Friday: Burgers & Chips ($8.00)
Saturday: Enchiladas ($7.65)
Sunday: Jambalaya ($11.80)
Monday: Fish & Risoni Stew ($7.00)
Tueday: Chili Mac ($8.10)
Wednesday: Spaghetti & Garlic Bread ($8.70)
Thursday: Minestrone Soup ($9.00)
I don't usually meal plan two weeks at a time (although maybe I should), but since I have a much more limited budget next week, I've got to plan more carefully, so I'm trying to get started early.
The average price of those meals is $8.61, which is actually higher than the average price for this week's meals. Note to self--make sure you've got plenty of canned tuna around so you can do the cheap tuna casserole during the week with the tougher budget. What makes these meals good options for next week is that the only ingredients I'll need to buy are tortillas for the enchiladas, and some garlic bread to go with the fish stew, the spaghetti and the soup. Total cost? 8 bucks. Sweet, right?
Friday, April 27, 2012
Weekly Menu Plan: 27 Apr - 3 May
Friday: Burgers & Chips ($8.00)
Saturday: Tacos ($12.90)
Sunday: Sausages, Fondant Potatoes, Green Beans ($4.40)
Monday: Salisbury Steak, Pasta, Veggies ($7.90)
Tuesday: Chili ($7.10)
Wednesday: Spaghetti & Garlic Bread ($7.10)
Thursday: Tater Tot Casserole ($7.80)
Wow, an average meal price of $7.90. That's the difference in meals based around ground beef and those based around chicken breast. And the sausages are good for the budget, too. Good thing, since I bought a bulk pack of 2 dozen.
Saturday: Tacos ($12.90)
Sunday: Sausages, Fondant Potatoes, Green Beans ($4.40)
Monday: Salisbury Steak, Pasta, Veggies ($7.90)
Tuesday: Chili ($7.10)
Wednesday: Spaghetti & Garlic Bread ($7.10)
Thursday: Tater Tot Casserole ($7.80)
Wow, an average meal price of $7.90. That's the difference in meals based around ground beef and those based around chicken breast. And the sausages are good for the budget, too. Good thing, since I bought a bulk pack of 2 dozen.
My Grocery Reward Points, April 2012
Blogging about the new Flybuys program made me realize that I can now keep track of all my grocery reward points totals fairly easily. Coles and Supabarn print your total directly on the receipt, Woolworths is online:
Coles Flybuys: 6437 (2000 points= $10)
Woolworths Everyday Rewards: 718 (750 points=$5)
Supabarn Rewards: 142 (2000 points=$20)
So we've got enough Flybuys for $30 in Flybuys Dollars, nearly enough Everyday Rewards points for a $5 gift card (I earned another 12 points yesterday which hasn't been added yet, but most of those points came from 550 bonus points on 13 April, and I have no idea why I got those), and I'm still a long way off from earning that $20 gift card from Supabarn.
Coles Flybuys: 6437 (2000 points= $10)
Woolworths Everyday Rewards: 718 (750 points=$5)
Supabarn Rewards: 142 (2000 points=$20)
So we've got enough Flybuys for $30 in Flybuys Dollars, nearly enough Everyday Rewards points for a $5 gift card (I earned another 12 points yesterday which hasn't been added yet, but most of those points came from 550 bonus points on 13 April, and I have no idea why I got those), and I'm still a long way off from earning that $20 gift card from Supabarn.
The New Flybuys
Our new Flybuys card came in the mail on Thursday, and I used it for the first time on Friday. A quick look through their new rewards catalogue tells me that we'll be converting Flybuys points to Flybuys Dollars and getting deductions on our grocery bill.
Flybuys points convert to Flybuys Dollars at a rate of 2000 Flybuys points = 10 Flybuys Dollars. Since we earn 1 point for every dollar we spend, plus another 1 point for using our NAB Visa card, that works out to 10 Flybuys Dollars for every $1000 we spend. Essentially, a 1% discount, so I don't think I'll worry about figuring that in when comparison shopping.
The old FlyBuys offered 2 Points per $5, plus I was getting another 1 Point per $5 for using my NAB Visa, for 3 Points per $5, and worth a $20 gift card per 2500 Points. That's $4166 to earn $20, and with the new system, we're earning 2 Points per $1, and worth $20 discount per 4000 points, which is $2000 in spending to earn that $20.
