2014 Grocery Challenge

[marvholly]

I think you can scan in your receipts for checkout51.

i DON'T NEED IT. i DON'T NEED IT! I DONT'T NEED IT.

My freezer is WAAAY over full. I do have a whole, uncooked chicken, cooked & uncooked chicken breasts and thighs.
However, a local store has whole chicken for 0.88/lb this week & I have a taste for beer (broth) butt chicken cooked w/mesquite. I suppose I could skip this as Aldi is about the same price all the time & I would rather stock up on coffe which they also have on sale.

[dancinmama]

Jun 2, 2014 11:08:51 GMT -5 murphath said:

Well, we had guests for the last 5 days so my food budget was well over the $200 mark!  I forgot how much more expensive it is to constantly feed other people.    Having them here was worth it though.

I've been MIA here for the same reason.  Three weeks ago, my DBIL and nephew were visiting from New Zealand.  They stayed a couple of days.  Two weeks ago my DSIL and her husband were here for 8 days from Colorado.  Now, my other DBIL is here and will be visiting for another couple of weeks.  My grocery bill was over $350 in the month of May.  But as you say, having the visits was well worth it!! 

[dancinmama]

Jun 1, 2014 19:38:17 GMT -5 FreeSalsa said:

Hi Dancin, you use Coffee Mate creamer, right?  Hope this helps.

www.thecentsableshoppin.com/new-coffee-mate-coupon-1-at-walgreens-2-at-frys/

Hot Tamale:  What a sweetie you are to think of me.    I really appreciate it. 

This product is a perfect example of how the GO really saves my butt when it comes to the cost of our groceries.  Last week I got 32 oz. liquid flavored coffeemate for $1.49/bottle - no coupons and no limits.  I can't get the price anywhere else even after coupons.  The only way I was ever able to get coffeemate cheaper is when they had it on sale at WAGs and I'd use coupons and RRs get an 8 oz. bottle for $0 - $.50/ea.

That same day I also picked up double packs of Philly 1/3 Less Fat for $.97/ea.

I feel sooooo lucky to have the GO and the 99 Cent Store - and right across the street from each other!!    

[dancinmama]

Just got back from the GO.  My find for the week was 1# boxes of C&H powdered sugar @ 2/$.97.   I always make my own cake frosting so I picked up (4).

[marvholly]

I have decided to skip the chicken in favor of investing in coffee this week. WAAAY to many news stories about bad/sick coffee bean crops.

[dancinmama]

Jun 5, 2014 6:30:18 GMT -5 marvholly said:

I have decided to skip the chicken in favor of investing in coffee this week. WAAAY to many news stories about bad/sick coffee bean crops.

Good idea.  Who knows how high coffee will get.  There was a report of a drought in Brazil a couple of months ago that was also supposed to effect their coffee crops.

Whenever I hear any news of a shortage of something - cotton, coffee, peanuts, etc., I don't necessarily stockpile the product, but I buy enough to get us through 6 months to a year.  When I heard about the cotton crop a couple of years ago, the next time I went to Costco, I bought DH extra socks and underwear.

[marvholly]

Jun 5, 2014 9:09:29 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Jun 5, 2014 6:30:18 GMT -5 marvholly said:

I have decided to skip the chicken in favor of investing in coffee this week. WAAAY to many news stories about bad/sick coffee bean crops.

Good idea.  Who knows how high coffee will get.  There was a report of a drought in Brazil a couple of months ago that was also supposed to effect their coffee crops.

Whenever I hear any news of a shortage of something - cotton, coffee, peanuts, etc., I don't necessarily stockpile the product, but I buy enough to get us through 6 months to a year.  When I heard about the cotton crop a couple of years ago, the next time I went to Costco, I bought DH extra socks and underwear.

Its not only the drought.  There was a news story here a day or 3 ago about some illness hitting the coffee crop too.

Also, both Folgers & Hills announced price increases within the past week.

I have a 10 oz of folgers I am using, fresh 30 oz can of hills, 2 bags of Dunkin (kids gave me) on hand.  Local market has S & W on special for $6.  That is enough for 8-10 moonths for me.

Of course, we both realize if conditions/crops improve the price will NOT go down.  Never does once mfg/stores find out they can get the higher prices.

