Today, I picked up the groceries my daughter and I had ordered, yesterday. My order included a stock up item (rice), a couple of splurge items (salmon fillets), a few snacks, a couple of items for a friend, plus the usual weekly items (bread, half and half, fruits and vegetables, etc.) and meat.
I bought:
2 x 5 lb. (10 lbs.) white rice, long grain, store brand, $5.79@ = $11.58
Plain yogurt, store brand, 32 oz., (reg. price $3.49) = $2.89
1 cream cheese, 8 oz., store brand (reg. price $1.89) = $1.00
1 qt. milk = $1.79
1/2 gal. half and half (reg. price $4.49) = $3.99
18 ct. eggs, (reg. price $4.69)) - $1.49
1 bread, multigrain, 24 oz., (reg. price $2.49) = $1.99
6 pk. store brand bagels, 18 oz., (reg. price $1.99) = $1.69
1 box almond crackers, 4.25 oz., (reg. price $2.99) = $2.49
3 lb. bag mandarins, (reg. price $4.99) = $3.99
3 lb. peaches @ $1.49/lb., (reg. price $1.99) = $4.59
1.38 lb. plums @ 1.49/lb., (reg. price $1.99) = $2.06
4 ct. avocados, (reg. price $4.99) = $2.99
5 mangoes @ $1 = $5
2 lb. bananas @ $.64 = $1.31
2 lb. grapes @ $.99/lb. (reg. price $2.49) = $2.06
1 orange juice, 52 fl.oz. = $3.99
4.69 lbs. pork shoulder roast, bone-in @ $1.98/lb (reg. price $3.99) = $9.33
1 lb. ground turkey, (reg. price $5.99) = $2.77
2.17 lb. salmon fillets (2 x 1lb. packages) @ $7.99/lb. (reg. price $11.99/lb.) = $17.34
1 cucumber = $.99
1 bunch spinach = $1.49*
1 bunch (16 oz) kale = $1.49*
1 frozen pizza, 18.22 oz. (reg. price $4. 79) = $2.49
Total = $90.80
* for my friend
According to the receipt, I "saved" $38.42 due to sales and coupons (reg. price would have been $129.22). But, I try to buy items that are on sale and concentrate on what I actually pay, but, it is good to know that I was able to save $38 shopping the sales.
September grocery budget = $250 (+ $60 from August)
Spent to date = $75.36 + $90.80 = $166.16
My pick up time was scheduled for between 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. I got to the grocery store parking lot at exactly 12 noon and I was out of the parking lot by 12:10 p.m. I have no complaints about their service!
On my way home, I dropped off the two items my friend wanted. Daughter put away all the groceries for me while I baked the pizza for our lunch. She asked me to cook one of the packages of salmon for dinner and I cooked it, sauteed with onions and tomatoes the way she likes it.
Today was another warm day, with a high of 95F. After grocery shopping, I just relaxed. Later in the evening, M watered the garden and we planted the seeds from the Hawaiian papaya that M gave me; we want to see if they will germinate and if they do, if we can get the plants to grow and make it through the winter. Then, I watched some 9/11 commemoration programs on TV and didn't get around to doing any of the housework! It's past 10:00 p.m., now, so I will catch up on the housework tomorrow.
Today, I am grateful for:
- Being able to order groceries online and pick up curbside
- A budget that accommodates the occasional splurges and treats
- Being able to drop off a couple of items to my friend
- Daughter putting the groceries away for me
- M tending to the garden
Today's joyful activity was seeing my friend for a few minutes when I stopped by to give her the items she wanted.
Plans for tomorrow include catching up on the housework I didn't do today and some cooking for the week. I have some chicken thawing and I want to cook the pork roast that I bought today.
How was your Friday? How is your September grocery shopping coming along? How do the prices I paid above compare with prices in your area?
