Last Week's Weis Deals I Got

So I hiked up to Weis(PMITA)Markets between snowfalls last week on the ad that ended 4/4.  I got Mix and Match Deals, Freebies after sales/qs and Meats with discount stickers.

The hefty bags were on sale 2/$4 and I had $3 in Qs($1 on a digital Q attached to my card also came off along with my $2 in Qs)so $5 for 4 boxes.

The chicken broth was a Freebie Friday I talked about last Friday Saturday.

The Dixie plates were on sale 2/$4 and I had .75¢/1 Qs that doubled to $1.50 off so .50¢ per package for paper plates.

I used an 8 O'clock Coffee rain check BOGO paired with 2 x $1/1 IPQs so $3.49 for two bags of coffee.

The Annie's mac and cheese was on sale for $1 each and I had 2 x .50¢/1 Qs that doubled to $1 off so those were free.

The Ken's dressing was BOGO(reg. $2.99 bottle)and I had .75¢/1 vinaigrette variety Qs which doubled to $1.50/1.  At Weis you can use a Q on both items on a BOGO sale so I got 10 bottles for free(gave 2 bottles to Eldest son).

The Red Rose tea bags, Kraft mayo and 38 oz. Heinz ketchup were all part of the Mix and Match Deal(Buy 6 items/Get $6 off).  I paired this $6 deal/sale prices with Qs for the tea bags($1/1)and ketchup(BOGO)making the tea bags $1.49 and the ketchup $1.49 for every 2 bottles(or .75¢ per).
The mayo was $1.00 each after sale price and $1 off MandM Deal AND I got $4.25 cash rebate on Ibotta for every 5 on each receipt I bought.
After taking Eldest son a mayo and ketchup(as well as 2 of the dressings)I had 9 mayos and 15 ketchups in the stockpile and we are set for cook-out season and more.  ;-)

The Perdue chicken was 40% off so $6 and I used a $1.50/1 Q so $4.50 for the bag.

Everything else in the photo above was part of the Mix and Match Deal--I used $1.50/1 Qs on the Sandwich Bros. sammiches making those .99¢ each, the frozen veggies were .99¢ per bag after Deal, the Eggplant Parm was $1.99 and the jar of mayo was .15¢ after sale/Deal/Ibotta rebate.

I also found some meat deals......the Sabrett dogs were on sale $4(reg. $6)and had $1/1 Peelie Qs on them so $3 per pack out the door.

The ground turkey was bought during the 3 day sale(which was last Mon-Wed)BOGO(reg. $3 each)so $3 for two packages.  I paired .75¢/1 Qs which doubled to $1.50/1 and used two Qs so FREE ground turkey.

The stew beef each had a $3 off sticker on them so basically half price and the Hatfield sausage was $3.50 each wyb2 plus each had a $2 off sticker on them so $1.50 per package AND I got $1 back on Ibotta(.50¢ per package)so $1 per pack in the end.  I took most of this meat to Eldest son too.

New in our area Chunky Soup Maxx that were on sale for 2/$5. 
I had 2 x BOGO Qs and 2 x $1.50/1 Qs to pair with this sale which would have made all 4 tubs cost me $2 or .50¢ each.
Except remember the free ham cashier?.....yeah, I had him that trip so he scanned the BOGO Qs and they deducted $3.39 each which is the regular shelf price so.....
4 x $2.50=$10.00
2 x BOGO $6.78 and 2 x $1.50/1=$9.78 off
$10-$9.78=.22¢ for all 4 tubs of soup.

This wasn't everything I bought during that sale ad, just the best deals.  $125.25 was dropped on groceries over all my trips to Weis last week.

What grocery store do you feel you get the best deals at?


Sluggy

2018 Food & Toiletry Spending.....March Edition

Onward to March's food spending report.......

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for MARCH 2018.

I have posted March's totals on the Total Grocery Savings Page located HERE and have updated the Totals there.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in March.  If you aren't interested in that much detail, just skip to the bottom for the Totals Sum.  My spending includes Food, Toiletries/HBA, Cleaning Products, Paper Goods & tax where applicable. We are a family of 3-5(4 at home this month). No "kids" under 22.

