Saturday, March 28, 2009

Where To Find The Cheapest Food Prices


I don't usually talk about his much, but with today's economic crisis I thought this post would be fitting. Growing up I definitely didn't have a charmed life. My mom was a young divorced mom with two young kids to support. She only received around $80.00 per month per child for child support. So there was usually no fun money left. I remember some weeks that it was hard for my mom to fill the refrigerator with food, but we made do. It helped that my mom was a big caner. We had fresh vegetables and fruit year round. Once a year we were allowed to buy 2 or 3 outfits right before the school year started. According to my mom we really didn't have that many toys. Even though my mom said those were the hardest years of her life and that she feels bad that she couldn't afford more for us, I don't remember feeling like I was missing out on much. I had a wonderful mom and I couldn't of asked for a better parent. Thanks mom!! Those years of living frugally taught me more then I realized. Years ago when the hubby and I got married we were living high on the hog. Meaning we were financially comfortable. Now, I'm not saying we were rich. Just comfortable. We didn't have much debt except for our house. We both were working and always had money for extras. It was like heaven for me. From growing up with very little, to being able to buy basically what ever I wanted. Not that I ever really went over board spending. It was just nice to buy what I wanted. I'll never forget the day that I started buying paper towel and tissues. As a kid we never used paper towel or tissue. That was just an added expense that my mom couldn't really afford and with two kids around it went quick. I'm still fascinated till this day that I can by my own paper towel and tissue. I know, it sounds crazy. LOL! Yes, small things make me happy. Today the hubby and I are both suffering right along with the rest of the middle class financially. All this economic crisis talk reminds me of my grandma and her stories of how she lived through the great depression of the 1930's. I remembering listening to her stories and thinking that was the past and that something that awful would never happen again. Was I foolish to believe this? Maybe. When my grams was alive, the standing joke with the family was that she was a pack rat. In all honesty, she really was. If there was left over food from any occasion she would carefully wrap it up in tin foil and save it for another day. God only knows how old those tin foil packets were that lined her freezer. Each and every Christmas she would carefully unwrap each of her Christmas gifts so that she could save the paper and bows for the next Christmas holiday. My family still laughs about this today. My grams always enjoyed eating out. During her visits to local restaurants she would always take a few extra packets of sugar, ketchup, mustard, salt, creamers, etc. The packets would always amazingly end up in her purse to be used at a later date. I remember thinking that her purse was like a black hole with a never ending bottom. I just came to accept that my grams developed these thrifty habits due to living through The Great Depression. I would always tease her for saving absolutely everything. Today, I understand why she did the things she did. Smart thinking grams!! The hubby and I have been having our own economic crisis and I've been catching myself doing the very same things that my grams did. Okay, maybe I'm not as bad as she was, but I have definitely changed my spending habits dramatically. I spend less and I'm always looking for a sale. We never ever have fun money anymore. I can't even remember the last time I purchased shoes or clothes. Now It's all about buying the things we need to survive. Do I dare say that I've become thrifty and frugal? Walmart use to be our main store of choice due to their cheap food prices . I can't even begin to tell you how much I dislike this store. It's not the merchandise that I dislike. It's the clientele that the store attracts. It just freaks me right out. LOL!! Plus it takes forever to get your shopping done. The store is always packed to the gills with crazy shoppers. Despite all my complaints I find myself walking through those doors of hell once a week. I've got to shop where it's cheap. I have no choice these days. Lately we have been shopping at Kroger. I can't believe that I actually set foot in that place. I use to protest this place due to their high prices. Well, not any more. Kroger has been having the most amazing deals on your every day staples. Let me be clear, not all their products are a great steal. It's mostly their yellow tag items. For example I went shopping this morning and got the following great sales.

Orange Juice: $ .99 Cents Per 1/2 Gallon

Milk: $1.59 Per Gallon. Limit 3, then $1.99 per gallon.

Bread: $1.00 per loaf

Eggs: $ .99 cents a dozen

Cereal: $1.89 per box

Lunch Meat: $ .99 Cents per pack

Coffee: $4.99 for a 34.5 oz can.


