Grocery deals & stockpiling...

**peanut** · 08-22-2007, 02:01 PM

I found mangoes for 60 cents a pound today. That's good for here. Normally they're 88 cents/lb. I picked up 20 lbs. to peel, pit and freeze for mango lassi.

I caved in and bought vine ripened tomatoes at 98 cents/lb. It's the cheapest I've seen tomatoes all year. I bought 20 lbs. and put them in the freezer. Our tomatoes on the patio all have blossom end rot.

Found sugar for $6.89/10 kg., limit of one. Bought my second bag on sale this week and have sugar for the year now. This is half price for us.

Salmon was on sale, but the store didn't have any! I'll have to check another store later this week. It was 28 cents/100 g. I guess you can sell it for whatever you want, if you don't have any of it!

I found raisins cheaper bagged than in the bulk section, by almost 75 cents/kg. Ended up with 2 kg. for $6.49. Gotta keep checking - bulk is not always cheaper.

Vinegar was on sale $1.98/4 litres. I didn't need any, but at that price, I stocked up.

I ran out of grocery money, but have more stocking up to do. Will pilfer it from other budget categories. If I'm going to stock up, it needs to be done this next week or so. Things are cheap during back-to-school days because everyone's buying school supplies, not groceries.

I really want to lay in a bunch of that salmon. Canned salmon is expensive these days.

How's everyone else doing? I've just resigned myself to the fact I'm not going to get the good deals like I used to. I'm picking things up as I see them go lower, and changing my diet accordingly. Even cabbage is expensive these days!

Jean

**sdrjeolsen** · 08-22-2007, 02:08 PM

Ya, groceries have soared here too. I can't believe the price on some things. Apples were 1.89/lb on sale!! what happened to .79 and .89/lb sales on those? Milk was on sale for 3.99/gal yesterday.

I did find a good buy on peanut butter, .99/18 oz jar. So I got probably 30 jars or so. I know what you mean about changing the diet around. I figured the kids will be eating PB & J all year.

I'm glad you found some good stockpiling deals. Hope you can get aholdof some salmon!

**ewokgirl** · 08-22-2007, 02:19 PM

I was running low on cheese, and trying to wait for the next sale of $1 for 8 oz. blocks. Then it finally dawned on me that if milk prices are up, so are cheese prices.

I'm really not too terribly concerned right now about the inflated food costs. It was inevitable considering fuel costs these days. It's just part of living in an oil-dependent world when that resource is becoming more scarce. But then, I'm blessed not to have to worry about our finances when prices rise a little. I realize that's not the case for everyone.

I got some great deals on beef and chicken last week, and I still have plenty in the freezer from the last big sale.

Can you get a raincheck on the salmon? The store should honor the sale price when more comes in since they were out when you went to buy it.

Fortunately, we have a really great grocery store called Sprouts, which calls itself a farmer's market. (It's really not; it's a chain.) They have really great sales on fruits and veggies every week, so that's usually where I buy our fresh stuff. This week has cabbage 3lbs./$1 and 3 cucumbers for $1. I'll buy some of each to make coleslaw and BLT cukes. Plums are 2lbs./$1 this week, so I'll buy a bunch of those, too.

**jarediane** · 08-22-2007, 02:34 PM

Our groceries have blown through the roof here as well. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone else in the central Minnesota area on their cost cutting strategies here. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I recently have quit a very stressful job and don't plan on going back anytime soon lol. Anywho, i'm learning the art of frugality slowly but surely.

**my4littlebuffaloes** · 08-22-2007, 02:37 PM

I have just decided that when something does go a good sale, then I will have to really stock up. Because who knows when the next good sale will come.

**littlemotherhaywood** · 08-22-2007, 03:07 PM

I've been waiting for that same cheese sale, lol. Schnucks had their brand PB on sale for $1 a jar so we tried it, but it's a lot different than what we usually use. Rumor has it that the Kroger brand is made by JIF so I've been watching their ads. My dh loves JIF. We go through massive amounts of PB. Probably close to a jar a week between sandwiches and shakes.

Mangoes are sold individually here, not by the pound. They're heavy!!! Sam's Club sells a box of really big ones (twice the size of those in the store) for $6. There are eight or nine in a box. I buy the big box and then peel and chop and freeze. I love mango fresh and the kids like it in their breakfast shakes. I never see apples on sale. I bought a big eight pound bag for $5 the other day, but that's about it. I like to buy a few of each kind, but you can't really do that by the bag. My ds loves apples so I watch that pretty closely. I did get two pounds of grapes for $1.50 at Aldi's last week. Their produce is always so hit or miss. The grapes are awesome though. I usually pay that per pound if not more. I miss my Farmer's Market in Cleveland....but I'll bet even their prices have gone up

**YankeeMom** · 08-22-2007, 05:03 PM

I about fainted when I saw the cost of CHEESE at the commissary!!!!

Normally, I can get an 8oz packaged of shredded cheese for $1.19 (plus they always have coupons for 30c/2). Today the same cheese.... $1.79

Ironically, they had Kraft sliced Provolone for the same price it's always been $1 for 8oz. I got four.

But I did get some really good deals on other stuff. I got Chocolate Chex cereal for 75c a box. It was $1.75 plus I had two coupons for $1/1 so I got two boxes for less than the cost of one. I also got General Mills cereal for $1.39/box (20oz +) and a bag of Malt o meal for 25c after coupons. The commissary also had Boo Berry & Franken Berry on sale for $1.63/box.