The reason I say we'll probably redeem the points for cash is because I looked at the merchandise rewards, and when you work out the prices, they don't look that great. They offer an iPod Touch 8 Gb for 43,800 points. That works out to be $219, which is the same as the price on the Apple Australia website. But Dick Smith is selling them for $169 with free delivery. So I think I'll just take the cash discount at the register, thanks. According to my receipt yesterday, we've got enough Flybuys points to knock off $30.
Another new thing going on with the Flybuys re-launch is called My5, where you pick 5 items (from a list of over 800), and from now until the end of October, you get 10% off every time you purchase them. Even if they're on sale. I haven't made a final decision and registered them yet, but I think I've worked out my 5 items--ground beef, Coke, Lawson's bread, Daily Juice, and Amoroso Tomatoes. 10% off those items works out to be about $3.50, which isn't huge, but I think it's about the best I'm going to get.
And the last new thing I've seen so far are the "Docket Deals" they're not printing at the bottom of the shopping receipt, along with the fuel discount coupon. This week they've offered me 400 bonus Flybuys if I buy a box of their Coles Hoki fish fillets. Assuming that the in-store price is the same as (or close to) the online price, that's a 400g box for $7.94. Aldi sells crumbed fish fillets for $3.99 for a 425g box. Even with the $2.00 worth of Flybuys points, that's not a good deal, so I think I'll pass. The other offer is 40% off an "Italian chilled meal", which looks like either a ready-made lasagna or a pasta single-serve meal/side dish. We've tried a few pre-made lasanga meals, and weren't very impressed, but maybe this new product line is better. With the 40% discount, the lasagna is cheaper than a similar product at Aldi ($8.40 vs $9.99), so maybe we'll give that a try two weeks from now (next week is our eat-from-the-stockpile week).
Flybuys points convert to Flybuys Dollars at a rate of 2000 Flybuys points = 10 Flybuys Dollars. Since we earn 1 point for every dollar we spend, plus another 1 point for using our NAB Visa card, that works out to 10 Flybuys Dollars for every $1000 we spend. Essentially, a 1% discount, so I don't think I'll worry about figuring that in when comparison shopping.
The old FlyBuys offered 2 Points per $5, plus I was getting another 1 Point per $5 for using my NAB Visa, for 3 Points per $5, and worth a $20 gift card per 2500 Points. That's $4166 to earn $20, and with the new system, we're earning 2 Points per $1, and worth $20 discount per 4000 points, which is $2000 in spending to earn that $20.
The reason I say we'll probably redeem the points for cash is because I looked at the merchandise rewards, and when you work out the prices, they don't look that great. They offer an iPod Touch 8 Gb for 43,800 points. That works out to be $219, which is the same as the price on the Apple Australia website. But Dick Smith is selling them for $169 with free delivery. So I think I'll just take the cash discount at the register, thanks. According to my receipt yesterday, we've got enough Flybuys points to knock off $30.
Another new thing going on with the Flybuys re-launch is called My5, where you pick 5 items (from a list of over 800), and from now until the end of October, you get 10% off every time you purchase them. Even if they're on sale. I haven't made a final decision and registered them yet, but I think I've worked out my 5 items--ground beef, Coke, Lawson's bread, Daily Juice, and Amoroso Tomatoes. 10% off those items works out to be about $3.50, which isn't huge, but I think it's about the best I'm going to get.
And the last new thing I've seen so far are the "Docket Deals" they're not printing at the bottom of the shopping receipt, along with the fuel discount coupon. This week they've offered me 400 bonus Flybuys if I buy a box of their Coles Hoki fish fillets. Assuming that the in-store price is the same as (or close to) the online price, that's a 400g box for $7.94. Aldi sells crumbed fish fillets for $3.99 for a 425g box. Even with the $2.00 worth of Flybuys points, that's not a good deal, so I think I'll pass. The other offer is 40% off an "Italian chilled meal", which looks like either a ready-made lasagna or a pasta single-serve meal/side dish. We've tried a few pre-made lasanga meals, and weren't very impressed, but maybe this new product line is better. With the 40% discount, the lasagna is cheaper than a similar product at Aldi ($8.40 vs $9.99), so maybe we'll give that a try two weeks from now (next week is our eat-from-the-stockpile week).
