Terrific Tuesday: the basics, shopping

It's New Years Eve.  Hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday.

The second step on groceries on the cheap is shopping.  We have already talked about the prep for shopping.  A little time on the front end, saves gas and money  on the back end.

First, don't overlook stores other than the chain stores when grocery shopping. Me go to two chain stores weekly most of the time.  Sometimes, we only need a few things and the bargains just aren't there.  There are some weeks now when we don't have to shop at all.  There are warehouse stores like Costco, SAMs club, and Winco.  Winco does not need a membership.  I didn't see a lot of bargains the last time I was there.  There are overstock stores like grocery outlet and big lots.  They have a limited amount of food buy what they do have can be at good prices.  You need to always check pull dates.  But, it has been my experience that checking pull dates everywhere is a good thing. Don't overlook the drug stores.  I have got really good buys at rite ado with up rewards and coupons. And I just got really good buys at Bartells.

Groceries in the cheap doesn't leave you much room for ready mades and mixes or kits with a few exceptions.  There are some things that are either cheaper than scratch, or are just too time consuming to warrant making the from scratch.  Other things are just as easy to make from scratch than they are from a box.  I get cake mixes for free or almost free.  We don't use a lot of them, but I do make chocolate decadence and lemon pound cake occasionally.

The basic mantra of groceries on the cheap is never to pay full price.  Stocking is a way to never be stuck having to have something and paying full price or more than full price, heaven forbid.  !?! lol
Paying full price is wasting money.

This isnt about hoarding, nor is it extreme couponing.  Taking a moderate approach to these ideas can be very beneficial to your pocketbook. There is something about not running out of food before your in out of month that gives one a sense of security.

There is a whole blog on ways the retailers try to get you to spend more money.  70 percent of all purchases on a grocery store are impulse buys.  Don't fall into their traps.  Bring your list, the ad, your coupon book.  Get in the store and get your food and get out.  The more time you spend in a store, the more money you will spend.  The more people you take with you, the more money you will spend.  If you have small children, leave them with someone if at all possible.  It's hard to deal with the I have to go to the bathrooms and the trying to get out of the cart and fall on our heads and concentrate on what is a good buy and what you have a coupon for.  It's just not efficient.  If I have to take our grandchild, I also take gramps and he pushes the cart with the car attached to it while I shop. I usually get on and out in about 15 minutes or less when I can concentrate on what I am doing. M

We go to the bread outlet about once every 6-8 weeks. The savings are remarkable and we generally get something for free.  If I'm not going to use it, I dry ot and make breadcrumbs.  Never pay good money for somebody else's dry bread.  The  same goes for stuffing or breadcrumbs.

When buying bagged fruit or veggies, weigh a few bags.  They have to fove you the weight on the package, but some have more weight than others.m the same goes for lettuce priced per head.

Buying the fruits and veggies that are in season affords you better prices and better tasting produce.  Tomatoes were on sale thos week.  It's late December.  They looked horrible.  Better then to use frozen vegetables and the fresh fruit in season instead.  My mother used to make apple and celery salad with walnuts.  Canned pears with blue cheese and walnuts os good too.

Grocery outlet has a large variety of cheeses, some cheap, some not.

The important thing to remember is that no one store has the best prices  on everything.  By going to a variety of stores, you can reap the best of what is offered.

We go to two chain stores a week.  I plan our trips to use the least amount of gas.  When I have errands in the next town, we hit the alternative stores.  Costco is on a need basis, since we generally buy meds and necessary paper products.  Once every six weeks or so we make a trip two towns away to the bread outlet and Winco sometimes.  I group errands together so I don't waste gas going to several stores.  I probably spend less than the person that gets one days worth of food at a time.

This basic post is something I do monthly.  I do it off the top of my head.  Please feel free to read other posts.   Some are better than others, and I remember different things.

I learned a lot from my mother who grew  up during the depression.  I also have read everything I could find on the subject for years and adopted anything that passed my logic test.

I started this blog when it was brought to my attention that people were running out of food before they ran out of month on snap.  It is totally doable to eat well on full SNAP. It does take some effort.
Years ago, I found myself a single parent with little money and almost never any child support.  Rent took almost 1/2 my pay, and daycare took the other 1/2.  I set out to learn anyplace I could how to stretch a buck.  I started writing this on the hopes I could make someone in the same boat rode the storm a little easier.

I have found that many people that read this blog are not on snap.  They read ot to be more efficient on the kitchen , for a new recipe, or to see where on Seattle the best buys are.  What ever the reason, I'm  glad you are reading!