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BIG LOTS
OOP  $14.25
Value  $20.49
Savings  30.45%

BREAD OUTLET
OOP  $13.00
Value  $45.29
Savings  71.30%

MAINE SOURCE
OOP  $37.86
Value  $61.69
Savings  38.63%

RITE-AID
OOP  $0.00
Qs/Ads/PP/BC  $546.86
Value  $546.86
Savings  100%

SHURSAVE
OOP  $33.89
Qs/Ads  $9.77
Value  $43.66
Savings  22.38%

TARGET
OOP  $0.00
Value  $72.79
Savings  100%

WEIS MARKETS

OOP  $302.62

Qs/Ads  $358.27

Value  $660.89

Savings  54.21%

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My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid at 100%, Target at 100% and the Bread Outlet  at 71.30%.  My worst savings rate was from Shursave at 22.38%.

I shopped at 7 different stores this past month.  

TOTAL Out of Pocket..........$401.62

TOTAL Coupons/Store Sales...$503.19

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased.........$904.81

TOTAL Savings of ................................55.61%

TOTAL Out of Pocket for Feb.....$401.62
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased w/Rite-Aid....$1451.67
TOTAL Coupons/Store Sales.........$1050.05
TOTAL Savings with Rite-Aid items........72.33%

This closes out the March food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I had wanted to stay at or under $300 food spending for March.  Then I realized that feeding four adults "well" was sort of not very doable where I live in March for $300.  I can't grow my own veggies right now and even shopping strategically using sales, Qs, rebate apps, etc.   With the currents price of foods and the lack of deals(no cheap eggs at Easter is a travesty!)and the lack of good Qs, plus $300 doesn't allow me to stockpile or take advantage of "deals" much.  Sure we could eat like kings in March using my $300 budget and emptying my stockpile, but come June the larders would be empty.
So I have resigned myself to upping my food budget to $400 at least until the two kids move out permanently.
And I am good with that.

The monthly food spending savings percentage went DOWN by 2.22% in March 2018 to 72.33% compared to February's 74.55% savings average.

With 3 months accounted for, I have spent a Grand Total of $1261.72 on food/toiletries in 2018 which is a 76.05% savings rate for the year so far and averages out to $420.57 spent per month in 2018.

* I have realized that of the two stores in town, I do better savings wise at Weis over Shursave.  But Shursave is more convenient(closer to the house and not as big/crowded).  So I'll try to focus on Weis but use Shursave if we need something specific or last minute or if they have a great deals on particular items.

* The Bread Outlet has become a hit or miss thing as they are frequently out of what I need there but I will continue to try them for bread products we use/need.

* The Big Lots shop was not so great.  I was going there anyway for something and Hubs needed instant coffee and Sensodyne toothpaste and I didn't want to have to make a stop anyplace else.  Luckily they had a house brand sensitive teeth toothpaste(same ingredients as Sensodyne)and it was only $1.50.  It still KILLED me to pay for toothpaste even at $1.50. lolz  Since I was there I picked up a bag of dog chewies for Chester.  I am kicking myself since it wasn't one of their 20% off everything in the store days and we weren't out of chewies....I should have waited on those. sigh.

LOOKING AHEAD To April.......
Staring down the barrel of a $400 food/toiletries budget for April.  I'll try to do better than that but no promises.  ;-)

I know there is a restaurant supply trip in my future this coming month as I am almost out of onions and it's coming on fresh produce months.  Plus I need a 5 lb. block of Cooper sharp cheese for College Boy.  This is the cheese of choice around here and CB eats his weight in grilled cheese sandwiches and if I buy a whole log it's a lot cheaper and more convenient than having to find a sale at a deli counter every week or so.  We have an industrial strength cheese cutter/slicer so we are good to go. lolz

If you have other ideas or guidelines you follow please leave a comment and share yours with us all.

*  How much did you spend on food/toiletries in March?
*  Do you track your yearly food spending?
*  What was your savings percentage buying on sale and/or with coupons vs. buying at regular retail price last month, if you track that sort of thing?
*  What are your methods for keeping your food spending in check?

Is anyone out there up for tracking expenditures and trying to spend less but still eat well?


