This summer to go along with the economic stimulus checks the government issues, Kroger ran a special where they added 10% when you purchased a gift card with a $300 $600 or $1200 value. I participated in this special twice - both times for $300 cards.
Turns out, it was a great way to track grocery spending. I just finished the last of the gift cards this past week. I had purchased $660 in cards, and a couple of co-workers went in on a $50 gift card when I got married.
I've used nothing but those cards since I got them (excluding the very rare trips to Wal-Mart and Food City to buy groceries), which means I've spent approximately $710 in groceries since May. That's under $90 a month for our grocery bill!
Keeping in mind that over the past 8 months, I've used those cards to build up a food emergency fund. So that $90 not only contributed to our weekly grocery expenses, but also to the full cabinets that we have right now.
How'd I do it? The typical - shopping sales, using coupons, menu planning. I know those are ideas everyone in the bloggy world has heard a million times. But it works. Also, in the past I've been more willing to compromise on health type items. But that is something I'm working on. (I actually bought the flavor seal ground chuck this past week, rather than the ground beef.)
For more great ideas, check out the weekly Frugal Friday carnival at Biblical Womanhood.
Hubby and I usually try to keep our grocery budget at $75/week (That includes cleaning supplies and other various things, too, though). I need a limit when I shop, otherwise, I go crazy in the stores, lol.
ReplyDeleteWe try and keep our shopping at $50 or less a week. This week is was about $58 but I bought a big pork tenderloin and got my precriptions so it probably wasn't that bad...
ReplyDeleteI am so jealous!! We allow 300 a week for groceries, papergoods, etc. I guess it goes with the territory... 5 kids and all. Plus, I buy alot of produce, it's bunches cheaper to buy junk food!
ReplyDeleteIf you shop during the day, you can buy a chuck roast (when they go on special, our local Kroger runs $1.99 every couple of months) and ask the meat dept. to grind it for you.
ReplyDeleteYou can also have a fully cooked ham (like turkey ham) shaved for cheap lunchmeat.
The nicer grocery stores - Safeway/Randalls, Kroger, etc. will do it for free usually if their meat dept. is open.
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