Monday, November 9, 2015

Budget hacks

I started this blog to help the people on snap get through the month eating somewhat healthy on a limited budget.   I developed  a plan over fifty years.   A little background: I grew up with a mother that had survived the Great Depression.  While we had money, my mother never forgot her life lessons and she was always cognoscent of not wasting money.    When  I was in my early twenties, found myself in a position of being a single parent.  It was the days  of double digit inflation.  We didn't get a raise in three years.    Nixon froze wages.  I got paid twice a month.  One paycheck went for rent, the other for daycare.   There was no earned income credit, no food stamps, and no help with childcare.   I just had to make it on what I had.   I started with what my mother taught me and read everything I could get my hands on.  Through the years,  I adapted ways  to stretch a buck.   I'm still learning.
This blog post explores ways I have found to cut costs on other necessities also.

  • Personal heigene.   Many items can be purchased for free with coupons.   I have yet to get free toilet paper, but I am working on it.   The drug store chains have reward points.   I have successfully rolled points to get some things for free.  Rite aid used to have a better plan, but I have scored with the new one too.   It's a little less  complicated  than Walgreens.   I managed to get an electric toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash for free.  They paid me to take it out of the store.   This is the only senecio  I have found in this state to get overage.  Toothpaste is one of the easiest things to get for free.    
  • Coupons:   I spend very little time clipping coupons.  I do use coupons. They help a lot. Favado is a free ap that matches prices with coupons and tells you where to get the coupons and even sometimes gives you a link.   I get a newspaper from the dollar tree for a buck on Saturday( Sunday's paper).  My friend saves hers for me too.    More inserts come in our mail.   I give them a quick glance and cut any that I know I want.    The inserts then go in a file folder with the date on the insert and a monthly date on the file folder.    Once a month I download coupons from coupons.com.  I do it as close to the first day of the month as I can.   The coupons are limited . You  can only print two and when they are gone, they are gone.   
  • Laundry.   Necessary evil!   I don't use dryer sheets or fabric softener.   With laundry detergent, I got five months supply for 5.79.    I used two three dollar coupons. And found a rebate on a bottle.    
  • Clothes.   I watch Fred Meyers when they have up to seventy percent  off the last marked price.  I try to buy classic clothes.   Once or twice a year, we go to the off price mall and buy clothes.  We get an inexpensive off season room. At at a old fashioned breakfast diner we eat one meal and either purchase dinner at the Safeways or do Subway.   Breakfast is free at the motel.  I got 6 Christopher Banks tops for 20.00.   Goodwill is another good resource.   I got a darling party dress for granddaughter for four dollars. 
The best advice I give is to know your needs and prices.   My mother had the expression , "some people wouldn't know a bargain of it got up and bit them". Don' t be that person.  

Plan your trips.  Try not to buy anything unless it is at least half price.  When grocery shopping, stick to buying only the actual sales.   Only deviate when it is something you have to have or if you see an unadvertised special. Today. I got four percent fat hamburger for 2.99.   One time I got whole chickens for .50 per pound.   

Pick two chain stores a week based on the store ads.   Plan your trip. 
  • Check the ads from the newspaper, or favado.   
  • Write down what is truly on sale that you can fill in your meals with ( perishables), a loss leader protein,  and your stock items that are short. 
  • Check favado or your coupons binders or matching coupons.   Everyone but Winco will let you stack coupons - a store coupon and a manufacturers coupon.  
  • Make meal plans from what you need to use up and what is on sale .  
  • When you get home, check ibotta for any match ups.    
I had a huge bag of chocolate crispies I got at Winco for a dollar.  I bought a bag of mashmellows for a buck.  I barely made a dent in the cereal, we had chocolate crispy treats for 1.33 a 9x13 pan.  

Jane 







  





Saturday, November 7, 2015

Fred Meyers ad

Here is themfred Meyers ad :  
I have found that there are usually more good buys than are advertised on the ad .   You still have to know your prices of the things that you use on a regular basis.  

Ground beef. 7 percent. 2.99
Raspberries .99
Stove top stuffing or cranberry sauce .89@@
Cream of mushroom soup 2/1@@$$
Kroger ground pork 2/5 @@
Red Baron pizza 3.29@@$$
Hefty slider storage bags.99$$
Foster farms fryers .99


@@ means there is an on ad coupon
$$ means that there is a coupon either in a insert or on line.  

