We have approximately $180 to spend on groceries for the next two full weeks. My goal was to split that into three smaller shopping trips. Today was shopping trip #1. I was able to get everything on my list, plus I purchased 4 additional items (which took it over my $60 budget) because I had inadvertently left them off the list. All in all, I stuck to my list and was able to get everything for $66.22.
This is what I bought:
2 gallons of milk @ $2.48/each (combined with the 3 other gallons in our fridge, this will last us until about Wednesday)
24 oz. container of sour cream @ $1.78
2 types of cheddar cheese @ $1.98 each
1 package of meatballs @ $4.66 (Hubby likes these tossed with bbq sauce cooked in the crockpot, which is why I buy them instead of make them — I don’t get making delicious homemade meatballs and then covering up the taste with bbq sauce!)
1 package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts @ $9.68 (This has approx. 9 breasts in it, which I will most likely roast and shred to add into soups, casseroles, etc to make it last longer)
1 dozen eggs @ $2.38 (plus I had a .50 coupon)
1 loaf of wheat bread @ $1.38
1 box of Crunch ‘n Munch @ $1.00 for hubby to take to work
1 box of individual packets oatmeal @ $1.42 for hubby to take to work
1 carton oatmeal @ $2.24
1 bottle of creamer for hubby’s coffee @ $3.00 (coffee is a very pricey habit!)
2 cans pineapple chunks @ $1.42 each
2.76 lbs of bananas (7) @ $.49 per lb (these will be gone by Sunday morning)
3 romaine hearts @ $2.88
1 bottle of bbq sauce (to add with my own homeade sauce for the meatballs) @ $1.77
1 jar Jif peanut butter @ $1.98 (we go through a LOT of pb)
1 jar applesauce @ $1.48 (baby likes this mixed with her oatmeal)
1 bag dried cranberries @ $1.48
1 100 oz container of laundry detergent @ $8.97
1 container of vanilla yogurt @ $1.78
1 container butter @ $3.24
My total before tax was $63.93, so I think I did pretty well! Kayla kept everything added up for me in her head as we shopped, so I could concentrate on making sure I had found all the items on my list, plus it’s a nice little math lesson for her.
What’s your grocery budget like? For a family of six, ours is not that large, but we make do! What are some ways you manage to keep your grocery costs down?
As an added note, I rarely ever go grocery shopping without my husband. It makes it so much easier when he goes, because he takes the kids somewhere else so I can do the shopping, plus he always knows exactly how much it’s going to cost before it’s even rung up. And there’s the fact that he loads the car and unloads it for me!
