October Grocery Accountability--Extras

25 lbs. Oat Groats $19.26 plus $1.98 for two packages of Sundrops.  

1 case Seventh Generation diapers.  Let me explain this one...I like to buy these diapers when we use disposables.  I had decided that while trying to cut the budget, I would not buy these anymore.  Someone online at Amity Mama apparently won $250 worth of Seventh Gen diapers from Amazon.  Because she didn't use them, she sold cases of the diapers for $35 shipped. That's 8.75 a package, which is less than I usually would pay for Huggies.  

These should last us into the new year.  

October Grocery Accountability--Meijer trip

So, there were a few key items on sale at Meijer yesterday, so Ben went with my list and took the kids (except for Reagan, who took a nap) to the store while I cleaned.  I'm really starting to wonder if we're going to be able to keep it under $350.  I keep adding more things to our list.  I have to do some serious thinking before we hit Costco and Aldi's later this week.  

I tried a new granola recipe last week, and everyone seems to like it (hooray!), so hopefully, we can ride with it for a bit and skip the box cereals the boys have been eating since school started.  I have 25 lbs. of oat groats coming from the co-op, and just in time as I just ran out (except for 1 cup) making another batch for the week.  I was hoping I had enough to do another batch of the granola bars (which were also a hit), but that will have to wait until they come in.

Soo...Meijer: $42.82.  

Running total: $127.51  (including Halloween candy and bandaids)

3 packs kid's bandaids (on sale for 99 cents!)--these are for stocking stuffers (shhhhh).  Maybe those don't have to count in the grocery budget.

2 lbs. turkey ham (lunches for Ben and Liam)

2 big bags of Halloween Candy (that wasn't on my list, but Ben thought we'd better start stocking up).  

6 packages Ramen noodles (the kids are Ramen fanatics *sigh*)

Paper towel

bendy straws (I don't know why, but these are a must when drinking smoothies).

1  2 liter diet Pepsi (Ben's ONLY vice ;) )

2 boxes tissue

Frozen veggies--broc, mixed, peas & carrots (should have waited on these for Aldi's, but we'll need some of them before then, and I don't like Aldi's broc--too many stems) $1 a bag

diced tomatoes

Bleach

hand soap

sandwich bags

bacon (2 packages)

Most everything was on sale, and the bacon was on my Aldi's list for $1 more than we spent.

Thanks, Ben!!!

October Grocery Accountability--How Low Can We Go?!!!

Ok, I will admit, my purpose here is not to inflict pain and suffering when it comes to food.  I do want to spend less money.  As mentioned before, I plan to implement a menu plan this week that hopefully will mean a reduction in grocery costs mainly by buying at Aldi's.  

I am going to track how much money I spend on groceries.  If I post it here, I'm a bit more accountable, eh?  Maybe you all don't need to know what we're eating or spending money on, so feel free to delete at will.  All posts on this topic will have the same title, so you can easily skip them, how's that?

I have a grocery list compiled, and over the next few days, I will do an inventory of what I have already at home so I'm not buying stuff I don't need. 

Today, we took a trip to pick up raw milk.  We do this about once every three weeks, exchanging with a couple other people from our town.  When I do this, combine errands, also stopping at the farmer's market (primarily for eggs at this point), apple orchard, and bakery outlet (otherwise known as the day-old bread store).  

So, here's what we spent:

Farmer's Market:

$14.50--5 dozen eggs and 3 cookies.

Orchard: 61.50 (yeeouch!)--$46 for 1 gallon of maple syrup (2 dollars more than what I paid in April or May), $10 for 1 bushel of apples (seconds), $4.50 for a gallon of apple cider, and whatever's left for a little apple full of apple cider for Molly (Reagan was sleeping).  

Bread Store:

$8.69--2 loaves TX toast, 2 bags pita bread, 2 bags bagels, 5 loaves of bread (Molly kept grabbing bread, and I lost track), 1 package of hamburger buns, and, true confession time, 3 packages of Hostess-type cupcakes and a box of powdered doughnuts (only .59!).

I could have done better.  The impulse crap needs to stop.  If I'm going to combine all these trips, I need to pack us a lunch and/or snacks (and hopefully not all garbage).  I doubt I'll be picking up apples again for awhile, but we occasionally stop a couple of other places when we're making the rounds.  The boys are taking their lunches most of the time now, so we should have stuff on hand that will make that easy.  

OK, so grand total for today:  $84.69.  Not a great start when I only want to spend $350 this month.  Obviously, most of this stuff will last us well beyond a month, but that doesn't so much help the bottom line right this minute.  Oh, and I almost forgot, $2.75 for an extra half gallon of milk.  Consider it ice cream, and it doesn't sound so bad, eh? ;) 

If I had skipped the junk, I would have saved $4.33.  Which, doesn't sound like much, but when you consider that for a box of doughnuts, 3 cookies, some cupcakes, and a cup of  apple juice, we could have had 1) another gallon of apple cider or 2)nearly a whole 1/2 bushel of apples! (And we wouldn't have eaten that garbage!).

Anyway, I need to go.  I've successfully not been cleaning!  I did set out the bread dough and pull cheese out of the freezer for pizza, so at least dinner's on it's way.

OOyyyyy....

