My husband had a doctor's appointment yesterday, which saved us a chunk of money on food, strangely enough. First, while the kids and I finished off the spinach bagels with some cream cheese (kids drank juice, I had a Diet Coke), he could only have water because of stuff that was happening during his appointment. Secondly, they had screwed up the scheduling of a prior appointment, so they gave him a couple vouchers for lunch in the hospital cafeteria by way of apology, so my husband and I ate lunch there while the kids ate at their grandma's house since she was babysitting them. Later, my mother-in-law, the aforementioned grandma, had dinner ready for everyone. Strangely enough, it was spaghetti, as I had planned for home. She sent us home with plenty of leftovers, including half a cake and a bunch of sauce, so all I had to worry about feeding people all night were snacks. For snacks in the evening, the kids had some of that cake and my husband and I had some chips and salsa, and everyone had a few of the cookies I'd put up in the freezer.
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While we were someplace that had stores, I picked up a few things we were out of, white whole wheat flour, butter, milk, chocolate chips, and pop (gotta have my caffeine!). That leaves us with $1.50 to feed 6 people (my oldest arrives for the holidays on Friday! Yay!) until the 21st. Kind of. The new WIC cycle begins on Thursday, which will let me at least get some milk, cheese, juice, fresh produce, cereal, and bread or other whole grains for free. This sounds really bad, but, really, I could probably keep everyone feed and mostly happy with what's in the house for another month if I had to.
Looking at the sales, it would be really nice if DHS got their stuff together this week and increased our food stamps to what they are supposed to be, since at $2.00 a pound for butter, that would definitely be something worth stocking up on!
I wish we could get milk and butter at those prices. Our milk is stuck at $3.18 and butter is like $2.99. Chocolate chips are ridiculous at $2.00. The whole wheat flour would be more too lately and we don't get any bottle refund. Anyway, I think you have done well.
ReplyDeleteThose ARE sale prices though and generics. The regular prices are milk $2.99, butter $3.29, and chocolate chips $2.39. The bottle "refund" is money that I already spent last time I bought Diet Coke, when I paid the bottle deposit. When I take the cans back, I get that money back, which I can then use for whatever I need, food or not.
ReplyDeleteDairy related items are definitely on the pricey side these days. Maine has a pretty high minimum price, so I usually buy in the neighboring state instead. But if I buy from my store at work I pay .60/gal more for milk compared to the same store near home...less competition near my store.
ReplyDeleteI have my "buy" prices though and anything mroe than $3/gal for milk, $2/lb for butter or $2 for chocolate chips would be unthinkable for me. Of course I tend to use coupons or buy at work where I get an extra 10% discount...which helps alot.
Thats crazy on the milk price. we pay 3.99 for store brand and of you want Tg lee your gonna pay $.80 more. Do you have tax on food up there? We only pay tax on soda, candy and premade stuff like bakery cupcakes.
ReplyDelete@Angela: butter RARELY gets that cheap here. If I could, I'd be buying like 50 of them this week so I could get that price! We don't ever use margarine (trans fats + slimy texture = ewwww! Not in MY house!), so I have to pay what it costs and just try to grab the cheaper prices as I can.
ReplyDelete@Jen: No tax on food other than at restaurants or something like that.
Where I live the store brand milk is $3.99 a gal. Rarely, but sometimes we can get milk on sale for $2.99 at a store but the extra gas doesn't make it worth it unless you are passing by. Cokes are 12 cans for $4.99 regular price but they are always on sale at the store or Walgreens or somewhere...this week 4-12 packs for $13. I haven't bought choc chips lately but I haven't seen them for $2 in years
ReplyDeleteIn CA I shop at the 99cent store first, they have a lot of organic stuff. Gallon milk there now is $2.99 but the price of eggs must have risen because eggs are now .99 cents for 6 instead of 12, down the street a dozen is 1.69 ex large on sale this week. I buy choc chips on clearance and they last the year, or 99 cent store. Soda is 99 cent for a two liter most everyday somewhere. Butter is on sale right now for 2.50 a lb but two weeks ago it was 1.99, limit of 3...so I went to 3 stores, lol!
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