Weekly Menu Plan: 20-26 April
Friday: Hamburgers & Chips ($8.00)
Saturday: Enchilada Casserole (12.68)
Sunday: Autumn Tomato & Vegetable Soup ($11.50)
Monday: Spanish Chicken & Chorizo Casserole (11.80)
Tuesday: Pizza & Cupcakes (Karen's birthday)
Wednesday: Spaghetti & Garlic Bread ($10.20)
Thursday: Grandma's Tuna Casserole ($4.00)
Not counting Karen's birthday meal, the average price of dinner at the Broussard residence last week was $9.70 to feed four of us (not counting Karen's vegan meals). That tuna casserole brought it down under $10 per meal, and the kids like it, so I think I'm going to try to work it into the menu every other week if I can. I'm going to change the recipe to add in some vegetables, but it'll still cost less than $5 even then, so I think it's an excellent bargain.
Saturday: Enchilada Casserole (12.68)
Sunday: Autumn Tomato & Vegetable Soup ($11.50)
Monday: Spanish Chicken & Chorizo Casserole (11.80)
Tuesday: Pizza & Cupcakes (Karen's birthday)
Wednesday: Spaghetti & Garlic Bread ($10.20)
Thursday: Grandma's Tuna Casserole ($4.00)
Not counting Karen's birthday meal, the average price of dinner at the Broussard residence last week was $9.70 to feed four of us (not counting Karen's vegan meals). That tuna casserole brought it down under $10 per meal, and the kids like it, so I think I'm going to try to work it into the menu every other week if I can. I'm going to change the recipe to add in some vegetables, but it'll still cost less than $5 even then, so I think it's an excellent bargain.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Shopping Day: 27 April, 2012
Costco: $38.64
IGA: $24.03
Supabarn: $18.87
Aldi: $92.30
Woolworths: $42.52
Reject Shop: $10.00
Coles: $85.98
Total: $312.34
With 7 stores to shop, with Tom, I split this week's expedition over two days. Costco, IGA and Supabarn on Thursday, Coles, Woolies, and Aldi on Friday (plus a quick dash into the Reject Shop for Karen's Saturday Night Treat of salt and vinegar chips.
I went to Costco for the massive jars of Skippy peanut butter for James, saving over 25% over the Coles brand he usually gets. I also grabbed some 3 kg bags of sugar (only saves me about 10 cents per bag compared to Woolies, but since I was out there anyway, I grabbed them), and a 4-pack of canned chili for quick lunches (at $2.75 a can, it's cheaper than regular price, but not as good as the ones I got for $2 a can on sale). My impulse purchase was a dozen cans of diced tomatoes for $7.29. I'd planned to buy them at Coles for $9.48, so I saved $2.19, so I'm hoping they're as good or better in terms of quality.
Then at the IGA I grabbed some items I saw advertised in their weekly sales insert. 4 small jars of Kraft peanut butter for Karen (I wasn't sure at first, but after checking my price book, $2.59 for a 375 g jar was a 30% savings over the cost of the larger jars, even when they're on sale for $5), and two boxes of Twinings tea bags (100 count) for $5.99 when I'm normally paying over $10, and feeling lucky when I can get them on sale for $6.99.
And at Supabarn I grabbed another kilo of those chorizo sausages for $10, two 2 kg bags of brushed potatoes for $1 each, and some apples and mandarins for $2.49 per kg. Oh, and my totally-NOT-on-sale treat of sugar-free Kopiko coffee drops that have become one of my weekly indulgences.
On Friday I started with an Aldi shop, then hit Woolworths to load up on canned beans (borlotti and lentils, 89 cent a can) and Coke (4 2 litre bottles for $10, which is about as good as it gets, so I bought 8 and hid 4 of them from Karen in hopes of stretching them out over 2 weeks). Then to the Reject Shop to get Karen's chips, and this is where I blew the $300 limit. I got her two bags (hid one for next week, but she's got a lot of stressful work shit on this weekend, so I might give them to her if she really needs a fix) and bought the last 4 cans of Dublin Dr. Pepper they had on the shelves.
At that point I was still within the budget, but I forgot to add the extra purchases into my shopping list app. Then I went to Coles, and the only big bargains I got were 4 cans of Heinz tomato soup for $1 each, and packets of San Remo La Pasta side dishes for 85 cents each. I'd budgeted for 10, but when I saw that I was under budget, I added 6 more. But 1) I hadn't added in the extra bag of chips and the Dr. Peppers, and 2) my shopping list app was calculating the cost of 5 loaves of bread as $1 instead of $1 each.
So due to technical error (mine, not the app's), forgetfulness, and "bargain fever", I blew out the budget by $12.
Looking back over the last 7 weeks of shopping totals, that means if I want to do as well this month as I did last month, I need to spend $168.48 or less next week.
