Budgeting Groceries

In review of our budget I decided I still spend to much on groceries. So in an effort to bring our weekly total down I've really decided to try and make sure I buy nothing I don't really need or I don't have a coupon for. Last Friday I decided to give CVS a try and see what the ECB's are all about. I went in with my coupon folder and as stated above would buy nothing I didn't need or usually buy. I ended up with a shampoo and conditioner and one box of excedrin I spent $3.89 and ended up with $3.00 in ECB's to spend on my next visit. I thought I did pretty good and starting small to get the hang of CVS is smart it's much easier to figure out.

Next I figured I might as well contact two of my neighbors I know don't cut coupons and ask if I can have their's every week. They both were more than happy to give them to me I felt a bit weird asking but hey I've already used some of the coupons they gave me and saved money so for a little bit of awkwardness it was well worth it.

I organized all my coupons yesterday and made up a whole new system for them. I have bunches of them now triple of many so I can get some really good deals. Plus with the coupons you can print online many good deals are to be had.

Last night was my first test I dropped the boys off at guitar lessons and ran to the store a store I normally don't shop at much because of it's high prices. This week they had some really good deals on Quaker products. Armed with my arsenal of coupons in I went here is what I bought.

5 boxes of cereal
2 canisters of old fashioned quaker oats
2 bottles of syrup
4 packages of dole fruit cups for a total of 16 individual cups for the boys.
1 box of pancake mix

I spent $14.41 total and had the cash register beep at me because my coupon discount was more than I was spending...WOOHOO!! I was so pumped I had to do two different transactions but it was worth it. I have enough breakfast food for at least a month probably longer. We eat eggs mostly for breakfast with cereal or oatmeal maybe 3 days a week. I have Meijer to go to yet this week and if I can use all the coupons I have I should spend less than $20.00 their also. I do have meat in my freezer that should last awhile so I won't buy that this week. But I'm way under what I normally spend a week so far.

I really hope I can continue to find good deals like this. I've decided that I buy things sometimes just because they are a good deal but we don't really need at that time. I'm not going to do that anymore I'm really trying to rein in my grocery spending. I want to be a wise steward of my hubby's hard earned money and this is one area I can definitely do better so wish me luck.