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Jane

Monday madness, time for the basics

It's that time of the year, time for New Years resolutions.  Why not make yours to lower your food bill.  Maybe free some money for a real vacation this year, or start that college fund you need to start for your children or grandchildren.  The average family can save about four thousand dollars a year.  To some that might not be a lot, to me it is huge.  We are living on a fixed income and I don't want to tap into our reserves yet.

This is the time of the month that I usually cover the basics of groceries on the cheap.  No one thing makes 1/2 price groceries happen.  It's a collaboration of things-- a little planning, a little savvy shopping, and a lot of scratch cooking.  It's changing some habits for the good.   Looking for a select few coupons helps too.  If there is a dollar coupon on something that you buy and you don't use it, you are getting screwed.  You are wasting money.  Meat has taken an increase of thirty percent on average.  Social security went up 1.5 percent.  Our medical went up more than the increase in social security.  Snap took a five percent cut.  Between the increase on meat costs and the decrease in snap funds, it is even more important to watch your food dollars.  A little efficiency in the kitchen and shopping can make great strides in lowering your food bill and putting good food on the table for your family.

First: planning and organizing.
If this isn't your bag, make it your bag or see if you can delegate it.  I remember taking in the bill filing for my mother because she didn't like to do it.  I wound up being an accountant for 45 years.  LOL. Even young grade school children can clip coupons,. Print coupons from the computer, and circle things you buy on the ads.  older children can scan the coupon matchups.  It's a good learning tool.

1) identify your needs
A) list the cheap sources of protein that your family will eat.  I am up to a between two and three dollar a pound limit for meat.  In our house that means some roast beef, hamburger, whole chicken or grill packs, pork loin, sausage, eggs, beans and cheese and rice.  I am attempting to add pork shoulder.

B) gather your recipes that use these sources of protein and list them on a piece of paper.

C) make a list of the shelf ready ingredients that you will use to make these dishes.  There should be around ten to fifteen, give or take.

D) now devise a spread sheet or notebook to track the prices of these items.  You want to find the rock bottom price for each ingredient.  ( RBP) .

The object is to never pay full price for your staple items.  You want to stock enough to cover your needs until they are on sale again.  Supermarkets run sales on a product every 8-12 weeks on average.
If I use an ingredient once a week, I keep a supply of 24.  Once a month will net me six.  Things like mayo and mustard, I will keep one ahead.  When I open my backup, I start looking for a sale to replace it.  You could very well start with a three months supply.

Meat sales rotate usually by the month.  If you buy enough of the meat that is RBP to last you for meals of that meat for a month and batch cook it, you will spend less time on the kitchen and save a bundle.  When chickens are .79 to a dollar, I buy two and roast two.  It is NEVER a good idea to buy deli chicken.  See previous posts, the explanation is timely.  The cheapest price I have found for bulk sausage is Costco.  Chicken sausage when I find it is cheaper at  grocery outlet . ( watch pull dates) .
Pork loin is under two dollars often at several stores.  You can cut off pork chops and roast the rest
for sliced roast or BBQ sandwiches.  Both hamburger and chicken recipes are very prolific on the Internet and on cookbooks.  Batch cooking hamburger is a little more work, but very rewarding in time savings.  Meatballs are very versatile as are hamburger crumbles, taco meat,and  meatloaf.
When a roast happens to be cheaper than good hamburger, I grind my own.

When the ads come out, go through them.  Section off a piece of computer paper ( I usually forge it from the recycle bin) top a section with the chain store.  Write down the RBP. Meat for the week.  Also anything on your staple list that appears to be the best price.  Now add the perishables ( dairy and produce) that are on season and cheap that will fit in  with your meal list.

Clean out the fridge and note what needs to be eaten soon and what you need to buy in the produce and dairy line.

When you are done with all the stores, cross off anything that is more expensive and anything that you have enough stock of.  Pick the best TWO stores.  This roves you the best selection and the best pick of produce.  ...more on shopping next section.

Find the coupon matching site for your section of the country.  Hook up with the stores you have picked and check for coupons. Many are printable.  I buy one paper from the dollar store.  I used to get the inserts from a friend.

Make your meal plans after you get home from the store.  I use a matrix to assure us variety.
Ours is

2 beef
2 chicken or pork
2 vegetarian
1 fish or shellfish

This works for us, your matrix may be different.

Next: shopping wisely.

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Jane

Betty Crocker new recipes for the year.