IGA: $24.03
Supabarn: $18.87
Aldi: $92.30
Woolworths: $42.52
Reject Shop: $10.00
Coles: $85.98
Total: $312.34
With 7 stores to shop, with Tom, I split this week's expedition over two days. Costco, IGA and Supabarn on Thursday, Coles, Woolies, and Aldi on Friday (plus a quick dash into the Reject Shop for Karen's Saturday Night Treat of salt and vinegar chips.
I went to Costco for the massive jars of Skippy peanut butter for James, saving over 25% over the Coles brand he usually gets. I also grabbed some 3 kg bags of sugar (only saves me about 10 cents per bag compared to Woolies, but since I was out there anyway, I grabbed them), and a 4-pack of canned chili for quick lunches (at $2.75 a can, it's cheaper than regular price, but not as good as the ones I got for $2 a can on sale). My impulse purchase was a dozen cans of diced tomatoes for $7.29. I'd planned to buy them at Coles for $9.48, so I saved $2.19, so I'm hoping they're as good or better in terms of quality.
Then at the IGA I grabbed some items I saw advertised in their weekly sales insert. 4 small jars of Kraft peanut butter for Karen (I wasn't sure at first, but after checking my price book, $2.59 for a 375 g jar was a 30% savings over the cost of the larger jars, even when they're on sale for $5), and two boxes of Twinings tea bags (100 count) for $5.99 when I'm normally paying over $10, and feeling lucky when I can get them on sale for $6.99.
And at Supabarn I grabbed another kilo of those chorizo sausages for $10, two 2 kg bags of brushed potatoes for $1 each, and some apples and mandarins for $2.49 per kg. Oh, and my totally-NOT-on-sale treat of sugar-free Kopiko coffee drops that have become one of my weekly indulgences.
On Friday I started with an Aldi shop, then hit Woolworths to load up on canned beans (borlotti and lentils, 89 cent a can) and Coke (4 2 litre bottles for $10, which is about as good as it gets, so I bought 8 and hid 4 of them from Karen in hopes of stretching them out over 2 weeks). Then to the Reject Shop to get Karen's chips, and this is where I blew the $300 limit. I got her two bags (hid one for next week, but she's got a lot of stressful work shit on this weekend, so I might give them to her if she really needs a fix) and bought the last 4 cans of Dublin Dr. Pepper they had on the shelves.
At that point I was still within the budget, but I forgot to add the extra purchases into my shopping list app. Then I went to Coles, and the only big bargains I got were 4 cans of Heinz tomato soup for $1 each, and packets of San Remo La Pasta side dishes for 85 cents each. I'd budgeted for 10, but when I saw that I was under budget, I added 6 more. But 1) I hadn't added in the extra bag of chips and the Dr. Peppers, and 2) my shopping list app was calculating the cost of 5 loaves of bread as $1 instead of $1 each.
So due to technical error (mine, not the app's), forgetfulness, and "bargain fever", I blew out the budget by $12.
Looking back over the last 7 weeks of shopping totals, that means if I want to do as well this month as I did last month, I need to spend $168.48 or less next week.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Savings This Week, 20 April 2012
After spending $304.57 on groceries this week, I've worked out that I saved $127.58 when compared to the cost of ordering it and having it delivered from Coles.
I've also worked out that in the six weeks since I started this little project on 18 March, I've spent a total of $1659.08 on groceries, spending an average of $276.51 per week. The last couple of weeks have been over that average, so I'm going to try to get under it this week, and then go for my minimal ($200-ish) shop the week after that.
I've also worked out that in the six weeks since I started this little project on 18 March, I've spent a total of $1659.08 on groceries, spending an average of $276.51 per week. The last couple of weeks have been over that average, so I'm going to try to get under it this week, and then go for my minimal ($200-ish) shop the week after that.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Shopping Day, 20 April
Costco: $44.05
IGA: $12.00
Supabarn: $18.88
Woolworths: $27.01
Aldi: $104.41
Coles: $94.22
Reject Shop: $4.00
Total $304.57
I ended up going a little bit over my $300 budget this week, partly because Karen added several items at the last minute, and partly because I didn't cut out a few of my multi-buys to bring the total back under the limit. At the end of the day, I'm happy with what I did.
Shopping day actually happened over two days this week, because the kids are on school holidays and I didn't want to try to cram it all in on Friday. So I went out to Costco on Thursday, just to score a few bargains offered by their larger sizes and lower prices. The best thing was a big five-pound bag of shredded cheese, which I've split up into 300g sizes and popped into the freezer. That ought to last us a couple of months, and I scored it for $11. I also got a big-ass bag (1 kg, I think, for $8) of corn chips that I'm hoping will last a while.