Soup coupon is .40 on four and it is on coupons.com
Red Baron pizza is a dollar on two and is from an imsert.
Hefty storage bags coupon is an insert and is 2.00 off of three.  



That's about all.  

Thursday, November 5, 2015

QFC sale




QFC buy 10 save $5.00 sale  

Spent 25.09; saved 56.17
70 percent savings!   



The ads

I got the ads late as usual.   We did go to Winco and I took the apple juice that is to much  for one small child to drink to school.   It will make for a good drink with snack time.    Winco netted a lot for 22.00.   They have no sugar added Klondike bars.   It is hard to find them.   Safeways is the only other place. Have found them.   Being diabetic, they only have 16 carbs and are portion controlled.    The lady there stopped and showed me all the options I had for sugar free.   It was very pleasant to see someone take the time .
They also have some canned veggies and soups on sale really inexpensive.    Cheese was five dollars for two pounds.   I have found that commercial grated cheese goes further than the stuff I grate  at home.   I think it is finer texture and melts faster and you use less.  

Taco shells continue to be a buck.    I got stove top free as well as a brick of cream cheese.    Tulips was reasonable.

On to the ads

QFC is a two week ad  They have a buy ten save five sale going on.   I think I can score with coupons,   Favado does not have qfc on their data base, so I'm going to have to plan my trip by myself.   I will post the plan when I get it done.   It will take me some time.

Ground turkey 2.99
Alaska cod 2.99

Save five in ten items.  Net prices

Butter 2.49
Triscuit 179
Chili or chunky soup .99$$
Tomatoes, canned .49
Stove top .99 ( it's .99 at Winco and the dollar tree) but a good fill in if you aren't making your 10.
Smoked sausage 2.49
Crescent rolls 1.38
Cake mix .79
Brownie and muffin mixes 2.49
Ronzoni pasta .49
Hot cocoa .99-it too is the same price as dollar tree, but a good fill in
Kleenex 80-160 count .99. It's only a good buy if you find 160 count.   You can get Larger at times tree at times cheaper on big lot sale.


On to. Safeways or Alberways

Chuck roast 3.99
Milk 2/5@@

5 dollar Friday
Berries 2/5
Cream puffs 7-9 count
String cheese 20 ounce
Pasta sauce in jars 5/5

Coupons
Bread 1.49
5 lb flour/sugar 1.79


Albertsons
Milk 2/5@@

5 dollar Friday
Berries 2/5
Donuts
Market flowers
String cheese
Pasta sauce in jars

Coupons
Bread 1.49
Sugar or flour 1.79
Veg oil 2.49


That's about all.   I have to double check the ads between Safeways and Albertsons.  They are just about the same.    Even the logo is disguised to be about the same.    I am very thankful for Winco.  
I see that haggens  at shoreline is closing.   It will be interesting to see how all this plays out.   I am thankful for Winco, Costco and Grocery Outlet  in the mean time.  With care I am back to 75.00 a week with stock.   Probably a good thing since our ssa is going to be cut.   There is,no COL imcrease , but the Medicare premiums are raised.   Net results is that our ssa checks are going down.  

That's about all.

Thanks

Jane





Sunday, November 1, 2015

The ads, Fred Meyers and notes

I'm late getting the ads, toooo much Halloween!    If you are in the Seattle area, watch in your mail for a Winco ad.   It came for is on Thursday,  but our mailman is not up to snuff.    Free, yes, free things.   Don't pass them up of you don't need those things, I'm siremthemfood bank would love to have them.  

NOTE. There are buys on thanksgiving ingredients.  BUY NOW,   If you wait, you snooze, you loose,   The price goes up for procrastinators.   IF IT WONT ROT, YOULL BE GLAD YOU GOT!  (It)

They have a h u g e package of cocoa crispies ( wantabe) for under a buck.....ok. So it's a few cents.  
I bought marshmallows for a buck at the dollar store and with a few tablespoons of butter, we have chocolate crispy treats.  

