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Tuesday, April 4, 2017

April's Shopping Plans



Today is Senior Shopping Day at Fred Meyer, so I'll be heading over there in a bit. I'm making out my list of needs for the month. At the top of the list is lightbulbs. The strangest thing happened last month; four bulbs in the kitchen all went out within 2 weeks of each other. We have a fixture above the kitchen table that uses 5 bulbs. Well, 3 of them went out. I need to bring our kitchen back up to brightness, so I'll be picking up replacement bulbs, using the 10% discount today. Other items on my list for the month:

  • milk, regular and soy/almond
  • feminine hygiene supplies
  • bathroom tissue
  • more eggs (they are on sale, and with discount will cost about 89 cents/dozen)
  • bulk almonds (on sale, and I have a coupon to use in that department)
  • a Lindt Easter treat (again, I have a coupon) and maybe one other treat
  • carrots, celery, potatoes, frozen peas, and a little asparagus
  • additional fruit (beyond what I bought last Friday)
  • vitamins and supplements
  • gardening supplies
  • some inexpensive Easter gifts, from Daiso, likely
  • raisins
  • cocoa powder
  • butter

In addition, last Friday, I stopped at Cash & Carry after an appointment. Everything that I bought there was put into April's grocery spending. I bought:
  • 5-lb loaf of sharp cheddar
  • 5-lb bag of shredded mozzarella
  • 15 dozen case of large eggs
  • 5-lb bag of Pink Lady apples
  • 40-lb case of navel oranges
  • 17 bananas
It's not a super big list, but then we still have a lot to use, at home. With eggs in abundance, we will once again be eating a lot of egg dishes for dinner. We had a spinach frittata last night, and it was delicious.

16 comments:

  1. Sounds like a good list! Our hens are producing abundant eggs right now and I'm having trouble keeping up! I still have some in the freezer from fall, too. May have to begin freezing some now and just putting them in back to use after the older ones. We had breakfast for dinner last night and used another 14 or 15 (scrambled 10 and used some in pancakes and French toast).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Cat,
      14 or 15 eggs all in one dinner sounds like a lot, but I know from experience that it goes quickly. Our frittata last night used 9 eggs, for 5 people. I think we went a dozen eggs yesterday, alone. I remember when all of my kids were really little and a dozen eggs lasted an entire week. How nice that you have laying hens (you have hens a laying -- the other day, Belinda from Frugal Workshop saw two turtle doves -- this is amusing me!).
      Have a great day, Cat!

      Delete
  2. My April shopping plans has to be kept to a bare bones minimum. The house renovations is costing more and more. As you run into things, you have to address them. Our IRS troubles are coming to a close but with a big price tag that has to be paid. So I'm hoping for under $100 for the month. I need milk and yogurt but I think I'll forego the yogurt. I could make it but then I would need more milk.

    I just remember we probably will already go over $100 since we bought a lot of reduced chicken on Sat., Apr. 1. The bill was $39 so I really only have $61 left for the month. I might still be able to pull off Easter dinner. I think I have a box of potatoes in the pantry and a ham, turkey, chicken, and pork in the freezer. Maybe even a box of stuffing. This isn't upsetting to me at all that I have to be on such a tight budget. I look at it as a challenge.

    I have about 5 dozen eggs in the fridge, some cheese, lots of frozen veggies, frozen bread, a head of lettuce and so much more. I can be very creative and pull off the whole month. In case anyone wonders, yes, there is a little stash of money that I can use if I think I really need to. I would prefer to leave it alone but if things become difficult, I will use it.

    Alice

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Alice,
      I totally understand wanting to hang on to the extra money if you can. It means that if an emergency comes up you know you can handle it without as much worry. I feel the same way. We keep surplus in several of our budgets, so that we don't freak when something like a roof leak happens (which did, and just got fixed this morning).
      I think you can probably get through the month close to your goals, even with Easter.
      Have a great day, Alice!

      Delete
  3. Mmmmm....Pink Lady apples. I hope to find a good price on some delicious apples for the grandkids visit next week.

    I noticed that lately I have been dragging my feet about going shopping. (Yet we still spend the same.) I need to do two store pickups this week, yet I have not put together a shopping list of other things to buy. I know I have a Walgreens promotion, getting $7 back in points when spending $20, and SYWR surprise points that would be like free money, yet I don't want to buy more stuff just because it is free or cheap. I used to buy and stock anyway, but lately I have reached my limits of what more should I buy.

    I guess I am changing, being less of a consumer. I prefer to focus on doing without and using what we already have as frugally as possible. Next I may be a minimalist haha Lately, I've been watching tiny house and nomadic lifestyle videos. I know I could never live without all my craft supplies at hand, but still being free of stuff is very appealing.

    Have a good day!!

