The Best Laid Schemes....

........o' mice an' men, Gang aft a-gley.--Robert Burns

I had a plan for the week in terms of groceries.

A few veggies at the local market plus seasonal strawberries.

Then to Weis for 3 dozen eggs.  Eggs are on sale for $1.47 there this week, limit of 3 so a stock-up on eggs was going to happen.

While I was in the store a saw that the loose fresh mushrooms were back in stock and I picked up some 50% salad greens.   Then I spied 2 bags of fresh stir-fry veggies with 50% off stickers on them.  I then picked up some Chinese veggies(water chestnuts, bamboo shoots-not pictured) on sale.

There was a 50% sticker on a package of salmon back at the seafood counter which made the piece $4.36 a lb.  Score!

Then I went cruising back to the meat counter and found packages of 85% ground beef with $3 off stickers on them, making them UNDER $3 a lb.($2.95 to $2.98 lb.)  Double Score!!  I was good and I only bought 5 of them...plenty left for the next frugal shopper.

I also picked up a package of panko coated thin pork pieces, also with a $1 off sticker on it.  Pork tenderloin sammiches anyone?

A half gallon of 2% milk, 2 Velveeta noodle dishes for College Boy(not pictured)and 3 cans of tuna(.77¢ each, not pictured)rounded out the order.

$50.97 spent on $83.29 worth of groceries, a savings of 39%.
The only items I bought that were not on sale were the mushrooms and the milk(milk never goes on sale in PA).  I also didn't use a single coupon either, other than the Instant Discount coupons on the packages.
You can still save money on groceries by seeking out items on sale and on instant discount.  By stockpiling and buying ahead I hardly ever have to pay full retail for any food(other than milk).  Menus and dinners are adjusted according to what is on hand and what I find on special at the stores.

Since I didn't plan on spending $50 on groceries today(meat for less than $3 a lb. I could NOT turn down!) and I am already over my self-imposed $250 monthly budget for February AND most of this will be eaten in March, I am putting this grocery tab onto March's tally.

My budget, my rules...... 8-)

Of course this means I will start March off with that much less to spend on food.
Now I am off to clean upstairs.

And yes Kim, I did have room to put those canned goods away that had bee residing on the kitchen table.  It was just too cold until yesterday to spend any length of time out in the garage putting things away.  8-)

Sluggy