Yummy recipes.  Remember to make enchalada sauce you make white sauce and
Substitute the flour with chili powder and substitute the milk with water.  There are a lot of recipes on u tube.  Unfortunately the new version of u tube doesn't have a search engine.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-bacon-ranch-chicken-and-pasta/997c0a46-b7d8-481e-8919-5f563b1dde66?nicam2=Email&nichn2=Core&niseg2=DME&nicreatID2=DME_12_29_2013

http://recp.mkt32.net/servlet/MailView?m=18534237&r=NjAyMDMzMDEzODYS1&j=MjQ1ODQxNjI1S0&mt=1

Don't know how to link.  This is on the Betty Crocker web site.  Several really good sounding recipes.  Remember that if you are trying to keep thongs cheap, you can scratch or substitute ingredients.

Sunday Fred Meyers and rite and

I hate to sound like a Broken record, but I would hate for people to loose money.  Rite aid reward bucks go away the end of the year, they do not roll over.  I am not using reward deals this week and I didn't use them last week.  I try to roll my dollars over with things we need that have coupon matchups too.  I have scored necessities for really low prices.  There isn't any real bargains this week.
Jello is .89.

FRED MEYERS

Roma tomatoes  .78
milk ,chocolate milk , orange juice  4/5@@
Yoplait 10/5
Bumble bee tuna 1.00
HORMEL entres 4.99$$
Grapefruit 3/1
Peanut butter 2/4
Sour cream .99@@
Nalley chili .89@@
X

BARTELLS

CHICKEN OF THE SEA TUNA  .77
Colgate toothpaste 5/5
Jiff 2/5
Laughing cow 1.99
Hunts snack pack .99
Hunts pasta sauce .79*****
Barilla pasta .99
Healthy choice soup .99
Nally chili .99 no coupons required
Arm and hammer 2.99. 50 oz. laundry soap

I am going to Bartells this week instead of rite aid.  *** is a stock up price.  Remember to be polite and done clear the shelves.  Haha. .  There are extreme coyponers that clear the shelves.  That is just plain rude unless there are only a few left.  There are other people that would like a bargain too is my opinion.

I am not extreme Couponing , nor am I hoarding. Stocking is about buying at the lowest price and eating it at the highest price.  It's not I unlike  people that play the stock market.  They want to buy low and sell high.  It's also not unlike our grandmothers that canned the fresh crop from the farm to carry them through the winter.

Yesterday I made taco meat and a meatloaf.  We had a pork tenderloin for dinner last night, and we will have meat loaf tonight.

Ok, I have a question for you.  I remember not liking a brand of tuna.  I just don't remember what brand we didn't like.  Tuna is on sale really cheap all over.  I don't want to buy the brand we didn't like.

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Jane

Saturday

We went shopping yesterday.  Took baby with is.  I love those carts where the kids can "drive" .  I wish those cars had open roofs like some of the SUVs.  You could see better what the kids are doing.  Grandpa took her for a ride  around the store so I could get the shopping done.  I somewhat planned my trip, but there were more sale that weren't in the ad.  I think because the ads were laced with booze ads because of the holiday.   They had the decorated sugar cookies to bake for a buck.( SAFEWAYS)

I did not buy the pork shoulder at QFC because it was huge and I didn't want to buy so much when I had never cooked a pork shoulder before.  I did get a  pork tenderloin at SAFEWAYS with a dollar off coupon and hamburger for three dollars a pound.  I would have rather had nine percent for three dollars a pound, but haven't found it.  Twenty percent makes for better meatloaf.  I use a meatloaf pan so that a lot of the grease drips off into a catch pan.

Berries were a good price at QFC.  I wound  up getting one bag full of things at each store and mostly meat.  Lettuce was really high priced and the tomatoes looked bad.  We have a lot of fruit and frozen vegetables.

The Betty Crocker site has a lot of recipes for things that were hits for the year on review.  Some of them sound like really good dinners.   I did find in looking at the ads chicken breast in bulk for two bucks a pound. More course they are not toting the origin of the chicken.  And artichoke hearts for 2/5.  With those prices , you could make the woman's day recipe for artichoke stuffed chicken breasts and still stay close to a five dollar mark.  Close enough to average and make it.

