Frugal Grocery Shopping

With my new book in hand, Family Feasts (yes, this is the one I won), I'm beginning to take a better look at how I can save more on food each month.

I've done a decent job at cutting our grocery bill down dramatically each month. But I think I can probably do a little more.

There are 2 big areas I feel like I can work on and have marked improvement: meal planning, and price comparison.

So, I will be working on both over the next few weeks. And I will be developing a price comparison chart.

But I had two decent grocery shopping trips this week I wanted to share. I could have saved more if I had been willing to give up the organic milk - but I'm just not. And I'm also a diaper snob and can't seem to give up the name brand diapers. The cheaper ones feels so hard and look so uncomfortable.

So here is trip #1 - to Publix this past Sunday - total cost $51. (total saved about $55)


Above you will see in the photo:
4 boxes couscous
2 bags salad
2.5 lbs bananas
3lbs apples
1 large sweet onion
2 loaves Arnold whole wheat bread
1 large box Arm and Hammer baking soda
1 dozen eggs
2 packages of whole wheat pasta
2 cartons Bryers ice cream
Lemi shine - dishwasher cleaner
1 bag of dry beans
4 boxes of wild rice - uncle bens
1 pint half and half
1 block of cheese - 2lbs
tylenol infant medicine
4 eight oz cartons of sour cream
1 gallon organic milk
2 boxes family size Luzinanne tea - decaf
4 deodarants


And here is trip #2 this week - I went to both Harveys and Publix - totaled $37


In this photo you can see:
1 jumbo pack of diapers
12 double rolls of toilet tissue
3 bars of Castille soap
1 sweet onion
2.5 lbs of banans
1 zuchinni
1 bag of black beans
1 head of cabbage
6 lbs of tangerines
3 lbs of apples
2.5 lbs seedless grapes
1 large container of ricotta cheese
2 bottles of apple juice
4 dozen eggs
1 gallon organic milk
5lbs of flour
2 boxes of ziploc bags

So what messed me up from saving more? milk, dishwasher cleaning stuff, tylenol infant med, diapers, Castille soap - these are either all expensive or coupons are not available.

But I was pretty happy with the deals I got this week, including:

• 17 cents for a box of pasta
• I made 12 cents on the sour cream - so free plus money
• $1.49 for a 3lb bag of apples
• $3 for 4 dozen eggs
• 6lbs of tangerines and 2.5lbs of grapes for $3.50
• 40 cents for deodorant

(One deal that I found last month was Bryers ice cream - I bought 4 cartons for $5.99 - for that price I decided I needed more and went and bought another 4.)

Tonight paid 50 cents for a box of couscous - and this is where I am wondering could I have paid less if I bought it in bulk? Not sure, but something to figure out.

You will notice here that I did not buy any meat. There were not any sales on meat and we have some in the freezer. I try my best to only buy meat when its on a great sale. Around here I can get:

• 99 cents lb for chicken breast with bone
• $1.99 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
  
• $3.99 lb ribeyes with bone
• 79 cents lb whole chicken
• 49 cent lb chicken quarters
• $1 sausage rolls
• And $2.50 for pack of Oscar Meyer Bacon
• I have no idea on prices of pork b/c we don't really ever eat it