing house where I get locally raised beef, pork, and chicken at a great price and get great service and support local farmers and this small business at the same time! My grocery shopping list may seem a little 'mish mash', but since I like to shop the deals of the week, I'm able to stock up on other items that make a meal come together. Even including the bathroom rubbish can and the dog food, and the family splurge items that I have to hide, I'll keep our weekly list at our under $100 for a family of four. That still seems like too much, being that I want to save $$$. I guess it's a balancing act between being frugal, and the rest of the family not feeling neglected. My hope is that once they see money saved, it will become easier for them to willingly participate in saving every where we can!! What do you think? Does your family pitch in to save the family budget, or is it a hassle? Do you have to hide away snack foods so they aren't all gone in a week?!? Till next time, have a great day!! :)
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