Happy Frugal Frog Friday!
I realize that Frugal Frog Friday took a bit of a sabbatical with the craziness of the holidays; however, it does not mean frugality has taken a holiday! I am still making frugality fun!
It has been a while since I have featured a grocery trip, so I thought it would be a good idea!
Chase is now eating mostly Paleo so our grocery list is full of meat, veggies, and fruits. My goal is to keep our weekly grocery trips around $50-$60 (including toiletries, paper towels, etc). My strategy for doing so is to have a loose list–meaning that food items will shift based on what is on sale.
For example, this week I had strawberries on the list, but blackberries were on sale for $.89. I am also incredibly NOT brand loyal, meaning that I will buy whatever brand is on sale!
Here is a picture of our fruit, veggies, etc.
From Left to Right: 2 pints of Grape Tomatoes, Romaine Lettuce, 2 Avocados, Pickles, Cauliflower, 4 GIANT sweet potatoes, 2 pints of blackberries, 4 Pears, Coconut milk, Basil, Chili powder, dish scrubber, Zest soap, Olive oil.
Here is the protein shot:
Ground Beef, Skinless Boneless Chicken breasts, 2 dozen eggs, lean ham.
And the grand total:
Success! However, I do need to pick up Jazz apples and bananas. The store I went to always has mushy bananas and bruised apples, so I will pick those up later–however, I should be able to keep my total under $50. YAY!
Today I also decided to see if there were any good January sales at the mall. I wandered into Yankee Candle after seeing giant 75% off signs in the windows.
I am in LOVE with Yankee Candle tarts as the tart burner I have at home is strong enough to fill our entire apartment with delicious goodness–no other candles quite compare. However, they are pricey at about $2 per tart. Not today! 🙂
2 Strawberry Buttercream Tarts
3 Christmas Cupcake Tarts
4 Maple Pancake Tarts
Total: $4.77.
AMAZING!
I then went into Ann Taylor Loft (which I have many wonderful gift cards leftover from Christmas).
I came out with 2 lovely items:
Jeans $12 (YAY!)
Cranberry Long Sleeve Shirt $15
I consider today a very successful Frugal Frog Shopping day!
Do you like grocery shopping? Do you try to meet a weekly budget? What is your favorite place to buy clothes?
paleorunnergirl 
Um, PriceRite = our ghetto way to save money. HAVE YOU EVER been to Yankee Candle Workshop in massachusetts? No. words.
Hahaha! Yes, it is totally ghetto, but those bargains are HARD to pass up! Um, there is a Yankee Candle WORKSHOP?!?!? How did I not know this? There is going to have to be a candle road trip in my near future!
I totally meal plan and then make my grocery list off of that and it saves me money (and the heartache of throwing away spoiled food). Before I would spend about $280 every two weeks (groceries definitely cost more in Canada!) and now I am down to $200 or less for the three of us plus dog food. That includes Costco trips!
Golly! I never thought about the price differences in Canada. However, if you are buying for a little one as well I think your $200 is EXCELLENT. The cost of tiny baby food is CRAZY. On a side note, I am totally jealous of your proximity to a Costco–they don’t really exist in PA. Booo!
Wow!! You do so well on your grocery budget!!!! I’m so impressed. What a great deal on the Yankee tarts too! That was like the best shopping trip ever. I love the ruffles on the Anne Taylor too!
I definitely had a bit of a shopping high that day! I just love finding a good deal! I have very little “girlie” clothes, so I am trying to expand my horizons with a bit of ruffles.
SCORE! You do a great job with a grocery budget! …..It is so hard for me to track how much I spend every week because I do one huge trip evey three weeks ish. That one always sets me back a bundle!
I love seeing what other people get in their carts!
SCORE from Ann Taylor Loft too! Those are super cute! Can’t go wrong with $12 jeans!
I am impressed that you can shop for such a long time period. I ALWAYS forget a couple of items. I am not enough of a planner to succeed at that! Also, I LOVE cart snooping, too! Sometimes I will choose to wait in like just so I can be snoopy and see the random things people buy. I kinda think I would LOVE being a cashier. haha. Dream BIG.
Wow; I’m impressed! .89 for blackberries?! I might be making the one hour drive up to Bethlehem to do my grocery shopping from now on!
I know, right?! I was STOKED about the berries! That totally made my day!
Man you did good on the spending front! I think prices are inflated (or maybe I just tell myself that) in Vermont because I tend to spend more than that just on myself week to week! It’s seriously hard, but good food gives me great pleasure so I suck it up haha.
I am sure college town grocery stores hike up prices a bit because they can. However, I completely agree that food is a great pleasure so there should never be an guilt about splurging! I have splurge weeks and frugal weeks at the grocery store–I know in the end they will all balance out!
I went to Yankee Candle the other day and bought a large candle for only $15 (originally $30!). I got the Maple Pancakes flavor, too, and it smells delicious!
Anthropologie and J.Crew are two of my favorite stores in the mall, but I love shopping online to find great deals.
