marked down meat_opt
Disclaimer: Only tried and true meat eaters will want to see these pictures. It’s a Carnivore’s Delight.
As I slowly share my grocery guru mentality, it’s been a joy to interact with many of you about your new found “Grocery Guru” status. There is definitely a learning curve, but it’s more than just saving a dollar here and a dollar there, it’s really about changing your whole way of thinking about money management. For many of us, the most immediate need which yields the quickest gratification is by saving money in the kitchen.
I thought I was on track to only spend $300 this month by eating a lot from my pantry, but this haul on meat puts me over the edge. It will be well worth it as we feast on Filet Mignon this evening. Every time I post my “marked down’ meat specials, I receive many emails from those of you who, for the first time, have found some steals on marked down items and also from those of you who do not know where to look. (Peruse this post on how I save money on meat if this is new to you.)
Many of you state that your stores do not do mark down items, but don’t be afraid to ask. When I began purchasing like this (fruit, bakery, meats and dairy), our store didn’t do it either. Over 12 years ago, I stepped out of my comfort zone, inquired, and it’s been a GO ever since. You may need to ask at a few different locations because it’s not really a Corporate store policy, but a manager’s decision.
save money with coupons_opt
Typically, it’s a hit or miss and today was definitely a HIT. Such a hit that I didn’t know if I should purchase it all, but I knew that would be a decision I regretted as soon as I got home. Have you heard the term, “Penny wise, pound foolish”? Sometimes our frugal minds can make short term decisions which in the long run costs us much more.
I purchased hundreds of dollars of meat (if priced at retail, which of course, I wouldn’t buy) for approximately $50. The boneless, skinless chicken was not marked down, but it was Buy1, Get 2 free. (Make sure you do the math on those kinds of sales because they aren’t always the great steals that’s advertised.)
Since it’s Triple Coupons at my favorite store, I could have shown you my typical Grocery Guru haul in which I bought $XYZ for only $7,  but this is a more realistic look of what I purchase on a weekly basis.
There were strawberries that were NOT marked down, but it offset the bags of pears that were and we’re using them this morning for smoothies.
Some coupon highlights? Three bags of No Yolks pasta for $0.4/bag – definitely my favorite item for which I am buying ahead. For those of you who still think you wouldn’t use coupons, I purchased six different condiments (not all pictured) for pennies, as well as a boat load of cleaning products for free after coupon.
Some of you do not have stores that double coupons. There are still amazing finds when you understand the grocery cycle. All of the Classico pasta sauces (six in all) were purchased with a coupon that takes $1.50 off beef when you buy two Classico sauces.
The Grocery Guru Tip –  all the marked down beef counted for that coupon since the meat is not brand specific. Wait until the sauces go on sale and then stock up. (YourCouponCafe has this coupon if you need it.)
Convenience size yogurt is something I ONLY purchase during an extreme couponing week. The kids love them, so it’s considered a treat, and ONLY purchased with great coupons. One item in particular  is NOT pictured, but we drink this 3 ounce yogurt in less than five seconds. It astounds me that anyone would pay $2.50 for the convenience of a five cent value, but the brand sure has done their marketing job well. If you purchase these for your kids without coupons, this is an immediate way to reduce the grocery budget. 🙂
Time is short today, so I am not going to list the price of every item, but the total of all three pictures (along with quite a few items that did not make it in) was $70. My dear daughter added the plate of cheesy egg noodles since we had already cooked them up for dinner. She thought they deserved a picture all by themselves, I disagreed. ha ha
Our weekly meal plan is going to be a Carnivore’s Delight. Most of the meat is already in the freezer, but we will be having roast, steaks and grilled chicken over the next few days. Since I have really cut down on our meat in take lately, my big boys will be ecstatic.
triple coupons at harris teeter_opt
Check out what the other moms are cooking up this week.
Kate has a great pantry list this week and Toni’s children revolted against store bought bread.