Then today I started at the IGA, grabbing a dozen cans of soup for $1 each (cream of chicken, cream of celery, etc. that I use in different casserole recipes). From there to Supabarn to get 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) of chorizo sausages for $15 ($10/kg, compared to $14/kg that I normally pay at Aldi). Then to Woolworths to score a dozen packs of rice crackers (Karen loves 'em) for $1.16 each (half price). Then to Aldi, which is now competing with Coles as my main grocery store. No big bargains at Aldi, just the usual lower prices. And at Coles this week I scored more Campbell's stock (beef, chicken and veggie) for $2/liter.
That was an impulse purchase, and I nearly didn't go for it because when I buy the big ones, I end up wasting a lot. A lot of recipes call for one or two cups, and then I the rest ends up at the back of the fridge and finally re-discovered and dumped. This time I'm going to try using what I need for the recipe, then freezing the rest for later.
My stockpile shelves in the garage are pretty full, and I've got two weeks until the week I try to do a minimal shop and feed us from the stockpile. I noticed that when I started all this 6 weeks ago I thought I might get by with a $50-100 shop those weeks, and the one I've done so far came in at a little over $200. That's a nice kick in the balls from reality, but if I can do it for $200 or less this time, I'll be happy enough with that.
IGA: $12.00
Supabarn: $18.88
Woolworths: $27.01
Aldi: $104.41
Coles: $94.22
Reject Shop: $4.00
Total $304.57
I ended up going a little bit over my $300 budget this week, partly because Karen added several items at the last minute, and partly because I didn't cut out a few of my multi-buys to bring the total back under the limit. At the end of the day, I'm happy with what I did.
Shopping day actually happened over two days this week, because the kids are on school holidays and I didn't want to try to cram it all in on Friday. So I went out to Costco on Thursday, just to score a few bargains offered by their larger sizes and lower prices. The best thing was a big five-pound bag of shredded cheese, which I've split up into 300g sizes and popped into the freezer. That ought to last us a couple of months, and I scored it for $11. I also got a big-ass bag (1 kg, I think, for $8) of corn chips that I'm hoping will last a while.
Then today I started at the IGA, grabbing a dozen cans of soup for $1 each (cream of chicken, cream of celery, etc. that I use in different casserole recipes). From there to Supabarn to get 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) of chorizo sausages for $15 ($10/kg, compared to $14/kg that I normally pay at Aldi). Then to Woolworths to score a dozen packs of rice crackers (Karen loves 'em) for $1.16 each (half price). Then to Aldi, which is now competing with Coles as my main grocery store. No big bargains at Aldi, just the usual lower prices. And at Coles this week I scored more Campbell's stock (beef, chicken and veggie) for $2/liter.
That was an impulse purchase, and I nearly didn't go for it because when I buy the big ones, I end up wasting a lot. A lot of recipes call for one or two cups, and then I the rest ends up at the back of the fridge and finally re-discovered and dumped. This time I'm going to try using what I need for the recipe, then freezing the rest for later.
My stockpile shelves in the garage are pretty full, and I've got two weeks until the week I try to do a minimal shop and feed us from the stockpile. I noticed that when I started all this 6 weeks ago I thought I might get by with a $50-100 shop those weeks, and the one I've done so far came in at a little over $200. That's a nice kick in the balls from reality, but if I can do it for $200 or less this time, I'll be happy enough with that.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Shopping Day, 13 April
I'm a little under my max budget limit, but there are still a few things I want to buy. When I'm done, I should be right at the limit.
Aldi: $110.91
Woolworths: $80.37
Reject Shop: $11.00
Coles: $79.28
Total: $284.56
The sale items I grabbed this week came mostly from Woolies, including 4 jars of their new store brand salsa, 8 cans of their refried beans, and 10 packets of their taco seasoning. They pulled a smooth little trick, advertising Old El Paso for half price, then running their new store brand items, also at half price, and cheaper than the OEP stuff. So I loaded up more than I'd planned, while still being within budget.
My other unexpected purchase this week was a half dozen cans of Dr. Pepper. Dublin Dr. Pepper, with sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, which I haven't had since I left Texas. They've been available here through mail order, but buying soft drinks on the internet has always seemed a little extravagant, and I've never done it. But the Reject Shop is selling them, and I'm hoping I can buy more. I've read that the Dublin bottling plant isn't making any more, so this might not last long, but I'm going to enjoy them while I can get them.
