Since I quit my job my new goal was to save $ where I could, especially groceries. The first few months were tough settling into a new home because even though we had everything we needed, it was amazing how many NEW things the new house did need. So when we had to buy a new $100 toilet right off the bat since this one was broke, I like to try and justify the spending by the savings.
Some months I do very well and others...not. Some months the grocery stores have everything I use. Other months they don't have anything I use and I end up paying full price.
Sundays: I used to buy the newspaper to clip the coupons and read the paper, but w/ littles around I don't take the time to read the paper, and sometimes the coupons aren't enough to justify a $2 paper. Instead I go to free coupon websites and print out my own. I then checkout the grocer ads of Marketplace, Lueken's, Walgreen's, & Walmart online. They may have an item on sale for .50 off then I have a manufacturer's coupon for another .50 off. Walgreen's has a lot of items B1G1 free or 50% off and they have a lot of groceries too. I use my Walgreen's customer (not credit) card and save up points -- I got $50 off my bill in September by saving up my earned points. Marketplace uses stamps that can be traded in for $1 off per filled card, and Tuesdays are double-stamp day.
Even with our special diets, we can get a lot of items on sale when looking close enough.
Many of my meal ideas come from sale items. If ground beef is on sale, that's what we're having. However watching prices helps too. Some places had B1G1 free turkeys in Nov, but they were >$2/lb. December they were under $1/lb. Sounds too good to be true, and it was once you realize it wasn't a good buy. I found an awesome butcher shop today and went crazy on home-smoked bacon, wieners, and beef. It was slightly more expensive, but better quality meat. I also bought Chex cereal on sale so we'll be eating that for breakfast as well as experimenting with making puppy chow, per my husband's request.
My kids clothes come from my gf's garage sale or I buy out of season. Today I saved $4 on snow pants for E for this year/next year because they have their winter items marked down.
Gas: I buy Walmart gift cards and use them @ the gas pumps and save .03/gal. Plus Murphy Gas is usually .03+ cheaper than other places in town anyway -- so that's a .06/gal savings.
I started a spread sheet to keep track of my savings to see if it was worth my time Sunday nights. Nov I forgot to document until mid month. Turns out it is worth my time when I save between $127 to $197/mo. I also like to look @ the % I'm saving on my total bill. Love it when I can save 40% on my grocery bill!!
I started a spread sheet to keep track of my savings to see if it was worth my time Sunday nights. Nov I forgot to document until mid month. Turns out it is worth my time when I save between $127 to $197/mo. I also like to look @ the % I'm saving on my total bill. Love it when I can save 40% on my grocery bill!!
| October | MarketPlace | $40.00 | |
| 4 | MurphyUSAgas | $0.20 | |
| 12 | MurphyUSAgas | $0.52 | |
| 10 | Office Max | $7.28 | |
| 9 | MurphyUSAgas | $0.57 | |
| 7 | MarketPlace | $40.00 | 26.00% |
| 12 | Walgreens | $33.00 | 34 |
| 16 | MarketPlace | $45.61 | 27.00% |
| 15 | Menards | $20.00 | freezer |
| 17 | murphyUSAgas | $0.60 | |
| 23 | MarketPlace | $9.00 | |
| 26 | murphyUSAgas | $0.45 | $197.23 |
| November | MarketPlace | $64.00 | 35.00% |
| 23 | Walgreens | $21.05 | 22.00% |
| 23 | MarketPlace | $18.10 | 29.00% |
| 23 | Wal-mart | $3.00 | |
| 23 | Lueken's | $21.75 | 34.00% |
| $127.90 | |||
| December | |||
| 2 | Walmart | $1.00 | |
| 2 | MarketPlace | $43.23 | 38.00% |
| 2 | Luekens | $19.73 | 40.00% |
| 11 | Lueken's | $12.81 | 11.00% |
| 14 | MurphyUSAgas | $3.55 | |
| 15 | MarketPlace | $30.62 | 38.00% |
| 18 | Walmart | $7.50 | |
| 23 | MurphyUSAgas | $1.54 | |
| 26 | MurphyUSAgas | $1.56 | |
| 26 | Wal-mart | $12.11 | groc |
| 26 | Wal-mart | $31.44 | household |
| $165.09 |
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