Weekly Roundup #52 - December 23 to 29, 2012

My grocery bill was ridiculously low this week, thanks to the $5.00 FLIP coupon, a $20.00 pharmacy credit at Harris Teeter, and the fact that I used UP Rewards for some pantry items at Rite Aid.

Purchases
Food
Gallon Milk - 1
Loaf Bread - 2
Dozen Eggs - 1
Harris Teeter Honey Ham - 1
Oscar Mayer Carving Board BBQ - 2
Mott's Apple Sauce - 1
Chiquita Fruit Bites - 1
Organic Grape Tomatoes - 1
Green Peppers - 5
Bananas - 5
Sugar (4 lb) - 2
Sargento Shredded Cheese - 1
Cream of Wheat - 1
Ragu Pasta Sauce - 1
Bruce's Yams - 1
Harris Teeter Beets - 1
Harris Teeter Kidney Beans - 2
My Essentials Brown Rice - 1
Country Rich Syrup - 3
Heinz Turkey Gravy - 1
Sunshine Cheez-It Crackers - 1
Jello No-Bake Cheesecake - 1
Keebler Pie Crust - 1
Hershey Simple Pleasures Chocolate - 2
Whoppers - 2

Health & Beauty
Keri Lotion - 2
Nexxus Therappe Shampoo - 2

Household
In-Style Magazine - 1
Coloring/Sticker Books (clearance at Rite Aid) - 2
Looseleaf paper - 1
Bubble Mailer (2 pack) - 1

Rebates
Idaho Spuds Signature Potato Bits TMF Offer - $2.49
Coors MIR on $100.00 of gift cards - $10.00 x 2
Cayman Jack on $10.00 Holiday Meat - $3.00
SCR #15 - $2.00

Expenses
Rite Aid - $3.17
Harris Teeter - $1.95
Food Lion - 52 cents
Dollar Tree - $4.15
Total - $9.79

Total for December - $113.21 or  $28.30 per week!

I don't normally shop at the Dollar Tree, but I happened to be nearby and popped in to get my son some filler paper for school. I found Nature's Own double fiber whole wheat bread there, so I grabbed a couple of loaves for the freezer.

Weekly Roundup #15 - April 10-16

There were so many hot shopping deals this week at Harris Teeter and Giant that I got behind on my weekly roundup. So, here are the results for the week of April 10-16, 2012!

Purchases

Food

Gallon Milk - 2

Sorrento Ricotta Cheese - 1
Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese - 1

Yoplait Lactose free Yogurt - 7

Naure's Own Butterbread - 1

Kings Hawaiian Rolls - 1
Kraft Homestyle Mac N Cheese - 8
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls - 2

Kashi TLC Crackers - 7

Kashi Cereal - 1
Maruchan Yakisoba - 1
Chi-chi's Enchilada Sauce - 8
Kashi TLC Cookies - 2
Mrs. Smiths Pie - 11

Ocean Spray Juice - 4

Gold Peak Tea (18 oz) - 6

Pepsi Next (20 oz) - 1

Snickers Eggs - 8
Popsicle Fudgesicles - 3
Jell-O Refrigerated 6 packs - 4
Mentos Gum - 12

Health & Beauty
Depend Silhouette - 1
Colgate Total Toothpaste - 1
NatuRelief - 1
Bic Twin Select Silky Touch Razors - 7
EcoTools Facial Puff - 3
Organix Bodywash - 4
Daily Necessities Bath Gel - 2
Scunci Hair Accessories - 1
Bodiheat Heat Therapy Patch - 1

Household
Airwick Aerosol - 2
Finish Gel Automatic Dishwasher detergent (clearanced)
Insulated Reusable Shopping Bag - 1
Scrubbing Bubbles One Step Toilet Cleaner Kit - 1
                                                        
Expenditures
Rite Aid - $6.43
CVS - $2.24
Giant - $34.63
Food Lion - $8.18
Total: $51.48

Rebates
Rite Aid SCR #8 - Get back $2.99 when you buy one BodiHeat patch
Scrubbing Bubbles One Step Toilet Bowl Cleaner -                                                          Get back $10.99

I went a little over my $50 budget this week, but I was way under last week, so it's all good!