I made split pea soup the other day and the peas never got soft.  The consensus is that my split peas are old.  I didn't know that split peas could get old.  I guess they are not a candidate for bulk unless you use them a lot.  We go on spurts.  I probably should have made them more often because I can make them vegetarian.  Last I saw them, they were .69 a pound at grocery outlet.  It still makes for a cheap meal that is good for a cold evening .  If I make it vegetarian I augment it with cheese and sourdough bread.  The woman's day recipe had bacon on top.  That would work with turkey bacon and regular bacon.  The woman's day ( jan) also has a recipe for beans and tomatoes, although it hear that beans don't cook well when cooked with tomatoes.  I think you have to cook the beans first.  You can cook beans in the pressure cooker, but so far I have been chicken to try.  I have cooked split peas in the pressure cooker.

I will post the Fred Meyers and rite aid ads later or tomorrow.  The rite aid rewards do NOT roll over, so I am not buying anything with a reward this week, and didn't last week.  I did get some really good buys using coupons and up rewards.

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Jane

Finally Friday

It's been a busy week even though we didn't have to work but one day.  I made split pea soup yesterday before I went to work.  The split peas never got soft.   I guess that I should use them up sooner next time.  I think they must be old.  I doesn't realize that split peas could get old.

I got the new woman's day magazine on my reader. There are week night dinners that are supposed to be thrifty.  Some are, and they appear that they will taste good too.  I got the split pea soup recipe from the article.  If the peas had softened, ot would be a good hearty soup.

One of the recipes is a artichoke stuffed chicken breast.  The cost os listed at 1.25 per serving.  I asked woman's day how , when boneless, skinless chicken breast is 3.50 a pound, and 9 ounces of artichoke hearts is over three dollars, it could cost 1.25 a serving.  Theor answer is that the price is a average of the cost in different parts of the country,.  I would really love to know how much artichoke hearts and boneless, skinless chicken breast costs in other parts of the country.  ( not the Pacific Northwest). I'm thinking if you found chicken for a dollar a pound and boned the breast yourself and bought the artichoke hearts at Costco it might come in at 1.25.  It would be a recipe that would be on the higher end of the budget, but could be balanced with an breakfast for dinner night.  I would serve it with rice and a green vegetable like green beans or asparagus would be wonderful if it was on season, or a mixed vegetable stir fry ( like broccoli, carrots and cauliflower.  ) you can still get those for a buck a pound.

I write thos blog from the perspective , food price wise, of my experiences in the Seattle area.  I know that prices vary from state to state and the shopping matrix is different depending on the city people live in. We are lucky,enough to have four chain stores and a Costco within a reasonable distance from the house.  Other people, I hear don't have as many stores in their comfort zone.  The principles of 1/2 price   shopping still work, they are just different 1/2 prices.  If there is no large store near you, then I would consider car pooling with a friend or neigh our or getting the ad mailed to you or look it up on the Internet of stores on a neighbourhood town that os a little larger.  Wait till there os a good sale to make ot worth your while and make a trip to stock up.  Buy the specials and the perishables on a weekly basis  at the smaller stores near you,  you are still supporting your local stores, but supplementing with sale chain store prices.  Our local IGA sometimes has good buys and they make sandwiches to die for, far better than the chain store deli!  

The bottom line is always the same.  You will be better off if you don't just buy what you want regardless of the price.  know your prices of the things that you buy on a regular basis. For most of us, that list is small. if something  is too high of a price, substitute it for something at a lower proce.  When I can't find yogurt at a reasonable proce with a coupon, I buy cottage cheese.  Add a little fruit and I still have calcium rich breakfast.

If you can't remember prices in your head, keep a little notebook or file,card on your purse or glove box to refer to.  A little prep before you shop can result in a huge savings at the checkouts.  I average at least 46 percent on the sales slip.  That doesn't reflect the true savings over the average persons bill.
I have a goal to save the property taxes out of our budget this year.  No small feat, but without a goal, nothing happens with me.  I have to make myself a list of thongs to do each day, or I puts and things get done,  but they are so random, you can't really see what was done.  LOL

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Jane

Terrific Thursday

All that work, and it's all over.  I really enjoyed being with friends and family and getting to taste foods that I only get once a year.  Our family has great ethnic diversity and the cultural food differences  make for an amazing buffet spread!  

Back to reality.  It is possible to eat well on the USDA thrifty budget.  That is what snap, or food stamps are based on.  If you can learn to shop to make that happen, it is really easy to augment your budget to dot what you do have.  Adding a few luxury items when you have more money still affords you savings to use elsewhere in your budget to enrich your life .  