Awesome deal with the giant candle–those babies are usually so expensive! The Maple flavor is my FAVE!
We don’t have an Anthropologie anywhere around us–I cannot wait to move to the land of Anthropologies! 🙂
I make a grocery budget but never stick to it. 😦 I do try to buy what produce is on sale. My favorite place to buy clothes is J Crew, but only the sale rack.
Word on the J. Crew sale rack! If it is full price, I can rarely rationalize the $$$!
Oh my gosh! That is so good for groceries, I typically spend around $100 a week for the both of us, gosh. Torrance eats a bunch of crap though so that definitely doesnt help!
OOo when we went shopping in Myrtle Beach at the outlets last weekend I got a lot of stuff at the anne taylor loft including a pair of wonderfully fitting jeans for around $20 as well! Score!
I am shocked by how EXPENSIVE processed food actually is! Since Chase is more Paleo and we don’t buy it anymore, our grocery bills are definitely lower. However, clipping coupons doesn’t work on fresh fruits and veggies–lame!
Also, these Loft jeans are the first to REALLY fit me in a long time–I am so excited! I think they may have changed their fits–holla!
Typically for Damien and I, we spend $125 every week on groceries…Not sure where it all goes. I am so impressed that you can keep it to $50, show me your secrets, Yoda!!
Hahaha! Frugality requires one to be totally neurotic. I could easily spend $200 at the grocery if I am not paying attention. I always have to go in with a plan and stick to it! Also, refusing to buy expensive junk food for Chase also helps lower the tab. 🙂
I love the loft! It’s one of my favorite stores. And the Gap of course!
I have started a total love affair with Loft lately! And Gap is always a good idea!
I am impressed! These are the types of tips I need to learn about, especially since i am returning to school o Monday and am as poor as anything lol
I remember those days as a college student! It is hard budgeting for food and FUN in college!
I’m so surprised I still haven’t bought the Maple Pancakes Yankee Candle yet! I bet that smells so delicious. I’ve been wanting to buy my French Toast K-cups soon, too! Good finds at LOFT. I love the red shirt!!
You HAVE to find the pancake flavor. It is to die for! Also, keep me posted on the french toast coffee-YUM!
Wow that’s amazing! Maybe I’m not savvy, but I feel like I never get a grocery bill below $50. I love those candle tarts! never seen those before!
It is definitely a concerted effort to get out in under $50. Sometimes it is just impossible!
Wow, under $50 for the week is GOOD!! Does that include breakfast, lunch and dinner for the both of you?? and what is price rite? I’ve never heard of that store. I definitely go in with a list of meal ideas for the week to avoid over spending, but I usually spend around $100-125 per week. I buy mostly free range/grass fed meats so that does up the bill a little, but that takes care of B, L and D for the both of us for the week, and we’ll usually go out to dinner once during the weekend.
Hi girlie! That trip does include B/L/D for both of us. We typically eat out once a weekend and Chase usually will have a lunch or a dinner out during the week. I also have a pretty stocked pantry right now, so that definitely helps. We have actually been struggling to find a place to get free range/grass fed meats this winter. With all of the farmer’s markets taking the season off, we have no resources. 😦
Well, keep up the good work! I need to take some frugal frog lessons from you! 🙂 You don’t have a local health food store to buy grass fed/free range meats from? Our local grocery store (HEB) has a few options and they aren’t too expensive. Once you get to DC I’m sure you will have plenty of options! If you and Chase like bison then you should take advantage of that special I posted because $6/lb is such a good deal! My order should be arriving soon so I’m trying to get all my recipes in order!!
I heart grocery shopping; my husband doesn’t know but I secretly LOVE going to the store and seeing how much money I can save (I’m a total nerd). I go about every two weeks and try to stay under $100. The crux that gets me though is Costco because there are just some items that we need to buy in bulk like ground turkey, chicken, and milk, so I add about $150 a month for those trips (it is a rarity to leave Costco spending less than $100 I swear).
I meal-plan and stick to shopping ads as closely as I can. I try to plan meals that have a lot of similar ingredients so I don’t have to spend a TON of money on items at the store. I also cut coupons; I’m not super crazy like those women on TV, but i probably save an average of $20/month with coupons.
I love all of your discount finds 🙂 You are a girl after my own heart!
Grocery shopping is my hobby! 🙂 I love it! Costco is SO awesome for staples. I WISH we had one in Bethlehem! Also, with meal planning I have definitely saved $$$. It helps me stick to my list and stick to my meals! I wish I could coupon but I do not have enough patience! I need to learn how to do it!
Does it surprise you to know Im obsessed with finding deals as well!?!?
AND I do this thing where if I overspend on something (which hardly ever happens but my husband is a spend FIEND) I cant properly relax until I get something on deal and I feel like karmic balance has been restored in my spending world….
Happy Weekend Sweet Friend! xoxox
I’ve been trying to shop on a budget too by making a meal plan. So far I spend about $60 this week. it’s still more than I want it to be. You did an amazing job on spending this week! Also, great finds at Ann Taylor Loff! What a steal!