Weekly Roundup #14 - April 3-9

This is the 14th week of my attempt to monitor my weekly spending and show how I feed our family on $50.00 per week or less. You may notice that when I find a good deal on something, I buy a lot of it. This doesn't make sense to someone who makes out a weekly menu, then buys the items on their shopping list, but it pays off for me. I never run out to buy something full price, and I rarely run out of things since I have a nice stockpile. This week I found:

 

Gumby does the Loudoun County Limbo!



Purchases 

Food
Gallon Milk - 1
Sorrento Ricotta Cheese - 1
Barilla Lasagna Noodles - 1
Maruchan Yakisoba Noodles - 2
Kelloggs Corn Flakes - 1
Kelloggs Rice Krispies - 3
Fiber Plus Cereal - 4
Special K Cereal - 3
Onions, 3 lb bag - 1

Dozen Eggs - 4

Bumble Bee Tuna - 4

Stovetop Stuffing - 10

Kraft Homestyle
    Mac & Cheese - 10
Capri Sun, 10 pk - 16
Gold Peak Tea, 18 oz - 4
Snickers Eggs - 21
Mrs. Smith Pie - 2
Mentos Gum - 2

Health & Beauty
Gold Bond Medicated Foot Powder - 1
Daily Necessities Bath Salts - 6
Revlon Nail Polish - 4
Scunci Hair Elastics - 1
Allegra, 5 ct. - 4
Depend Silhouette - 1
 

Expenditures

Rite Aid - $5.12

Walgreens - $3.00

Giant - $21.46

Food Lion - $10.56
Total: $40.14

Rebates

Rite Aid SCR #1 - Get back $2.00 when you buy any variety Gold Bond medicated foot product

Weekly Roundup #12 - March 20-26

This week my shopping trips focused on the Harris Teeter "Triple Coupons" event and the continued Frozen Food Month promotion at Giant. I was able to "roll" my $10 frozen food catalinas at Giant into several deals producing more catalinas, then spent the last one on Gatorade for my husband - an item for which I rarely find coupons.

Purchases  
Food

- Gallon milk (1)                                                                     

- Celery (1)

- Fiber One Cereal (1)

- Planters Nutrition Bars (18)

- DeWafelbakker    Blueberry pancakes (2)

- Kraft Bagel-fuls (4)

- Maruchan Yakisoba noodles (8)

- Nasoya Tofu (2)

- Starkist Tuna (4)

- Campbell's Tomato Soup (12)

- Hormel Chili (4)

- Hormel Compleats meals (11)

- Chex Snacks Mix (1)

- Land O Lakes Half and Half (2)

- Minute Maid Pomegranate Blueberry juice (1)

- Simply Orange juice (1)

- Silk Almond Choc Milk (1)

- Gatorade, 32 oz bottle (6)

- Gatorade powder (1)

- Tetley Tea Bags, family size (1)

- Mentos gum (7)

- Sweethearts (1) - big bag I found on clearance for 22 cents

Health and Beauty

- False eyelashes for my daughter's part in the Wizard of Oz

Household

- Mardi Gras Napkins, 250 ct. (2)

Refunds:

- Minute Maid Enhanced Juice

I purchased this Minute Maid Pomegranate Blueberry Juice on impulse at Harris Teeter, even though I didn't have a coupon for it, when I saw this "Love It Or It's Free" hangtag. The inside of the form says "Try 59 oz. Minute Maid Enhanced Juice or Enhanced Lemonade. If you don't love it, we will refund your purchase price. While I may like the juice, I don't like the price of $3.69!

Expenditures     

Rite Aid - $4.96

Giant - $20.42

Harris Teeter - $13.46

Total: $39.84

I'm pleased to be under budget this week since I went over the first week of March. My running total for the month thus far is $153.82.

