Comparing Prices, What I Learned Today

Ok I know they told me shopping with coupons would take more time but 4 hours?!  It was my first time and I wanted to see what Costco's bulk prices were first.  I had my other grocery store flyers in hand and my Price Book sheets for each store.  In Costco I wrote down the prices for the named brand and store brand of just a few things like computer ink, paper towels, toilet tissue and meats.
It would be impossible to compare everything I ever buy.  Then I went to Walmart.  The first thing that made me smile is that they do have a flyer.  It is just not mailed out.  So I'll need to pick one up on Friday's when the other ones are mailed to me.  Ok, so now I have to see if Walmart has anything on sale that I brought coupons for so I sat a table in the McDonald's and made a note of what matched.  Off to get a cart and start shopping.  Going down my grocery list I write prices on my Price Book pages.  I figure after a few weeks of this I'll have most items I buy recorded.  Compared adds, coupons and store brand prices and made my choices. I ended up buying most things at Walmart but my Tom Thumb had a much better sale price on New York strip that we are having for New Year's Eve dinner and Iams Cat food was on sale at Tom Thumb along with the coupon was a better deal.  All in all it was very enlightening.  I'm exhausted but encouraged and look forward to trying again next week.

One more thing.  I found our computer ink much lower on line at 4inkjets.com  and Costco store brand paper towels and toilet tissue was a better deal.

Menu Planning with Coupons

Ok I said today was planning day and that is what I did.  I took the grocery store flyers, and stack of coupons I clipped and went to work.  My first problem is Walmart.  They don't send out a flyer so I don't know if the grocery store sale plus the coupon is a better deal.  Also the store sale is contingent with buying 5 of the item which is ok because they are non perishable items but I'll need to find a place to store them and what if they are out of the item because the circular came out Friday and I shop on Monday.  I have resolved myself to this risk because it is my first attempt at coupon shopping.  I know it will take a few months to find a system that works for me.  Any advice would be ever helpful and totally appreciated!

Also we have quite a few left overs and an out of town event so my grocery list is very small this week. This is what I came up with:

Week of Dec 30-Jan 5

Monday: Shepherd's Pie made with left over beef roast and mash potatoes

Tuesday: New Year's Eve - grilled steaks with roasted red potatoes and green beans

Wednesday: New Year's Day - Hoppin' John (you can see how I make it HERE)

Thursday: left overs from freezer

Friday: Dine Out

Saturday: Grandson's Birthday

Sunday: left overs from freezer

I'm linking this up to Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com



Meal Planning on a Budget

I know everyone has noticed how our grocery bills have gone up over the last few years.  I'm preaching to the choir. I know! I know! And there are so many ideas on the internet on how to save money on meals that it seems overwhelming to even know where to start.  Well this month I've decided to bite the bullet and really I mean really budget my grocery bill.

First off shop my pantry and freezer.

I was surprised at what I forgot I had. I planned the week using what I had on hand as a starting point and then found recipes that included those items.

First on the list- frozen ham bone from Christmas.

So tonight ham and lima bean soup!

 

 

I have never made this before. I probably should have called my mother but the internet made it look so easy.  LOL

I have been slow cooking the bone and beans all day. Just 4 quarts of water the ham bone and 1 lb of frozen lima beans.  Now that it is cooking and making the house smell so wonderful I wish I had thought to get the ingredients to make cornbread but we had crackers in the pantry.  If its as good as it smells I will definitely remember the cornbread for next time!


What are some tricks you've learned to help stretch your dollars when it comes to meal planning?  Let us know in the comments below.   I would love to hear from you.