Food

I am on a mission to SAVE on groceries. As our second largest expense (first being mortgage -and at one time we did spend equal amounts on mortgage and food!) it’s the one obvious place to cut back. Again.

So first I discovered shopping at Sam’s Club actually costs a lot of money. We’d drop 500 dollars every time we set foot in that store. To help that problem we began ordering online with their click & pull feature. If you place an order by 5pm you can pick it up the next day. You can pull right up front curbside, run in to claim and pay for your order and they have your basket(s) all ready for you! This is genius. It’s fast and if you have a zillion kids, or even one, you don’t have to take them shopping! I have a 14 year old that stays in the car with the younger kids and one of my sons goes into help me with the carts. This is the perfect shopping solution.

Now for the money saving part…when I order this way we spend on average 300-350 dollars instead of $500! That saves money. I can only order what is featured online (plenty of great things) and I know exactly how much it will be before I ever check out. You can save your lists for future ordering too, making it fast!

For the past month I have been using things up around here. If that meant crackers and peanut butter for lunch for 2 days this week so be it. We used up tons of stuff! I was so proud of myself. Leftover Mexican rice from dinner 2 nights ago became lunch with corn chips. I’m usually good about coming up with meals from leftovers but this month it wasn’t done out of the desire to use things up or make a quick meal because I forgot to thaw something…it was done with a WE HAVE TO DO THIS attitude or we’ll starve LOL. I have to have that mindset sometimes or I'll just go shopping. So I stayed away from any store, no matter what.

I’m hoping with the money we saved we’ll be able to buy a whole hog for our freezer. We are quickly running out of beef and a hog will help give some variety and stretch our beef.

I’m really looking forward to raising our own turkey’s this year but I need a money plan to make that happen. We need fence and shelter. I wish I could raise them with the chickens. I see people doing that online but I’ve always been told it’s a no, no. (Turkeys are susceptible to life threatening diseases that chickens are immune to. )
Mostly I’m discovering saving money on food is lowering your food portions and expectations. LOL. I am very picky and very "healthy."  Channges I've had to make over the past few months that I rarely buy organic of now : peanut butter, crackers, chicken. Those were huge changes for me. But, until we get some bills paid off and my hubby's car that's just life.

Oh I also miss buying sugar free pasta sauce and organic yogurt. On the plus side all the frozen veggies I buy at Sam's now is GMO free which makes me happy. GMO free corn = awesome!


Our last order.....

2 Dole® Blueberries - 64 oz. - 817663 2 No $7.8 $15.6


2 Totino's® Pepperoni Pizza Rolls® - 2/34.6oz Bags - 364964 2 No $8.98 $17.96

Horizon Organic Reduced Fat Milk w/DHA - 3/64oz - 17905 1 No $10.58 $10.58

Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter - 2 jars - 40 oz. each - 49573 1 No $6.49 $6.49

Dole® Sliced Strawberries - 80 oz. bag - 775841 1 No $8.28 $8.28

Brown Cow Greek Yogurt - Variety Pack - 12/53 oz - 987403 1 No $10.68 $10.68

Seedless Cucumbers - 3 ct. - 810937 1 No $3.98 $3.98

Farmland Hickory Smoked Bacon - 3/1 lb. pks - 33755 1 No $8.98 $8.98

Heinz Tomato Ketchup - 3/ 44 oz. - 281710 1 No $5.98 $5.98

Hellmann's® Real Mayonnaise - 64 oz. jar - 61167 1 No $6.15 $6.15

2 WindStone Farms® Seedless Blackberry Jam - 2/18 oz. - 476342 2 No $4.98 $9.96

Member's Mark® Salted Butter Quarters- 4/1 lb. - 907581 1 No $7.98 $7.98

José Olé® Chicken&Cheese Chimichangas-18ct - 137075 1 No $11.48 $11.48

2 Frozen Boneless Skinless Breasts - 6lb bag - 65525 2 No $13.48 $26.96

Flav-R-Pac® Whole Kernel Corn - 5 lb. bag - 452328 1 No $4.98 $4.98

FLAV-R-PAC® Broccoli Florets - 4lb bag - 216444 1 No $4.98 $4.98

Newman's Special Blend - Keurig K-Cups - 80 ct. - 728126 1 No $33.88 $33.88

Nabisco® Ritz Crackers - 4/12 oz. packs - 684362 1 No $5.94 $5.94

Ore-Ida Tater Tots 8lb. - 78016 1 No $6.62 $6.62

Yoplait® Original Yogurt Multi Pack-18/6oz. cups - 201472 1 No $7.22 $7.22

Pedigree® Adult Dry Dog Food - 52 lb. - 994976 1 No $23.84 $23.84

Kellogg's® Raisin Bran Crunch® - 43.3oz - 906053 1 No $6.58 $6.58

Quaker® Life® Cereal Variety Pack- 62 oz. - 680184 1 No $6.28 $6.28

Macaroni Grill® Meat Lasagna - 2/40 oz. trays - 230743 1 No $12.98 $12.98

Prego® Heart Smart™ Traditional - 2/67oz - 32754 1 No $6.49 $6.49

Baker's & Chef™ Wide Egg Noodles - 5 lbs. - 622386 1 No $5.98 $5.98

Earthbound Farm® Organic Mini Carrots - 3 lbs. - 351278 1 No $3.98 $3.98

Treasures from the Sea® Parmesan Tilapia - 40oz - 81405 1 No $11.98 $11.98

Bakers & Chefs™ Shredded Mild Cheddar - 5lbs - 63910 1 No $11.86 $11.86

2 Sister Schubert's Dinner Yeast Rolls - 30ct - 796504 2 No $5.88 $11.76
 
Total with tax $332.72