[dancinmama]

Jun 6, 2014 5:28:19 GMT -5 marvholly said:

Jun 5, 2014 9:09:29 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Good idea.  Who knows how high coffee will get.  There was a report of a drought in Brazil a couple of months ago that was also supposed to effect their coffee crops.

Whenever I hear any news of a shortage of something - cotton, coffee, peanuts, etc., I don't necessarily stockpile the product, but I buy enough to get us through 6 months to a year.  When I heard about the cotton crop a couple of years ago, the next time I went to Costco, I bought DH extra socks and underwear.

Its not only the drought.  There was a news story here a day or 3 ago about some illness hitting the coffee crop too.

Also, both Folgers & Hills announced price increases within the past week.

I have a 10 oz of folgers I am using, fresh 30 oz can of hills, 2 bags of Dunkin (kids gave me) on hand.  Local market has S & W on special for $6.  That is enough for 8-10 moonths for me.

Of course, we both realize if conditions/crops improve the price will NOT go down.  Never does once mfg/stores find out they can get the higher prices.

Generally that seems to be the case, or for an extended period of time anyway. 

And yes, I did hear the news story about the diseased crops - that in addition to the previously reported drought in Brazil.

[dancinmama]

SAFEWAY SHOPPERS

Just saw this on WUC to get Naked Juice cheaply:

Go into your J4U coupon center under beverages.

Add the following coupons to your account:
BUY 2/GET 2 15.2 oz. Naked Juice
Save $2/2 15.2 oz. Protein Naked Juice
Save $1.50/1 an 15.2 oz. Naked Juice

It is reported that you will get (4) for $.12/ea. because the B2G2 takes off the regular price, not the sales price.  Otherwise they would be $.75/ea.

[FreeSalsa]

I also had visitors, murpath, and had to buy extra food.  Gee, it's much easier to shop when you just buy what's at the store and don't worry about how much it costs or where it's from, or whether you have a coupon.  

At Sprouts they had organic coconut oil, 14 oz., regularly $8, half off, with a store Q, making it $2.  I also got a rain check and the in-ad store Q is good all month--saved 75%.

There is also a Q for a free package of Sprouts cookies.  They were out of the Oreo type but they also had oatmeal, sugar, and snicker doodle.  I'll grab one or two each time I go this month.

[FreeSalsa]

Jun 6, 2014 12:31:10 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

SAFEWAY SHOPPERS

Just saw this on WUC to get Naked Juice cheaply:

Go into your J4U coupon center under beverages.

Add the following coupons to your account:
BUY 2/GET 2 15.2 oz. Naked Juice
Save $2/2 15.2 oz. Protein Naked Juice
Save $1.50/1 an 15.2 oz. Naked Juice

It is reported that you will get (4) for $.12/ea. because the B2G2 takes off the regular price, not the sales price.  Otherwise they would be $.75/ea.

Oooh, yay, I like this juice.

[saveinla]

J4U shoppers - check your accounts. In addition to the juice deal above, I also got 3 free items - chips, gatorade protein drink and a box of Horizon Mac and Cheese

[FreeSalsa]

So we've decided to move when the lease is up in two months.  My parents were here and helped start the packing of the things we won't need in the next few months:  books, picture frames, tuna.  Yes, I packed a whole LARGE box of tuna, mac and cheese, cereal, brita filters, soup, and other boxed and canned goods that won't be eaten by the time we move.  I decided not to buy any more of that stuff until we move and just eat everything that we have.  Then they had the free Sprouts cookies….  I just hate having to pack and move food, even if it was a good price.

Dilemma…pause the newspaper subscription since I won't need Qs for shopping or keep it going so I have newspaper to wrap things in?  A friend suggested buying 1000 sheets of "newsprint" for $10 at Lowes but the frugal environmentalist in me says it's a waste to pay for and support the industry that cuts down trees to make paper to wrap stuff in with the purpose of throwing it away afterward.  At least the newspaper is already in use.  I'm already out of all the papers I had so I'm going to need something.

[marvholly]

FreeSalsa
how big a sheet is the paper at Lowes. As it happens I can still buy the Sun paper for $1 but I KNOW that is not 100 sheets any week BUT they are BIG, sort of double sheets. Also, some of the coupons ARE for non-food items. Our hardware store generally has an ad w/coupons. Some of the fast food places have coupons and you WILL sometimes be pushed for meals in the crazyness of packing & moving.