The problem, of course, is that drinking Dr. Pepper doesn't really fit in with my weight loss plans, so I'm going to have to work out some sort of reward system, I think.
Aldi: $110.91
Woolworths: $80.37
Reject Shop: $11.00
Coles: $79.28
Total: $284.56
The sale items I grabbed this week came mostly from Woolies, including 4 jars of their new store brand salsa, 8 cans of their refried beans, and 10 packets of their taco seasoning. They pulled a smooth little trick, advertising Old El Paso for half price, then running their new store brand items, also at half price, and cheaper than the OEP stuff. So I loaded up more than I'd planned, while still being within budget.
My other unexpected purchase this week was a half dozen cans of Dr. Pepper. Dublin Dr. Pepper, with sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, which I haven't had since I left Texas. They've been available here through mail order, but buying soft drinks on the internet has always seemed a little extravagant, and I've never done it. But the Reject Shop is selling them, and I'm hoping I can buy more. I've read that the Dublin bottling plant isn't making any more, so this might not last long, but I'm going to enjoy them while I can get them.
The problem, of course, is that drinking Dr. Pepper doesn't really fit in with my weight loss plans, so I'm going to have to work out some sort of reward system, I think.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Weekly Menu Plan
Friday: Burgers & Chips ($8.00)
Saturday: Nachos ($11.20)
Sunday: Chicken & Tomato Braise w/Rice ($6.80)
Monday: Fish Stew ($7.00)
Tuesday: Chicken Nuggets & Hash Brown Casserole ($11.00)
Wednesday: Spaghetti ($7.10)
Thursday: Sausage & Potato Casserole ($11.80)
Wow, that comes to $62.90 for dinner all week (out of a $300 weekly shopping total). Although that mainly just covers dinners for the three kids, because Karen and I will eat different meals. Because we're special like that.
Saturday: Nachos ($11.20)
Sunday: Chicken & Tomato Braise w/Rice ($6.80)
Monday: Fish Stew ($7.00)
Tuesday: Chicken Nuggets & Hash Brown Casserole ($11.00)
Wednesday: Spaghetti ($7.10)
Thursday: Sausage & Potato Casserole ($11.80)
Wow, that comes to $62.90 for dinner all week (out of a $300 weekly shopping total). Although that mainly just covers dinners for the three kids, because Karen and I will eat different meals. Because we're special like that.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Shopping Day, 5 April
Shopping day came early this week because all the shops are closed tomorrow for Good Friday.
Aldi: $78.68
Coles: $88.03
Woolworths: $43.05
Total: $209.76
My original plan this week was to buy as little as necessary, but that was quickly vetoed by the rest of the family. They figure they can't fully enjoy their four-day weekend without some treats, and my vote doesn't count. But to be honest, even with their junk food, the total could've been a lot lower if I hadn't stocked up on a few sale items.
I've been thinking that once a month, I'd try to do a very minimal shop. But today I started thinking that, with the stuff we buy on a regular basis, it makes sense to buy it when it's on sale, and that means hitting the sale items every week.
I'm also starting to think that when I find a really good deal, I need to buy more items. The $1 pasta sauces I grabbed a few weeks ago were an excellent bargain. Sure, somebody's running pasta sauce on sale every week, but I haven't seen it at $1 since then. And at the time, buying nine jars seemed like a lot, but three weeks later, we've used half of them.
So the key is to make sure it's really a good deal (by checking my price book to see that it not only beats the regular price, but it's a good sale price, too)
As it turned out, this I could get potato chips at Woolworths for $1.50 a bag if I bought four of them. So I did. And Aldi three 12-packs of "Fake Zero" available, so I bought them all. They also had the sugar-free chocolate chip cookies, so I bought eight packets of those. And Coles had big jars of Kraft peanut butter on sale for $6 and 100 pks of Earl Grey tea bags for $7, so I bought two of each. Oh, and fat-free salad dressing for $2, so I grabbed three bottles. Five bucks here, seven bucks there, and by the time I was done, I'd spent an extra $50.
Still, I'm $90 under my usual $300 a week, and at $1071 in four weeks, I figure I've saved about $300, or nearly 25%, in a month.
Now I just need to figure out a way to make sure that the next $300 I save is actually sitting there in the bank a month from now. I haven't checked, but I'm pretty confident that the $300 I saved this time has already been spent (by those who shall remain nameless) on other things.
