I have a very particular way I write up my final grocery trip report of the month.
First, I write down all my thoughts from the trip. Then, I read through those thoughts, adding commentary and the occasional joke. Next, I make the list of everything purchased. Once I’ve done that, I submit my receipts to the various apps, otherwise I’ll forget and a child will steal my receipts and use them as banners or kite tails.
Finally, I enter my totals spent, saved, and rolled over. This part is last because I find it recreates the thrill of being at the grocery store, having them ring everything up, and then add my Kroger card and coupons. The thrill of seeing the number on the register plummet as the coupons and various discounts are taken off. In my head, a drumroll plays as those numbers drop, with a final cymbal crash when the end result is comfortably below my budget.
This is that same high: business business business, numbers……imaginary drum roll….whatever is left for the month goes into my Disney Fund! Cymbal crash!
But not this week. Oh no. This week was different.
My Frying Pan has become obsessed with receipts. I think it has something to do with the fact that the fine folk at Costco often draw amusing pictures on the backs of our receipts when we’re leaving the store. Whatever the reason, she’s become a real receipt hoarder. Which has caused me to become a receipt spelunker; rescuing receipts from all over the house. I’ve found receipts in couch cushions, under castles, being worn by Little People as a kind of ceremonial cape…
One of my recently rescued receipts was the one for this Kroger trip.I put it in on the counter so I wouldn’t lose it while trying to finish the other 6 things I had been doing before I spotted the edge of the receipt peeking out from under our recycling bin. Then I forgot I left it there because kids.
Cut to a few hours later. I’m in the living room, folding the pile of laundry that never gets any smaller when I hear, “Oh WOW.”
“Wow what?”
“Just seeing this receipt.”
I would like to say that I patiently explained to my usually very tactful and kind husband that while I may have gone over this one particular week, the other weeks of the month I have been well under so it all works out. I would love to say that I smiled and casually laughed with him. “Yes, haha, I sure did go over this week, oh what a lark!” It would be nice to tell you that I kept my cool. That I did not squint at his distant form in the kitchen and consider if I could hit him in the head with the surprisingly weighty pair of children’s shorts I had been folding.
But y’all know I don’t lie.
What I did do was sneak into the office/playroom and get work on this post. I skipped the heart warming moral. Put the list of food on the back burner. No time for jokes! All I cared about was the cold hard cash.
And look, I was $6 under budget for the month! When I triumphantly proclaimed this fact to a bewildered Mr. B, he was very happy for me and unclear as to why I was saying it so loudly. When I huffed at him for commenting on the receipt he was completely mystified. “I knew you would be under budget for the month. You’re great at that. I just never see the receipts, you always squirrel them away for your cash back apps. You shop however you need to shop. You’re doing a great job.”
There’s that kindness I was telling you about. Hard to believe just moments before I was debating throwing clothes at him. Turns out, it was never about the price and simply about the shock of seeing an actual receipt that hadn’t been scanned and put away or hidden by a small child. Whoops.
- Bananas, 2.64 lb -$1.56.
- Boar’s Head Sandwich Pepperoni, .75 lb -$6.92.
- Heritage Farm Chicken Breast, 10.27 lb-$20.44.
- Kroger Sausage, 5 lb-$12.50. in store sale for 2/$6 stacked with *Digital coupon* for $50 off, to be used up to 5 times.
- Kraft Dressing (2)-3.98. No sale. I just needed some dressing.
- Kroger Shredded Cheese, 8 oz-$1.88. I needed it for chicken parm, but ugh, why so expensive?? Is this cheese shredded with gold?
- Mango (2) -$1.98.
- McCormick Organic Chili Pepper-$5.99.
- Piave Cheese-$3.49. Manager’s Special!
- Porkback Ribs, 3.60 lb-$7.18. $1.99 a pound with the in-store sale.
- Private Selection Ice Cream, 48 oz-$3.99. *Digital coupon* for $1 off.
- Private Selection Ice Cream, 16 oz-$1.55. Bonus coupon for $.45 off! Two ice creams. It’s like I’m living in Versailles.
- Private Selection Wheat Bread-$1.99.
- Private Selection Honey Turkey, .5 lb -$4.47.
- Red Gold Canned Tomatoes (2)-$1.78.
- Red Grapes, 2.26 lb-$1.99. In store sale for $.88 a pound.
- Romaine Lettuce, 1.08 lb-$1.83.
- Roma Tomatoes, 1.14 lb-$.75.
- Strawberries, 2 lb-$3.99.
- Simple Truth Coriander-$3.59.
- Simple Truth Organic Spaghetti-$.99. Bonus coupon for $.40 off stacked with sale price of $1.39.
- Vlassic Purely Pickles Spears-$1.99. *Digital Coupon* for $.50 off.
- Vidalia Onions, 3.58 lb-$2.79.
- Watermelon-$3.99.
- Apps I’ll submit to: Fetch Rewards, Ibotta ($.10 Off Any Item), CoinOut
Total Budget: $108.36
Total Spent: $101.99
Total Saved: $32.11
Rolled Over to Disney Fund: $6.37
What do you do with receipts in your household? Do you have any grocery miscommunications with your partner that almost resulted in thrown clothes? Give me the details 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 five 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!