I'm guessing I would probably keep it going.















Lowes

[dancinmama]

Jun 6, 2014 20:14:19 GMT -5 saveinla said:

J4U shoppers - check your accounts. In addition to the juice deal above, I also got 3 free items - chips, gatorade protein drink and a box of Horizon Mac and Cheese

DS got only the mac and cheese.  DH and my mom got nothing.

DS also got a $5/$20.  It doesn't expire until the 19th, so another ad will come out before it expires.

[marvholly]

I do miss my Safeway store. It is the only one I EVER found clearance meat at regularly. I did find a little clearance produce at Meijer (regional chain in midwest) on Fri. Good thing as all other salad stuff was really $$$.

[dancinmama]

Jun 8, 2014 6:27:34 GMT -5 marvholly said:

I do miss my Safeway store. It is the only one I EVER found clearance meat at regularly. I did find a little clearance produce at Meijer (regional chain in midwest) on Fri. Good thing as all other salad stuff was really $$$.

I don't know about these days, but from what I've read on WUC, in days past, Meijer has had some pretty awesome deals with MCs and mperks (I think they're called) and if I'm remembering correctly, they take competitor coupons (like from Target, WAGs, etc.). 

I realize that not all grocery stores within the same chain operate the same way though (i.e. some Safeways offer doubles and some don't; mine doesn't) so maybe your Meijer operated(s) differently. 

[FreeSalsa]

Jun 7, 2014 5:26:38 GMT -5 marvholly said:

FreeSalsa
how big a sheet is the paper at Lowes. As it happens I can still buy the Sun paper for $1 but I KNOW that is not 100 sheets any week BUT they are BIG, sort of double sheets. Also, some of the coupons ARE for non-food items. Our hardware store generally has an ad w/coupons. Some of the fast food places have coupons and you WILL sometimes be pushed for meals in the crazyness of packing & moving.

I'm guessing I would probably keep it going.

Lowes

I'm not sure how big they are.  Probably about the same size as the double sheets of newspaper.  Good point about the fast food coupons.  We don't eat a lot of fast food but we will be pressed for meals so we might eat a few.  

I've been busy today sorting and packing and trying to get rid of things.  I hope to make a few bucks selling some stuff.

Saveinla, do you have an active Staples account?

[FreeSalsa]

Biggest savings this week came from clothing.  One, I washed a load of mostly sheets, towels, and a few other things, but I didn't dry them in the dryer, I dried them outside.  Savings $1.25.  Hey, it all adds up.

But here's the big one.  My wedding dress has been hanging on the back of the closet door, dirty, for 2 and a half years, waiting to be cleaned.  First, I procrastinated.  Then, I found out that getting a wedding dress cleaned costs $200-300.  Then I read that you could clean it yourself and I procrastinated some more.  When my parents were here this weekend, my mom and I cleaned it ourselves with products we already had around the house.  Didn't spend a penny.  Well, I did buy that Woolite with a 30% off Q from CVS but I'm returning it because we never had to put it through the washer.  In addition, my mom found a box, about the size of a dress box, large and flat, in a dumpster.  I think it must have had a flat screen TV in it or some kind of electronics like that.  We used regular, Christmas, white tissue paper and boxed it up.  If I decide to keep the dress, I will invest in some acid-free paper, but I'm leaning toward selling it, now that it's clean!  Savings:  $200-300!

Happy dance!  

[saveinla]

Freesalsa,

Yes. I do have an active Staples account.

[rubyslippers]

I found tear pad coupons at Walmart for $2/3 American Greeting cards ($1.00 or more) expiring June 15.  I used the coupons at Dollar General and stocked up by getting 12 cards for $4.00.

My Rite Aid account had two $5.00 UPs from prescriptions filled.  With that, I used a few rain checks and got 2 jars Jif, 3 Dawn dish detergents, 1 lb. almonds, 1 Hellmann's mayo and 2 dozen eggs.  I spent $.14 OOP and saved $18.99.  I have enough UPs left to roll next week for free toothpaste.

At Walmart, I stocked up on ketchup for $.59 each by price matching a local grocery store and milk for $2.50 a gallon.  I got a free bottle of Kraft dressing by price matching and using an IPQ.

