I picked up my order of groceries this afternoon.
I bought:
1 loaf of sandwich bread = $1.79
3 bananas (1.26 lb. @ $.65/lb.) = $0.82
4 mangos @$1 = $4.00
6 oranges (2.59 lb. @ $1.49/lb.) = $3.86
6 apples (2.21 lb. @ $1.49/lb.) = $3.29
1.06 lb. loose carrots @$.99/lb. = $1.05
1 cucumber = $0.99 (which they forgot to pack in my bags!)
1 iceberg lettuce = $1.49
4 yellow onions (2.55 lb. @ $.98/lb.) = $2.52
2 cans (24 oz. @) pasta sauce @$1.50 = $3.00
2 cans (15 oz. @) fruit cocktail in extra light syrup @ $1.50 = $3.00
3 cans (15 oz. @) sliced peaches in fruit juice @ $1.50 = $4.50
6 cup of noodles @2.25 oz; $0.49@ = $2.94
2 packs chocolate wafer cookies, on sale for $1@ = $2.00
1 pack (100 count) coffee filters = $1.69 + $0.16 sales tax
Total came to $37.10
My favorite store clerk, Jennifer, was there, today, training a new hire. I chatted with her for a few minutes and asked her what's going on with all the "available for delivery only" items and she said it was because they were so short-staffed that they couldn't fulfill all the orders that were coming through for pick up. She said that if there was an item I really wanted, which was marked as delivery only, to call her and she'll see what she can do, which was very kind of her.
She also said that the store was out of the cup noodles I had wanted (there was a notification that they were low on stock on that item when I ordered), but, she ran across to the dollar store in the same shopping mall and bought them for me! Now, isn't that the sweetest thing?
As a result, I received all the items I had ordered, except for the cucumber, which they had forgotten to add to my bag! I didn't feel like driving all the way to the store again to pick it up, so I just let it go. Especially after Jennifer had been so kind as to get me the cup noodles from another store!
August grocery budget is $100 - $23.50 (overspent in July) = $76.50.
Spent to date = $37.10
Balance left = $39.40
After I came home and put away the groceries, I ate a banana and put two eggs to boil. I'm planning to make some egg salad, because I have bread to make sandwiches!
Today, I am grateful for:
- Being able to order groceries online
- Free curbside pickup
- Truly lovely store clerks
- Being able to purchase groceries (both having food available to buy and the means with which to pay for them!)
- A safe drive to the store and back
Have you done any grocery shopping in August, yet? How are you managing with rising prices? Are you increasing your grocery budget or cutting back on certain items?
Wow, that's what I call customer service. Jennifer is a gem. I was wondering if it is customary to tip whoever brings the groceries to your car. I've only done a pickup once and I didn't tip, but I wonder if I should have.
ReplyDeleteShe truly is a wonderful store clerk. I've given her very good reviews on the customer satisfaction surveys. Tipping is not allowed, according to the store website, but, what I did was, I knitted a scarf for Jennifer and gave it to her, with a card of appreciation, earlier this year (I had been carrying that scarf around for a couple of months before I could give it to her, because she was on a different shift).
DeleteJennifer sounds like a lovely person! I am always trying to reduce my grocery spending. I really spend too much, but I do put everything in the budget - paper products, personal supplies, cleaners, cat food, etc. I budget twice what you do, and I almost always go over! I didn't make the seeni sambol , I hope to do it sometime this weekend.
ReplyDeleteJennifer is a very kind person and the store is lucky to have someone like her. When I add up all the other items -pet supplies, toiletries, household items, etc., then, it comes to double the grocery budget, too! It's just that I like to keep the grocery budget as a separate spending category. Also, I tend to buy things like cat food in bulk, especially these days, ordering several bags at a time to qualify for free delivery, etc.
DeleteI hope you will like the seeni sambol, whenever you do make it. :)
Nice list. What lovely customer service! People like that make all the difference.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sharon. Yes, they do make all the difference. Service with a smile!
DeleteOne thing I have been doing is trying more store brand items - sometimes very successfully. It is interesting how some store brands are excellent on some things and not on others. Kroger has good bacon, whole wheat bread, ice cream and peanut butter. Meijer has better preserves and much cheaper milk. Just to name a few.
ReplyDeleteI shop at two different stores and do pickup so I wait until I have to buy $35 worth of groceries so that the pickup is free (otherwise $4.95 fee). So I shop the weekly ad and use digital coupon. It's not difficult to get the $35.
I don't really have a budget - yet. But I should. I just try to do the best I can for the least amount of money. I haven't even figured out how much I spend - it's only for my husband and myself.
