Last night, before I went to sleep, I put some mung beans to soak. This morning, I rinsed them in a couple of changes of water and boiled them, with just a bit of salt for my brunch. I had them with a spicy onion relish, known as "katta sambol", which is made by grinding onions, dry red chilies, flakes of Maldive fish (a type of dried fish), salt and lime/lemon juice to taste. I cheated, though, and didn't make my own, but helped myself from a jar of premade sambol that I had bought from the Sri Lankan store:
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| Breakfast: Mung Beans and Onion Relish |
It was cloudy, today, but it didn't rain. I did some office work, went for a little bit of a walk to get some fresh air, opened a window to air out the house, picked some fresh lemons and a couple of oranges from the garden, and took a nap in the afternoon.
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| Freshly Picked Oranges and Lemons |
Dinner was one of the portions of teriyaki beef from the freezer, followed by a fresh orange for dessert.
The weekly grocery sales ads were delivered in today's mail and I went through them to see what's on sale. I routinely receive the sales ads from about 10 grocery stores in my neighborhood. However, I generally frequent only two or three of the stores. It works out best for me. So, the first thing I do is toss the ads from the stores I don't go to for whatever reason. But, today, I decided to take a picture of what I usually receive and, of course, someone decided he needed to be in the picture, too:
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| This Week's Grocery Ads |
"What are you doing, Mummy? Dancer help you look for deals."
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| "Any Tuna on Sale, Mummy?" |
"Studying grocery ads is tiring, Mummy; Dancer rest":
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| Tired Kitty |
One store is having 10 lb. bags of cane sugar on sale for $4.79, which is a good price. My cut off point for sugar is $.50/lb. and I have actually come to the end of my stock of sugar, so, this is a good time to buy some and stock up. The ad didn't specify a limit, so I am hoping to buy several bags and I'll be able to share some of it with my daughter, too. Flour is also on sale for this price, but I don't need flour. They have frozen battered fish fillets for $3.99/18-24 oz. bags depending on variety, and I've found these to be a good item to have on hand for a quick dinner, so I might buy a bag of that. They also have canned tuna on sale for $.69/5 oz. can, but a different store (in the opposite direction from my house) is having canned tuna on sale for $.50/can, so I might go there, instead, for the tuna.
The store with the tuna for $.50 per can is also having store brand peanut butter on sale for $.99/16 oz. jar. I at at the end of my current jar of peanut butter, and this is a good stock up price; I shall probably buy two jars - one creamy and one chunky. They also have pasta on sale for $.49/12-16 oz. packet, but one must buy six participating items to get it at that price (won't be a problem as it can be six of the same item), but I just opened two new boxes of pasta and there are six unopened boxes in the cupboard, so I think I'll give the pasta a miss.
Finally, I think I shall make a trip to one of my favorite ethnic grocery stores. They tend to have the best prices on fresh produce. This week's advertised specials include, large Granny Smith apples for $.39/lb., Gala apples for $.49/lb., papaya for $.49/lb., Bosc pears for $.49/lb. ($.99/lb. at another store), grapes for $.79/lb (priced $.99/lb and $1.99/lb. at the other stores, this week), zucchini for $.39/lb., carrots for $.33/lb., red onions for $.29/lb., and red potatoes for $.33/lb. On Tuesday, they will have chicken drumsticks on sale for $.49/lb., which will be a one-day only, special. I have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday, but I can swing by afterwards, for the chicken, if I feel up to it.
"You study grocery ads, Mummy; Dancer take a nap":
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| Zzzzz |
Today, I am grateful for:
- A day without rain
- Fresh lemons and oranges from the garden
- Being able to work from home
- Feeling a little better
- A phone call from my friend
Tomorrow will be another relatively quiet day. I will work on office stuff and then, depending on how I feel, maybe do some grocery shopping.
How was your day? Do you, too, go through the weekly sales ads to see what's on sale each week and then, stock up or plan your weekly meals based on the week's deals? Do you stick to one or two particular stores or do you shop around for the sales?
Happy news that you feel better. Don't overdue now.
