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Home > January 9 - playing the grocery game...kind of

January 9 - playing the grocery game...kind of

January 10th, 2006 at 02:33 am

Priceplus - how true. Except it's mostly family in the league, not friends! My parents, husband, brother and his fiancee, and several cousins all bowl in the league. It's like a family reunion every week! Smile
Well, since the grocery game is not available where I live, I tried to make my own. I scoured three grocery store ads this week, clipped coupons, found some good ones on the Internet (which, it turns out, I can't use becaues the grocery store I went to did not accept them). I ended up going to the store that offered 4 "double your coupns" coupons, up to $1. None of the local stores double coupons around here, so this is a pretty good deal. Everything that I bought was either on sale or I had a coupon for, and I bought nothing that I would not normally use anyway. I only bought one thing that was not on my list, only because it was a good deal (whole wheat spaghetti - 2 lbs./$2). So the grand total is...9.30 saved with coupons, an additional $4 saved with double coupons, and 15.10 saved with the membership card...total bill, 61.19 - amount paid, 32.79. A 47% savings. I know some people do a lot better, but I don't think this is too bad for not having double coupons! Plus I managed to stay away from the really cheap foods that are terrible for you (i.e. Ramen noodles). Among the best buys:
Degree deodorant $.99 cents each - coupon to save $1.50 on two, total cost = $.24 each.
Kashi cereal on clearance $1.59 - $1.00 coupon (not doubled) = $.59
Del monte tomatoes and College Inn broth (I use a ton of both to make soup, although I usually buy generic) $.89/can - $1.00/6 (doubled) = 12 cans for 6.68. But here's the good part - they have a deal where you can get $5 back on 15 cans or $10 back on twenty. So if I find a similar deal one more time before April, I will end up paying only a few dollars for twenty cans. I have already set my receipt and all UPCs aside for the rebate so I won't forget to do this when I use them. Now I just have to remember to buy a few more.
Dove soap (I use this due to my eczema) $4.99 for a 6 pack - $1 coupon (doubled) = $.50 per bar - about half what I have paid in the past, although still more than some other soaps.
Folgers coffee, small can $2 - $1 off/3 (doubled) = $1.33 per can (I used to stock up if I found this for less than $2!)
DH looked at me like I was nuts when I rattled off all of these (is there a theme in my postings about DH thinking I am nuts??), but I was excited. I used to do this all the time when we lived in the city and had better supermarkets, but I have gotten really lazy about it. It is time consuming. It probably took me at least an hour to prepare for the trip, between reading the ads, clipping coupons, deciding how to use my doubles, etc. but if I can save $30 in an hour, I am going to do it! Besides, DH doesn't seem to mind my thriftiness so much when it means we get to go on a trip to Vegas!
We have to be up at 4am to catch our flight tomorrow...and we still have to finish packing...so good night to everyone and I will touch base when we are back from Vegas - hopefully richer than when we left Wink but most likely we will be just a little poorer.

January expenses: $445.34 + 3.24 (breakfast - I had to fast for bloodwork this morning and was starting after) + 2.89 (lunch - I forgot mine for the first time since being on South Beach) + 32.79 (groceries) = 484.26
January income: $905.41 + $60 in rolled quarters that I cashed in = 965.41

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