One question that I am asked a lot is how can I save money when my stores don’t double coupons? We are under the impression that a doubled coupon is the only way to save and that isn’t true. Yes, sometimes you can get great deals with a doubled coupon. But doubled coupons do not guarantee that you will save more money then someone who lives in the land of no doubles. It all comes down to what your family eats. Each family buys different groceries. The chances are extremely slim that you would find 2 people who’s pantry and fridge are stocked EXACTLY the same.
The key to saving money is to change your eating and shopping habits.
My mother in law cooks dinner for us almost every night of the week. She had 4 kids and now it’s just her and my nephew and she was having a hard time changing her habit of cooking for 6 mouths. So now she cooks for us instead. And I can’t complain!
She went on her big shopping trip today (with the help of my husband). I had given her my coupon box ahead of time and she swore that there were no coupons available for what was on her list. And of course she is a need it right now person instead of a buy it when it’s on sale person.
So off she went to Aldi’s, Sam’s Club and Walmart. Pictured above is her groceries. She purchased enough food to cover dinners for 6 people for 24 meals. That is 6 nights a week!
Here are the meals she is planning on making (unfortunately I do not have the recipes):
- Spaghetti Bake
- Pork Chops (apparently it’s a jaw dropping recipe involving bell peppers)
- Cheesy Nacho Bake
- Chicken Pie
- Roast with potato and carrots
- Chicken Parmesan
- Homemade Salisbury Steak
- Tenderloin (the seasoned ones from the meat department; apparently we are trying Sante Fe)
- Taco Bake (best thing ever! Unfortunately none for me on my new diet)
- Spinach Casserole
- Baked Ziti Supreme
- Poppy Seed Chicken
- Chicken N Chips (I think these are homemade chips from potatoes)
- Tater Tot Casserole (one of her kids favorites from childhood)
- Beef Tip and Noodles
- Onion Fried Chicken (her new favorite with french fried onions)
- Meatloaf
- Santa Fe Chicken Bake
- Bar-b-que Chicken
- Sausage Goulash (another one of her kid’s favorites)
- Chicken Fried Steak (homemade)
- Cayatina Hot Dish (no clue?)
- Baked Chicken (her own awesome recipe that involves chicken broth and veggies)
- Pork Roast
- Plus 4 meals we will grill steak or hamburgers (which we already have in our deep freeze)
That is a total of 28 meals!
For sides she bought potatoes, macaroni and cheese, rice, and a mixture of veggies that we already have.
So how much did she spend on everything pictured? Her grand total was $239 for 24 dinners plus breakfast and lunch and snacks that will last about 10 days. If you break that down, that’s just $60 a week for 6 dinners for 6 mouths!
Next month I am going to get my hands on her list and do the shopping myself. You know how hard it is to argue with people who are set in their ways. ;)
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
OK that is awesome! I thought I did good when I bought 12 meals for 4 mouths plus breakfast, lunch etc for $265! Now you do know we are going to want some of these recipes, right? :O)
Ok I will twist her arm and get them. Maybe I can run a new series called “Kooking with Kathy”. Is that Korny? ;)
I think it would be great! Maybe somehow you could even set up a way for others to post recipes too???
I like Kooking with Kathy – cute!
I like it! I actually printed the list you have above and thought I would search the internet for recipes. Sometimes you just draw a blank on what to cook so it’s nice to have some go-to recipes.
When I first started couponing almost 2yrs ago, I didn’t see a lot savings at first either. But once you get going and change the way you shop, you start to see the savings. Its hard at first, but once you get used to the sale flyers its much easier. I miss deals and I’m ok with that, because time with my family and working on my school work is more important that going after a deal. It will come around again and next time it might be better.
She did a GREAT job, but I can’t wait to see when you get a hold of her list and the Grand Total will be less though!
Yes – please share her list!
I do a lot of shopping without coupons, I go to a discount food store (like a grocery outlet) and ethnic marketplaces for veggies & odds and ends. The discount store is hit or miss, things change everyday so you’ll never know what’s there. Here’s what I got yesterday between a Mexican grocery store & the discount store: http://www.flickr.com/photos/54667529@N05/5597623674/
Combined with my stockpile, this will make for some super nommy meals!