Weekly Roundup #11 - March 13-19, 2012

I shopped like crazy this week at Giant to take advantage of their Frozen Food promotion. Not only are both my small and large freezers full now, but I earned a catalina coupon for 10% off my next grocery trip for having spent $75 on frozen foods. Check the bottom of your receipt to see where you stand - this program is going on all month!





My big freezer



           

Purchases         

Food

- Gallon milk (1)

- Special K granola bars (5)        

- Special K Fruit Crisps (2)

- Breyers Ice Cream (15)           

- IHOP at home breakfast (3)

- Mrs. Paul's Parchment fish (2)  

- Birds Eye Steamfresh veggies (16)

- Farm Rich appetizers (8)          
- Ellio's pizza (29)
- Superpretzel (1)                    
- McCain's potatoes (1)
- Bertolli marinara sauce (2)        
- Yakisoba noodles (8)
- Smucker's Uncrustables (18)    
- Pepperidge Farm Swirl bread (4)
- Mentos gum (12)
- Philadelphia Cream Cheese (5)
- Cabbage (1)

Health and Beauty

-  L'Oreal Youth Code Cleanser

Refunds:

- DGUSA Save $5.00 on meat (No Beer Purchase Required)  

Expenditures     

Rite Aid - $ 1.71

Giant - $48.28

Total: $49.99

This week I barely stayed within my $50.00 budget, but I got so many great deals, I won't have to worry about buying certain foods (Elio's frozen pizza and Uncrustables) for a long while!

Weekly Roundup #10 - March 6-12

This week I focused on the Frozen Food deal at Giant and picked up a lot of freebies at Rite Aid with my 20% Wellness Discount. I haven't posted these deals, because I don't think they apply to most readers, but if you would like me to do so, just leave a comment and I will.

You need 500 Wellness points for a Silver Level (10%) discount and 1000 Wellness points for a Gold Level (20%) discount at Rite Aid. I currently have 469 points, which means I am well on my way to a Gold Discount in 2013. If you want to know your standing, check the bottom of your next Rite Aid receipt to see your Wellness Points total.

                                                                   

Purchases              

                                                                                    

Food

- Aquafina water (1)                - Minute maid lemonade (1)

- Gallon milk (1)                       - Fruit Gushers (4)                                                       

- Gatorade, 32 oz. (4)             - Dozen eggs (1)    

- Wonder Bread (2)                  - Fruit Roll-ups (2)       

- Iceberg lettuce (1)                  - Baby peeled carrots (1)

- Tomatoes on the vine              - Mission Tortillas (2)

 - Vegetable Tray with dip (1)    - Goobers theater box (4)                                               

- Mann's Slaw mix (2)                 - Corned Beef, 4 lbs (1)

- Furmano diced tomatos (4)      - Furmano tomato sauce (2)

- Farm Rich appetizers (6)         - Croutons (1)      

- Breyer's Ice Cream (2)             - Ellio's Pizza (2)

- Mama Rosie's Ravioli (2)         - Totino's Pizza Rolls (2)

- Ore Ida Easy Fries (4)              - Betty Crocker fruit shapes (2)          

- Assorted Jellybeans (1)            - Coke product 12-packs (14) 

- Raisenets theater box (4)         - Cadbury chocolate egg (5)  

- Keebler Fudge Stripe cookies (2)

- Birds Eye Steamfresh varieties (2)

               

Health and Beauty

- Colgate toothpaste (1)          -  G.U.M. Periobalance (1)

- Revlon nail polish (10)          - Sally Hanson nail file (4)

- Soft Lips lip balm (2)            - Prestige mascara (1)

- Prestige lip liner (1)               - Pure Spring lotion (1)

- Aquanet hairspray (1)           - Zyrtec, 5 ct. (1)

- Rite Aid brand cotton swabs (1)

- Pediacare Cough & Cold (1)

Miscellaneous 

- Rite Aid brand sandwich bags (2) 
- Playtex Sippy Cup (1)

- Playtex pacifier (5)
- Kushy Foot casual socks (3)

 

Expenditures     

Rite Aid - $5.83

CVS - $3.95

Walgreens - 66 cents

Giant - $53.55

Total: $63.99

This week I went over my $50.00 budget.  I sent my husband and son to Giant to pick up a head of lettuce and some tomatoes for a salad. They came back with a head of lettuce, tomatoes on the vine, a bag of baby carrots, a box of croutons, two packages of tortillas and a $10 vegetable tray from the deli!

