Laura Williams' Musings: So What Does My Grocery List Look Like?

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

So What Does My Grocery List Look Like?

Some of you are wondering just what one of my grocery shopping trips look like and how I do the Groceries For a Family of 9 on $500 or Less for A Month.

I've been trying to find time since my grocery shopping trip on the 9th to post the results of my trip and just now getting the chance.

I shopped 4 different stores which are relatively within a 5 mile (give or take) radius of one another... some closer to others and all within one driving direction coming and going. I have a system that I stop as two particular stores first. One at which I buy the majority of my groceries. Then the second one which is a salvage type store that I stop at to "cherry pick" and then Walmart at which I stop to get a handful of items that the first two do not carry. The fourth store is a last stop on the way home to see if they have marked down bags of bananas and as a last resort to find things that even walmart doesn't have (believe it or not). There is one other grocery store in town and I rarely go there as it's more out of my way and the prices aren't that good.

So here is what I bought on that date and a few trips since then while out running errands. I've just combined the trips to those particular stores for convenience and added the totals together.

At Save-A-Lot

6 14oz bags of coconut $1.39 ea (I use in granola and baked oatmeal as well as some treats once in a while)
6 32oz bags of brown sugar $1.09 ea (and I just found at that another store - 2nd on my stop is now at a $1.00 for these bags so I had to update my price book)
6 480z bottles of Canola Oil $2.99 ea
2 Soy Sauce .99 ea
6 4lb bags of dry Pinto Beans $2.99 each (24 lbs of beans)--- cheaper than what I can buy at the Mennonite Store and Sam's Club according to them. We don't have a Sam's card. I can't buy the 25 lb bags from Save-A-Lot anymore. I used to get them for $9.99! Then they went to $12.99 and now they don't even carry them. GRRR!
48 cans of Tomato Sauce .25 ea
24 cans of Tomato Paste - .39 ea
2 (1 gallons) of cider vinegar $2.39 ea (I ran out of my homemade! UGH! Time to make more! Just waiting a couple of more weeks to be able to buy seconds on apples at the orchard near our home) We've started using it to make our own conditioner so we're going through it a little quicker with that and canning season here now
1 container of cottage cheese $2.49
1 French Vanilla Coffee Creamer $2.49 (treat for oldest dd)
2 whole wheat spaghetti noodles $1.39 (now I've got a noodle maker so I shouldn't have to buy anymore after this... we'll see how it goes. I've made Homemade Noodles by hand before and just stopped because it was getting so busy as more children came along)
2 32oz Mayonnaise $1.99 ea (time to make my own at that price)
3 3lb bags of yellow onions $1.79 ea (I sure wish our onions in the garden would hurry up and get bigger)
3 bags of pecan halves $2.49 ea
3 bags of semi-sweet chocolate chips $1.49 ea
5 packs of 10 ct. flour tortillas .99 ea (time to make my own homemade tortillas again.. I just stopped as it was getting so busy around here)
2 32oz bags of Powdered Sugar $1.09 ea
2 24 oz containers of sour cream $1.29 ea
8 boxes of instant vanilla pudding .39 ea
2 packages of white, seedless grapes $1.49 and $1.85 each (this was about 4 pounds total)
3 markdowns of 4 avocadoes, 1 cabbage, and about 8 peaches $1.49 ea package
1 package of ground beef $3.62 ($1.89 a pound... grrr)
1 humongous cantaloupe $1.99
1 bar of zote laundry soap .69 (to make Homemade Powdered Laundry Soap)

Total: $148.20

United Grocery Outlet:

2 large bags of tortilla chips for quick lunches with loaded bean dip we make $2.19 ea
3 180z jars of creamy peanut butter $1.39 ea
7 dozen large brown organic eggs $1.79 ea (our chickens need to start laying regularly!)
3 25oz bottles of dish soap $1.00 ea
1 75oz box of dishwasher powder $1.89
bananas $2.15 (.49 a pound)

Total $28.12

Walmart:

24 count double roll t.p. $11.32
box of 648 wipes $12.48
borax $2.84
11 containers of aluminum free baking powder that was on markdown because they are going to quit carrying it. $1.62 ea
pack of potty pants for the two youngest to sleep as they are "attempting" to get the toilet mastered during the day $14.67
2 containers of grated parmesan to make pesto with $2.32 ea
2 pure almond extract $3.62 ea
1 imitation strawberry extract $2.98
3 packs of pine nuts for making pesto $2.62 ea
4 jars of wheat germ $3.62 ea
1 jar of extra virgin olive oil for making pesto $5.28
11 cans of green chilies .67 ea (waiting for harvest kills me)
2 4lb boxes of dry milk $14.28 ea (makes me mad.. this was just $8.98 a few months ago!)
1 25 lb bag of sugar $10.92 (prices are going up sooo bad.. this was (9.xx)

Total: $153.93

Bi-Lo:

2 bottles of ground cloves $1.39 ea
9 10lb bags of sugar $4.16 each (this came out to be less than per pound than walmart has -- walmart didn't have more than that one 25lb bag so now I know I have found a cheaper source)
1 container of feta cheese (treat for me...I love this stuff but don't buy it very often) $2.89 ea
2 marked down bags of bananas $1.49 ea (this usually nets me well over 5lbs of bananas or more but they don't always have them)

Total $50.31

On our anniversary date on the 15th, dh and I were in Chattanooga and stopped into Greenlife Grocery.