Fred Meyers

Ez peel shrimp or ny steak ( like we could afford that) !   5.77
Clementines 3.99
Milk .99@@
Bread 3/4@@
Vegetables or tomatoes 2/1@@
Pasta sauce--Ragusa. .99.  Limit 4@@
Sausage 2/5@@


Berries 2/4
Pears .99

Pills bury cake mix 1.00
Sour cream, cottage cheese 4/5
Butter 2/5@@
Cream of mushroom 2/1@@
Broth 2/1@@
Grape tomatoes 2/4


Note:  @@ means there is a in ad coupon.  
Limits may apply


Bar tells
Clams 1.00
Sour patch kids .99.

About it.   I prolly wouldn't make the trip for that!  


 Thanks for stopping by



Jane





Friday, October 30, 2015

Grocery outlet, dollar tree, Winco

We went to the above stores today. sounds like a lot, but grocery outlet and the dollar tree ar next to each other.    I had found metallic papers at the dollar tree for a fraction of the cost elsewhere.  The quality is not exactly the same, but I'm getting 20 for the price of one.    Putting things in perspective, only an eighth  of an inch shows when I'm done, so the great quality is an overkill most of the time.

At the dollar tree, they have k cups for 4/1.00,  Betty Crocker sweet potatoes, and sugar free jello.    They have some interesting books.    Sally Hansen fingernail polish.   Seasoned frozen potatoes from the USA are a buck for a pound and a half.  

The grocery outlet only netted sliced cheese.  

Winco has green beans for .33.  Progreso chunky soup is .88 and there are coupons out there for fifty cents off two.   Potato salad is cheaper at around three dollars for Reese's.    Tomato sauce is.48.   I needed one for a recipe.   I usually just do diced tomatoes,but this lasagna soup takes both.
Pumpkin pie was cheaper than the pumpkin.    Toothpaste was .75.

In addition, we got a flyer in the mail with a bunch of things for free.  

Guess that's all

Meal plans next.






Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Safeways and dollar tree haul.

I spent nineteen  dollars at the Safeways and five at the dollar tree.  
At the dollar tree they had mashed sweet potToes and we loved them when we could get them.   I bought two.   Also  bought jello parrots ( sugar free) and a box of coffee.  

At Safeways,misused a dollar coupon for pizza that was bogo and a three dollar off twenty just 4 you.  

Pasta shells
5 nalley  chili
1 salsa
1 sour cream. - 24 ounces
2 red Barron pizza
1 bread
2 Klondike bars (6ea) no sugar added

Savings 47 percent.  

Tonight we are having acorn squash, pork tenderloin. And fruit salad.    Apples were,.48 a pound,  pork tenderloin was 2.50 ( we are using 1/2 ) raspberries were 5.00. The squash was a dollar (1/2) total cost.  3.75.   ( picture later)

There is a dollar coupon in Tillamook in my e mail.   It is is 5.99 at Safeways.    
Country ribs were 1.99, but they didn't have any.  


That's about all.


Thanks
Jane






Saturday, October 24, 2015

Fred Meyers - tomorrow's ad

Chuck roast 3.99
Apples .99
Hebrew national 2.99
Sour cream /cottage cheese 2/4

Freshesetta 3.99
Tombstone 2/5$$ net 2.00

Tomato/ chicken noodle soup .89
( Winco chicken noodle soup is .33)

Kroger coffee 4.99
Grapes 1.68

That's all folks.

I got the best buys this week at Winco.  


Thanks

Jane


Thursday, October 22, 2015

Winco haul

Winco

We went to Winco today.   Almost everything I buy was at least 12 percent off.  
I use a fifty cent coupon and got a .20 ibotta.   My net OOP cost was 41.99


I got

  1. Nathan's Frank's 2.98
  2. Jello chocolate pudding ( almost no carb snack.) 2-4 packs 4.78
  3. Bacon 2.78
  4. 2 lbs  mex blend cheese 4.98
  5. Chocolate cereal .98
  6. Apples .48 lb
  7. English muffins 1.48
  8. Nacho chips .98
  9. Hot dog buns .88
  10. Jalapeño bread 2.18
  11. Pizza crust 2.98 for 2
  12. Devils food cake mix .88
  13. Brownie mix - both .88
  14. Taco shells ,98
  15. Chicken noodle soup .33
  16. Large olives .78
  17. Refried beans rosa Rita .88
  18. Progreso clam chowder .88 less .50 coupon 
  19. 10 lbs potatoes 1.48
  20. 2 cans of chillies totaled 3.64
  21. 1 lb ground pork.  free
Eggs are two dollars a dozen


Thanks 

Jane 

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

The ads. Oct 21,2015

Thenads came such as they are........again I am blessed with the thought that Winco is coming tomorrow.   It will  be interesting to see if we get better prices with some competition.  