The basic mantra is never pay full price, my mother used to call it top dollar.  It is possible if you are not discriminating to pay more than retail for your food. You are better off paying less for consumables and more for appliances that make your life easier.  If it is easier to cook from scratch, you will be more likely to do it.  It's the snowball effect.  A good food processor is worth it's weight in gold-- well maybe not with the price of gold.  LOL.  A kitchen aid mixer pays for itself in savings. It's a once in a lifetime purchase.  Mine came with a grinding attachment.  Grinding your own hamburger can save a lot and afford you the luxury of knowing just what is on your burger.  A good crock pot is another appliance that is well worth the expense.  I keep hearing the term, unipurpose.  The crockpot is one appliance that  uni-purpose  or not, is well worth the expense to get a good one.  Ditto a coffee pot.  the alternative of lots a bucks coffee would pay for a pot on short order.  Pardon the pun!   Being able to take a few minutes in the morning and have dinner ready at the end of a hard day is well worth it.  If you don't resort to ordering in or going out for dinner, it pays for itself on one dinner!  
This week the stores are still in sock it to me it's holiday mode.  It is their attitude that everyone splurges during the holiday and bargains are few and far between.  Fortunately, I have enough food to refrain from going to the store and I have still maintained my average of twenty dollars a week per adult.  Buy when it is low priced, and eat when it is higher priced.  Buy perishable in season and at the lowest price you can find  for quality.  Buy the lowest price meat for the week, buy enough for a meal ( or two) per week for a month. batch cook it and freeze in portion controlled meal bags.
It's freezer cooking with a reality check.

Pork shoulder, pork loin, whole chickens, hamburger, sausage, beef roast are all good candidates for batch cooking.

Guess that is all for today.

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Jane

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas .

My newspaper ads came on the mail .  As usual, I will post them, even if it os Christmas.  Most people I know won't be shopping soon.

The ads

QFC
Tomatoes .99
Berries 2/4
Pork shoulder 1.79

Yogurt 10/5

TOP
80 percent beef 1.98
Pork shoulder
Chicken breasts

Quaker oatmeal bats 3/5@@$$
Blues 4.00


SAFEWAYS

pork loin. 1.49
Oranges .99

Friday
Blues 2/5( cheaper at top)


ALBERTSONS

Apples .88
Salad kits 2/5
Eggs 1.69



There is not a whole lot there.  They don't usually have a lot of bargains.  In fact, I see where prices went up right before Christmas, it pays to shop as you see it on sale.  They take advantage of the last minute shoppers.


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Jane

Merry Christmas!  

Merry Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Eve

Someone hacked onto my e mail and sent a cruise ship advertisement to my friends and family off my e mail list.  I did notice, that they MISSED adding the Edmonds PD LOL. 

Totally missed yesterday.  Life was too hectic.  The girls are home from school and with doctors and business it just didn't happen.  

A non traditional desert for Christmas is brownie sundaes.  Layer a brownie, ice cream whip cream and crushed candy canes or chocolate syrup.  

Chocolate syrup

1 cup heavy cream

2 T corn syrup
12 ounces chocolate, semi sweet
2 tsp vanilla extract

1) in a saucepan, combine cream and syrup.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.

2) remove from heat stir in chocolate. Stir in vanilla.

3) serve or store on a jar and let cool completely before placing in fridge.  Be careful pouring hot things in jars.  Jar should be at least room temp.

I made grandmas apple cake.  It worked fine.  Apparently fake sugar does not always work on all baking situations.  I made lemon pound cakes.  They fell flat!   I don't know of ot was the tin pans, or the sour cream that came from Costco, so it was a denser consistency.  Baking is not my forte.

I'm bringing fruit salad to Christmas Eve.  Truly a splurge and definitely not a part of the USDA stats.
Christmas only comes once a year, right?!????

I hope you and yours have  a wonderful Christmas!!!

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Jane

Fred Meyers and rite aid

I got the paper early.  There is no insert in the paper this week.  Rite Aids up rewards do,not roll forward.  It use or loose time.  I have three dollars and will get something we need.m there is not much on sale this week. They most generally do not reward late shoppers. LOL   I noticed that the sparkling  cider that we bought last week for two bucks was two fifty this week.   A lot of people don't care, but I like to save every dollar I can.

Fred Meyers

New York beef roast 3.47
Rib eye roast 5.88 ( through Tuesday only)
Broccoli. .99
Coffee pods 5.99@@ $$
Butter 2/4@@
Frozen veggies .69@@ ( 12 ounces) ( cheaper than tops buck for a pound.
Celery .49
Radishes, green onions 2/.88

Ham. @@ coupon for ten dollars off ham, the full price of ham is not disclosed.

That's about it.

