Shopping today. Talk me down?

[Little Birdie]

Individually, everything on this list seems like a good deal. All together it seems excessive.

Don't worry about the number of stores. They are all in one nice loop around town--no extra driving.

Saturday 8/18/07 - Walgreens ($11.92)

1/2 gal milk, 8 @ 1.49 = $11.92

Saturday 8/18/07 – Target ($19.31)

Produce: 1.27
Seedless Grapes ~1.5 lb @ 0.99/lb = $1.50 (-1.00)*
Archer Farms Salad, 5-16 oz = $1.00 (-1.00)*
Celery = 0.77

Dairy: 10.83
Butter 2.29 (-0.50)*
Tropicana Orange Juice, 64 oz = $3.00 (-1.00)*
Tropicana Orange Juice, 64 oz = $3.00 (-1.00)*
Yoplait 6 @ 0.57 = 3.42 (-1.00)*
Yoplait 6 @ 0.57 = 3.42 (-1.00)* & extra

Meat: ~5.00
Beef coupon (-2.00)*
Beef coupon (-2.00)*

Dry & Canned/Jarred Goods: 1.00
Chef Boyardee mini ravioli = $0.99 (-0.50)*
Chef Boyardee mini ravioli = $0.99 (-0.50)*
Chef Boyardee mini ravioli = $0.99 (-0.50)* (-1.00/3)*
Chef Boyardee mini ravioli = $0.99 (-0.50)*
Chef Boyardee mini ravioli = $0.99 (-0.50)*
Chef Boyardee mini ravioli = $0.99 (-0.50)* (-1.00/3)*

Dry Goods: 1.21
Black beans, 1 lb = $0.68
Lentils, 1 lb = $0.53

Saturday 8/18/07 – Petsmart ($45.78)

Cat food, multi, 20 lb = $29.89 (-4.00 PetPerks) (-3.00)* and earn $5.00 gift card
Cat food, multi, 20 lb = $29.89 (-4.00 PetPerks) (-3.00)* and earn $5.00 gift card

Saturday 8/18/07 – Hy-Vee (~$22.50)

Produce:
Spinach, bunch = $0.99

Meat: ~$19.00
Jennie-O, sliced turkey, 1 lb = $1.99
Boston Butt ~6lb @ $1.77 = $10.62
Chicken leg quarters @ 0.59 = ~$6.00

Dry & Canned/Jarred Goods:
Prego, 48 oz = $1.68
Saltines (in ad coupon)* = $0.77

Saturday 8/18/07 – Dahl’s (<$15)

Plums, ~1 lb = $0.99
Bread & butter roast, ~2.5 lb @ 1.99/lb = $5.00
Pork loin chops, ? @ 1.99/lb = $_____
Hunt’s Snack Pack (4 ct), 2 @ 0.79 = $1.58 (-0.35)*
Hunt’s Snack Pack (4 ct), 2 @ 0.79 = $1.58 (-0.35)*

Saturday 8/18/07 – Fareway ($4.55)

Bread = $0.99
Barilla, 4 @ 0.89/box = $3.56


Grand total $119.06. My budget is $85/week, for a total of $340 for August.

This month I have already spent 182.63 + 23.95 = $206.58. That leaves me $133.42 for the rest of the month. After this trip I would have $14.36.

-sigh- I would also have enough milk and meat for the rest of the month. And enough meat, cat food, and other stuff for quite some time after that!! My only concern is what if there are good deals in the next two weeks...

[dcompton]

Sometimes for the sake of good sales I will cheerfully go over budget if I can, knowing that the stockpile will be there for leaner days and I'll be glad I have it, or just that it will balance out the next month. Having that much cat food should save that expense next month -- unless there are a LOT of hungry mouths to feed. Are the coupons or sale for that about to expire? If not, could one of them wait? That's a good deal on milk.

If you buy all this, will you pretty much be able to eat from the stockpile for the rest of the month? Are there other essential expenses you know of in the next couple of weeks, like meds or toilet paper (if they come out of the same part of the budget)? If so, you may have to skip some of the items, no matter how good the deals. It's early in the month to be so close to the edge of the budget. But whether this is a good shopping expedition or too much depends, it seems to me on your own circumstances, and how strictly you have to adhere to the budget.

[TreasureFinder]

Just skipping one bag of cat food could make a serious dent in the total, and it sounds like you don't need that much right away anyway. Is any of that deal still good for a while, or do you miss the -$4, -$3 AND the $5 gift card by waiting?