I nearly fainted when I saw the tortillas, since I already have a year supply. My son told me that he only got them because he saw a sign in the produce department stating that the tomatoes on the vine were free with the tortilla purchase. I scrutinized the receipt, but couldn't see any discount, so I called the store. It turns out that the offer was advertised last week and someone forgot to take the sign down, so customer service told me they would give me a refund for the tomatoes. The next time I went to Giant I got $2.48 back! 

Weekly Roundup #8 and #9

I am combining two weeks of purchases into my weekly roundup this time, since I was gone for a week of vacation in the middle (during which I did no grocery shopping!) So, these are my stats for the period between February 23rd and March 5th:

Purchases                            Food

- Half Gallon milk (3)
- Gallon milk (1)

- Honey Wheat bread (2)

- Cucumber (1)

- Onion (1)

- Lettuce (1)

- Celery (1)

- Grape tomatoes (1)

- Chi Chis Tortillas (7)

- Old El Paso Refried Beans (6)

- Mentos UP2U Gum (3)
- Ore Ida Easy Fries (12)

- Wasa Crispbread (2)

- Think Thin power bar (2)
- General Mills Reeses Puff cereal (1)

- New York Garlic Toast (3)       
 - Blue Bunny Ice Cream (1)
 - I Cant Believe Its Not Butter (2)                         
- Smithfield Bacon (1)                            - Coca-Cola 12-Packs (9)
- Kraft Grated Cheese (3)                      - Harris Teeter Shredded Cheese (1)
- Sorrento Mozzarella Cheese (1)          - Snickers candy eggs (4)         

Household 

- Ricola Cough Drops (1)

- Whista Lickins Cat Treats (2)

- Gud Handwash (1)
- Skintimate shaving lotion (1)
- Vaseline lotion (2)
- Colgate Total toothpaste (5)
- Tena Serenity Pads (1)
- Soft Lips lip balm (2)
- Seabreeze astringent (1)
- Sally Hansen Tweezers (1)
- Playtex pacifier (1)
- Copy Paper (1)
- LCD Snooze Alarm (1)

Refunds   
- Betty Crocker Try Me Free offer
- Kelloggs Cereal Rebate for $10 prepaid debit card
                                             

Expenditures     

Rite Aid - $1.50
CVS - .69

Giant - $19.54

Harris Teeter - $15.85

Total: $37.58

Total for February = $151.16

This month I averaged $38 per week! I received a prepaid gift card in the mail for Rite Aid from a previous refund that absorbed most of the tax on my purchases there in February. I used some of my coupons for free 12-packs of Coke at Rite Aid to take advantage of their promotion to earn $1.50 in UP rewards when you buy 3, so that was a money maker. I also stocked up on free milk at Harris Teeter Super Doubles and splurged on some fresh produce. I am now slowly building a stockpile of candy for upcoming Easter baskets!

Weekly Roundup #7 - February 15-21

This week I managed to stay just under my $50 budget, thanks to some nice money makers at Rite Aid. I used the UP rewards that I earned to buy snacks for my daughter's volleyball tournament at the Washington Convention Center.

I also got some great deals at Harris Teeter super doubles and stocked up on cheap Mexican foods (tortillas, chips, and refried beans) and cheap dog food at Giant.