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Jane

Simply Saturday / recipe edition

The last weekend before Christmas.  Everyone is doing the last minute preparation a for the holiday.  I thought I would post a good colorful recipe that was easy.

Mediterranean chicken

1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
Vegetable oil

1-1/2 pounds chicken cubes, cooked
2 cans diced tomatoes
Sliced green and red peppers
Ripe olives
Salt and pepper
Oregano

2 T cornstarch, 3 T water

In large skillet, sauté onion and garlic in oil.  Add tomatoes and peppers and remaining ingredients except the cornstarch and water.  Bring to a boil.  Add chicken.  Make slurry with cornstarch and water.  Add to mixture and stir gently.  Cook until sauce is thickened.  Serve with rice.

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Jane

Finally Friday, and it is snowing.

It's snowing, thank God, not for long according to the weather people.  I am done with shopping and just need to shovel out our mess since I haven't been home much the last week and do some baking.  A few packages to deliver and one to wrap.  Thos os the first time my granddaughter has seen snow.  It ought to be fun.

There are coupons matches on coupon connections , it's up and running.  One is for meat balls at SAFEWAYS for 1.50 for 14 ounces.  I am not sure about what those would taste like, but at that price we wouldn't be out much of they are bad.  LOL Top foods has frozen veggies for a buck a pound.

All of your rewards at rite aid expire at the end of the year.  I need to spend three dollars.  I am hoping that they will have some decent buys on things we need.  We did well the  last two trips.

On another note, my husband and I worked yesterday.  A couple came in, they bought a pocket knife and a butter dish.  That was their presents to each other.  I wrapped them on clean newsprint paper like we do all the things that we sell.  It was their wrapping paper.  Sometimes, I think we loose track of the real meaning of Christmas  and it gets lost with the commercialism.  We really scaled back this year, I put up few decorations, mostly because of little children in the house that don't understand yet that decorations are not toys. LOL and because I have been too sick too long.

A group I belong to has been trying to help a homeless family that just got housing. We made Christmas, but also have rounded up things for housekeeping.  I have had so much joy seeing Christmas  come together for a family that couldn't be more deserving of a nice Christmas.
I think I for the first time in years have looked at Christmas with a new perspective.

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Jane

Terrific Thursday

Finally got the ads.

TOP

spiral ham 1.97
Tangerines 3.77
Ice cream 2.99
Frozen veggies 10/10--16 ounces
Coffee pods 5.99@@
Sour cream 2/3
Eggs 18 count 2/5

Roast beef 2.99 a 9.99
Tillamook cheese 4.99@@

SAFEWAYS

HAM 1.99
pork loin 1.99
Grapes 1.99
Green beans, fresh  BOGO
Ice cream 2.99
Roast 2.99

Friday deals/ 5 bucks
Oranges
 8 pounds
Pizza

QFC
HAM .99
Broccoli .99
Choc chips 2/4
Ice cream 2.99
Tillamook cheese 4.99
Green beans 1.99
Organic oranges 4/3.99
Turkey .59--30.00 min purchase
Sour cream 1.00
Ice cream 2/5

ALBERTSONS
Ham 1.77
Ice cream 2/5
Coffee 5.99@
Cheese 4.99@

That's about it.  I did a real quick scope this morning.  Be sure to look at match ups and cross off anything cheaper elsewhere.  Pick the two best stores, get in and get out.  I am not seeing a lot of bargains as usual for a holiday shopping trip.  Sausage is actually over priced, especially when they are trying to make it look like a bargain with free eggs.  Sausage should be close to two dollars a pound, not 3.50! LOL.  If it goes much higher, well be making  our own!

Don't forget batteries of what you bought for Christmas takes them!  The dollar store os not a good place to buy batteries.  It's a time when cheaper is not better.  Duracell guarantees that if you ruin a device because one of their batteries leaks, they will replace the device.
Just a FYI

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Jane

Wicked Wednesday

Well, the mail person is back to his or her ways,  no ads yet.  I checked coupon connections last week and found no update.  I googled coupon matchups, Seattle and got another matchup site.

When I make meal plans, I use a template or outline to insure variety in our meals.  Eating a variety of things gives us a balance of nutrition.

My outline or matrix is

2 beef
2 chicken or pork
2 vegetarian
1 fish or shellfish

I try to work in the fresh veggies and other perishable items that were on sale that week, finding the lowest prices in our area.  Every section of the country has different lowest prices.  If you live in a small town, supplementing your pantry with a trip to the larger town with cheaper prices if possible will help your situation.