Safeways

Pot roast 3.99
Ground beef - 20 percent 3.99

Albertsons
Ground beef -15 percent 3.99


5 dollar Friday ( wed thru Friday)
Raspberries 5.00 12'ounces.   ---they are a buck at Freddie's


QFC

Chuck toast 3.99
To,a toes .99
Grapes 1.48
Milk 1.25 - 1.00 at Fred Meyers
DiGiorno pizza 4.99$$
Freshet a 3.99


Ten for ten -- you don't have to buy 10
In other words, a dollar each
Cake 1.00
Brownies 1.00


 I usually go to 2 stores and buy just what's a good buy of
Meat or protein
Stock items I am short of
Perishables in season.and dairy


I dont go to a store for one or two things unless I am already there for some other reason,   Of there is something that is a lot discounted and I need it, I will get it....the savings offsets the gas I have used .  
I had to go to Bothell for business, we stopped by dollar tree and grocery outlet on the way home.  
Folders coffee was 4.99.   It is 10.99.  That six dollars goes a long ways to filling my gas tank.  

I wrote down the specials for each chain store.    Cross off anything that is cheaper elsewhere, and I get a good feel for where we are going.    I already went to Fred Meyers.  QFC is close and we use their pharmacy.    I will probably. Check out Winco tomorrow if I can get there ( the car is in the garage because it didn't pass the inspection for license tabs.   I just love  magic surprises!

Fortunately, I don't need much.  

I have target (RBP) prices on our staples.   I just buy them when I see a really good price and buy enough to fill in my stock.  If I find we are running low, I start looking for a sale.    Rarely do I find
myself having to buy something a full price....or top dollar as my mother called it.    I got stuck on milk last week.  We ran out before Sunday Fred Meyers.  

I figure we save about three thousand dollars a year.   It takes some effort, but probably not much more than the person that goes every few days to buy their food.    It is never a quick trip to Costco.  

After a while you know where and approx. when some stores have the best prices.   Fred Meyer has milk for a buck about the third week of the month.   Costco is cheapest on dairy.  The packages are large and have a month pull date.  I go once a month.   They are also usually the cheapest on refried beans and bananas.  They are the cheapest on gas and hubby picks up bananas and nuts frequently.  

When I'm in the area, big lots and grocery outlet as well as dollar tree have certain things cheaper.  Some this are not, you have to know your prices.   Grocery outlet and Costco wholesale have the best prices in cheese.   It is a retail trick to put small bags of cheese on sale-- for as much as five dollars a pound,    Do the math.  I want cheese  for 2-250 a pound.    Already shredded is better because you use less than if you grate it yourself.  

Winco is cheapest on mashed potatoes and some canned goods.   I am not a big fan of their fresh produce, you have to pick very carefully.  

I can usually make good use of QFC with their. Buy 5, save five when I can add coupons.    I consider it a win if I can save as much as I spend.    Sometimes with coupons, I can get as much as 75 percent off.    You have to look at your bottom line.  75 percent of something you will never use is not a bargain.  

Dollar tree is good for no yolk noodles, pizza crus ( individual ones ) and some name brand items,  you have to know your prices, some things are more expensive.  Hormel pepperoni is cheaper and sometimes you can find a coupon.   I just love the word free.  

Plan you trips.   Be open to stopping at a discount store if you are on your way to or from another errand,   Buy enough of a staple item if

  1. It won't go bad before you can use it up
  2. Your stock is getting low.( have self imposed limits - I like three to six months supply.   
  3. The price is RBP or lower     

If they are out of a sale item, ask for a rain check.    Fm was out of whole chickens at .88.   I asked for a rain check and bought thighs.  In the mean time, I got one elsewhere for a buck a pound.   I can till use my ranch I in a week I can't find a sale ( limited time) 

One last thing....just because it says it's on sale in an ad, doesn't mean it's a bargain.    Safeways pasta is on sale this week for 3/5.     I can a,ways get an off brand at the dollar tree.   But, I got Barilla extra fiber for .88 at Fred Meyers.    That's half the price  and a better quality pasta.    Jimmy Dean sausage is foce dollars for 8-16 ounces.   It's about 2.50 a pound at Costco.    


