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juststartn
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| Posted: Jan 14 2010 at 8:46pm | IP Logged
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We have two fridges, both with freezers, as well as a seperate upright freezer. We just put the milk in the spare fridge. That's also where I keep a lot of our extra cheese (our local IGA had cheeses 1 1/2 lbs for $4 back around Christmas), bulky veggies, and meat packs I need to break down into smaller portions. I picked up 9 gallons of milk today, with a use by date of 1/29. But I know it will be good, unopened, for a couple of days after that, if need be.
Today, I hit one of the IGA stores, and they had their feminine hygiene products on sale, for (basically) half off--Tampax and Always, not the store brands. Anything 12-46 ct packages (other than the Pearls and the Infinity types), as $2.58. I stocked up. Between my wonky cycles, and just figuring it is a good idea to stock up on stuff when/as I can...oldest dd is getting to an age where I'm keeping a closer eye on her development...it isn't as if these things are going to go bad, or anything...lol.
I also went ahead and picked up some of the "Always Save" frozen oj. With the freeze down there, I can expect oj and other citrus prices to rise substantially. So I know I need to "get while the gettin' is good". In this case, I spent $1.25/ea on those brands, and know that the children will at the very least have a decent occasional source of Vit C.
(Btw, tomatoes and tomato products, as well as bell peppers, and pepper products are also expected to rise, as they took HUGE hits in the weather last week--shop accordingly, ladies).
I do hit the clearance racks, shop "by ounce", check the so-called "serving size"/# of servings per package, etc. I picked up a couple of 1/2 gallon jugs of grapefruit juice for $1.25/ea. Got some Ceasar Vinaigrette with Parmesan salad dressing. A few other small things. Still, even with the milk, and the little bit I need to get tomorrow, I'll be under my $300 bi-weekly budget, and that's including the stock up on the hygiene products.
Rachel
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Married DH 4/1/95
Lily 3/11/00
Helena(Layna) 5/23/02
Sophia 4/19/04
John 5/7/07
David 5/7/07
Ava Maria, in the arms of Jesus, 9/5/08
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Jan 14 2010 at 9:10pm | IP Logged
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Quote:
| Btw, tomatoes and tomato products, as well as bell peppers, and pepper products are also expected to rise, as they took HUGE hits in the weather last week--shop accordingly, ladies |
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And plan gardens accordingly 
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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melanie
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| Posted: Jan 15 2010 at 7:56am | IP Logged
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Rachel, do you use a price book or something to keep track of prices, or do you do this in your head? I started a price book a long time ago and never finished it...now the prices I did get are probably really outdated anyway. But I have a really hard time remembering prices. The only one I really have down is my lowest price for milk (1.98/gallon at Sam's!). 
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Melanie
homeschooling Maria (13yo), Kain (10yo), Jack (5yo), Tess (2yo), and our newest blessing, Henry Robert, born 4/23!
slightlycrunchycatholic.blogspot.com
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juststartn
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| Posted: Jan 16 2010 at 8:42pm | IP Logged
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Ihave used them in the past. But honestly? I know if I can get two cans of one of the "standard three" veggies for under a dollar, its a good deal. If I can get sugar for $.40/lb or less, it is a DANG good deal. Flour I know similarly.
I don't actually buy much that I don't have it "in my head"..basic foods, really, and then I combine them different ways.
One thing I need to do, and have not done, is make some homemade vanilla--have to order the beans and by the vodka, and its not something I can do with a slew of little people in tow...lol. We can go through a 4 oz bottle of vanilla in no time flat, esp when dd gets a baking urge on.
I have found that by simplifying my purchasing, it is easier. I don't have to remember what a good price is on Hamburger Helper, because I don't buy it. I buy ground beef, egg noodles, or macaroni, etc. There are a few things I buy ready-made (cream of soups, for one) that I *could* make, but would require me to have things like mushrooms on stock, which I rarely do)...I try to hit the clearance racks at the stores, as well, so I can stock up on those odds and ends, esp condiments, for far less than 'normal'.
I think if you are the only one doing the shopping, it would not be difficult to sit down with your receipts, and write out what you regularly buy, what you ought to stock up on when it gets to a really good price, and then the rest of it? Well, the rest of it is "gravy"...
What we did, when we did do a price book, was to do a good buy, and a stock up price marker for it. That way, we only stocked up, when the price was low enough.
If you don't buy a wide variety of foods, and spend more time with spices and sauces and such (which you can make from scratch, fairly easily, 99% of the time), then you will really begin to get a feel for what is a good price, and what is not.
The sale on the feminine hygiene products, for example, was one of those things I *knew* was a deal, because I had put off stocking up, as the prices were so high. When I can get 40 tampons, for $2.59? Uh, yeah. I'm stocking up! I may not need all 320 of those tampons this year (wonky cycles will do that), but they will get used eventually, and I can guarantee, that when I went to buy them later on, they'd be at least double the price. And they don't go bad, so frankly? I've got three dds (admittedly, only the oldest is anywhere NEAR needing such things). I can hold onto them for a looong time.
Oh--and as for planning the garden? I'm doing that this next week, hopefully..lol.
Rachel
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Married DH 4/1/95
Lily 3/11/00
Helena(Layna) 5/23/02
Sophia 4/19/04
John 5/7/07
David 5/7/07
Ava Maria, in the arms of Jesus, 9/5/08
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florasita
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| Posted: Jan 18 2010 at 9:18am | IP Logged
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we don't or morally can't base our shopping on cheapness anylonger because cheap often means shopping at stores we just do not support . However we cut costs alot in buying no packaged foods as little as possible . Making food from scratch can save a bundle in itself . we do all our shop for food on days when dh is not at work usually saterday or on an evening after he is home from work . we shop mostly organic at smaller stores . so we spend at least 1/2 a day driving to all the different businesses . I wish it was like when I was younger and parents & grandparents day when communities all had there own butcher , cheese shop , grocery etc. I don't like we have to drive everywhere .
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LeeAnn
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| Posted: Jan 18 2010 at 12:07pm | IP Logged
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There are some good threads about food & grocery shopping over at the CLAA discussion boards. (I'm not sure if they're in the area you have to register to view or not.) Generally, the Michaels recommend ignoring coupons and just shopping for a more simple diet that is typically very low cost. Oatmeal for breakfast, bread & soup or one-dish meals (with small amounts of meat) for lunch/dinner, etc. This works for me and is what I've been doing in essence for a couple years now.
If I were in the OP's situation, I would continue to use the system in place (DH shopping once a week) but just make a shopping list with more frugal items.
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: shopping food sales, multiple stores
