Weekly shopping - we barely eeked it out!

1 Deans cottage cheese was $1.89 for .99
3 Shamrock milks was $4.17 for FREE
2 Breyers ice cream was $10.98 for $4.98
2 Mission tortilla 8" shells was $5.18 for $3.18 (should have been $1.58)
3 El Monterey Tornadoes was $8.37 for $3.00
5 Kraft Velveeta Shells was $9.35 for $4.95
1 Double Stuf Oreo was $4.19 for $1.99
4 packages (appx 8lbs) split breasts was $24.84 for $7.40

Okay - so the highlighted items are what prices SHOULD HAVE BEEN with the Mega Sale Marsh had going on.  I'm going to have to look at the ad but I'm thinking we should have had $5.00 off our bill for purchasing 10 Mega Sale items (the seven listed above plus a pizza and I'm not sure what the other two items where).  I tried to call Marsh just now about it but no one answered.  I'll be going there tomorrow!

We also bought things like sour cream, milk, OJ, rice, yogurt, black beans, bread, eggs, and some fresh fruits.

All totaled we spent $78.30 (had $2 from my mom for her gallon of milk) and saved $54.48 which was 41% - which if I'm right about our Mega Sale items should be a bit different!

So, only $1.30 over budget as of right now - I'm hoping that will change after tomorrow.

Weekly shopping at Marsh - not bad but not exactly good either.

We shopped kidless yesterday!  She's such a good shopper though, I actually kind of missed her.  She doesn't make us buy anymore (or spend any less).  Here's what we got:

2 Doritos was $7.98 for $3.99 (B1G1 FREE)
2 Wavy Lays was $7.98 for $4.00 (2/$4.00)
4 Food Club shredded cheese was $11.56 for $6.68
2 Lipton Rice and Beans was $2.60 for $1.98

We also bought garlic toast, taco season, sour cream, biscuits, lunch meat, yogurt, milk, buns, Coke Zero and fresh fruits and veggies.

Total spent: 52.28
Total saved: 25.98
Percent saved: 34%

And the Coke Zero killed us! It was on sale three 12pks for $10.98 which is something I'd NEVER pay. But on the end of each 12pk was a coupon that said $1.00 off Coke Zero. I read it and reread it... It seemed to good to be true. So I was going to get three 12pks for $7.98 which is pretty much my goal price ($2.50 or less per 12pk). BUT only one coupon worked (of the three) so I paid $9.98 for three 12pks which is normally what I'd pay for FOUR 12pks. Grrrrr. Next time I'm reading the coupon better!

Weekly Marsh shopping trip...it was bad.

We completely blew the budget.  Completely!  And I thought for sure that we were going to be under budget.  Ugh.  We bought several items that weren't on sale (but we bought Food Club brand - we needed things like butter, sour cream, cheese slices, OJ, yogurt, cream cheese, and eggs).  We bought one item that had the tag listed as $1.77 but rang $2.99 (and I didn't go back because I was too tired to fight over $1.22).  And then I only had three coupons...

1 each Charmin and Bounty - $5.49 for each (used two coupons for these two items)
1 Aunt Millie's Slimwiches was $2.99 for $1.34 (this was the other item I had a coupon for)

And along with other items like cottage cheese, Pillsbury dough items (for two different meals this week), milk, western ribs, black beans, fresh fruits and veggies, lunch meat from the deli, some pasta salad and some Lipton soup onion mix (for meatloaf this week) and we spent $84.14 - almost $10 over budget!  Our savings were $23.00 or a measly 22% - sad, huh?

Here's hoping for a better week next week!

And we can't forget about Marsh - a quick trip and regular weekly shopping!

Saturday after work I swung by Marsh to see what meat was on sale, but after Brian working until 5am (Friday night shift...ended Saturday morning) and getting next to no sleep, he decided fried chicken from the deli was just as good.  I got fried chicken, pasta salad and a chef salad from the deli and a gallon of milk for $14.48, saving $1.89 or 12%.  This is just another reason to make me really want to try out e-mealz!

