I was so happy that my careful planning paid off yesterday. I went shopping then in order to avoid the holiday weekend crowds (and my birthday). I shopped at two stores from my planned list (plus a few add on items due to shopping with husband and 2 kids).
Two weeks worth of shopping for seven people which includes cat food, cleaning/household products and food storage put 139 items in my cart. I spent a grand total of $221.17 and saved $121.22. That is an expenditure of $15.80 per person per week which is pretty good in my book leaving me with a modest amount of milk money left to spend on dairy and a little produce as needed toward the end of the two weeks.
I do have a different way of shopping from many or maybe even most. Even though I bought a bunch of ground beef and hot dogs this trip we still enjoy all the variety that anyone else would. I have lots of chicken, ham, fish, turkey and sausage from previous times when it went on sale for $1.99 lb. or less. I buy dried beans when they go on sale or in bulk at Sam’s (depending on the type). I buy pasta when it goes on sale for .49 per lb. instead of $1.29 and that’s when I stock up on it which is separate from the time the sauce goes on sale for .98 or the tomatoes I use to make my own sauce. Even my Iams cat food (premium stuff) was 50% off yesterday so I got extra to equal the amount I usually spend during a given two week period. On my monthly trip to Sam’s club (diaper savings is more than the cost of annual membership) I pay only a dollar more for the exact same soap I’d pick out at the regular grocery and get twice as many bars!
Amazing! I know there are people who do even better than this but it is a fun challenge to stick to my own made up rules and see how much I can get for how little. And that is how I keep my grocery budget of $23 and change per person per week, including household products, pet food and stock-up pantry items.
It does feel good to see how much you can get for how little. We have to budget $17 per person a week, so we use lots of coupons and shop sales. Our grocery store usually sells ground beef and chicken breasts for 1.99 a pound and the sauce is always 99¢. We use lots of coupons and its great. Did you check out diapers on amazon? They are way cheaper than at Sam's.
ReplyDeleteMake sure to watch your diaper count when comparing prices. Size 4 diapers are 21 cents per diaper at Sam's compared to the same size same brand at Amazon selling for 24 cents per each. The savings adds up though there is something to be said for the diapers arriving on your doorstep.
ReplyDeleteI do in fact watch the price per diaper. We spend $.14 per diaper. You have to sign up with "subscribe and save" and also amazon mom's for a total of 30% off. So it is cheaper than the wholesale prices.
ReplyDeleteWe checked out the price of size 4 (we are still in size 3) and it would cost you just shy of $.17 per diaper with both amazon mom's and subscribe and save. It is a bigger savings. And arrives on your step.
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