Food prices gone wild......

[mauimagic]

My DH asked me not to buy any more mayo about two weeks ago since we had four in the pantry. It's not that we go crazy using it, but it is added to many dishes. I paid under $3 for each 30 oz. jar. Today in Safeway's flyer, it is offering Mayo at a club price of $5.49!!

....and with gas at $4.79 (last Thursday) - and with our getting a pay cut of 5%.......Time to be even smarter before this craziness carries me away!!

[dcompton]

That's a huge jump. Going through the produce aisles is what leaves me shell shocked. My expenses across the board seem to be increasing, so, I'm with you, MM - time for more vigilance.

[ladytoysdream]

I try to stay ahead on mayonaise about 3 jars.
Especially in the summer when we do more salads.
If I found a really good deal, I would buy a few extra.

The one thing I really keep track of and stay ahead on, is coffee. When I see a sale, I normally pick up a few more.

Closest gas station to us this morning is at $ 3.999 for the cheapest grade. They might just better say 4 bucks.

[Maine Girl]

Not sure how many people you are feeding but i found a wesite called $5 dollar dinners that feeds four. They have some really good recipes.

MM have you thought of making your own mayo?

[mauimagic]

It will be interesting tomorrow when I go to school to check out the new gas prices too. Then I shall have to go grocery shopping since we have very little in the house - I am prepared - I hoppe!!

[brennasmom]

Hopefully there will be some loss leaders on mayo with memorial day.

I agree, prices are getting crazy. I am just hitting loss leaders and stocking up!

[dcompton]

I'm counting on Memorial Day for all the condiments - especially barbeque sauce and ketchup - I'm getting low on both. I have a jar of mayo for the occasional recipe, but for sandwiches I'm addicted to Kraft sandwich spread - it's one of the few things I'm brand loyal to. I haven't found another to substitute. And it's NEVER on sale.

I did hit a pickle bonanza. Kroger had their big jars of sugar free bread and butter spears on for 1.50 - with my senior discount they were 1.35. I bought six, and I am regretting I didn't get more - but not enough to drive back. Life needs pickles.

[mauimagic]

Loss leader shopping it is!! Think that I also need to dos ome more educating of DH. He is an excellent shopper a meal at a time, but then does not know prices to be able to compare them. Looks like we will both be changing gears.

[auntie2many]

MM, Could your husband be reacting to a lack of space in your home and seeing the extra jars of mayonnaise, he thinks that you will buy other things in bulk and soon be over come? That is I think how FIL feels and is to some extent how dh feels too. Our house is very old, small and storage space is almost none.

Dh does know the price of food though because we work on the budget together each month and he sees me each week trying harder and harder to match up sales, coupons... because we cannot go over budget.

Gasoline here is not quite as high as yours MM, but it's getting closer.

Yikes, it can make your head spin.

A2M

[mauimagic]

Possible - but since we have a huge home (by Hawaii standards) - I think it's more that wemight just waste instead of use anything, everything. It's fine with him to have one or two 20 lb. bags of rice extra - priorities you know!!

[imagine]

My DH asked me not to buy any more mayo about two weeks ago since we had four in the pantry. It's not that we go crazy using it, but it is added to many dishes. I paid under $3 for each 30 oz. jar. Today in Safeway's flyer, it is offering Mayo at a club price of $5.49!!

....and with gas at $4.79 (last Thursday) - and with our getting a pay cut of 5%.......Time to be even smarter before this craziness carries me away!!

Walgreen has the Kraft 30 oz Mayo on sale this week for $3.99. and if I checked the ad correctly that is the price in Maui too.

[Russ]

The one thing I really keep track of and stay ahead on, is coffee. When I see a sale, I normally pick up a few more.

ugg.. last time I bought coffee, I got it on sale @7.99.

Today at Kroger...10.99

[Ramona]

I wish you could come to Boston, a local grocer has Cain's mayo (local, all natural) 30 oz on sale at $2.50.

[Spirit Deer]

My husband is still working on coffee he picked up on clearance for .10/1 lb. jar. Better believe he bought all they had! It'll be gone shortly though. He's still got eight big bags of instant specialty coffees he got for $1/bag at a rummage sale though. He's still set for quite a while. But we've noticed how expensive coffee has gotten.

Lite Hellman's was on sale here lately for about $3.50, so I bought one even though we didn't need it. I try to use it sparingly due to the calories and sodium, but that was a good price. Regular price is almost $6 now. I've been mixing it about half and half with homemade fat free yogurt or low-fat sour cream, because it tastes better that way and cuts calories. But that makes the mayo go farther, too, come to think of it.

Gas was $3.86 here late last week. Can't wait to see how much it goes to once the travel season arrives.

I'm on a tear lately trying new recipes for all kinds of things, and learning to make my own condiments is high on the list. I look at the recipes and notice they can often be made for pennies, so if they're any good, the savings will be enormous.

We also had a big discussion here today about what perennials we can plant in an attempt to grow our own fruits and preserve them, to lessen dependence on the grocery store. Besides, there's no way to beat free, organic, and fresh. We're not very good gardeners but we're going to make a bigger effort to learn. We're doomed to failure for sure if we don't even try.

[Darlene]

Hellmans mayo is on sale for $2.99.Qt? Condiment prices like someone mentioned will be getting better. I too stock up this time of year.

With me, hubby harps about my pasta stash...he just doesn't get it,lol. It keeps well, ya know?!