Aldi: $78.68
Coles: $88.03
Woolworths: $43.05
Total: $209.76
My original plan this week was to buy as little as necessary, but that was quickly vetoed by the rest of the family. They figure they can't fully enjoy their four-day weekend without some treats, and my vote doesn't count. But to be honest, even with their junk food, the total could've been a lot lower if I hadn't stocked up on a few sale items.
I've been thinking that once a month, I'd try to do a very minimal shop. But today I started thinking that, with the stuff we buy on a regular basis, it makes sense to buy it when it's on sale, and that means hitting the sale items every week.
I'm also starting to think that when I find a really good deal, I need to buy more items. The $1 pasta sauces I grabbed a few weeks ago were an excellent bargain. Sure, somebody's running pasta sauce on sale every week, but I haven't seen it at $1 since then. And at the time, buying nine jars seemed like a lot, but three weeks later, we've used half of them.
So the key is to make sure it's really a good deal (by checking my price book to see that it not only beats the regular price, but it's a good sale price, too)
As it turned out, this I could get potato chips at Woolworths for $1.50 a bag if I bought four of them. So I did. And Aldi three 12-packs of "Fake Zero" available, so I bought them all. They also had the sugar-free chocolate chip cookies, so I bought eight packets of those. And Coles had big jars of Kraft peanut butter on sale for $6 and 100 pks of Earl Grey tea bags for $7, so I bought two of each. Oh, and fat-free salad dressing for $2, so I grabbed three bottles. Five bucks here, seven bucks there, and by the time I was done, I'd spent an extra $50.
Still, I'm $90 under my usual $300 a week, and at $1071 in four weeks, I figure I've saved about $300, or nearly 25%, in a month.
Now I just need to figure out a way to make sure that the next $300 I save is actually sitting there in the bank a month from now. I haven't checked, but I'm pretty confident that the $300 I saved this time has already been spent (by those who shall remain nameless) on other things.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Dollar Store Bargains? Sure, If Know What You're Doing
Forbes has an article called Are Dollar Stores Really a Bargain? that's worth a quick read. In a nutshell, it says that the best deals are usually on paper products (paper plates, napkins, etc.), seasonal items (Karen always grabs a lot of cheap wrapping paper and cards right after Xmas), kitchen ware, kids' coloring books, and things like paintbrushes, tape, etc. Items to avoid (usually due to quality issues) include electronics, clothes, medication and vitamins, power cords, and toothpaste.
I think the two most important things when shopping in dollar stores are:
1) know whether the price is really lower than elsewhere ("price book" data comes in really handy here)
2) take the quality into account;
The hard part (for me at least) is that most of the dollar stores around here don't have websites or put out any info (either online or on paper) about their prices and sales. To check for bargains, I have to go into the stores and have a look around. Occasionally, I do that, but not on any sort of regular basis. So even if there are bargains to be found, I'm missing them because I'm not there.
I think the two most important things when shopping in dollar stores are:
1) know whether the price is really lower than elsewhere ("price book" data comes in really handy here)
2) take the quality into account;
The hard part (for me at least) is that most of the dollar stores around here don't have websites or put out any info (either online or on paper) about their prices and sales. To check for bargains, I have to go into the stores and have a look around. Occasionally, I do that, but not on any sort of regular basis. So even if there are bargains to be found, I'm missing them because I'm not there.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Weekly Meal Plan With Meal Cost Breakdown
I've been posting our weekly meal plans on my other blog, but I should probably start posting them here as well. Since I shop on Friday, our menu plans run from Friday through to the next Thursday, and this week it looks like this:
Friday: Hamburgers & Chips [large burger patty, big salad]
Saturday: Tacos [chicken breast, beans, salad]
Sunday: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya [jambalaya, salad]
Monday: Tuna Patties, Pasta, and Green Beans
Tuesday: Meatball Soup, Garlic Bread
Wednesday: Spaghetti, Garlic Bread
Thursday: Tater Tot Casserole
And tonight I worked out the cost of each meal, and the cost per serving. It's a little tricky because I'm on a low-carb diet and don't always eat the same meals I cook for the boys, but I'm figuring in my costs, too.
The hamburger and chips meal was the least expensive so far. A half pound of ground beef ($3), 3 hamburger buns ($1) (I bought a half dozen, the others are in the freezer for next week), a half a bag of frozen oven fries ($1), some salad ($1.50), and Coke ($1) cost a total of $8, so that works out to $2 each.