So.  I had this idea that I would take off early today so that we could get the milk picked up and get home and clean the house.  I  got the girls in the van and packed it up, set off, and realized when I went to plug in the TomTom that Ben  had it.  I called Ben to confirm, and he told me he'd be home shortly because he was going to go to help out in Liam's classroom.  So, we turned back home, hitting the bank to deposit a check and get some cash for the farmer's market, then waited for Ben.  So, about 10:30, we're off on a series of errands.  First, the farmer's market for eggs.  We also picked up a bag of 3 cookies for Molly, as we had done this on a prior trip, and, of course, she was convince she needed them again.  She was rather grouchy today, and put out that I refused to buy a bag of 6.  Later, I explained to her, 1)she did not need 6 cookies (even to share, as she told me that was her plan), and 2) we can make almost a whole batch of cookies for even the $1 we spent on 3 cookies.  Next time, we won't buy them.  

After the farmer's market, we headed on toward the farm where we have a cow share.  Near there is an apple orchard, and we stopped there and picked up a bushel of apples.  I wasn't going to get that much, but decided with all those apples staring at me that it would be good to make applesauce.   We left, and I remembered I meant to look at their maple syrup.  I had checked the one stand in the farmer's market that had it today, and wasn't thrilled by their prices.  We stopped at the next orchard (about a block from the one we usually visit).  A quart for $15.00.  Nope.  So, we went back and picked up a gallon of syrup at the first orchard.  

Then, on to the milkhouse.  Almost as soon as I had things set up to start pouring milk into jars, Molly insisted that she had to go to the bathroom and couldn't hold it any longer.  I left everything sitting, and drove her over to the other barn where there is a bathroom.  We could have walked, but she was in quite the hurry, and there were some really mean geese in the yard right near where we would have walked.  So, then, we drove back to the milkhouse and finished with getting milk (for us and 2 other families).  

I stopped and bought gas at a station that always has cheaper gas, for 3.18 a gallon.  The pump kept clicking off, so I bought $10 worth and quit.  Then, about a mile later, I saw another station that had gas for 3.10!  No worry though, I still did better than in my town, where it had dropped from this morning's 3.39 to 3.33 when we got back.

I missed my exit heading home, and remembered I wanted to stop at the bread store anyway (just a little further down the road).  We stopped at the bread store.  We drove back home (about 20 minutes), stopping to drop off milk for the people we exchange pick up with.  While I was getting the first person's milk out of the cooler, I flipped a carton of eggs and broke about 4.  

So, I came home, unpacked all the stuff, rinsed out the coolers, and cooked up the four eggs that had cracked (consider it lunch--Reagan ate at least one).  And now it's 2:50.  And I'm tired.  And Reagan slept for a bit in the car on the way there, so she won't be taking another nap lately, but she still definitely wants to nurse.  

I think I have to go drink some iced tea so I can stay awake and hopefully at least get a little cleaning done before everyone gets home.  I guess I also still have time to pull out bread dough for pizza (thank goodness).  

Molly

Molly and I were coloring today in her giant Strawberry Shortcake coloring book.  She told me she needed black for Strawberry Shortcakes "hustles."  

"Her buckles?"  I ask.

"No, her hustles," she insists, pointing to the bottoms of her shoes.

"Oh, her soles, " I say.

"Yes, but I call them hussoles."

Reagan

Reagan's reached that point that little ones seem to reach when they just start spitting out words right and left.  "Butter," "Bread," "Mouth," "Nose," "Crying."  She is quite the character.  I have to get some video of one of her many little dances--the one I am thinking of we'll call "The Bobblehead."  ;)

Aldi's/Menu Planning

I met a new neighbor (she actually lives on the court behind us--Nachez, not Peach Tree) a week or so ago, and she mentioned that she does much of her shopping at Aldi's.  Her mentioning that got me thinking that I need to start shopping there again.  I used to shop there frequently when we lived in Grand Rapids, but I've only been there a few times in the last six years (yes! Six Years!) since we moved here.  

Then, last week, a friend mentioned this website.  It contains shopping lists, menu plans, and recipes for meals made entirely from Aldi's ingredients.  So, I've planned out an October-November menu (running October 15-November 15) and made up a grocery list using the ideas here and a few of our regular favorites.  One of her lists has prices on it, but they are likely not spot-on considering the price increases of late, but as I progress here (and actually get over to Aldi's), I'll let you know.  Here is another link to a PDF file of a flyer available at Aldi's that lists most of their prices.  This one is actually from Grand Rapids, but it is from April, so I kind of doubt it is still current.  

So, next week I will be going shopping for the month.  I have a pretty good handle on Costco prices, so for stuff like cheese, I'll be watching to see if I can get it cheaper there.  I'm hoping to drastically cut our grocery budget this month.  I will also let you know how we like the recipes and ingredients.  Aldi's actually has a double-your-money-back guarantee if you don't like their products, so I suppose there is really  no risk in giving them a try. 

I have already made Chewy Granola Bars and Banana Muffins from the snacks menu, using honey instead of corn syrup.  Next time I will likely use whole wheat pastry flour in place of the all purpose as well.  My ingredients were not from Aldi's, as I have not been there yet, but the end result was yummy!