Thanks for stopping by 

Please share 

Jane 



.







Saturday, October 17, 2015

Fred Meyers ad

Short and sweet!  

I did go to target and Michaels yesterday.  I needed some light weight paper for a project and Michaels has it fairly inexpensive.     They have gone to 5X 7 card bases, though.   The 5 X 6-1/2 is now only at paper wishes.    Five by seven takes more postage.   Bummer.    

I go to target just for my makeup.  I like ELF and it is cheap enough to switch it out before the recommended time for health safety.    I found four thanksgiving placemats with crayons in the dollar spot.    Also a plastic divided tray for my craft room and spider rings for the kids trick or treat bags.  

On to Fred Meyers.  

Raspberries. .99
London broil 3.99
Salmon 5.99
Peppers .99
Milk .99@@
Progreso soup .99@@$$
Bread or buns 3/4@@
Ice cream 2/4@@
Yo plait 10/5 $$
Freshettin3.99


.88 sale
Kroger canned fruit
Ravioli
Bumble bee tuna or chicken
CB cake mix
Cottage cheese@@
Barilla pasta @@
Colgate toothpaste @@$$



Note @@ means with an in ad coupon.    $$ means there is a manufacturers coupon either on line or in the paper.  
RBP means Rock  bottom price.    The cake mix is a RBP as well as cottage cheese.  



Jane

Monday, October 12, 2015

Notes

We had some running around to do.   Stopped by grocery outlet and the dollar store for a look see.  I knew that there was sharp cheese for two dollars and it's my husbands favorite.   I have been getting coffee pods for .25.   I got a build your own DiGiorno pizza for 4.99 and nuts.    We also got individual pizza crusts and shortbread cookies.    No yolk noodles were a dollar.

Get Jesse wrote a piece on grocery shopping,  most of it made a lot of sense and I was especially interested  in the 15 things that you are overpaying for  if you are buying organic.  

Some things didn't make sense to me, If I buy a five pound bag of potatoes, most of them go to waste.   I find ready made  potatoes at RBP and feel we are better off.   I got 2 pounds of French fries for .60 at QFC a couple of weeks ago.    That's cheaper than scratch and cooking them in the convection oven makes them crispy without oil.  

I buy canned beans because I can't predict our bean usage.   Beans and rice are two of the most temperamental food items  for spoilage.    I would rather buy canned and not be worried about spoilage.   I haven't enough stamina to cook beans and then set out to make dinner at 7 o'clock when people get home from work and watch a toddler!    It's too convenient to get beans at a RBP and have them at the ready.  

I'll have to admit we are not foodies.   I wrote this blog because I knew of people on snap that were running out of money before they ran out of month,   No child in my opinion, should have to suffer the indignity of an empty pantry , not knowing where the next meal was coming from.    Full snap is more than enough to feed a family if you know how to stretch a buck at the store and cook from scratch.      No, you can't buy steak and lobster, and you can't buy food from Mars.  But you can buy good real food our grandmothers ate and managed to live 80 plus years on!   lol.  It's using the age old secret of putting up for the winter......worked for hundreds of years.....long before the word hoarders was invented!

Age old stock market premise.   Buy low, sell high.    You buy food at the lowest price, and eat it when the price is high .  Wait for a low price again.   You buy fruit and vegetables in season and
Buy staple items when they are at their lowest price-- enough to last you Intel they are a low price again.   Buy meat at low price and cook and /or portion control.    You can rotate meats with the sales.
This week I bought seven percent hamburger and .88 a pound chicken highs. I got a rain check for whole chickens because Fred Meyers didn't have any.    A few weeks go, I bought three pounds of sausage at Costco.    Pepperoni is .50 at dollar tree with coupons often.  

I have been spending between 75-80 a week for food and. Have developed a stock in the freezer and the pantry.   I can go for some time without buying anything more than perishables.   Good thing, because this is the time of year that we hit the donut hole and meds start taking a good portion of our income.  We are a family of four.