    YHF

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi YHF,
      I can understand what you're saying. Sometimes, I feel "saturated" with stuff, and I just don't want any more. During those times I will allow surpluses to drop. And then later, I get back into wanting to stock up again. Fortunately, this is predictably cyclical for me. Fall I want to stock up, spring and summer I want to let supplies dwindle. Right now, I am still trying to use up surpluses, so shopping is not high on my priority list, except for things we are out of.
      Don't those tiny houses look fun? I could never get all of the stuff that I feel I need in one, but I like to dream about how convenient and simple everything would be in one.

      Have a great day, YHF!

      Delete
  4. I picked up 8 dozen eggs at Fred's yesterday. I will probably pick up 4-6 more dozen later in the week. We have a Messianic Passover meal every year and that meal uses a lot of eggs.

    Our own chickens are producing well, but my son is selling most of those. I use the store bought eggs for baking. We use our own eggs for quiche, egg casserole, scrambled, etc. We had breakfast for dinner twice last week. No one complained :)

    Interestingly enough, our local commercial egg producer has gone to more a free range type model to accomodate cosumer desire, but now their eggs have gone up in price. I don't buy eggs at Costco or Winco anymore because of it. Walmart used to carry that company's eggs in the 5 doz. packs for $3.76, but not now. They switched suppliers, but are still a little above a $1/doz. in the 5 doz. pack. So now I watch for egg sales more diligently. Melissa

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Melissa,
      Hmmm, that's interesting about the eggs sold in your area. WinCo's egg price on the 5-dozen pack went up this past month, putting them around $1/dozen for mediums. I skipped eggs that week, and held out until I could get to cash and carry, where I paid 94 cents dozen/large. I bought 7 dozen this morning at Fred Meyer, for 89 cents/dozen. That plus the 15-dozen case are as many eggs as I bought last year, 22 dozen, at Easter. I'm not sure if I'll want any more, at 99 cents/dozen next week.
      That sounds like a good plan with your own eggs, to save some for eating as eggs, but use the commercial ones for baking. You get to really enjoy your own eggs that way.

      Have a great every, Melissa!

      Delete
    2. I should try to get to Cash & Carry more often. It's not in my normal loop, so I have to make a special trip to get there. I've been so terribly disappointed in Costco's lettuce lately that it might be worth the trip for me because we eat a lot of salads. C & C's lettuce price is usually higher than Costco's, but I'd be willing to pay a little more for fresh.
      I actually kindly complained to the cashier last week at Costco about their lettuce. She offered to call a manager, but I was short on time, so I skipped it. I overheard some of the cashiers talking a few weeks ago that they had gotten someone new back there in the produce dept. Went there again tonight & again! the lettuce was rotten. So frustrating! Costco's quality if usually amazing, so this is quite abnormal. Melissa

      Delete
    3. Hi Melissa,
      That's such a shame about the lettuce at Costco. Could it be a delivery date thing? Or do you think it's their supplier? You are likely not the only one to complain. Every voice helps, and hopefully Costco will take heed of their customers' concerns.

      Cash & Carry is not super convenient, but it's also not terribly far for me, either. So that helps me. I am trying to get there once per month. Twice a month is better, and then I can fill in things that I may have forgotten on my once a month. If you go online to their website, you can check their current price on lettuce, and then make a decision based on price as to whether or not it would be beneficial for you to make a special trip out there. Good luck with this!

      Delete
  5. I honestly enjoy your posts!
    They give me much to ponder, and apply :) to my spending.
    Car repairs are cutting in on my budget here, but so far it is still very doable.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Annie,
      Thank you! Ouch about the car repairs. Hopefully those will be paid for and your savings will be rebuilt soon. Paying for car or home repairs is about the least fun way to spend money, but it has to be done nonetheless.
      Have a lovely evening, Annie!

      Delete
  6. I should figure out if there are senior discounts in any of the grocery stores around here. I haven't noticed any advertised, but I should check more thoroughly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi live and learn,
      At Fred Meyer, the age for the SD is 55. At Jo ann Fabrics I think it's 60. Our Value Village also has a 55 age for the discount. So it varies, and not every place advertises. I happened to ask at Value Village. It's worth asking.
      Have a lovely evening, live and learn!

      Delete
  7. I have eggs and spinach here that I am trying to use up, so a spinach frittata sounds good. I used up several lurking items here, including part of the spinach, and made a vegetable lasagna for dinner last night. I used up the majority of my honey in granola bars the other day, so I need to add honey to my list of things to get in April. I can get the quart size jars of honey for $7 at Earth Fair in Chattanooga, which is a good price compared to other stores here. Looks like you picked up some good things at Cash & Carry. I love having the big bags of cheese to cook with. They last a good, long time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Belinda,
      Your vegetable lasagna looked delicious! I much prefer a vegetable one over a meat lasagna. It tastes lighter to me.
      Is Earth Fair a store or a farmer's market? That sounds like a good price compared to grocery stores. Yes, those big bags of cheese are very handy! For us, it's less expensive to buy the pre-shredded cheese, compared to blocks of cheese. So it's convenient and less expensive!
      Have a great day, Belinda!

      Delete

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