If you missed my Tops Vs. Aldi post it has inspired me along with the posts by Gretchen at Money Saving Mom to start to track my own weekly grocery trips.
4 years ago I did this every week and put in all my savings, coupons and such. I stayed on track In the last year I kept my ideal number in my head but I feel like I’m always going back to the store for a deal.
So this year my goal is to continue saving money on my groceries but also planning my weekly meals and getting my groceries in the beginning of the week. I will also try to use the meat I have in my freezer. I have lots of venison that I want to use more of.
We can help each other and hopefully inspire one another and I can hold myself more accountable to my grocery budget.
*Just a note that I will base my weekly menu’s off items I have and try to use meat I have unless it is a great sale price!
ALDI
1- Cauliflower $2.79
1- Grape Tomatoes $0.99 Used $0.25/1 Checkout 51 offer- $0.74
1- Salted lb. Butter- $2.89
1- Center Cut Bacon $3.69
2- All Natural Ham-$5.98
2- Organic Barbecue Chips- $3.98
2- Organic cans of Black Beans- $1.58
3- Cans of Chunk Tuna- $1.95
1- Bottle of Ranch Dressing- $1.29
1- Organic Soymilk-$2.29 ( for myself and daughter but it was our first time trying this and we prefer the Almond Milk.. she doesn’t like it so this is a bummer)
1- Salsa Con Queso- $1.99
1- Cocktail Sausages-$1.99
*Note meat and a couple other items in this list is for Super Bowl Party.
Total: $31.54
I have to say I haven’t been shopping to Aldi in a couple weeks and I left there feeling like it was expensive because I have been getting such good deals at Tops.
TOPS MARKETS
2 Organic Full Circle Tortilla Chips- Paid FREE
3 Organic Pops- Paid $4.50 – This was unexpected but they are normally $5.99 and on clearance than I used the $2 off a $10 Tops Organic Purchase coupon.
4- Guacamole’s- Paid $2.58 or $0.65 each. Used 2 $1/1 printable coupons here
2- Guacamole’s- Paid $$2.29 or $1.15 each- Used the $0.50/1 printable here
1- 3 lb. bag of Gala Apples $3.99
4.63 lbs. of Fresh Chicken Breasts- Paid $9.21 or $1.99/lb.
2- Keebler Fudge Stripe Red Velvet Cookies- Paid- $1.20 or $0.60 each- Used 2 $0.70/1 printable coupons here
3- Philly Cream Cheese- Paid $2 or $0.67 each- Used 3 $0.50/1 printable coupons here(NLA that was a quick one)
1- Top 32 oz.Strawberry Yogurt Paid $2.69( Just a note we got the Walmart Strawberry Yogurt and Tops is much tastier. Has no artificial ingredients and no chunks of strawberries the girls did not like that!)
1- So Delicious Coconut Hazelnut Creamer-Paid $1- Used the $1/1 printable couponhere
2- Del monte No Sugar Added Fruit Cups- Paid $1.58 or $0.79 each- Used 2 $0.75/1 printable coupons here
2- Town House Crackers- Paid FREE! Used 2 $1/1 printable coupons here ( requires 850 pts each) Used 2 Dollar Doublers
I earned 152 gas points so if you figure in gas savings at $3 on 30 gallons which is maximum you can take that’s $3.
So $31.04 or $1.30 an item!!
Not Pictured: 2 Gallons of Skim Milk from Walmart- $5.58 ( $2.79 each)
My Total Spent on groceries this week is $68.58– More than what I spent last week at only $34 but I also bought meat!
So my goal is next week to spend way less. We will see!
Here are our Menu Choices for the week:
BREAKFAST– Cereal, Left over homemade waffles, Home made Honey Wheat Bagels with cream cheese, Egg Sandwiches.
LUNCH/SNACKS– Ham Sandwiches, Left over pizza, Carrots and dip, Left over sphaghetti, Smoothies. Apples n peanut butter, Yogurt, Bananas( I have been getting the Wyman’s Cherries, Strawberries, Blueberries and Kale mix from BJ’s works great! 3 lbs for $6.99 I believe they do have coupons occasionally for this too!)
DINNER
Bacon Lettuce Tomato Sandwiches
Homemade Sphaghetti Sauce with Italian Sausage and whole wheat noodles and home made garlic bread
Lemon Baked Chicken with Brocolli Rice Au Gratin
Kale and Cheese Egg Bake. I’ll just throw things together kind of dish. I may make a crust I may not. Oh I do have those pre-made pie crusts!( I get the bags of Kale at BJ’s for $1.99 and than freeze it.)
Fried Venison with Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots
Potato Soup- gotta use up my potatoes from last week ( I’ll think of a side that day with whatever we have)
Bacon Venison Burgers with Fries
Superbowl Muchy Food: Smokies in sauce, pizza, Use up rest of Chicken for Boneless wings, chips, Gaucamole Bean dip.
I used to have a weekly grocery budget of $50 but now that my youngest daughter is eating more I don’t know if that is achievable. So I am going to say $65 Ha we will see!
What is your weekly goal for your family size? Is this an unrealistic budget?
thanks for linking up with us for Simply Inspired Wednesdays. You have great ideas!
Thanks so much Sarah!
Thank you for a great breakdown! We have a brand new Aldi’s being built right now so I am anxious to check it out. Also, thank you for linking up with us over at Simply Inspired Wednesday’s at Simplified Life.net. We would love to have you back next week. ~Victoria
You are so welcome Victoria! Oh a brand new Aldi’s will be wonderful! You will enjoy it! I will surely be back next week! I really appreciate the offer!
I need to get better at watching the sales in my area. I now live in a place with no Aldi’s and I miss it!
It really is about the sale prices! Do you have a Save a lot in your area? They are comparable to Aldi’s prices. It’s all about small steps. I would start looking through your closest grocery store ad’s and trying to pair sale items with coupon maybe!
This is awesome! We spend way too much on groceries and I always blame health issues because of requiring organic, all natural and grass fed items. It can be so expensive. After reading this, I’m inspired to bring that number down just by putting a little more effort it!
Linda Thank you! That’s the thing for me I love couponing and getting deals but I like to have a balance of the foods. I go through periods where I just spend to much time worrying and stressing about organic meat vs. non organic and the fact that we really can’t afford organic meat. But instead I give praise to the time I can buy something organic or healthy and focus on the fact that it is about small changes and a conscious effort! Hope you come back next week for my shopping trip!
Wow. Now that is planning. I have not planned my grocery shopping or meals out to the degree that you have but I understand why: you can truly track your spending and use what you have on hand. Good food for thought here.
Thank you Mary! This is going to be a new adventure actually following through on the plan! I hope together we can all try to plan a little more to save a little more!!
Wow….what a neat idea to inspire us all how we can be more frugal, eat healthier, and watch the sales! Well done!
Thank you very much Bonnie!