Bottom line, is that I've paid about half of what retail is on any one item.     It's simple
KNOW YOUR PRICES AND ONLY BUY AT RBP.   Don't buy a lot of pre packaged things or dinner meals unless they truly are less than scratch!   I can get hunts pasta sauce for as low as .75.   That's about the cost of a 15 ounce can of tomatoes.   It doesn't pay to scratch cook it.

All this has been harder since Haggens has taken over Albertsons, Safeways, and Top foods.
I can hardly wait for Winco.   Oct 22nd,   Now, we have to drive ten miles and we don't do that more than once every six to eight weeks.    I buy some things from Safeways, but a lot own comes from Kroger , and Costco for some things.     I'm waiting for the dust to settle and we get some stability on the grocery marketplace.  

Food has taken a big hike and the poor see it first.    There is no increase in social security this year,
but medical insurance and food has taken a hike and the elderly see that much more than gas or housing.

So much for my take on the economy!  lol.



Jane









Sunday, October 11, 2015

fm update

We went after the football game.    As usual, they had no Foster Farms chickens.  They had heritage the for the same price.   no dice!    We got my husbands favorite checker so  we got a rain check.

I did get chicken thighs for .88, Foster farms.    I for hamburger for 3.99 for the good quality and some fruits and veggies,    Some sake ite,s were hard to find, but I managed.   I picked up cheese even though we didn't need it right now.   Cheese lasts a long time when it is shrink wrapped.  
and,max usual, the charged us twice for the same blue cheese.   Ugh.   You have to go to the store, stand in th customer service line to get your money back.  



Fred Meyers

the ad for this Sunday


Grapes 1.28
Chicken .88
Tillamookmcheese 4.99@@
Apples, oranges .99
Strawberries 2/6
Raspberries 2/5
7 percent hamburger 3.99.   ( watch your checker, the last time they charged me 4.45) seems to happen a lot at Fred Meyers.  Either they charge me twice for the same thing, or it doesn't ring up right they don't have what they advertise. )

Pears .99
Mini carrots 5/5
General Mills cereal 1.88

That's about it.   Jane

Friday, October 9, 2015

All I can say is 72 percent......


Hormel pork tenderloins

Retail price 10.00
Cost for four 40.00
Paid 10.00


On sale at Safeways for five dollar Friday.  
Coupons are on coupons.com and in inserts.  
Just for you discount coupon.  

Nets 72 percent.  
Actually 75 percent off of qfc s retail price.  

8 dinners for 10.00!  


Tuesday, October 6, 2015

The ads

Safeways and Albertsons are virtually the same.

* Albertsons has a crazy 8 stock up sale.     General Mills cereals, and gold medal  flour.   1.88

Yo plait yogurt .48. $$.  *

Coupons
Jif  1.79
Star list .59
Zap Rams .69
Star kits albacore .99
Johnsonville smoked sausage 2/5
****

Apples .99
Grapes 1;99


5 dollar Friday
Avocados 5/5
Pasta sauce 5/5
Chinky soup 5/5$$

Safeways

Items between ** are exactly the same as Albertsons

To,a toes .99
Grapes 1.99
Apples .99

5 dollar Friday
Tenderloins, pork 5.00$$
Pasta sauce 5/5
Chunky soup,  5/5 $$

QFC
Peppers 1.00
Apples .99
Grapesv1.99
Barilla 1.00
Yo plait 10/5$$
DiGiorno 4.88


Haggens
Two week ad
Yo plait .50@@

Coupons.
Week 1
Soup .69
Week 2
Apple juice .99
Avocados 1.00

My experience is that they don't have the things that are on sale,    You may luck out, but the prices are the same elsewhere.  


That's about it.  
I'm not finding much meat that's really on sale lately.   Pork tenderloin at five dollars with a dollar coupon is about it,  

Thanks

Jane








Saturday, October 3, 2015

Fred Meyers for tomorrow, RIte Aid and notes

I had errands for the business yesterday and combined a shopping trip .   This usually means that I can recoup gas money in savings.    Dollar tree has coffee pods for a quarter each ( 4 pods on a box for a dollar.  ) They have chocolate striped shortbread and the old fashioned bowl covers .  ( they look like a shower cap! ) they are very handy to cover fruit and keep fruit flies off and cover bowls so you don't have to wash double dishes.  Reclon fingernail polish and darling pumpkin mini bubbles for trick or treaters.  