Purchases

Food
- Gallon milk (1)
- Half Gallon milk (3)
- Activia Yogurt 4-pack (2)
- Loaf of bread (2)
- Cucumber (1)
- Red Bell peppers (2)
- Green Bell peppers (2)
- Onion (1)
- Iceberg lettuce (1)
- Celery (1)
- Banana (1)
- Gorton's Fish Sticks (1)                                                - Bumble Bee Tuna (2)      
- McCain Hash Browns (1)                                              - Pennsylvania Dutch noodles (6)  
- NY Texas Toast (3)                                                      - Chi-Chi's tortillas (8) 

- Old El Paso refried beans (6)                                       - Grande tortilla chips (4)
- Zone Perfect Bars (3)                                                  - Mentos UP2U Gum (3)    
- Coca Cola 12-packs (6)                                               - Chocolate covered cherry (1)
                                                                                       - Snickers candy egg (1)

Go Team Inferno!

Snacks for daughter's weekend volleyball tournament
- Rite Aid Beef Jerky (1)
- Nature Valley Granola Thins (2)
- Nature Valley Granola Bars (1)
- Cereal cups (3)
- Gold fish (1)
- Ritz Crackerfuls (1)
- Kelloggs Nutrigrain (1)
- Strawberry Crips (1)
- Hawaiian Punch (1)
- Fig Newtons (1)
- Oreo Cookies (1)
- Pringles chips (1)
- Poptart (1)
- DM Cherry mixed fruit 4pk (1)
- Gatorade (5)
- Cherry Coke (1)
- Plastic Water Bottle (1)

Household 

- Purina One Beyond dog food (9)
- Foster Grant glasses (5)
- Hefty One zipper bags (2)
- CFL lightbulbs (5)

- Airborne Immune Support (1)

- Neutrogena makeup wipes (2)

- Thermacare heatwraps (9)

- Ricola cough drops (1)

- OneTouch Ultra Mini Meter

- Hylands Teething Gel (3)

- Chapstick (27)

                                                                                       - Got2Be Hair stylers (4)

Refunds                                                                       - Colgate toothpaste (4)

-  Pfizer - Buy 3 products, get back $10.00                     - Brainstrong Toddler (2)

                                                                                       - Vaseline Lotion (2)
Expenditures     

Rite Aid - 6.02

Walgreens - 2.89

Giant - 33.68

Harris Teeter - 6.25

Total: $48.84

Weekly Roundup #6 - Feb 8-14, 2012

This week I mainly stocked up on drug store freebies and cheap grocery items at Giant. I haven't purchased much in the way of food in February, but I plan to supplement at Harris Teeter Super Doubles this week! Here is what I got:

Purchases
Food
- Gallon milk (1)
- Loaf of bread (1)

- Chi-Chi's tortillas (10)
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal (1)
- Pennsylvania Dutch Noodles (4)
- Grande Tortilla Chips (4)
- Chef Boyardee Ravioli (10)
- Welch's Grape Spread (7)
- Hershey's Chocolate Bars (4)
- UP2U gum (7)
- Necco Sweet Tarts (3)
 



Household 
- Purina One Beyond dog food (4)
- Stayfree Pads (4)
- Revlon Emery Boards (8)

- Revlon Nail File (1)

- Colgate Total Toothpaste (2)

- Lady Speed Stick deodorant (10)

- Maybelline Babylips balm (2)

- Zarbee's Cough Syrup (1)

- St. Joseph's Aspirin (1)

- Got2Be Hair Styler (2)

- Compact Mirror (1) - this was a clearance item that my daughter needed for a science class project

Refunds

-  Ecco Domani NBPR rebate to get back $2 when you buy Greeting Cards

- Colgate-Palmolive $5 rebate for the Speed Stick deodorant

Expenditures     

Rite Aid - 3.31

CVS - 5.53

Walgreens - .60

Giant - 28.24

Total: $37.68

 

I thought the Speed Stick BOGO free coupons would take $3.99 off my bill at CVS again this week. They did automatically scan for that amount, but the cashier reduced them down to $1.99 each, so that is why I owed over $5.00 at CVS. Normally I try to "roll" my drug store rewards over from one week to the next and just pay tax.