Aren't these the best deals? The down side is that Kroger doesn't have the lowest prices on such things are cleaning supplies, bathroom supplies, makeup, dog food, etc. So unfortunately I have to make a trip to Walmart every so often to get these extra items for a cheaper price. We have actually reduced our grocery bill by $50.00 per week, which I thought was impossible. If you're trying to watch your pennies you might want to stop and check out the great deals. Every penny saved is a penny earned, right? I hope that this post helped all of those out there that are also struggling to by food in these hard economic times. I know these great prices have really helped my family out.



Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs

15 comments:

  1. We do the same thing. I get the staples that are on sale at our local grocery store but do find myself at Wal-Mart at least twice a month. I try to go during the day mid-week and it's not usually too bad. But on the weekends, forget it. It can get scary in there.

    Hey, I've been saving wrapping paper forever! When my kids get a present they always ask, can we rip it open or are you saving the paper? LOL!

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  2. I feel exactly the same way about Walmart. I despise it there but it's all about saving money and I have no choice. The prices are just so much lower.

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  3. Wow, those are terrific prices! By the way, I can imagine how scary that must have been when your daughter fell out of the crib, yikes!!! Thank you for the nice comment!

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  4. Great deals! There's no Kroger's by me but I always check the flyer and look for good sales. An Aldi just opened nearby and I've heard the have good prices. I've got to get there and check them out.

    Your mom sounds like she was amazing and that you never felt like you were missing anything she must have been a great budgeter too (is that even a word...well you know what I mean)

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  5. I hate Walmart too- but I'm going to have to force myself to start shopping there. I don't have a Kroger nearby but their prices sound great!

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  6. What a wonderful post. A lot of Americans are suffering due to the economy. Like you I am always looking for a deal.

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  7. This is a great post and I feel similar to you...

    Dorothy from grammoolgy
    grammology.com

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  8. I can relate. Kroger only has good prices on certain things each week, most of the rest is expensive. I just can't bring myself to go to Walmart. I'm thinking of adding Aldi as a weekly trip now, since they have such cheap prices on fresh fruits and veggies, as well as eggs and milk.

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  9. My Mom too, never let us know we were poor. lol The biggest thing we look back and wonder "how" is 11 people in a small bungalow with one bathroom. As the older kids got older and got jobs we learned what pop was and chips. We didn't even know they existed til then. Times sure have changed!

    I shop specials. When something is on special I buy up on that item. So I never go shopping for just a few things. If soups on sale I buy a case, same with toilet paper. Again things are different...I have the space to put that extra stuff. I am definitely blessed.

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  10. Hi Michelle I have a photo tag for you :)

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  11. Thank you for the super nice comment on my blog. It's nice to know you can relate, both with worrying about accidents with our kids and the surgery, although I'm sorry that your daughter is having to go through the ordeal! I think Logan's situation has been harder for me than him, and that sounds like that is probably your case, too. Your daughter will be in my thoughts!

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  12. Hi. I´m back!
    Been without Internet since 17th but now I have a new connection.
    My mother lived the 1940 war, where food was precious. She´s the frugal master in my family and she taught me a lot.
    I´m also trying to be more frugal and shopping in different supermarkets has helped me save. We don´t have Kroger or Walmart. Our prices aren´t as cheap as yours in US but I can still find some good deals.
    Passing by to return your drops and wish you a good week!
    Cheers!

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  13. you know what, my parents didnt buy paper towels and tissues as well! that's how i knew we're poor lol! but now that i have my own family, i buy tissues that would last for a week! we always have tissues everywhere. it's just funny how i turned out to be a "tissue user" after all.
    this is a great post!

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  14. We are being very thrifty too and we also lived comfortable when we first got married.

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  15. I do 3 stores for my grocery's. Kroger is one. I even get things free there. They double coupons up to a dollar and you can use more then one coupon per item. I get my coupons from the paper but most of them are from the internet. Kroger's is a great place to shop.

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