$65
Not too bad, but not as great as I would like. I even went to two stores after checking ads and comparing prices! I’ll keep trying…
Embracing my Susie Homemaker tendencies and sharing them with you!
06 Feb 2009 1 Comment
in budget, grocery store
$65
Not too bad, but not as great as I would like. I even went to two stores after checking ads and comparing prices! I’ll keep trying…
01 Feb 2009 3 Comments
in budget, grocery store
Yikes! It is the second week of posting my grocery bill total and I’m right back to where I didn’t want to be! I spent $81.00!!!!!! Ouch!
In my defense, I purchased several items for my Super Bowl spread that I normally wouldn’t buy. But, this isn’t about excuses. I know I’ll have some weeks higher than others. I’ll just have to be way more frugal on the weeks that there are no special occasions.
01 Feb 2009 1 Comment
in grocery store, pantry
What ingredients do you keep on hand in your kitchen? This question is asked a lot on the cooking message board that I frequent. So, I thought I would go ahead and leave my list here for people to reference.
Freezer staples:
boneless skinless chicken breasts
ground beef
hot and sweet Italian, kielbasa, and breakfast sausage
bacon (separated into bundles of 4 pieces)
veggies (stir-fry mix, corn, green beans, peas, broccoli, etc…)
fruit (blueberries, strawberries, mixed berries)
juice concentrates (lemonade, orange juice, limeade)
whipped topping
homemade waffles
pizza dough
Fridge:
skim milk
eggs
butter
sour cream
fresh produce (lettuce, carrots, celery, bell peppers, apples, citrus fruits, etc…)
coffee and creamer
lots of cheese, assorted kinds
cream cheese
ricotta
crescent rolls
olives, pickles
ketchup, mayo, mustards, worcestershire, hot sauce, soy sauce, salad dressing, jam/jelly, other condiments
lunchmeat
beer and soda
Shelf/Pantry:
dry pasta, multiple shapes and sizes
garlic
onions
potatoes
crackers
rice
corn meal
tortillas
breadcrumbs
bread
canned and dry beans
canned tomato products (paste, sauce, diced, etc…)
chicken, beef, and veggie broth/stock
tuna
canned fruits and veggies
applesauce
salsa
cans of olives, mushrooms, green chilies
cream of ____ soups
bottles of juice (cranberry, pineapple, tomato…)
granola bars
cereals
croutons
peanut butter
hot chocolate mix
vinegars (red & white wine, rice, balsamic, white, apple cider, etc…)
oil (EVOO, canola, vegetable, olive, sesame)
spices (dried basil, Italian seasoning, grilling spices, cloves, allspice, cumin, red pepper, cayenne, chili powder, lemon pepper, black pepper, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and many more)
onion soup mix
ranch dressing mix
taco seasoning
bouillon cubes
liquors
Baking:
all purpose flour
biscuit mix
oats
tapioca
white sugar, powdered sugar, light brown and dark brown sugar
kosher salt
cocoa powder
honey
corn syrup, molasses, and maple syrup
evaporated and sweetened condensed milk
Pam nonstick spray
shortening
baking chips (chocolate, white, etc…)
coconut
marshmallows
extracts (vanilla, clear vanilla, orange, almond, lemon, mint, maple, etc…)
baking powder and baking soda
corn starch
cream of tarter
meringue powder
food coloring and decorating sugars/sprinkles
dried cranberries, raisins
nuts (walnuts, pecans, pistachio, cashews), sesame and sunflower seeds
brownie mix
corn bread mix
20 Jan 2009 Leave a comment
in budget, grocery store, Uncategorized
My total bill was $46.50!
Ok, wow! That is not normal for our household! I’m in shock! Last week I spent just over $50. Before that, I was easily spending over $60, most weeks close to $80!
Tonight, I stocked up on many pantry staples including numerous canned beans, crackers, bread, milk, cheese, carrots, celery, potatoes, other canned goods, etc… I even grabbed a few impulse items that weren’t on my list! I’m so excited to have a restocked pantry and have what I need for several upcoming meals that I have been thinking about.
Now, you may be thinking that this is still a lot to spend at the grocery store, but keep a few things in mind: The hubs and I love food. I cook/prepare everything that we eat. Usually from scratch or nearly from scratch. We almost never eat out – maybe once or twice a month. Not even take-out pizza. We pack our lunches for work everyday.
I will be posting my weekly grocery bills on here in the future to encourage myself to keep the total under $60. I know I can do it! I resolve to be more frugal in 2009! Can you shave down your grocery bill? Imagine squirreling away $20 a week!! Now that’s incentive!
*Tip* I know its easy to get lazy and mindlessly throw the items into the cabinets/pantry after shopping. But remember the following when restocking your pantry:
Keep similar items next to each other. All tomato products should be on the same shelf, soup, dried pasta, beans, etc. This makes it easier to grab what you need in the middle of a recipe and easier to see what you are low on when writing your grocery list.
When bringing in new purchases, shift the older items to the front of the shelves and place new items in back. That way you use the items with the nearest expiration dates first. It only takes another second or two.
Recent Comments