What $35 can get you

When you clip and save coupons (remembering that as a rule, you never use them until 3 weeks after they come out in the paper) and pay attention to the sales, you can begin to count on saving at least 50% on your groceries each week.  My personal goal is 60%-70% and I usually hit that, but today was a "use up some about-to-expire coupons" trip for some "Stock The Pantry" items so I didn't do as well as normal

But this is what I got:

• 2 Hamburger Helper Microwave Singles (I know, I know - but my husband just LOVES dehydrated beef and pasta in a cup for lunch at work...and they ended up being $.40 each)
• 1 Newman's Own Salad Mist
• 1 Dole Fruit parfait (my daughter loves these)
• 4 bags Dove candy (TOM is coming!)
• 3 Ken's Salad Spritzers
• 4 Barilla Pasta
• 3 loaves bread
• 4 Glaceau Water
• peaches
• 2 pints blueberries
• 2 pints grape tomatoes
• 1 bag salad
• 4 Jones sausage links
• 4 Amy's Organic Pocketfuls
• Sugar free Jello Rice pudding
• Daisy Sour Cream

Total before savings:  $80.44

Store sale savings:  $19.67

Coupons (including doubles):  $25.41

Total paid:  $35.48

I still have another trip to a different store to make tomorrow or Wed. on the way home from the pool for my 2 half-gallons of $1.33 Edy's ice cream, free Totinos pizza rolls (both of which are hubby's favorite late-night snacks...he eats horrible foods and has a 34" waist, astonishingly low cholesterol and perfect blood pressure...sometimes I really hate him!) and 4 boxes of $.90 Cinnamon Toast Crunch (that will get me a gallon of free milk as a bonus).  Then I will just need another half-gallon of milk to get me through the week and we are done!

Oh - and in case you are wondering...yes this week is low on shopping for protein.  That doesn't mean that our family won't be eating meat, cheese or legumes.  I shop from a "stock up & save" approach.  My freezer is full of meats that I got fabulous deals on, cheese (which can be easily frozen) that I got for next to nothing and frozen veggies.  So next week, depending on the sales, my photos may look like we have either gone vegetarian or went on Atkins!