It begins on Sunday when the paper comes to our doorstep. (YES, the Saturday & Sunday paper comes rain or shine every time) So what gets me so excited you may ask?? THE COUPONS!! I'm always enjoyed sifting through the coupons in the Sunday paper but now that I'm married and don't have to share pantry space with other roommates. I can maximize my use of special store deals and coupons. (For instance I bought 10 boxes of Oatmeal Squares when I could get them for $1.50 a box normally they are over $4) As a Stay-At-Home Wife I have the time to spend planning out my grocery store trips.
On Monday my big outing of the week occurs.
If you guessed Monday is the day I go grocery shopping you are RIGHT!! I know most people probably despise going but I LOVE IT!!BUT WAIT I don't just show up to the store. There is lots of Planning and List Making Involved!! AHHHHH!! I LOVE LISTS!! The thrill of crossing things off of a list....it just gives me chills right now. (Sometimes I even write something on a list that I've already completed so that I can cross it off) Sad I know right...
So... It all begins at home! This may look like a mess to the inexperienced/untrained eye but NO this is what it takes to be a master saver at the grocery store. First, I take an inventory of the food in the refrigerator. I determine what is going to go bad and try to plan meals around those items to reduce waste (I don't want to Throw Money Away when I'm trying so hard to save money at the store). Then I pull out all of the circulars from the local stores, my coupons and recipe books and magazines. I figure out what is on sale and then if I have coupons that go with that item. When I know what's on sale I look through recipe books and find new or old recipes. I usually pick 4-5 recipes for a week. This week, Chicken Tortilla Soup, Pork Chops with Cranberry Sauce, Chicken Lettuce Cups, Baked Hamburgers and Homemade Pizza.
You may be thinking that you personally don't have time for all this work and yes maybe that is true but the beauty of being a stay-at-home wife is that you have the time.....lots of time.
Talking about Beauty since this is my big outing of the week. I decided to dress the part. Yes I am wearing pearls! I wouldn't want "What Not To Wear" to ambush me in the grocery store. (Okay so maybe I was dressed up because I had been to an interview for a volunteer position earlier)
With list in hand I think I'm ready to head down the street to the local Baker's (Dillon's in KS or Kroger's in TN)
So...I'm kinda of a germ-a-phob. So I LOVE the Clorox wipes to wipe down the handle of my shopping cart! No H1N1 for me!
As I approach the sliding doors with my cart, my heart starts to beat a little faster and I have to give myself a little pep-talk. Stay Focused...The List is Your Guide... AND I'M OFF, IT'S GAME TIME!!
TOUCHDOWN!! Yeast is on sale plus I have a coupon! Originally $2.09 and I walk away with it for $1.19: Total Savings: $0.90
EXTRA POINT IS GOOD! I need dry mustard for my pork chop recipe and it's on SALE!! SAVINGS=$0.20
Two point conversion! I need Black Beans for the Chicken Tortilla soup and at $0.78 I think I'll buy 2 to keep an extra can on hand.
Go for the First down or Punt? I need chicken broth for the Chicken Tortilla Soup. I have a coupon for the Swanson broth but there is also a Kroger brand that is on sale this week. What is the better deal? Don't want to pull out the calculator? YOU DON'T HAVE TO!
Check out the unit price! For this can of chicken broth it is $0.0528 per ounce with the sale price! Originally it is $0.0591 per ounce. Total Savings: $0.20
FUMBLE! I have a coupon for this but I left it at home and this is the pasta that I buy! I will have to learn from my mistakes!
Another successful shopping trip. Total Bill: $88.04 - $20.38 (savings) = $67.66 for the week!
My Best Savings To Date: $39.49!!! I saved the receipt because I'm so proud of it! I might even frame it!
**DISCLAIMER**Yes I am that crazy person at the grocery store who is taking pictures....it's all in a days work for a blogger!
No comments:
Post a Comment