Sluggy

Finally!.....Shopping This Week

I finally got up to Rite-Aid and bought this stuff for College Boy......

1 x Similasan Eye Relief on clearance 75% off=$2.94
2 x Visine allergy formula 20% Wellness discount=$9.26
SubTotal........$12.20

Coupons Used
2 x $2/1 Visine In-AdQ=$4.00
2 x $1.50/1 Visine IPQ=$3.00
Coupon Total......$7.00

$12.20-$7.00=$5.20
But a $1.50 L2CQ came off(no clue I had that!)so it was $3.70 and $3 in Bonus Cash came off so I put the .70¢ left on my R-A gift card.
I also got a $3 Ibotta rebate on the Similisan and .25¢ rebate for buying anything at R-A so after $3.25 cash back I "spent down" .45¢ for all 3 items.

College Boy suffers greatly from allergies year round and his worst symptom are eye redness, itching and watering so these will come in handy and at a great price.

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Then I hit Weis(PMITA)Markets and did a big shop(again!).

Here are the best deals I found........

5 more packs of discount sticker bacon, same brand, reg. variety.  $30-$15 stickers=$15 for all 5

2 packs of Johnsonville Beef Brats for $4 each.  After $2 discount sticker combined with a $1/2 ManuQ I had made each package $1.50.  Good price on all beef brats.

The 2 packs of meatballs were a 3 Day Sale item....reg. $5, on sale for $4 and had $1 stickers on them so $3 per 1 lb. package.  I can't make good meatballs myself for that price.

Also picked up but not pictured were 3 packages of thinly slice sirloin, a package of chicken breasts and a package of chicken thighs, all with $off discount stickers.  I used two packages last night of the steak to make steak sandwiches and all the rest are tucked away in the freezer.

Mayo and pineapple were on sale($2.87 and .99¢ respectively).  I used .50¢/1 Qs which doubled to $1 on the mayo and $1/2 Qs on the fruit giving me a final cost of $1.87 for each mayo and .49¢ per can of pineapple.
I forgot to photograph the 4 lb. bags of Domino sugar that were on sale for $1.88.  Two bags for $3.76 and I had a .75¢/2 IPQ that doubled to $1.50 so $1.13 per bag out the door.

Jolly Time popcorn was a 3 Day Sale item--Buy one/Get two free.  Reg. price of $2.87 making 6 boxes $5.74.  I used 3 x $1/2 Jollytime IPQs so $3 off, meant I paid $2.74 for 6 boxes or .46¢ per box.

The large container of Weis brand cottage cheese cost .19¢.  Reg. price of $3.19 and I had a digital Q for $3 off.

All the other items were Mix and Match Buy 6/Get $3 off items.......

2 x Breyer's ice cream $2.99 ea.
2 x Green Giant Veggie tots $3.49 ea.
1 x Daisy cottage cheese $2.49
3 x Minute Maid orange juice $2.99 ea.

1 x Kleenex 3 pack $3.99
3 x Cottonelle Wipes $1.99 ea.

$34.38 subTotal

$6 off 2 x MandM Discount and
$11 off in Manu/IPQs which doubled(some) so $17 off

$17.38 for all 12 items OOP.

And lastly I picked up 5 Flip yogurts at $1 each when you bought 5.
I had 4 x .50¢/1 Qs that doubled to $1 each so I paid $1 for all 5 of these so .20¢ OOP for each.

I don't consider this yogurt "food" as much as it's a snack/dessert.  If I am feeling the need for something chocolatey/desserty I can grab one of these to eat instead of eating my way through a pie/cake/bag of cookies, so good to have on hand.  ;-)


I didn't mean to do a big shop but then I found all those meat deals and oh well......

I am now over $300 spent in March on foodstuffs.  I shouldn't feel so bad/stressed at that amount since we are 4 adults at home now full time as CB isn't off at school anymore.
I think resetting my frame of mind here is in order and trying to stay under $300 a month is kind of unrealistic at least until the two kids move out.  I should be shooting for $400 per month with this many bodies to fee.

There may be a bit more picked up this week as well since I'll be making a trip to Ollie's to use that 10% off coupon I have and I never now what I'll find there that we can use.



Sluggy