I have cracked the code, fellow grocery shoppers.
The key is to arrive at 7:30 am. Then your store will look like this.
Last week was a crazy one at the B household. Mr B was working some very late hours, we were preparing for the Glass Slipper’s first day of kindergarten this week (sob), I started back at my side hustle tutoring once a week, and BOTH the Glass Slipper and the Frying Pan had soccer practices, coached, of course, by their father, Coach B. Oh, and the Teacup is teething.
We were so busy, we barely celebrated my birthday. But I did get this sweet cake!
Every night, before Mr B and I fought the urge to fall asleep right where we were, sharpening 2400 pencils or labeling every pair of shorts our child could possibly ever wear for gym, we would talk through the next day. When we just couldn’t find a time to make grocery shopping work, we would scrounge through our meager food supplies and cobble something together for the next day. “Ok, the girls can have the Annie’s Mac and Cheese, you can have a salad, and I’ll just gnaw on this chunk of cheese.” By Sunday, we were mostly subsisting on left over birthday cake.
Enough was enough. I shall take the ring to Mordor! And by “Ring”, I mean grocery shopping, and my “Mordor”, I mean Kroger, and by “I”, I mean the version of myself that was only part human because it was awake at 6:30 am. That’s right. I was going to wake up super early, do grocery shopping by myself, and then come back to the Shire to live a simple life.
We have been waking the whole family up early this week, to prepare ourselves for the Glass Slipper’s school schedule. We need to be out the door at 8am, which is an hour earlier than her pre-school day began.
Imagine my surprise on Monday morning when I roused myself from bed, one eye barely opening, to find all of my princesses, bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready to start the day. “Can we come to the store too, mama?” The more the merrier, I guess.
I had a list, I had coupons, but what I did not have was enough sleep, which made for a fun shopping attitude. There was no way I was doing maths in my head. How much is this per pound? Who cares, into the cart. What kind of cheese is this? Who cares, into the cart. We need onions. How many? Who cares, get them all, throw them in the cart. What food will I make with this?
Whatever I’ll figure it out, I’ve been living on cake and a prayer for days, I’m sure I can manage some ground turkey. Throw it in the cart.
You guys, it was the most enjoyable shopping trip since that time I was pregnant and did WHATEVER I wanted.
But it was enjoyable in the way that cake for breakfast is enjoyable. It’s fun and different and a treat to do it once in a while. But if you did it every day, it would lose the appeal quickly.
- Bananas, 1.48 lb -$.87.
- Bell Peppers (2)-$1.98. In-store sale, $.99 a pound.
- Bell Peppers, Organic (2)-$2.97. Funny story. These organic bell peppers were mixed in with the sale bell peppers and by the time I realized it, I was home, it was 8:30am, and I was over it.
- Blueberries, pint -$3.99. Throw it in the cart!
- Clementines, 3 lb-$3.77.
- Heritage Farm Chicken Breasts, 14.48 lb -$25.92. In-store sale, $1.79 a pound.
- Kashi Toasted Honey Os and Hearts (2)-$4.98. *Digital Coupon for $1 off 2 Kashi Cereals, and I’ll be honest, I really just wanted to try these. Throw it in the cart!
- Kraft Dressing (4)-$5.96. *Digital Coupon* for $.50 off Kraft salad dressings, up to 5x.
- Kroger Ground Turkey, 3 lb-$3.99. Manager’s Special, normally $9.99 for three pounds!
- Mangoes (2)-$1.98.
- Monterrey Jack Cheese-$3.91.
- Planet Oat Original Oat Milk-$0. Free Friday Download * Digital Coupon*.
- Private Selection Pasta (2)-$2.20. *Digital coupon* for $.40 off Private Selection Pasta, up to 5x.
- Private Selection Wheat Bread (1)-$1.99.
- Private Selection Honey Turkey, .5 lb -$4.55.
- Private Selection Pepperoni, .5 lb-$3.63. The day has come! Private Selection pepperoni is here! Smell ya later, pricey Boar’s Head!
- Reypener Gouda-$4.
- Red Gold Canned Tomatoes (2)-$2.
- Roma Tomatoes, 1.25 lb-$1.24.
- Romaine Lettuce, 1.01 lb-$1.71.
- Strawberries, 2 lb-$2.49. In-store sale.
- Silk Dark Chocolate Almond Milk-$2.99. Full price? Throw it in the cart.
- Vidal Onions, 3.72 lb-$3.68. In-store sale, $.99 a pound. Buy all the onions.
- Apps I’ll submit to: Fetch Rewards, Ibotta ($.10 Off Any Item, $.25 Almond Milk), CoinOut
Total Budget: $136.67
Total Spent: $89.55
Total Saved: $26.41
Rolled Over to the Disney Fund: $46.82
And look at this! Apparently, I spend so much money at Kroger I earned myself a $5 coupon. Loyalty programs, you guys. Do not shop without them!
What is your favorite time of day to go shopping? How long can you stretch your food rations if pushed? Do you ever eat cake for breakfast? Tell me all about it 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!