Strawberries are available at our local farmer's market, and I bought enough to make 2 batches of strawberry jam, freeze some for the freezer and some to eat fresh.  It's the only time of the year that I buy strawberries because I just can't eat the ones sold in stores.  This wasn't a frugal purchase but was worth every penny spent.  Next year I'm hoping to get strawberries from my strawberry patch.   

[saveinla]

I bought 2- 25$ Sears GC at RA to get the 10$ Up. I will be using the Up to get 2 Aveeno lotions and 1 Bengay and get back 8 Up and then probably finish it off by getting some coffee and water.

[FreeSalsa]

Jun 8, 2014 20:43:43 GMT -5 saveinla said:

Freesalsa,

Yes. I do have an active Staples account.

Cool.  I have to check on something and then I'll send you a PM, probably next week.

[FreeSalsa]

I cleaned out my coupon inserts stash, hanging around since September.  Turns out, they can be used as packing material.  Like for those little corners that need to be filled so stuff doesn't move around, or inside wine glasses.  Store ads work too.  I might just ask at Sprouts tomorrow since it's the last day of the sale, if they have extras they are planning to throw out.

[FreeSalsa]

My Walgreens had Nice eggs 99c/doz.  this week.  I didn't notice them in the ad but they were in the store.  My mom tried her store in AZ and it was not the same.  Must be a regional deal, but worth a look if you're passing by a Wags.  Maybe I'll try for another rain check too.

[dancinmama]

Free Salsa:  Darn.  When I went to the GO yesterday, the same 32 oz. bottle of liquid Coffeemate that I paid $1.49 for last week, was $.87 this week.  There were two left so I grabbed 'em.

rubyslippers:  I was a little disappointed that they didn't have the Home Improvement GCs this time around for Father's Day at RA.  Last year that's about the only deal I did at RA - both at Father's Day and at Christmas. 

[dancinmama]

Jun 12, 2014 8:56:29 GMT -5 FreeSalsa said:

My Walgreens had Nice eggs 99c/doz.  this week.  I didn't notice them in the ad but they were in the store.  My mom tried her store in AZ and it was not the same.  Must be a regional deal, but worth a look if you're passing by a Wags.  Maybe I'll try for another rain check too.

Thanks for the heads up.  Maybe your store ordered too many for the last sale and needs to get rid of them.  In any case, I'm going to check it out at my store.  We go through a lot of eggs.

[Sam_2.0]

FreeSalsa - we are moving also. Does your city have the yellow & green paper recycling bins outside of the schools & churches? As long as it's been dry recently that's not a bad place to "dumpster dive" for packing materials.

I think I may jump back in to the CVS/Wags game once we get moved. We are moving over to the city with the NICE CVS stores!! They take expired ECB and everything Our current city treats people like criminals and limits us to 4 coupons TOTAL (including ECB) per TX. Just because the manager is a PITA. Grrrrr. I have some diapers left in our stockpile, but I've realized that Baby J will need more than the 3 packs that I have And our supplies of HBA items are finally starting to dwindle after 3 years of being in "grocery game retirement".

[marvholly]

sam
I would have contacted CVS corp about the coupon/ECB limits your CVS is imposing. It is TOTALLY against CVS policy & he needs to be leashed in.

[dancinmama]

Jun 12, 2014 14:55:29 GMT -5 Sam_2.0 said:

FreeSalsa - we are moving also. Does your city have the yellow & green paper recycling bins outside of the schools & churches? As long as it's been dry recently that's not a bad place to "dumpster dive" for packing materials.

I think I may jump back in to the CVS/Wags game once we get moved. We are moving over to the city with the NICE CVS stores!! They take expired ECB and everything Our current city treats people like criminals and limits us to 4 coupons TOTAL (including ECB) per TX. Just because the manager is a PITA. Grrrrr. I have some diapers left in our stockpile, but I've realized that Baby J will need more than the 3 packs that I have And our supplies of HBA items are finally starting to dwindle after 3 years of being in "grocery game retirement".

Wow!!  That's unbelievable.  It would rule out most of the scenarios/transactions that I used to do.  Did you ever call CS about the manager.  Their thinking is pretty short-sighted since CVS gets reimbursed for MCs.