ReplyDeleteThe prices at your ethnic are amazing. I did my shopping yesterday. I had a short list with lots of fresh fruit and veg. I got overcharged for the broccoli and blueberries which k didn't notice until after I got home. Do annoying. I will stop in on my way to pick up milk from CVS along with washing up liquid. Eggs are only .99 this week but I don't need any. I also picked up coffee from Walgreens which was on offer and what my husband likes. I won't drive all over but "cherry pick" from CVS and Walgreens. I also use a coupon if I have one but they are often for things I am not buying.
SandyExpat
Thank you, Sandy. Don't you hate it when you get overcharged like that and you don't notice it till you get home, when it is too late to do anything about it? The prices at the ethnic store makes it very worthwhile to make a special trip out there (it's not too far away, about 5 miles, but it's not as close to me as some of the other stores). I tend to alternate between the ethnic stores and the regular grocery stores and it works out well enough for me.
DeleteThose oranges are beautiful. I bet they taste really good, too.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Live and Learn. They do taste very good. Sweet and as fresh as can be.
DeleteHahaha, he's too much. Such an adorable kitty and so helpful, just like mine. And wanting to be in the picture, that's probably a California thing, right? He secretly wants to be an actor and that's why he lives in the Los Angeles area...
ReplyDeleteThat ethnic store has seriously great produce prices! Papaya at 50 cents per lb is half price compared to the best price I find in my town right now and they grow here in Florida!
I had to laugh at your stocking up, which means buying one or two cans or bags of something instead of the 6-10 items that I would buy to stock up. I really need to get in the habit of stocking up less since we're only going to have one child living at home in the Fall. In my mind, we still have 6 at home, I guess. We have way too much food and since I love grocery shopping, it's going to take a lot of willpower for me to stock buying anything. Willpower is something that I don't seem to be able to stockpile :)
I usually write my menu with that I have on hand and as I look at the ingredients that are needed, I add them to my next shopping list if I can't substitute for anything else. Then, since I shop on Wednesday when the ads for our grocery stores start, I look up the Aldi and Save A Lot ads online on Wednesday mornings when I get up and add whatever produce and proteins they might have on sale to my list. The other grocery store I go to is Publix and I mostly use the post from a major blog called "IHeartPublix" that alerts us to the ads several days in advance and matches them with current coupons. She's not in my state but usually the deals are the same and the prices are similar. Publix's ad starts on Thursday so I shop at my Publix on the last day of their sale cycle. I'll only go if there are free or close to free deals to be had since their prices are usually much higher than the other stores. I'll also shop at Walmart with my Swagbucks gift cards once in a while but when I do I try to stock up on items that I might not be able to find at Aldi/SAL such as bread flour or dry beans, things like that.
We have a Bravo supermarket (it usually targets the Hispanic population) and a bulk store opening soon so I'm looking forward to checking out their prices!
PS: I'm glad you're starting to feel better!
Yes, he always wants to be where the action is! He hates to feel he might be missing out on something! Silly kitty.
DeleteI always admire how you write up your weekly menus based on what you have on hand - all those "don't need to buy anything" meals. You have a wonderful system in place, I think.
Proud your feeling a little better.
ReplyDeleteWow.. you do get a lot of grocery store papers.. I only have 5 in my area [and have to buy 2 different newspapers to get those.ha]
Dancer is adorable.. You totally tired him out.ha
The ethnic store really has good produce prices.
Hope you continue to improve and feel completely well , real soon.
Thank you, Judy. Yes, there are a lot of grocery stores in my area; some are very high end and exclusive; others are definitely no frills and aimed at a different segment of the population. I stick to two or three for the most part and find it works out best for me.
DeleteWe get a lot of flyers but only two are useful for me for groceries since the others are for stores in another town. I do study them and note what items I would like to buy. If something I don't need yet is on special, I will buy it anyway for when I run out. You've reminded me that I am almost at the bottom of the peanut butter jar, so I'm hoping for a special this week.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had a handsome kittycat to help me (or not) with my flyers!
Bushlady
Dancer says he's always willing to lend a helping paw, whether it is wanted or not! :D
DeleteWill the stores in your area "price match" the out of town stores? Or, I guess, if you happen to be in that other town, then, you can take advantage of the sales.
Hope your week is going well, Bushlady.
Glad to hear you're feeling a little better. Hopefully another day or two and you'll be back to normal.
