$29.45 grocery store blitz.

once upon a time, i spent $60-$80 on groceries every week. i bought produce that i never ate, spent big $$$ on high-end  natural & organic foods, and loaded up on snack food just because it seemed like a good idea at the time. i was a mess.

now, i plan my meals in advance, read my store circulars like they’re the bible, and coupon the hell out of everything. today was a good day. view above, exhibit A:

AT SHAWS:
the boyfriend actually ate his way through all 10 boxes of cereal, and it was go time again. $5/5 kellogg’s coupon in this week’s shaw’s circular. 3 boxes special k on sale for $3 a box + 3 $1/1 coupons, and one box each raisin bran & frosted mini-wheats on sale for $2.50 ea. + a $1.50/2 coupon. wrap it all up with one of the $3 off anything catalinas that printed out last week= 5 boxes of cereal for $1.50.

fresh express salad blends (select varieties) are on bogo. regular price $2.99 + a $.55/2 coupon doubled= 2 for $1.89, or $.95 ea.

raspberries on sale 2 for $3. bought 2.

AT SUPER WALMART:
put one of my new $3/1 kashi go lean coupons to work today and brought home a box for free.

2 jars of paul newman pasta sauce (bummed that they only had one sockarooni) priced at $1.74/ea (this is the best price in town) + $1/2 coupon= 2 jars for $2.48, or $1.24/ea.

1 box of celestial seasonings green tea @ $1.96 + $1/1 coupon from the 9/27 smartsource= one box for $.96

1 can wolfgang puck organic vegetable soup (vegetarians beware! there is CHICKEN FAT in the non-organic variety!) @ $2.60 + $1/1 coupon from the 10/4 smartsource= one can @ $1.60 (which seems ludicrous for soup, but i likes what i likes).

total for 6 boxes of cereal, 2 jars of pasta sauce, 2 bags of salad, 2 boxes of raspberries, 1 box of tea, and 1 can of soup= $11.43

and of course there were a few small splurge items…

a box of cocoa fullbars @ $7.93 (i know, outrageous, but they’re so good).

a box of morningstar farms riblets @ $3.32

a mini-odwalla super-protein smoothie $1.50

a box of orville redenbacher salt & pepper natural popcorn mini-bags @ $2.50

1 cucumber @ $.69

1 green pepper @ $1.25

1 bag of broccoli crowns @ $2.78

total splurge: $19.97 – another $3 catalina from last week’s grocery adventure= $16.97

total after tax: $29.45 (although without the fullbars, i would really have kicked some grocery ass).