I ordered more groceries last night and picked up the items this morning. I needed bread and half & half. I wanted bagels for breakfasts for the week and cold cuts (which were on sale with digital coupons) for sandwiches. And I decided to get more eggs even though I still have the ones I bought last week, some boxed rice and pasta mixes, and cereal because they were on sale either with digital coupons or multi-buy specials and I wanted to stock up.
In addition, I bought a different cat food for Dancer to try; he seemed to like it, but, we shall see. Just because he likes it on Monday doesn't mean he will like it on Tuesday! LOL.
Here's what I bought:
Order Summary
Original Item Total$62.14
Item Coupons/Sales-$23.50
Fulfillment Fee+$0.00
Other Fees+$0.30
Sales Tax+$0.24
Order Total$39.18
Item Details
16 Items
Farmer John Classic Premium Cooked Ham, 12 oz$2.99
1 x $2.99 $5.99 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00
Kroger® Cage Free Large White Eggs, 18 ct$4.49
1 x $4.49 $5.89 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.40
Kroger® Everything Bagels, 6 ct / 18 oz$2.79
1 x $2.79 each
Kroger® Half and Half Quart, 1 qt$3.69
1 x $3.69 each
Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Oven Roasted Turkey Breast & Smoked Uncured Ham Thin Sliced Lunchmeat, 9 oz$3.99
1 x $3.99 $6.99 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00
Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Smoked Uncured Ham Thin Sliced Lunchmeat, 9 oz$3.99
1 x $3.99 $6.99 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00
Pasta Roni® Fettuccine Alfredo Pasta Mix, 4.7 oz$1.98
2 x $0.99 $1.89 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.40
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.40
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Pasta Roni® Parmesan Cheese Angel Hair Pasta Mix, 5.1 oz$0.99
1 x $0.99 $1.89 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.40
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Post Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds Breakfast Cereal, 12 ounces$5.97
3 x $1.99 $4.79 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.80
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.80
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.80
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00
Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00
Purina Fancy Feast Gems Mousse Pate With Salmon and Halo of Savory Gravy Cat Food, 2 oz / 2 ct$2.49
1 x $2.49 each
Rice-A-Roni® Long Grain & Wild Rice, 4.3 oz$1.98
2 x $0.99 $1.99 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.50
Western Hearth® Old Fashioned White Bread, 24 oz$3.29
1 x $3.29 each
Other Fees
$0.30
Bag Fee$0.30
3 x $0.10 each
Total spent: $39.18
Total spent on human food: $39.18 - $2.49 - $0.24 (tax) = $36.45
September grocery budget: $250
Spent to date = $28.49 + $36.06 + $36.45 = $101.00
Balance left in the September grocery budget = $250 - $101 = $149.00
I haven't decided yet if I will go to the ethnic store, tomorrow, to buy some chicken (leg quarters on sale for $0.99/lb.) and beef (which, at $5.99/lb. is $2/lb. cheaper than at the grocery store I ordered from and picked up, today). I will decide in the morning, I suppose.
How is your grocery spending coming along? Are you finding good sales on items you want? Are you able to keep to your budget if you have a monthly grocery budget?
I ordered and picked up some groceries on Saturday. I needed half and half for my daughter's coffee, eggs, and milk. I also wanted to get some tortillas instead of bread and more fruit that was on sale. Daughter asked for more Cheetos; they were on a buy one, get one free sale, but, it not as good a sale as previously, when I bought four bags for $10. And we both wanted ice cream. In the summer, when it is 90F+ outside and we live in a house with no air conditioning, ice cream becomes a need! LOL.
On Tuesday, I did my first grocery shopping trip for September.
One of the ethnic grocery stores in my area usually has a couple of items on a "one day only" special sale every Tuesday. This week, one of the two items on the one day only sale happened to be pork chops. I had wanted to buy boneless pork chops on sale ($4.99/lb.) from the supermarket a couple of weeks ago, but, they didn't have the item I wanted and I didn't want the higher priced ($5.99/lb.) pork chops they offered as a substitute. So, when the ethnic store had "assorted" pork chops (bone in) on sale for $1.99/lb. I decided I would stock up on them.