The tacos were more expensive (but only because I had a grilled chicken breast instead), with another half pound of ground beef ($3) and a taco meal kit ($4), salad, cheese, sour cream, etc. ($2), Coke ($1), plus I had a half a can of beans ($0.40) and a chicken breast ($2.50) for a total of $12.90, or $3.23 each.
And the chicken and sausage jambalaya was in the middle, with a cup of basmati rice ($1), a chicken breast ($2.50), a couple of links of sausage ($3.50), a can of diced tomatoes ($0.80), 2 cups of chicken stock ($1), Coke ($1) and some salad for me ($1) for a total of $11.80, or $2.95 each.
That's three dinners for roughly $32.70, and I'm pretty happy with that. I'm a little bit surprised at how cheap the burgers are, especially since grabbing McDonalds instead would set us back between $35 and $40. And while the oven-baked chips don't compare to hot, deep-fried, salty, golden French Fries, the kids agree that my burgers beat Maccas' any day of the week.
So far the kids have enjoyed all the meals on the menu. Friday night is almost always Burger Night, except on the rare occasion that it's Pizza Night (sometimes homemade, but usually take-out), and they really enjoy it. It's how we start our weekend.
And Saturday night is almost always Mexican Night, but rarely tacos. Usually we do nachos or, if I'm working I'll fix up some enchiladas that Karen can throw in the oven for half an hour. Lately, I've been trying some different Mexican-inspired casseroles (some of which have been better received than others), but because we have tacos so rarely, the kids think of them as a treat, and thoroughly enjoyed them.
The jambalaya was a recipe that I've had for a while, but haven't cooked in a long time. In fact, I didn't remember ever cooking it, but both Jack and James insisted that I have, so I'll take their word for it. Everybody enjoyed it, and there were complaints about the absence of left-overs, so I might have to add more rice next time.
So hey, I'm three for three, and I'm doing it on the cheap!
Friday: Hamburgers & Chips [large burger patty, big salad]
Saturday: Tacos [chicken breast, beans, salad]
Sunday: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya [jambalaya, salad]
Monday: Tuna Patties, Pasta, and Green Beans
Tuesday: Meatball Soup, Garlic Bread
Wednesday: Spaghetti, Garlic Bread
Thursday: Tater Tot Casserole
And tonight I worked out the cost of each meal, and the cost per serving. It's a little tricky because I'm on a low-carb diet and don't always eat the same meals I cook for the boys, but I'm figuring in my costs, too.
The hamburger and chips meal was the least expensive so far. A half pound of ground beef ($3), 3 hamburger buns ($1) (I bought a half dozen, the others are in the freezer for next week), a half a bag of frozen oven fries ($1), some salad ($1.50), and Coke ($1) cost a total of $8, so that works out to $2 each.
The tacos were more expensive (but only because I had a grilled chicken breast instead), with another half pound of ground beef ($3) and a taco meal kit ($4), salad, cheese, sour cream, etc. ($2), Coke ($1), plus I had a half a can of beans ($0.40) and a chicken breast ($2.50) for a total of $12.90, or $3.23 each.
And the chicken and sausage jambalaya was in the middle, with a cup of basmati rice ($1), a chicken breast ($2.50), a couple of links of sausage ($3.50), a can of diced tomatoes ($0.80), 2 cups of chicken stock ($1), Coke ($1) and some salad for me ($1) for a total of $11.80, or $2.95 each.
That's three dinners for roughly $32.70, and I'm pretty happy with that. I'm a little bit surprised at how cheap the burgers are, especially since grabbing McDonalds instead would set us back between $35 and $40. And while the oven-baked chips don't compare to hot, deep-fried, salty, golden French Fries, the kids agree that my burgers beat Maccas' any day of the week.
So far the kids have enjoyed all the meals on the menu. Friday night is almost always Burger Night, except on the rare occasion that it's Pizza Night (sometimes homemade, but usually take-out), and they really enjoy it. It's how we start our weekend.
And Saturday night is almost always Mexican Night, but rarely tacos. Usually we do nachos or, if I'm working I'll fix up some enchiladas that Karen can throw in the oven for half an hour. Lately, I've been trying some different Mexican-inspired casseroles (some of which have been better received than others), but because we have tacos so rarely, the kids think of them as a treat, and thoroughly enjoyed them.
The jambalaya was a recipe that I've had for a while, but haven't cooked in a long time. In fact, I didn't remember ever cooking it, but both Jack and James insisted that I have, so I'll take their word for it. Everybody enjoyed it, and there were complaints about the absence of left-overs, so I might have to add more rice next time.
So hey, I'm three for three, and I'm doing it on the cheap!
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