They had the HUGE bottles of Purex (100-something oz) for $5. If I had had room, I'd have bought two. As it was I was overloaded lol.

I got Kudos snack bars for 29c. They were $1.79 and I had a coupon for $1.50/1

I got SpaghettiO's for 24c/can after sales & coupons. They had 5lb bread flour for 89c/bag. I bought four. Price Chopper also had sugar on sale $1.99/5lb bag. I got two. I may go back for more later in the week.

The commissary had some good deals. They don't do loss leaders though. The regular grocery stores loss leaders have been less than spectacular.

Looking over my receipt, I was way overcharged on quite a few things at the commissary. I'm going back there first thing tomorrow morning to get this straightened out. I had a coupon for BOGO chocolates that she never took off. I caught her twice trying to not scan my coupons. Which I totally don't get, it's not their freaking money!!

I'm mad now.

**brenda67** · 08-22-2007, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by YankeeMom

I about fainted when I saw the cost of CHEESE at the commissary!!!!

Normally, I can get an 8oz packaged of shredded cheese for $1.19 (plus they always have coupons for 30c/2). Today the same cheese.... $1.79

Ironically, they had Kraft sliced Provolone for the same price it's always been $1 for 8oz. I got four.

But I did get some really good deals on other stuff. I got Chocolate Chex cereal for 75c a box. It was $1.75 plus I had two coupons for $1/1 so I got two boxes for less than the cost of one. I also got General Mills cereal for $1.39/box (20oz +) and a bag of Malt o meal for 25c after coupons. The commissary also had Boo Berry & Franken Berry on sale for $1.63/box.

They had the HUGE bottles of Purex (100-something oz) for $5. If I had had room, I'd have bought two. As it was I was overloaded lol.

I got Kudos snack bars for 29c. They were $1.79 and I had a coupon for $1.50/1

I got SpaghettiO's for 24c/can after sales & coupons. They had 5lb bread flour for 89c/bag. I bought four. Price Chopper also had sugar on sale $1.99/5lb bag. I got two. I may go back for more later in the week.

The commissary had some good deals. They don't do loss leaders though. The regular grocery stores loss leaders have been less than spectacular.

Looking over my receipt, I was way overcharged on quite a few things at the commissary. I'm going back there first thing tomorrow morning to get this straightened out. I had a coupon for BOGO chocolates that she never took off. I caught her twice trying to not scan my coupons. Which I totally don't get, it's not their freaking money!!

I'm mad now.

Heather..I know how you feel when a cashier tries to screw you on your coupons!! I had this happen numerous times...

Anyhow I wanted to comment (regarding the limit)on the sugar that Price Chopper has on sale...did you know that you can seperate your orders? If I see a really good deal that has a limit I just get as many as I want and seperate them.. I tell the cashier ahead of time what I'm doing....I have never had a problem with any store yet...I know every store is different but thought I'd let you know what I do... I did buy 4-5lb bags a couple of days ago..HTH...

**mommy4ever** · 08-22-2007, 06:02 PM

Jean, what store did you find the deals at? I'm on the Canadian Prairies as well. I'm hoping to sell a car today so I can go shopping tomorrow and renew my stockpile. Other than frozen meats, my WHOLE cupboard is bare. We've been using it up. Now it had to be used, as it was aging, but I haven't been restocking. Thank goodness Sept is HERE. I'll have over $1000/mo to work with . Summer was really lean for us.

**peanut** · 08-22-2007, 09:40 PM

mommy4ever,

I went to Superstore today.

I see Safeway has a 10 for $10 sale on, but their prices are high...like 10 English cucumbers for $10. Like they were .88 ea just awhile ago! And they had 10 lbs. peaches for $10, but peaches are iffy in my experience. But they also have Romaine lettuce on 10 heads for $10, which is cheap. Superstore's Romaine was $1.48 today. Even spinach was at $1.28 or more. Cabbage was .58/lb. Normally we can get it for .38 or less!

I actually checked the store flyers on-line last night for meat sales, but didn't find anything other than the salmon. I used to not buy any meat over $2/lb. Now I've had to up it to $3-4/lb. Means we're eating less meat.

I'm wondering if, with these prices, it might be cheaper to go to the local butcher and buy local meat?

Jean

**mommy4ever** · 08-22-2007, 10:24 PM

Jean,

We just got a side of pork, $1.50/lb + butchering. (that is about $70 for hte whole animal or so).

We did a side of beef, $1.95/lb includes butchering.

Chicken is insane here.

**peanut** · 08-23-2007, 12:54 PM

Thanks! Will talk to DH about buying a quarter of beef...I'll phone around butchers today...

Jean

**mommy4ever** · 08-23-2007, 12:56 PM

What area are you in? I may be able to help with that. We've used a couple. There's a great one around Calmar area.

**peanut** · 08-23-2007, 01:16 PM

Mommy4ever, I pm'd you with more info.

Jean

**littlemotherhaywood** · 08-23-2007, 01:36 PM

You know I had a cashier try to not scan my coupon at the grocery today too. After she gave me the total I pointed out that she didn't scan it. I had two of the same coupon, but I bought two items. She wasn't unpleasant, just didn't make any sense. Then I watched an elderly couple spend almost $200 on groceries and I cringed at what they bought, lol. I kept thinking "I could save them so much money" but I guess everyone shops the way they shop.