Our regular weekly shopping on Sunday went pretty well.

6 Mentos gum was $9.54 for $2.94
3 Barilla pastas was $4.29 for $3.00
9 Kellogg's cereal (Frosted Mini Wheats and Frosted Flakes) was $35.37 for $13.41 (plus am getting a $10 mail in rebate for purchasing 10 Kellogg's items)
2 Kellogg's Eggo waffles was $5.10 for $2.55 (B1G1 FREE)
2 Frank's hot sauce was $2.50 for -$1.00 (yep, got paid $.50 for each bottle)

And of course we got things like canned tuna, canned tomatoes (Red Gold 10/$10), yogurt, lunch meat, frozen corn, mac 'n' cheese, black beans, jelly, Food Club jalapeno dressing, taco seasoning, fresh fruits and veggies and more milk too. 

Of course, after so many trips to Walmart and Marsh already (and having had extra money from the last two weeks) we were down to just $62 in the grocery envelope.  I was actually kinda sweatin' it when we were checking out.  Our total? 

$62.25

Yep, we had to dig a quarter out of Brian's pocket to finish out trip.

We saved:  $40.72 or 40% - not the best but honestly, better than I was expecting.

So I'm planning on setting back $15 from the next budget and getting a three-month subscription to e-mealz.  I'll let you know how it goes!

I have NOT been feeling Marsh here lately.

Heck.  Who am I kidding?  I haven't been feeling any deals here lately.  No CVS, no Kroger (well on occasion).  I did hit up Walgreens last week but that's been about it.  We've got to Marsh with no plan, no coupons pulled, no nothing.  And it shows...

I didn't even get anything to really "brag" about.  Ugh.  We bought Marsh shredded cheese, fresh fruit and veggies, deli lunch meat, Cheddar Pasta salad (for the girl!), Mentos, pizza crust (and then remembered when we got home that our oven DOESN'T work), yogurt, baking potatoes, Kellogg's cereals, eggs, sour cream, milk and pork loin.

All said we spent $50.13 and saved $14.80 - a measly 23%.  See - there is something wrong with me!  e-mealz is looking better and better all the time - a menu plan already made up with the shopping list included?  Yeah - sounds like my kinda plan right now.

And our regular weekly Marsh trip

was almost a bust.  Brian still isn't feeling well (going on day 11 now) and there just wasn't much that I even wanted sale wise.  I was going to buy some boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pound them thinner (because they are so thick) and then freeze in baggies with marinade but Brian thought that'd be a bad idea.  I didn't want to tell him, "the girls on the Internet do it" because then he'd just roll his eyes at me.  So we got some basics and few other things...

2 gallons Marsh milk was $5.38 for $4.00
4 Knorr rice products was $5.20 for $3.00
1 Vlasic dill pickle for $2.50
2 Ragu pasta sauces was $5.56 for $3.70
1 Aunt Millie bread was $2.99 for $1.70

Along with orange juice, sour cream, canned pineapple, bananas, canned veggies, 2ct Sharpie marker (1/2 price) and some Bounty paper towel (used rain check and coupon to get 8roll pack for only $4.99) and spent a total of $30.45.  We saved $13.03 or 30% all together - this does not include the savings on the paper towel though because Marsh rings rain checks funky).

And once again - it is times like these I am SO thankful for our stockpile.

Weekly shopping at Marsh (plus a quick trip on Saturday too)

Saturday I stopped by Marsh on my way home to get some ground chuck.  We had some at home in the freezer but I was hungry, Brian wasn't feeling well and I didn't want to take the time to thaw what we had.  Since it was on sale (at my ideal price) I went ahead and stopped to get some fresh.  I also had to grab a few limes for our homemade pico de gallo (yum!).

4 pkgs ground chuck at $1.68/lb - $13.14
limes - $2.00

Total spent was $15.14 and I saved $12.59 or 45%.