In addition, daughter asked for more watermelon and I wanted to get some fresh produce. We went through the sales ad together and she wrote out the shopping list for me. Then, I went to the store and bought:
1 bag of dried Mung beans = $4.59 (not available at the supermarket)
8 Pork chops @ $1.99/lb. = $8.49
1 bunch Kale = $0.99 White onions @ 3 lbs./$1 = $0.76 1 Cucumber = $0.69 Green Beans @ $1.69/lb. = $1.86 10 lb. bag Potatoes = $2.49
Red plums @ $0.79/lb. = $2.09 Black plums @ $0.79/lb. = $1.20 White Champagne Grapes @ $1.49/lb. = $2.52 1 Seedless Watermelon @ 4 lb./$0.99 = $2.81
My total came to $28.49
I am pleased with that amount. I know that I would have paid at least double that amount for what I purchased if I had shopped at the supermarket. I did a price comparison on their website:
Kale = $2.79/1 lb. bunch White onions = $0.99/lb. Cucumber = $0.99 each Green beans = $2.49/lb. Potatoes, 10 lb. = $4.99; 5 lb. = $3.99
Pork Chops = $3.99/lb. to $4.99/lb. depending on the cut
Plums = $2.99/lb., plus $0.50 off purchase of 3 plums coupon Grapes = $1.49/lb. with digital coupon; $2.99/lb. without coupon Watermelon, seedless = $0.79/lb. for regular seedless watermelons; $5.79@ for personal sized one
The supermarket does offer the convenience of ordering online and picking up groceries. And I prefer to get sandwich bread, milk, and half & half from them.
I am grateful that I have a choice of grocery stores in which to shop.
My September grocery budget is $250 for the month, for food only (no household products, pet food, toiletries, etc.) for two adults.
Spent to date = $28.49
Balance left in the September grocery budget = $250 - $28.49 = $221.51
Have you done any grocery shopping in September, yet?
I ordered and picked up more groceries on Saturday. I needed bread, half and half for daughter's coffee, a cucumber, and some fruit.
I had also been waiting for ground turkey and cheese to go on sale, with $4 being the new "sale" price for ground turkey, as well as potato chips (which was a definite want).
The mac & cheese was a pantry stock up item as I had used up the last box of mac & cheese I had in the pantry. Individual boxes were priced at $1.50, but, the pack of 5, at $5.49 worked out to $1.10 per box and was cheaper. I generally make mac & cheese about once a month, with a can of tuna and some frozen green peas added to it to make a relatively quick and easy, if somewhat processed, meal; so a pack of 5 will not spoil before we use it.
Before I submitted the grocery order, I knew that I had $44.72 left in my August grocery budget and I was very careful to keep my order total to just under that. Did I succeed?
Here is the receipt:
Rewards
Total Savings: $32.28 (includes $6.95 pick up fee waived)
Kraft Original Mac N Cheese Macaroni and Cheese Dinner, 5 ct$5.49
1 x $5.49 $6.79 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.30
Kroger® Half and Half Pint, 1 pt$2.69
1 x $2.69 each
Kroger® Mild Cheddar Cheese Block, 8 oz$1.99
1 x $1.99 $3.29 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.30
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00
Kroger® Traditional Favorites Frozen Peas Green, 12 oz$1.50
1 x $1.50 each
Large Mangos, 1 ct$5.00
4 x $1.25 $2.00 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.75
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.75
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.75
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.75
Lay's® Barbecue Potato Chips, 7.75 oz$1.99
1 x $1.99 $4.99 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.50
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.50
Lay's® Classic Potato Chips, 8 oz$1.99
1 x $1.99 $4.99 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.50
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.50
StarKist Chunk Light Tuna in Water Can, 5 oz$5.00
5 x $1.00 $1.49 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.49
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.49
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.49
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.49
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.49
Western Hearth® Buttermilk Bread, 24 oz$1.99
1 x $1.99 $3.29 each
Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.30
Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00
Other Fees
$0.30
Bag Fee$0.30
3 x $0.10 each
My total came to $43.91.
According to the receipt, had I paid full price for the items I bought, it would have cost me $68.94.
By waiting until the items I wanted went on sale and shopping the sales as well as using digital coupons where available, I saved $25.33 or 36.7% on my groceries. I am quite pleased with that.
My August grocery budget = $250
Spent to date = $38.17 + $15.24 + $44.18 + $54.94 + $52.75 + $43.91 = $249.19
Balance remaining in August grocery budget = $0.81
Yay! I managed to keep to my budget this month!
My September grocery budget will be $250, again, for my daughter and me (and this is only for food, including snacks and treats; it does not cover toiletries and other household products).
As always, I am grateful for:
- The availability of groceries - Being able to order groceries online - The availability of free pick up with a minimum purchase of $36 - Weekly sales - Digital coupons
How did you do with your grocery spending in August? Did you have a budget? If so, were you able to stay within your budget? Does your grocery budget include household products, toiletries, pet supplies, etc.? Or is it just for food for the humans in your household?