Frittata ( vegetarian)

8 eggs, beaten
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 cup broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan or other hard cheese, grated
Salt and pepper

Combine ingredients
Place in greased baking dish
Bake at 350 20-25 minutes or until ot tests done.  ( knife inserted in center comes out clean.  )

I also make impossible pie with cheese when I want an inexpensive dinner.  Add a field green and fruit salad with a fruit vinaigrette.

Mac and cheese is a hit at our house for vegetarian as well as a vegetable stir fry.

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Jane

Terrific Tuesday

This is the wonderful week that I don't have to cook for four days on a row!    Yeah.  I love cooking, but it's nice to have a break once on a while, and I love being out with friends and family.

I made two chickens , very large chickens on Sunday.  I don't think I would do it again in the small oven.  I needed to use two separate pans and leave a lot more air circulating around them.  I wound up microwaving them for another twenty minutes to get them done.  I have dinner premade for Wednesday and Thursday.    

There is something really comforting about chicken pot pie on a cold day.  We love buffalo chicken pizza.  When I shopped, I got a honey Dijon mustard pork tenderloin.  There are coupons out there for them.  

green bean salad 

2 cup fresh green beans, cut into two inch pieces, blanched crisp tender.  

1/2 cup cucumber, cut in half, seeded, and cut into semi rounds slices

1 small red pepper, cut into thin strips.  

Sliced red onion

Dressing 

2 T cream cheese! softened

1 T. Milk

1 T vinegar

2 tsp sugar

Salt and pepper.  

Mix salad ingredients.  Mix dressing ingredients.  Toss.  

Serves 2 

Raspberry salad 

Field  greens, or torn romaine 

Diced pear

Raspberries

Toasted pecans, optional

Dried cranberries

Raspberry vinaigrette

Notes: 

Designer lettuce is cheapest at Costco.  

Pears are a buck a pound these days

Raspberries were also on sale.  

I always keep dried cranberries, they are a special treat in my oatmeal, or on cookies instead of raisens.  Also, you can use them in stuffing or rice to go with poultry.  Yum! 

One of the ways that you can save money on the grocery bill is to make it a point mid week to survey the fridge and use up the little odds and ends hiding in there.  When the Dijon mustard jar is almost completely done, make a oil and vinegar dressing right in the jar. Cover the jar and shake it.  

That's all for today.  

The ads come out today, but I have a full day, probably Tommorrow.  

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Jane 

Trip to Fred Meyers and Rite Aid/ other stuff

We made the trek to the next town and went to Rite Aid and Fred Meyers.  I really scored at Rite Aid.
I usually don't buy soda except at holiday time.  We like root beer.  When I was a child, that's the only soda my dad would allow in the house.  A special treat was root beer float.  I got root beer for .10 a two liter bottle. With up rewards, four pair of panties were less than five bucks including tax.

On to Fred Meyers.  Christmas oranges were a good price, and flour was on sale.  Holidays are a good time to stock baking supplies.  I opened my last back up org flour, so I picked some more up.  Jello products were a buck.  lotts of bucks coffee makes a lemon pound cake.  The recipe for the wanta be is on the Internet.  My daughter and I made ot last year.  We figured we made about 212.00 an hour making it at home instead of. Using it at That other place.  Milk was 1.25 a half gallon.  Green beans  were .50.  Coffee pods were on sale and I had coupons.  I get two cups from a pod and it's really convenient for company.

Yesterday we went out to a house party.  We had a wonder dinner of a stuffed chicken breast with cheese and Canadian bacon,  rice, salad, and green beans with almonds and rolls.   Desert was yummy caramel flan, and a pistatisio desert.

You can have some convenience food when you budget and get most of what you buy for 1/2 price.  I am still running about sixty dollars a week, and.building  a stock for three adults.  I haven't checked the stats from the USDA lately, but considering the increased price of meat and vegetables I don't think we are far off.  

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Jane

Rite aid and Fred Meyers for Sunday

It's Saturday.  I have the Sunday paper courtesy of my husband.  Rite aid had really good bargains using up rewards last week.  This week, flipping the up rewards is going to be a challenge.  They are advertising extended hours to closer to Christmas, but the bargains are not real prolific.

If you want to go online a listen to a video credit for a dollar and find the coupon in the Sunday paper for .55, paper towels are 4.44 a 8 pack.

No nonsense socks, tights, leggings Bogo1/2.  And a 2 dollar up reward.  Must buy 2, limit 3 up rewards per household.

Toothpaste products have decent up rewards, check coupon connections for matchups.