And then on Sunday after church, I went with LeeAnn (Brian still wasn't feel well!) to get our regular groceries plus a few things we needed for our Christmas in July dinner. 

4 12pks Mt Dew Code Red was $20.36 for $10.00
2 Wavy Lays was $7.98 for $3.99
4 Creamette pastas was $6.76 for $4.00
6 pkgs ground chuck at $1.68/lb - $10.95
2 pkgs chuck steak at $1.98/lb - $5.56
1 Hormel pork roast was $5.99 for $2.99

sugar - $3.15
bag of ice - $1.89
rice - $ 2.19
minced onions - $4.29
french fried onions - $4.39
Jiffy corn mix - $.44
red bell pepper - $1.88
Marsh bread - $.99
(all for the Christmas dinner I prepared yesterday - $19.22)

Fresh fruits and veggies, bread, buns, milk, eggs, cheddar pasta salad (of course!) and lunch meat made up  the rest of the trip.  Total spent was $82.72 and I saved $46.16 or 36%. 

If you add up these two trips, plus my Kroger trip from Saturday - you'll see I went over budget.  Part of that was because I'd had leftover money from the last two weeks but then after yesterday's trip to Marsh - I still went over by about $10.  Not exactly what I wanted to do to myself but we had such a good dinner last night - I'm way okay with it.

Weekly shopping - at Marsh of course!

As always - I love Marsh!  I walk in there and it feels like walking into the bar on the old show "Cheers".  LeeAnn goes and gives her favorite cashiers hugs and we're on our way!  This week we got:

3 California Kitchen personal pizzas for $4.50 (used those $1.00 coupons that Walmart wouldn't take because our Marsh takes expired coupons)
2 Edy's ice cream for $4.49 (on sale B1G1 FREE and had a $1.00 coupon)
2 large Marsh eggs for $1.98
2 Heluva Good dips (used our last two coupons) for $1.50
4 Food Club cream cheeses for $5.00
3 appx pounds vine ripe tomatoes for $3.11
1 Aunt Millie's bread for $1.45
4lb strawberries for $4.97

Along with sour cream, yogurt, pasta, lunch meat, fresh fruits and veggies, slice cheese, milk and some Chef Boyardee for LeeAnn and we spent $50.91, saving $41.30 or 45%. 

Weekly shopping trip - Walmart first

I don't hit up Walmart very often.  I am not a big fan of the store (which I've said more than once!).  I searched through old posts and found I was just there at the end of June, so it's only been about two weeks but I had a few coupons that were going to get me items at half price - so I went!
3 California Kitchen personal pizzas for $6.00 (had $1.00 coupons but they were expired...got the pizzas anyways - they are good and easy for work lunches)
2 30oz light Kraft Mayo for $3.50 ($2.50 each and had a $1.50 off two coupon)
2 3-way light bulbs for $2.84
4 TicTac mints for $2.08 (used two B1G1 FREE coupons)
1 pack heavy duty paper plate for $4.87
2 18ct Tampon Pearl for $3.92 ($3.96 each and used two $2.00 coupons)
2 Head and Shoulder shampoos for $4.72 ($4.72 each and used one B1G1 FREE coupon)
1 Kraft Bleu Cheese dressing for $1.00 ($2.00 each and used a $1.00 coupon)

Total spent:  $30.98
Total saved:  $13.30
Percent saved:  appx 31%

Weekly grocery shopping - Marsh

It was a quick trip this weekend.  Brian and a co-worker spent approximately 26 hours in two days (and this morning) working on re-roofing a section of our house.  It was a long, hot, drawn out process but it's done and for that we are thankful!  Because Brian was so tired after working all day (he got burnt at an auction Friday trying to buy materials for this job on top of the physical work) we went for just the basics.  Here is what we came home with:

3 StarKist tuna pouches was $4.77 for $2.00
6 Pasta Roni's was $9.72 for $6.00 (thought we had coupons but I misread them...)
3 Food Club shredded cheese was $8.37 for $5.04
2 Mission tortillas was $6.38 for $2.00 (used my last two coupons too...bummer)
2 packs Perdue split breasts was $14.74 for $4.39 (@ $.88/lb)
1 9-roll Charmin was $9.18 for $5.49
1 8-roll Bounty was $10.28 for $5.49

And of course we got the standard milk, lunch meat, bread, fresh fruit and veggies, LeeAnn's fave pasta salad and a treat (gallon of green tea) for Brian and spent all of $53.05 and saved $36.18 or 41%.  This leaves us $22 for next week's groceries (if we decide to use it) and just might keep us under budget this month!

Weekly shopping trip - should have been posted Monday.

Went to Marsh on Saturday this past week instead of Sunday. With the holiday on Sunday, we knew we were cooking out and going to the fireworks and didn't want to try to throw grocery shopping into the mix. Here's what we got:

4 Kraft shredded cheese was $14.36 for $6.76
2 Heluva Good dips was $4.98 for $1.50
2 Mt Dew Code Red 12pks was $10.18 for $3.98
2 Mission flour tortillas was $6.38 for $2.00
2 Wavy Lays was $7.98 for $3.99
3 Aunt Millies bread/buns was $9.57 for $1.54
2 Pampers wipes was $5.98 for FREE

Along with lots of ground chuck (@ $1.68/lb), lunch meat, meatballs and hotdogs, canned beans, milk and fresh fruits and veggies and we spent $70.71, saving $63.34 or 47%. Yay for under budget!

Regular weekly shopping at Marsh

And our regular weekly trip to Marsh involved Brian running out to the car for a $5 (from my blow money!) because we didn't have enough in the envelope to cover what I had bought.

1 Dixie plate was $3.75 for $1.00 (for my granny)
3 Frosted Flakes was $8.55 for $4.47
1 No Yolk noodles was $2.29 for $1.54
2 Marsh large 12ct eggs was $2.98 for $1.76
1 Aunt Millie bread was $2.99 for $1.44
2 Heluva Good dips was $4.98 for $1.50 (and these are GOOD - ohmygosh...if I had known before how good these were, I'd a been buying them a LONG time ago.)
2 Edy's ice cream was $10.98 for $4.49
4 Uncle Ben's Ready Rice was $10.20 for $7.96 (not the best price, but better than full price)
2 YoPlus 4ct yogurts was $5.00 for $2.00
2 Bar-S bologna was $1.98 for $.98
1 Lawry's marinade was $3.29 for $.99

All that along with milk, marked-down pork tenderloin (saved more than 50%), a yogurt for shorty (an M&M one), lasagna, fresh fruits and veggies and Shorty's favorite pasta salad from the deli and we spent $49.41, saving 39% or $32.05 for the day.

We hit up Marsh for our normal weekly shopping...

We didn't get much really, or at least it didn't seem like we did.

5 Eckrich smoked sausage was $20.95 for $7.25
2 Armor meatballs was $7.58 for $5.00
2 Wavy Lays was $7.98 for $4.00
1 Aunt Millie's Slimwiches was $2.99 for $1.70
2lbs strawberries was $5.89 for $2.98

Along with ricotta cheese, yogurt, sour cream, frozen corn, lunch meat, fresh fruits and veggies, black beans, ranch seasoning, roasted red peppers and milk and we spent $55.06, saving 32% or $25.51, a measly amount in my eyes.

But there were a few things we bought that weren't on sale and I didn't have a coupon for (which is highly unusual). Items like the frozen corn, sour cream, black beans, roasted red peppers and ranch seasoning were all full price with no coupons. I knew though that we weren't going to spend our full budget (just because the sale was lacking in my opinion) and decided to get a few things we wouldn't normally.