ReplyDeleteThat is a lot of sales flyers! I usually go to three different shops and try to buy only what's on sale. The things we use tend to come on sale every couple of three weeks. I'm trying to work meal plans around what's on sale but I'm not very organised at a lot of things so doesn't always work out!
Thank you, Sharon. All the sales flyers tend to get a bit overwhelming at times, which is why I just toss the ones from the stores I don't go to on a regular basis. The time and energy saved by going to only a couple of stores more than make up for any sales I might miss, I think.
DeleteHi Bless, if I get a sore throat I can guarantee it will last for 24 hours before a full blown cold starts. I don't get them very often, touch wood, but they last for weeks when I do.
ReplyDeleteLots of brochures there to go through - no wonder Dancer looks worn out :) We don't get many food brochures delivered but we have take-away menus galore pushed through the letter box.
Sometimes , maybe 4 times a year at most, there is £5 off a £40 shop at Lidl but I never see the coupon. However, the lovely lady who works there looks out for me on those weeks and always gives me one. The other store I use is Tesco and I have a points card. Every so often the points are converted into money and a voucher is posted out. I just had one for £3.50. They're pretty good actually. I usually use mine at face value for money off at the till but for example a £2.50 voucher can be converted into £10 at Pizza Express etc.
The four of us visited the Tower of London by converting a fairly low amount of money into points one year. That was a really good deal.
Are you stores also cash and carry stores? I ask because I don't think I've ever seen a 10lb bag of sugar or flour in my life.
Hope you feel back to normal soon. Are you able to take anything for the sinus or does your other medication make this difficult? xx
That's very nice of your store clerk to give you a coupon! You must be a very valued customer. I am not quite sure what a "cash and carry" store is, but most regular grocery stores here will have sugar and flour in 5 lb. bags and 10 lb. bags, although, more recently, sugar seems to come in 4 lb. bags. The larger, "warehouse/club" type stores, which sell both wholesale and to individuals, have sugar, flour, rice, beans, etc., in 25 lb. or even 50 lb. bags. I buy my regular white rice in 25 lb. bags; but I prefer to get the sugar in 10 lb. bags, even if I buy 20 or 30 lbs. at a time, because it is easier to store them rather than a 25 lb. bag.
DeleteRight now, I am not taking anything for the sinuses, simply because I don't like to risk any drug interactions. But, when I see my doctor next week, if I am not feeling any better, I'll ask if she can recommend something. My previous doctor used to recommend sinus rinses and I did that once and swore I never will again!
Cash and Carry is the same as a wholesaler. A lot of them are quite strict over here. You have to prove you are a trader to shop there. However, I see quite a few people with trolleys full of flour or milk at Lidl who are obviously trading. It must be cheaper than buying wholesale for some items.
DeleteDon't like the sound of a sinus rinse at all. My pharmacy won't give me certain things, I need to get a prescription from the doctor. Bit of a pain but rules are rules I suppose. xx
I discovered that there is actually a chain of stores called "Cash and Carry" over here, but they are a subsidiary of the store I went to for the sugar!
DeleteLots of people swear by sinus rinses, but I felt like I was going to drown!
Those are great prices. Hope you will feel up to going out and snagging them. Dancer is adorable, and so fortunate that tuna is on sale!
ReplyDeleteHugs
Jane
Yes, I will make the effort to go grocery shopping to take advantage of the sales. Dancer is partial to a spoon of tuna as a treat, so he's always glad when tuna is on sale! He's actually my daughter's pet, but she left him with me when she went up to Berkeley.
DeleteGreat prices! I love to comparison shop grocery prices, so would enjoy all the flyers, although I imagine they get a bit overwhelming, too.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely a stock-up type of person, rather than a meal-plan then purchase type of person. I think that I still manage to get a decent amount of variety in our diet, even though bulk buying sometimes limits how many different types of food I purchase.
At the beginning, when I was setting up a price book and learning about prices, I used to pour over each and every sales ad and then, try to cherry pick. These days, I sort of know the prices well enough to know what's a good price and take it from there, taking quality, convenience of shopping, etc., into account.
DeleteI think you do very well with your meal planning and incorporate a lot of variety. The stocking up at rock bottom prices allow for a bit of a splurge at other times, I think, and keep the menus from being too monotonous.