I'm not one to buy soda, but it is 4/4 with a 1.00 up reward for the 2 liter bottles.  ( net .75).

Quaker granola bats and cranberry juice 2/5 with a 1.00 up reward.

FRED MEYERS

New York Roast 3.47 a pound

Satsuma 4.88

Milk 4/5@@

Cheese 2/3 @@

Coffee, Yuban 5.49@@

Smoked sausage 2/5@@
Vegetables 2/1
Jello products 10/10
Flour 3/5 ( 5 lb bags)

Butter 2/4
Choc chips 2/4
Peanut butter 2/4
Celery .49

That's about all,  remember Fred Meyer ads go Sunday to Saturday.

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Jane

Finally Friday

Finally Friday! it's been a long week.  Both of our vehicles are sick and the repair shop is going to have a really good Christmas!?!!!   LOL.  We really can't complain.  Both of them are paid for, and have been cheap transportation.

I digress

On to food.

Christmas baking time. I got cookie mic cheaper than scratch.  I do t usually bake a lot.  Baking can cost a lot especially when your cookies take special ingredients.  Fortunately, baking ingredients are usually on sale this time of the year and if you bake all year, it would be a good time to stock up of you find a bargain.

Rite aid has some baking ingredients buy 15.00 with a five dollar reward.  That makes things 33 percent off.  Fred Meyer had some good sales too.  I have seen butter as low as 1.50.

Betty Crocker has a month long cookie series going on.  A cookie a day.  I had an aunt that used to bake oodles of cookies at Christmas, all nummy.  I don't think even she odd that many variety,

I like creme brûlée , brownies with ice cream and a little chopped peppermint candy is a good Christmas desert.  Peppermint ice cream and shortbread cookies is a favorite,  chocolate waffles are an inexpensive treat.

Dairy is cheapest at Costco.

I like to balance the heavy meal we all have at holiday time with an easy lighter soup meal.
My mother used to call that giving  your stomach a rest.  LOl

Guess that's all I have.

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Jane

Terrific Thursday. : what to do with what you got

 SAFEWAYS has whole chickens for .79.  And ALBERTSONS has oranges for .88.  Sounds like a match made in heaven.  It would be my pick for my batch cook for the week.  In comparison, SAFEWAYS has a chicken in the deli department for five dollars.  It is 30 ounces that is less than two pounds.  If it was two pounds it would be 2.50 a pound.  or, in other words, you could buy two for ten dollars and have four pounds of chicken.  The place of origin is a mystery.  For ten dollars, you can have over twelve pounds of raw chicken that you know came from the NW.  You are saving over 66 percent.  NEVER buy a chicken under three pounds.  You are paying too much for bone , you don't eat bone!  

Clams are a buck at ALBERTSONS, and milk is 2.59.  It might be time for clam chowder.

Note: ALBERTSONS has Colgate toothpaste for .75.  I would check coupon connections for a coupon.

SAFEWAYS has sour cream and yogurt on sale.  I can usually find a coupon for yogurt.

SAFEWAYS has cream of mushroom soup for .89.  That is precisely why I stock.  I paid .30 cents last month at Fred Meyers.  That is a savings of 66 percent.  If you can get most of your food for 2/3 off, you can get three times the food for the same amount you are spending now. now, most of us don't need three times the food, but you can still double your food and save another 1/3 .

There are bargains if you look hard.  By taking advantage of the bargains and only buying real food, you can eat better for less.  You can't always get 66 percent, but you can average 1/2 if you take advantage of the specials and stock while the price is low.  This is not about hoarding, it is about buying low and eating high.  It's about being self sufficient.

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Jane

Wednesday, the ads

The ads already again.

TOP

TILLOMOOK 2.99@@
beans 2/1 @@

QFC
SIRLOIN tip roast 3.25
Dreyers 2.99
Starbucks coffee 6.99$$
Nathan's 2/6

SAFEWAYS

Ham .99
Chicken .79
Oranges .99
Starbucks 6.99$$
Milk 2.59

5 dollar Friday
Family pack lunch meat
Shrimp
Urban coffee
Sugar
24 ounces Jiff
Berries 2/5

ALBERTSONS
Ham 1.47
Oranges .88
Salad .88
Cream cheese .88
Ice cream 2.99
Fran's bread 2.49
Apples 1.00
Tomatoes 1.00
Pears 1.00
Cucumbers 1.00
Organic carrots 1.00

Sale
Clams 1.00
Tomato sauce .25
Cranberry sauce .75
Potatoes in pouches .75

That's about all

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Jane