I used the black beans and roasted red peppers to make a parmesan black bean dip (I had the rest of the ingredients in my pantry - only needed parmesan cheese, italian dressing and green onions (which we left out)). We hadn't had it for a long time but had a bag of Lime tortilla chips open and it sounded good so that's what we did!

We've saved $1300.86 at Marsh alone this year.

Regular weekly shopping...

was a GOOD trip - we stayed under budget for the week.  Woohoo!  Brian hates when I get a stockpiling bee in my bonnet but it makes so much sense.  Really, it does.  Here's what we got:

8 Cheez-Its (the smaller boxes) was $23.92 for $3.92
2 Keebler sticks was $7.98 for $1.99
2 Keebler NutCrisps was $7.58 for $1.79
(so 12 boxes of crackers for $7.70 - only $.64/box!)

1 Charmin Ultra 9roll was $9.18 for $5.99
3 OreIda fries was $11.34 for $5.00
2 pork loins was $21.17 for $12.16

And of course the staples like fresh fruits and veggies, lunch meat, deli salad (Shorty's FAVE!), pickle spears (Claussen's - 'cause they were on sale), yogurt, eggs, bread and milk and we spent only $59.25 - saving 51% or $61.38 for the week!

I had guesstimated our cart before picking up the toilet paper at $50 and the TP was $6 so I didn't do too bad on the guess.  Now we've got $15 extra dollars to use for next week if we decide to do so.  I wonder if we should try to spend only the $15?  Hmmmm...that might be quite the challenge!

Regular weekly grocery shopping... Ugh.

If we don't quit blowing budget, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with myself! This is the second week in a row that we have WAY blown the budget. I even had to use the debit card...I had no other cash with me. Dang it. Well - here's what we got!

Bounty was $10.28 for $5.99
Charmin was $9.18 for $5.99
11 cans Stokely's veggies was $11.55 for $5.50 (eight being donated to church)
4 cans Libby's fruit was $7.40 for $4.00 (donated to church)
1 Food Club black pepper was $3.59 for $1.80 (closeout - marked 50% off)
2 Ken's marinades was $5.98 for $2.99 (B1G1 FREE)
10 Kraft Velveeta shells and cheese was $18.70 for $9.90
2 Shamrock Farms milk was $2.78 for $0.00 (FREE!)
2 Edy's ice cream was $10.98 for $2.98
3 Tombstone pizzas was $17.34 for $8.97
2 Dean's gallon milk was $5.98 for $3.98
2 Lawry's marinades was $6.58 for 3.29 (closeout - marked 50% off)

Along with slice cheese, lunch meat, yogurt, cottage cheese, cream cheese, bread and fresh fruits and veggies we spent $95.35 and saved $69.60 or 42%. Not spectacular but not too bad either...at least the savings part of it. The spending part is killing me though. We have GOT to behave these next few weeks!

And our regular weekly Marsh trip built the stockpile some too...

1 8roll Bounty was $10.28 for $5.99
1 Bounty napkin was $3.69 for $2.49
1 12roll Charmin Ultra was $9.18 for $5.99
6 1lb+ packs ground chuck was $24.31 for $13.89
4 12pk Mountain Dew was $20.36 for $10.00
2 Kraft 100cal cheese snacks was $5.98 for $2.00
4 Sweet Baby Rays dipping sauces was $15.32 for $6.67
1 Lawry's marinade was $3.29 for $.98
1 Aunt Millie's bread was $2.99 for $1.45
1 Aunt Millie's buns was $2.69 for $.44
3 Keebler Wheatable nut crackers was $11.37 for $3.47
1 Mach3 8ct razor blade was $19.98 for $9.99 (50% off - closeout)
1 Azteca (?) flour tortilla was $3.19 for $1.00

Along with milk, pasta, sour cream, eggs, lunch meat and some fresh fruit and veggies we spent a total of $93.37 - almost $20.00 over budget!  But we knew going into this weekend that we were going to do some big time stockpiling and that's what we did.  We saved $73.54 or 45% - so not too shabby.  Yes, we went over budget but we got several items that we use regularly that we shouldn't need for some time now. 