[brainyblonde]

I am not brand conscious so I think I'd cut out the bags of cat food (can get smaller bags with coupons for less per oz), the Barilla pasta (.89/box seems high to me), one of the OJ and one set of yogurt (these seem to cycle on sale every other week or so). The Boston butt prices per lb seems high to me, too, so I would skip that.

[mom2hancj]

I agree with pp but other than those things I think you have done great! Happy shopping! Isn't it great to know that you are getting the best deals and the most for your $$!

[mickee311]

I say go for it, except on the items previously mentioned. Well, the cat fod, I would go on and get. I did the same thing a couple weeks ago with the dog food. It was on sale for a great price for the 20lb bag of Iams, so I figured I would save in the long run for not having to buy dog food for a while. We have 2 adult Shih-Tzu's and 3 of their puppies, so it's needed. I busted my budget bad Thursday night, but I look at it as I won't have to shop for a whole lot for a few weeks, we can live off the stockpile for a good bit. We got some extra money, so I wanted to start my stockpile, so in leaner months, we won't have to worry about the groceries. I will still shop for loss leaders until payday and the basic perishables, but otherwise, I am saving for later. It will come in handy when we get low on money in the future. Happy hunting!

[Little Birdie]

I had to run before I could get the responses. Should have posted earlier in the morning.

I had to take Daughter with me and she asked if we had to go to all those stores. I started to tell her that we did to get the sales, but then I realized that the grocery stores run there sales Tues - Mon, so I put those off.

Here are the damages:

Saturday 8/18/07 - Walgreens ($11.92)

1/2 gal milk, 8 @ 1.49 = $11.92

Saturday 8/18/07 – Target ($26.54)

Produce: 1.16
Seedless Grapes ~2.19 lb @ 0.99/lb = $2.16 (-1.00)*
Archer Farms Salad, 5-16 oz = $1.00 (-1.00)*
Celery - didn't get. They raised the price to 1.39. I'll pick it up at Hy-Vee for 0.99.

Dairy: 10.83
Butter 2.29 (-0.50)*
Tropicana Orange Juice, 64 oz = $3.00 (-1.00)*
Tropicana Orange Juice, 64 oz = $3.00 (-1.00)*
Yoplait 6 @ 0.57 = 3.42 (-1.00)*
Yoplait 6 @ 0.57 = 3.42 (-1.00)*

Meat: 3.29
Beef coupon, steak = $3.60 (-2.00)*
Beef coupon, steak = $3.69 (-2.00)*

Canned/Jarred Goods: 1.00
Chef Boyardee mini ravioli = $0.99 (-0.50)*
Chef Boyardee mini ravioli = $0.99 (-0.50)*
Chef Boyardee mini ravioli = $0.99 (-0.50)* (-1.00/3)*
Chef Boyardee mini ravioli = $0.99 (-0.50)*
Chef Boyardee mini ravioli = $0.99 (-0.50)*
Chef Boyardee mini ravioli = $0.99 (-0.50)* (-1.00/3)*

Dry Goods: 1.58
Black beans, 1 lb = $0.79
Lentils, 1 lb = $0.79

Not on list: 8.94
Bag of Tootsie Rolls (needed by her teacher!) = 1.97
Barilla, 2lb elbows, 2 @ 1.47 = 2.94
Barilla, 2lb spaghetti, 2 @ 1.47 = 2.94
Market Pantry bread = $1.09

Saturday 8/18/07 – Petsmart ($43.59)

Cat food, multi, 20 lb = $29.89 (-4.00 PetPerks) (-3.00)* and earn $5.00 gift card
Cat food, multi, 20 lb = $29.89 (-4.00 PetPerks) (-3.00)* and earn $5.00 gift card
(-5.00 of $20 purchase)
+ 2.81 tax


I did think anyone would say don't get the milk.

We are brand conscious on the kitties on the advice of people we trust. I had to get that size and had to do it this weekend to get the PetPerks and the gift card. And the $3 mfgr coupons, tho' not size restricted, were expiring, too. I'm still mulling this one over. I think I should have done it in two transactions. I'm worried that with only one receipt, I'll have trouble sending away for two gift cards. And with two transactions, I could have used 2 of the $5 of $20. Hmmm.

Thanks for the comment on the Boston Butt. I get excited whenever I find meat less than $2.00/lb. I realize though that I have only been watching Hy-Vee (our SuperTarget never even gets close to that low). I should start watching Fareway on a regular basis. Buzz around here is that they have a great meat counter, but it's such a small store and closed on Sundays that I have never paid them much attention.

We do have some flexibility with our budget. We have the money now. BUT, we are living off our savings. The $85/week number is what it will take to stretch that. I can afford to got over. I can't afford to make a habit of going over.