Grocery outlet has an in ad ( in store) coupon for folders coffee -- 4.99.   rIte aid has another brand for 4.99 after points, it you have to buy two.

Fred  Meyers

Avocados .77
Chuck roast 3.97
Campbell's chunky soup .99 $$ ( dollar on four coupon in Sunday paper) limit four.   Net .75
Milk .99@@
Hill shore smoked sausage 2/5@@

Squash .69 lb
Celery .69lb
Spinach .99
Tomatoes .99
DiGiorno 4.88

That's about it.

I'm impressed with the checker at grocery outlet.  We didn't know the coffee was on sale.  It was still a good buy at 699.   I was not familiar with grocery outlet having ads.   She pointed it out and went and got a coupon for us.    That's great service.

There is a .50 on two progreso soup coupon on Sunday paper.  I'm not sure if it can be had at the dollar tree.    That would make ot .75 too.  It's a good quick lunch.   It works when you don't have leftovers and stays the four dollar or under budget.  

We usually sound less than four dollars.   I write this blog to stay under a snap budget excuse that isa benchmark.   You can easily spend more but it is good to know how to spend a RBP.   It's a lot easier to spend more than it is to spend less.  


Thanks for stopping by
Please share

Jane





Thursday, October 1, 2015

The ads

Haggens has a two week ad last week.  

QFC has an ad
Safeways/Albertsons has an ad or two?  


QFC
Broccoli crowns .99
Tomatoes .99
DiGiorno pizza 4.88
Grapes 1.68
Berries2/5
Yo plait 10/5$$
Barilla pasta 10/10

Safeways

Crazy 8 sale 1.88
Cheerios $$
Gold metal flour 5 lbs

Yo plait .58$$

Buy 5, save 5, net prices
Ice cream bars 2.49
Classico pasta sauce, Kens  dressing 1.49

Peanut butter 1.79

Avocados 1.00
Folder 6.99

5 dollar fry
Zilch!  

Safeway coffee pods 3.99@@
Lindsay plies .99$$@@


Albertsons
The crazy 8 sale and the buy 5 save 5 are the same as Safeways,  

5 dollar frodays are different
Solid albacore tuna 1.00
Meringue pie

That's about it.    It is becoming evident that Safeways and Albertsons are merging,    Stat tuned for fallout.  I am just  thankful that Winco is coming October 22nd.








No ads yet.

I made split pea soup today.   I got biscuits for fifty cents at Fred Meyers.   Total cost 3.75 for soup with ham cubes and cheese biscuits.

I bought I would virtual shop assuming a person is,not on snap and has ten  dollars and Thirty dollars to spend at grocery outlet.  

There is a dollar tree and grocery outlet next to each other at 130h and aurora.   Also in Kenmore.

At the dollar tree I would buy

  1. A loaf of white bread 
  2. A jar of mayo
  3. A package of five top ramen 
  4. A package of seasoned frozen potatoes ( 24 ounces j 
  5. A package of noodles.    
  6. Bottle of oil
  7. Cinnamon 
  8. Salt. Pepper 
  9. Pizza crust 
  10. Peanut butter 
At grocery outlet 
  1. A package of chicken tenders - Foster farms 6.99
  2. Can of tuna (2) 
  3. Package of split peas 
  4. Stir fry vegetables
  5. A canister of oatmeal. 
  6. Milk 
  7. Eggs
  8. Cheese
  9. Carrots 
  10. Celery 
  11. Apples 
  12. Tomato paste 
  13. Bisquick 
  14. Ham cubes
  15. Macaroni 
  1. Breakfast oatmeal. Apple ( small cubes - one per day split between cups ) , cinnamon 
  2. Lunches.    Tuna salad sandwiches, leftovers , top ramen , peanut butter sandwiches 
  3. Dinners   
A) split pea soup with ham cubes ( split ham into four portions 
B) stir fry chicken, ramen noodles, and vegetables  ( split chicken into 1/2 pound portions ) 
C) tuna noodle casseroles 
D) egg quiche with ham ( Bisquick) 
E) pizza - chicken, ham, peppers 
F) macaroni and cheese 
G) chicken tenders, French fries