I went to the basement last night for a couple things and was like WHOA - look at our shelves!  It was nice to be able to go to the basement and get everything we needed for the dinner we had planned from the freezer/shelves and not have to scramble to go to the store for food.  THAT and the fact that we save so much money is why we stockpile!

Our customary weekly shopping trip at Marsh...

3 Food Club shredded cheese was $8.07 for $5.04
1 Green Giant steamers was $1.99 for $.20
1 Marsh egg was $1.59 for -$.12 (yep, got paid for the eggs!)
2 Kraft Nut Crisp crackers was $7.58 for $2.98
9 Hamburger Helper was $14.67 for $2.16
4 Cocoa Pebbles was $11.96 for $4.64
2 Mission tortilla shells was $6.38 for $2.00
1 Aunt Millie's slim sandwiches was $2.99 for $1.84
1 Snuggle fabric softener was $4.69 for $.49
1 Fritos scoops was $2.99 for $1.48
1 Fritos jalepeno cheese dip was $2.79 for $1.48

Total spent: 68.64
Total saved: 57.20
Percentage: 46%

Woohoo!

Weekly grocery trip to Marsh

We hit Marsh in the midst of our shopping spree on Sunday...  Here's what I got:

1 Tyson boneless, skinless frozen breast tenderloins was $8.99 for $4.98
2 gallons Marsh milk was $5.38 for $4.00
2 Wavy Lays was $7.98 for $4.00
4 4pk DelMonte diced peaches was $11.56 for $5.00 (I think - due to having rain checks I don't have the actual price on these - I'm thinking $2.89 is about normal...which will throw off my final savings)
6 Stokely's canned carrots was $6.30 for $3.00 (also had rain checks for these - which will throw off my final savings)
4 Creamette pastas (spaghetti and elbow) was $6.76 for $4.00
4 Armour meatballs was $15.16 for $7.80

Total spent was 56.84, total saved (receipt says) $25.62 or 31%. My actual savings was more like $35.48 or 38% savings.

Weekly Marsh shopping trip...

We hit Marsh up on Saturday instead of Sunday this past weekend because we knew with Sunday being Mother's Day our day would go a little differently than normal.  We went in needing only milk and bread and lunch meat, of course we came out with more than that because there were a few items I just couldn't pass up!
9 Snuggle fabric softener was $42.21 for $4.41 (yes, yes - only $.49 per bottle thanks to the recent $3.00 Snuggle coupon!)
2 Perdue boneless, skinless chicken breasts was $25.43 for $12.02
2 Kraft singles was $4.98 for $3.00
4 Stokely's canned veggies was $4.20 for $2.00
1.5lb Sara Lee deli lunch meat was $11.84 for $9.22
1 Sara Lee bread was $1.79 for $0.00 (FREE coupon in deli when purchasing 1lb Sara Lee deli meat)

And along with yogurt, milk, wheat bread and fresh fruits and veggies we spent $51.19, saving $68.84 or 58%.  I am loving these $3.00 Snuggle coupons!  The savings with those coupons is ridiculous (in a totally good way!). 

When it was all said and done - of the $75.00 in grocery money this week I spent $75.98.  It's a good thing I keep loose change in my purse in case of a cash crunch!

The rest of my weekly budget was spent this past Thursday at Kroger.

There were a few things that really caught my eye at Kroger this week too so I had to split my budget and get some things there as well. 

2 Driscolls blackberries was $5.98 for $2.00
1 Mentos gum was $1.59 for $.45
2 Simply Orange juice (smaller bottles) was $3.38 for $2.00 (at Brian's request)
2 Kroger gallon milks was $4.98 for $3.96
3 Kroger dressings was $3.72 for $3.00
3 packages 3+lbs ground chuck was $29.57 for $17.45

So, all in all I spent 28.93 and saved $20.36 or 41%.