I love the french’s onion chicken too – I buy the onions @ Sams, where you can get a 1 lb bag (I think that is the weight) for $5, much cheaper than buying the cans! ;)
I like the idea of a series involving your MIL! Thanks for sharing her finds. I don’t have double coupons either. I still get great deals – just have to buy the store’s loss leaders, and ad match with coupons. You should also bring back the series on “What did you buy with $10?” I loved that one. It was so inspiring and fun :).
That is AMAZING! I would love to try some of those recipes. Kooking with Kathy would be adorable. I am sure she is an amazing cook. I am very impressed with the amount of meat she was able to buy. Does she do the prep-work only once and freeze the other 5 meals? Or does she prepare them along the way?
She sections out the meat into freezer bags on the day she buys it, but that’s about it. She usually starts dinner around 11 am. I kid you not. Jason said growing up they would eat dinner as soon as they were home from school and then the kitchen would be cleaned and closed.
That is so impressive! I really like the cleaned and closed part. I am sure I could learn a lot from her.
Omgosh! Do you realize how good you have it?? I would giving anything to have that much help. Your mother-in-law is a dream come true :)
LOL yes she is amazing! At one point in the near future we are going to sell our house and move into a larger one together. I know I am crazy! ;)
(I hope this doesn’t go through twice. I was having problems submitting!)
That’s an awesome haul! Thanks for highlighting the fact that saving $$ isn’t *only* about coupons. And I’m with everyone else — I also want to get my hands on some of those recipes! :)
I think she did awesome! Did she have a plan of menu ideas before she went in and did she base them off the sales flyers? Just curious as that is one of my weaknessess.
I would also love some recipes. They sound delish. Kooking with Kathy is cute. Or what about Kathy’s Kitchen? Or Kathy’s Cuisine? What ever you call it I look forward to it! :)
Oh Kathy’s Kitchen is awesome! I like that.
She has been working on her menu for like 2 weeks. No we didn’t base it on the sale paper. She shopped at Aldi’s, Sams’s Club and Walmart which don’t really run a ‘sale’ like the regular grocery stores do.
I second the Kathy’s Kitchen idea. Kooking looks too much like Kooky. New recipes are always good to have. I hope it happens.
We don’t have any places that double coupons by us but you can still save a lot with single coupons. I only started seriously using coupons this month. I don’t have an exact total but I think I saved over $125 and half of that was grocery items. I like the stores like Target and Meijer that let you stack their coupon with a manufacturer coupon.
I would love to see a recipe section. Your MIL sounds great :)
I third Kathy’s Kitchen! Kooking = kooky, LOL
You are so lucky. My nearest relative is my Mom and she is 4 hours away. My MIL is 4 states away (OK, sometimes that is a good thing, LOL). Seriously, it would be so nice to have family closer.
Please get us those recipes!!!! They sound so good, and frugal!!
She did great! None of our stores double here in Utah….but I still manage to get my receipts down to 50-80% percent off with some work! But for that many meals? You can probably even make that amount lower if your husband is one who takes leftovers to work for lunch!
I would love to see those recipes too! It’s hard to always come up with ideas of what to cook. we’re losing our double/triple coupons (stupid kroger; I’m in houston) but I can still save some. I’ve gotten out of it some since I got pregnant, but I need to get back in it.
I like the idea of Kathy’s Kitchen and I’d love to know what her jaw dropping pork chop recipe is – pretty please. Thanks! I’d also like to see how much you are able to save with her shopping list next time. That’d be a great comparison to make and to show how much can be saved with coupons.
I’m really glad she did this. My problem with “Extreme Couponing” the other night was that I could NEVER do that because places near me don’t double or triple. The best thing we have is a Target, Walgreens, and a grocery store that will honor (some of) another stores coupons. It’s all about the smart shopping!!
Wow, how lucky you are that she does the cooking! I’m so impressed by the variety of dishes she is making. I stick to the same “tried and true” and have a picky eater, but would love to try some of these recipes!
I too want some of the recipes : ) I have the hardest time with finding deals on meat. Going to work on that hurdle this summer while I’m not working!
please share your MIL recipes. they all sound so good,,,,,,good job kathy…you are blessed to have your MIL in your life, love to have someone cook dinner evernight for my family GOD BLESS….now the recipes please….(lol)