We bought almost 4lbs of organic plums for $3.93 total. We did buy a few other items but they were more household items such as a chlorine shower filter, a sprouting strainer that dh bought me to replace my broken and cracked sprouter that I have been limping by with. The photo I took in this post (Around the Homestead - July 18 -24th (including Home Preserving Log for July 20th-24th) of the sprouter doesn't show the cracks very well that are taped together. LOL It really is ready for the recycle bin. It leaks where it's cracked and the holes get clogged with seeds thus causing it not to drain property. The sprouting lid dh bought me was $3.99 and fits a wide mouth jar. I've tried using cheese cloth in the past and have not had luck in that department. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. The cheese cloth gets nasty and the seeds seem to stay too wet so they mold.

Grand Total: $384.56

Notes:

This month was restocking on pinto beans, sugar, dry milk, spices, tomato sauce, tomato paste, chilies, brown sugar, coconut, oil, etc. So if you see an amount that is "6" or more of one particular item then it's a restock for a few months or a year (or more) in some cases ...such as the white sugar and the beans will last us several months.

We buy in bulk when possible and store the beans, etc. in 5 gallon buckets or gallon jars where applicable, etc.

I did not buy any meat except for the 1 package of ground beef as we were and still are working on eating out of the freezer. I will have to buy meat again in September but not a full freezer, just enough to have meat dishes some.

We are still using white sugar. We've tried the raw sugar and don't like the taste, plus it messed with my stomach. I horrible stomach pangs and got sick at my stomach when we used it. Dh said to go back to the white for the time being.

We eat a lot of fresh vegetables from our garden during the summer months and buy fruits when we can find a good deal. With harvest time coming up, I can purchase seconds on apples for as little as $1 for a 5 gallon bucket for culls once they get into production ... which I was told about 2 more weeks. Green peppers at a local farm will cost $5 for a 5 gallon bucket and tomatoes (if I need more) will be $6 for a 5 gallon bucket. We'll see how that goes. Still waiting on our big harvest from our garden. Slow going.

Anyway, that's just a peek our one of our monthly shopping trips and each month is so different that I can't say that it's a typical month because I stock up on something different each month.

I didn't use any coupons on this trip as I bought generic (which were cheaper than the name brands) and or things I bought did not have coupons for.

Top 10 Suggestions for lowering your grocery bills:

Stock up on the most used items and staples....take one month and stock up on something you use a lot of... next month stock up on something else. If you can stock up on at least 2 or 3 different items each month you'll eventually get to where you're shopping isn't causing you to run out of something thus causing you to run to the store for one or two items
Know your prices! Get to know where the best deals are and when the stores put out markdowns... usually early morning is the best time markdowns on fruits, veggies, and meats.
Couponing & Rebates - If you have coupons that makes a product the least expensive then all means use it ... but only if it's for something you're going to actually be using. Rebates are a good thing so watch for those and buy accordingly but like I said... if you're only going to use the item.
Know what it is in your pantry before you go shopping
Shop with a list (and stick too it unless you find a deal you just can't pass up)
Make a menu and work your grocery list from it. Utilize your pantry as much as possible when making the menu up.
Don't go shopping on an empty stomach as you'll end up buying things you thing look good
Don't shop with your spouse or children (unless they are on the same wavelength with you on your frugalness and shopping trips). I took the girls with me at the request of dh this month but normally oldest dd babysits for me while I do the shopping trip as it usually takes me 3 hours total from time I leave home to time I get back.
Learn to cook from scratch so you can avoid those costly pre-packaged meals and mixes
Opt for homemade cleaners instead of buying cleaners that are for this or for that. White Vinegar, Baking Soda, and Water can clean a lot of stuff!

And a bonus:

Don't deny yourself of treats once in a while. This will keep your spirits up as well as keep you motivated to do accomplish your grocery amount goals.

Like I said in my Groceries For a Family of 9 on $500 or Less for A Month post...

Do we feel deprived? Not in the least!

We eat and eat well. No one is starving here. So what if we don't have greasy potato chips, or oreo cookies, or whatever else fills the baskets of many I pass in Walmart. We aren't complaining.

Feel free to ask any questions.

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