You've done well. I've become a little disorganised with my grocery shopping lately, so I really need to get back to writing a weekly menu and working from that. X
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jules. I hope your meal planning works out well for you. :)
DeleteIt's hard to say about the prices on food around here because they seem to go up every time I turn around, but for comparison, we usually get bananas at $.49/lb and grapes at $2/lb (If they're more, we don't buy them.)
ReplyDeleteThank you, June. There are still some stores here where they sell bananas for around $.50/lb., but, those stores don't have curbside pick up and I am not ready to shop in person, yet. I, too, will not pay more than $1.99/lb. for grapes, unless there is a specific reason why I want grapes (for an almsgiving, for example). I miss Nathalie's blog, where she would show what groceries she bought and how much she paid. :)
DeleteYou had some good deals there. Our grapes, which come from California, were reduced in price, too.
ReplyDeleteDH and I went out for a light supper sitting outside by the river, very pleasant.
Thank you, Bushlady. I think grapes will go up in price after all the fires in northern California! I've tried growing grapes in my garden, but, so far, all my efforts have been in vain!
DeleteSounds like you and DH enjoyed a lovely evening and meal. :)
You've done well with all the savings. Do you choose meals based on what's on offer that week?
ReplyDeletePrices are rising so much I've decided that I need to take much more care with my shopping and look at the budget supermarkets like Lidl and Aldi to save money where I can. The problem is that they don't deliver so I'll have to work out the best time to go in store.
Thank you, Eileen. Yes, I go through the store's weekly ads and select what's on offer that week. I don't necessarily cook it all that week - some items are stashed in the freezer for later. For example, I froze one of the packages of salmon and the ground turkey. I want to cut the pork roast in half and freeze a portion of that, too. Next week, unless there is a really good sale on meat, I will not buy any meat and will cook from what is in the freezer. Of course, there is the running list of things that we need weekly, plus other items as we come to the end of our stock.
DeleteThe budget grocery stores here don't offer delivery or curbside pick up, either. Right now, I prefer to pay a little extra and do curbside pick up. I hope you are able to find a good time during which to shop to minimize risk of exposure.
I found out today that Aldi do click and collect which is like your kerbside collection so I will try them out next time I need to order. 😀
DeleteSounds like a good thing to try! Do they charge a fee for the service? The store I go to has a fee ($6.95) but, they waive it if your total purchase is $35 or more.
DeleteIt costs £4.99 per order (approx $6.90) which is payable for all orders regardless of the value of the order. That's more expensive than the supermarket I use for delivery but there should be a big saving on the cost of the items. I need to sit down and work out the price differences to make sure the saving makes it worth doing.
DeleteYes; see if you save any money after you've paid the fees. Might be worth it if you do a big monthly shopping order.
DeleteYou got some really good sales. Your eggs were a great price. Actually looking through it looks like you mainly bought sale items which is so nice.
ReplyDeleteAnd it didn't take long for the salmon your daughter wanted to go on sale.
yum
I've been over budget the last two months after having a good month in June. At least I think that's right. lol
This month has been going pretty well so far with groceries and I am hoping to spend less than the last two months.
When I review this year's spending I'm sure I will be raising my grocery budget.
I didn't raise it this year even though last year I spent more. I thought things would calm down and to a certain extent they have but I do find I am consistently spending more.
Thank you, Debra. I still had some eggs left from the last time I bought eggs (mid August, 18 eggs at $1.49, then, too!), but, when I saw that they were on sale for the same price, I thought I'll buy them, again! I love scrambled eggs on toast for either brunch or dinner and egg salad sandwiches are good, too. Yes, I mostly bought what was on sale. I was happy to see the salmon was on sale. It was, as you remembered, something my daughter had been wanting. :)
DeleteIt is all too easy to go over budget, these days, isn't it? I think prices will continue to go up, especially with all the recent weather-related damage to crops. Growing more of our own food is not always the right answer, either, because for me, at least, it still needs a lot of water and that is a very precious resource in my area!