Guess who is back from vacation? And, admittedly, has been back from vacation for a few weeks? It’s me!
Firstly, I know some of you worry when I go dark on the grocery updates. I promise you my family is being fed. And there’s no sinister reason for the radio silence, expert that unpacking as a pregnant person takes a lot longer than anticipated. And getting back into the pre-school groove with my Glass Slipper, as a pregnant mama, has taken a lot more energy than anticipated. Oh, and did I mention that every grocery trip I’ve done since I’ve been back feels like it takes 100 years and all I get out of it is some graham crackers? Why, you ask? I’ll tell you. Pregnant.
Friends, I am at the stage of the pregnancy where everything feels hard and you end up apologizing to whoever is in your vicinity, being affected by your slow movements or inability to decided on a cheese. So bear with me. This post will be an update of the last three weeks of grocery shopping. I promise I’ll do my best to get back in the groove for September, even if I’m still not unpacked and I’ll be even more pregnant.
Kroger Trip 8/18
Officially the first trip back from vacation. We arrived home on Thursday and went shopping on Friday. You know how the last grocery trip before vacation you’re too excited to think about what meals you’ll eat because your brain is already noshing on Ohana’s Bread Pudding? The first grocery trip back from vacation is the mirror of that feeling. Now you’re too sad to think about what meals you’ll eat because you don’t know when the next time you’ll get to have Ohana’s bread pudding will be. Guys, did I mention I ate dinner at Ohana and the bread pudding was amaaaaaazing?
Oh, look, how did that sneak in here?
Back to groceries. This trip was higher priced than budgeted for two reasons. 1) We had no food after being gone on vacation for a week and 2) I was super distracted and found myself putting random things in the cart because I was day dreaming about bread pudding.
Total Budget: $81.90
Total Spent: $104.27
Total Saved: $41.21
Deducted from Next Trip: $22.37
Kroger Trip 8/24
As of last week, I can officially no longer take both children to the store on my own. I cannot wrangle them, manage coupons, and daydream about bread pudding. I am just one woman.
So Mr. B accompanied me on this trip, and let me tell you, it was MUCH improved. I did not go over budget by a full quarter (yeesh) and I did not come home with food we would never eat because I was singing the “Hawaiian Roller coaster Ride” song in my head.
To prove that I was settling back in, I super geeked out for the fact that Private Selection Pasta was included in the Mega Sale Event and Cavatappi that normally costs me like $3 was on sale for $1. Also, I have no idea why, since it wasn’t advertised, but Private Selection Ice Cream was ringing up $1 a pint, when normally it goes for $2. If I cannot have bread pudding, cost effective Private Selection Ice Cream is a pretty solid consolation prize.
Total Budget: $52.63
Total Spent: $57.57
Total Saved: $16.60
Deducted from Next Trip: $4.94
Kroger Trip 8/30
We made it! Last shopping trip of the month! Okay, so I had several things going well for me this trip. I had Mr. B along for the ride, we were only with the one kid, and I had my coupon game on point. What I did not have was any self control because I wanted all the food. And, just in case you forgot while reading the the last paragraph, I am pregnant. So one minute I was like, “Salmon!” And the next I was like, “More plums!” And Mr. B was like, “Do we need all this cereal?” To which I responded, “What else am I supposed to eat when I wake up hungry at 3am?”
As I loaded up the cart with pasta, Mr. B made this observation: “I guess I’d rather you go a few dollars over budget getting food you want than obliterating the entertainment budget on takeout because there’s nothing you want in the house.” And I was all, “Yes, excellent, here make some room for this Penne, will you?”
Now I know I can’t spend the last leg of this pregnancy throwing budgets to the wind and swimming in a sea of plums. But I’m going to cut myself just a little break here, since a few weeks ago I didn’t have to think about food or budgets. All I had to do was scan my Magic Band and I had access to all the bread pudding in the world. If to ease myself back in the real world, I go over a few bucks so I can get a papaya, I’m okay with that.
- Bananas, 1.90 lb-$1.12.
- Boar’s Head Honey Turkey, .5 lb-$4.99.
- Green Beans, .81 lb-$.80.
- Heritage Farm Chicken Breasts, 3.75 lb-$7.48.
- Homefed Ice Cream, .5 gallon-$3.49. Buy 5, Save $5!
- Honey Bunches of Oats-$1.99. Buy 5, Save $5!
- Kraft Dressing-$.99. B5S5.
- Multi Grain Cheerios (2)-$3.98. $2.49 a piece with the Buy %, Save $5 Mega Sale, stack with a $1 off 2 GM Cereals *Digital Coupon*.
- Papaya-$3.99.
- Peatos-$0. Free Friday Download *Digital Coupon*.
- Private Selection Pasta (5)-$4.55. $1 each with B5S5, stacked with .45 Off Private Selection Pasta *Digital Coupon*.
- Private Selection Thyme-$2.87.
- Raspberries-$5.
- Red Gold Canned Tomatoes (3)-$2.67.
- Red Plums, 1.82 lb-$3.62.
- Ribeye Steak, 1.5 lb-$10.96. Manager’s Special marked down from $19.
- Roma Tomatoes, 1.08 lb-$1.39.
- Romaine Lettuce, 1.13 lb-$1.68.
- Salmon, 2.12 lb-$14.82. In store slae, $6.99 a lb.
- Strawberries, 2 lb-$2.88.
- Sweet Onions, 1.96 lb-$1.94.
- Apps I’ll Submit to-Fetch Rewards, Ibotta (.50 off 2 Red Gold, .20 off Honey Bunches of Oats, .25 off Any Item)
Total Budget: $70.06
Total Spent: $81.16
Total Saved: $23.88
Deducted from Next Month: $11.10
So, yes, we’re starting off September at a deficit, but there was an extra shopping trip this month (ah, calendars) and you know? Check out out that papaya. I regret nothing.
What’s the first grocery trip back from vacation like for you? What was the thing you spent a million dollars on when you were pregnant and no regrets? What are your ultimate shopping conditions? Tell me all about all the things in the comments!
Kristen B. is wife to the best Prince around, mama to the spunkiest little princesses, and lover of all things Disney. She started her savings journey three years ago and is now dedicated to making her family’s wishes come true one coupon at a time. She is so excited to take her love of saving to the next level and share her journey with you! Click here to catch up on Kristen’s Savings and join in on your own savings adventure!