Debbie, I, too, buy mostly store brand items. All the canned fruit and the bread I bought, today, are store brand. The pasta sauce wasn't store brand because it was cheaper than the store brand for the same quantity. I generally go with whatever is cheaper! I am brand loyal on a few things because I've tried the store brand and didn't like them.
DeleteThe pick up fee is $6.95 at the Kroger store which is where I shop these days, but, free with $35 minimum purchase. I, too, shop the weekly ad and use digital coupons, but, increasingly, a lot of the sale offers are available for delivery only!
Well, if you shop once a week and spend $35 each week, then, you are spending $140 a month for groceries for two people, which is quite impressive! :) Keep all the receipts for a month and add them up to see how much you spend; that's what I did when I was making my grocery budget. :)
Oh heck no, I just meant I have to buy at LEAST the $35 per store to get the free pickup - and it is easy to GET TO that amount considering the high prices.
DeleteI am going to start saving my receipts and actually see how much I am spending. I hope I am not too shocked.
Saving and adding up receipts is always very eye opening. I recommend looking over at least 3 months of receipts because we might spend more some months (especially if stocking up) than in others, so adding 3 months of receipts and then dividing the total by 3 will give an average amount that is spent in a month. I spent almost $123.50 on groceries in July and this month, I plan to spend only $76.50 to average $100 for the two months. If I find myself consistently going over my budgeted monthly amount, then, I will need to rethink my budget!
DeleteWhat a kind lady Jennifer is, you must be one of her special customers. Unfortunately my grocery spending is going up and up just like everyone else but I don't have a budget as such just wince when I see the total spend. I'm keeping it down as much as i can by using what's already in the cupboard and freezer. These are tough times.
ReplyDeleteShe is a very kind person; she did say that I was one of her favorite customers because I'm so easy going. I think she still remembers that time, last year, when she was just so busy, trying to please a customer who was giving her a hard time and she asked me if I could wait to check in so she won't get docked for taking too long to serve me and I told her that I was in no hurry and to take her time. She gave me a big discount, that time. :)
DeleteThese are tough times. I'm trying not to use up too much of what's in my cupboard because I want to keep a well-stocked pantry. But, it's getting to be a bit of a challenge!
At last we have got to the bottom of the "delivery only" mystery! Jennifer sounds lovely. Glad you were able to surprise her with a scarf. Gosh I wonder if she would have got into trouble, if anyone had seen her leaving the store to go to another place to buy extra stuff! How long did that take?
ReplyDeleteI am not sure how she managed it, but, maybe she went on her break - she said she bought a few cute things for her desk at the same time. I do hope she didn't get into trouble! She really didn't have to do that, but, I appreciate her doing so!
DeleteOh I see - she had done it in advance so the noodles were already waiting for you with the rest of your order! I read it that she went and got them while you waited. Thought it was odd! :o)
Delete(And yes, that was thoughtful and really, really nice of her. I want to hug her from here!)
DeleteYes, she had bought the noodles earlier and had put them with the rest of my order! I'm sorry I wasn't very clear when I wrote about it! Need to communicate better!
DeleteShe was under no obligation to buy the noodles for me and I forgot to ask her if the store will reimburse her (I was charged for them) or how that worked. I will offer to pay for them when I see her next or maybe give her a jar of my peach topping as a thank you gift.
DeleteThat is sweet of Jennifer to look out for your needs. She is a kind soul.
ReplyDeleteYes it was, Bushlady, and she is. :)
DeleteI typed a comment about Jennifer and the price of eggs lol!!
ReplyDeleteBut I think I lost it.
Oops! Sorry about that! I checked the spam folder, just in case, but, it wasn't there, either!
DeleteJennifer is very sweet, isn't she? Now that's customer service, going above and beyond what is expected!
As for the price of eggs - $3.49 on sale for 1 doz. large (and extra large, too!) white; $4.19 for 1 doz. large brown; $4.99 for 18 large white and $5.99 for 18 large brown - they are all store brand (Kroger); the organic eggs and other brands are all more! Also, $2.99 for 1 doz. medium sized white eggs. I bought 18 eggs on sale for $2.99 back in July and I still have most of them (I try to limit my egg consumption to 3 or fewer a week).
About a week and a half ago I paid $3.23 for eggs at Aldi's and was shocked at the steep increase. Prior to that I paid a little over $2. Seeing your price, I guess it's inline with what is going on everywhere.
DeleteYes, I guess the recent outbreaks of avian flu (and the resulting destruction of flocks), a rise in the price of chicken feed, plus the rise in the cost of gas to transport the eggs, have all contributed to a rise in the price of eggs. Even so, I guess it is still one of the cheaper sources of animal protein.
Delete