Weekly Round-up #4 - January 25-31

This week I again achieved my goal of staying under $50.00 for food and toiletries and even eating out!

Purchases

Food                                                     

-Lemon (1)

-Bananas (2 lb)

-Egglands Best Eggs, dozen (2)

-White Milk, gallon (2)

-Chocolate Milk, gallon (1)

-Loaf of Bread (1)

-Sugar, 5 lb bag (11)

-Bar-S Hot Dogs (1)

-Hormel Party Tray (1)        

-Kashi Go Lean Cereal (1)
-Kelloggs Crunchy Nut cereal (1)
-Zone Perfect bars (18)
-Kelloggs Raisin Bran Cinnamon Almond Cereal (5)
-Pom Bars (9)
-Ritz Crackers (2)
-Nissin Cup Noodles (30)
-Hannaford Wheat Elbow Macaroni (1)
-Fleischmann's Homemade Bread Kit (3)       Household 
-Mariani Dried Pineapple (2)                         - Brawny Paper Towel, single roll (1)
-Pie Shell (2)                                                 - Purina One Beyond dog food, 3.5 lb bag (2)
-Ground Mustard (1)                                                              
-Hershey's Chocolate Bars (16)
-Twizzlers (4)
-Skittles (3)
                                              Other

 - 5 Free Hot Chocolates at Dunkin Donuts

 - 2 Free ice cream cones at McDonalds

 - Dozen Donuts at Dunkin Donuts

                                                          

Refunds

Coors Deli Party Platter, NBPR rebate for $8.00

Expenditures
 Rite Aid - $1.01
 Giant - $1.65
 Bloom - $30.30
 Safeway - $5.05
                                                Dunkin Donuts - $7.58

                                                               Total: $45.59

Monthly Total for January: $182.43

I averaged about $45 per week for the month of January. We had plenty of good meals by combining these purchases with items already in my stockpile, and we have a good supply of cereal to last us until the next great deal comes along.

Weekly Roundup #3 - January 18-24

I went a bit over budget this week because there were some really great catalina deals that I wanted to take advantage of, but I am still under budget overall for the month of January.

Here are the results for this week:

Purchases

Food
- Bloom whole wheat bread (1)

- Fleischmann's Homemade Bread Kits (7)
- Pepperidge Farm cinnamon Bread (2)

- 5 lb bag of sugar (1)
- Quaker Oats (2)
- Quaker Grits (1)

- Campbell's Soup at Hand (18)

- Can chicken broth (1)
- Kelloggs Raisin Bran Cinnamon Almond cereal (7)
- Activia Yogurt 6-packs (8)
- Gallon white milk (3)
- Gallon chocolate milk (1)
- Pepsi 6-packs (6)
- V8 Fusion Smoothie (1)
- V8 vegetable juice, 6-pack (1)
- Coke Zero, 2-liter bottles (2)

- Hatfield ham steaks (2)

- Marie Callender's frozen dinners (2)
- Totino's pizza rolls (12)
- Fig bars (1)
- Goldfish crackers (6)
- Quaker chewy granola bars (3)
- Zone Perfect bars (2)
- Jello Mixchief (3)
- UP2U gum (18)
- Chocolate covered cherry (1)

Health and Beauty
- Ricola cough drops (9 )
- K-Y Jelly (2)

Household 
- Hartz Hamster food (1)
- Purina One Beyond dog food, 3.5 lb bag (5)
- Reynolds slow cooker liners (2)
- Finish Powerball dishwasher detergent (2)

                                                          
                    Refunds
                    Activia Yogurt
                    Novartis Recall


                     Expenditures
                     Rite Aid - $4.44
                     Giant - $47.36
                     Bloom - $5.12

                 Total: $56.92

Monthly Total to date for January: $136.84

I have quite a few catalinas left over for next week's shopping, so I should easily stay under the $200 mark this month!