Grocery & Coupon Challenge January 2009

I'll be posting my grocery expenses and how much I save with coupons (including store sales). Groceries do NOT include greeting cards, school supplies, bird seed, prescription medications, or household items like rubbermaid containers and mops. They DO include all food, dairy, health and beauty items, over-the-counter medications, paper goods, cleaning and laundry supplies, batteries and light bulbs.

Because my husband wants me to FILL MY PANTRY, my food budget this month is about $750. He is worried about food-supply disruptions so he wants me to have as much food put away as possible.

SPENT "out of pocket":
Jan. 2: Shop Rite. $45 (my husband, who shops without coupons and without regard for sales)
Jan. 5: Wegmans. $21.25 (not a bargain place, but there are certain items I can ONLY get here.)
Jan. 6: CVS. $15.99 (and I got back $12.50 in extra care bucks!)
Jan. 7: Shop Rite. $148.81
Jan. 12: Shop Rite $76.97
Jan. 14: Shop Rite $52.04
Jan. 16: Shop Rite $19.73
Jan. 20: Shop Rite $139.28
Jan. 26: Shop Rite $10.98
Jan. 27: Shop Rite $101.52
Jan. 29: Shady Maple $25.00
Jan. 30: Shop Rite $15.25

TOTAL SPENT THIS MONTH: $671.82


SAVED (coupons and store sales):
Jan. 5: Wegmans. $1.00
Jan. 6: CVS. $23.89
Jan. 7: Shop Rite. $85.04
Jan. 12: Shop Rite. $33.19
Jan. 14: Shop Rite. $41.27
Jan. 16: Shop Rite. $18.50
Jan. 20: Shop Rite. $95.10
Jan. 26: Shop Rite. $1.00
Jan. 27: Shop Rite. $47.41
Jan. 30: Shop Rite. $5.45

TOTAL COUPON & STORE SALE SAVINGS: $351.85

Not bad!! That's over $1,000 of food for this month but I spent under $700. My pantry and freezer are full.

Menu Plan January 25-31, 2009

Menu Plan Monday is hosted at the "Organized Junkie" blog!

Here are my plans for dinner this week:

SUNDAY: leftovers

MONDAY: hot roast beef and gravy sandwiches on Italian rolls; tater tots; corn

TUESDAY: Chicken Piccata

WEDNESDAY: tacos

THURSDAY: spaghetti

FRIDAY: Linguine with shrimp marinara, Spanish Country bread, salad.

SATURDAY: Honey Mustard Chicken

Menu Plan January 18-24, 2009

SUNDAY: game-day pizza

MONDAY: takeout

TUESDAY: Pork roast with roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes

WEDNESDAY: Sloppy Joes, tater tots, salad

THURSDAY: spaghetti

FRIDAY: baked flounder

SATURDAY: roast beef & gravy sandwiches on Italian rolls, salad

We never did try that Mexican chicken in the crockpot from last week. I'll hold that over until next week!

Easily Pleased

I stopped at Sam's Club today to buy my industrial-size sack of bread flour, brick-pack of yeast, giant jar of garlic, tub-o-dried minced onion, super-size box of Goldfish (you're never too old for Goldfish) and paper cups for the bathroom.

And as I wandered my way toward the checkout (why is all the food all the way in the back of the store?) I found a display of 5-piece knife sets. Well, actually, 4 knives and one block. But whatever. It looks just like the one in the picture, except it doesn't have that fancy-schmancy doodad with Wolfgang Puck's signature on it.

I figured I'd use them for chopping vegetables, but discovered tonight that a good santoku knife can slice through a roast beef like nobody's business. And woohoo, I only paid $21.32 for the set!

I'm easily pleased. Let the chopping begin.

Menu Plan Jan. 11-17, 2009

SUNDAY: Chili

MONDAY: Pork teriyaki, rice, green beans

TUESDAY: Happy anniversary to us today!! I'm making a special dinner at home; roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy and vegetables. We'll top it off with a romantic dessert with the whole Tiger Cub Scout troop, LOL!

WEDNESDAY: Mexican chicken in the crockpot with noodles.

THURSDAY: Spaghetti

FRIDAY: Spanish Garlic shrimp over rice

SATURDAY: Homemade mac & cheese, ranch-breaded chicken tenders, vegetables.

Menu Plan Jan 4-10, 2009

Happy New Year!

SUNDAY: Chicken marsala, noodles, vegetable

MONDAY: Roast pork with Hoisin-Molasses sauce, oven-roasted potatoes and vegetable

TUESDAY: Beef paysanne, noodles, vegetable

WEDNESDAY: Chicken & Biscuit Stew, rice

THURSDAY: Spaghetti

FRIDAY: Maple-Hoisin Glazed Salmon, rice, vegetable

SATURDAY: Oplatek dinner at church. Polish foods of all kinds!

Menu Plan December 29-Jan.3

MON. 29: Barbara's Chicken Paprika

TUES. 30: Open House at a friend's. I brought Pepperoni Bread and Rocky Road candy.

WED. 31: Swiss Chicken Melt

THURS 1: Chicken parm at Mom & Pop's.

FRI 2: Pizza

SAT 3: We ate out!