Living Frugal, Not Cheap

I did the last shopping of the month, and the year today. After 6 weeks on the $25 per person challenge I spent... get ready for it... $131.48! (for two people)

I used to shop like that every week, so I feel I did pretty good on the reduced budget for as long as I did. And, for this trip there were some unusual big-ticket items, like the $27 ham that was on sale nearly half off at $12.65. My husband's hard salami was on sale, there's another $11 (for a month worth of cold cuts). Then there was cat food, $14 for the kind the cat won't barf up immediately. I also picked up two packs of boneless skinless chicken breasts going for $1.29 a pound!

Being the week before Christmas there were holiday specials, and I took advantage of them to stock up. Six cans of broth at half price (I'd get more if I had a place to put it), boxes of crackers 60% off (limit 3, darn it) , more butter, cream cheese, and sour cream for holiday baking and party snacks. I didn't spend nearly as much as I have in some past years on the Christmas dinner. Plus I got all the usual stuff I have to buy every week, and stuff we had run out of in the last month or so that needed replacing. I'm not going to list it all individually because it is a lot to type.

All in all, though, with sales and a few coupons, I "saved" over $50 off the regular retail prices, most of it at one store that was having some really good sales (like that ham). I love to see the cashier's eyes go wide when she sees a big amount like that.