Why I Spent $30 Over Budget for Groceries This Week

It’s time for another budget for groceries shopping trip! This is the fourth consecutive week I’ve been sharing my grocery shopping trips. I am continuing on to give you a full circle on how this budget grocery shopping actually works.

If you are new here read this quick.

There are three key things to keeping a nice and neat or tight budget grocery trip.

1. Shop From your Pantry FIRST
2. Make as many meals as you can using what you have
3. Shop for fill in items, snacks, etc. from the sales ad from your favorite grocery store.

That right there my friends is the key to getting on this whole frugal shopping trip thing.

If you have no idea how to start meal planning read this. If you want an app to create meals for you use this.

If you aren’t new let’s move on shall we?

This week was a long long long long long, okay it was long but kinda great and kinda exhausting weekend with the kids.

I brought them to three different stores for groceries. I tend to always split my groceries up between Tops Markets and BJ’s Wholesale club.

You can easily swap in your local grocery store and even Sam’s or Costco.

In fact many items at BJ’s and Costco are similar in price and size.

I spent $90 total this week for groceries. Way higher then the past three weeks at $60.

See those weeks here.

Watch the Video below or keep on scrolling for menu and items bought.

Two reasons for this.

1. My kids were with me and I let them pick out cereal at BJs. Silly.
2. I found a discontinued item at BJs, and I have a secret affair with clearance. Instead of going $50 over budget I calmed down and got two extra items – stocking up so to speak.

This is NOT a bad thing. At this point in our financial journey we have the extra $20 to pull out of the misc. budget or “fun money”. So no stress there taking it out of somewhere else.

Or having to spend $20 less the following week- which was us for awhile when I started a frugal living lifestyle.

Now with our debt paid off and mortgage payoff our finances are in order.

The other reason is this item isn’t cheap at other stores. BJ’s has been the best price for this item- Explore Cuisine Organic Edamame Spaghetti.

I knew if it was discontinued and I wasn’t going to be in this BJs again this week, I better grab one for sure and two for stocking up.

I really wanted four but I knew that was a little excessive because I wanted to see if it was still available at other BJ’s in my area.

This has happened to me before, at our little local BJs they discontinue items but in Rochester they are still on the shelves. Phew. I’ll keep you updated on this item on my BJs blog here.

Here’s What I Bought:

Tops:

• Tops Bagels $0.99
• 2 Boxes of Tops Pasta $0.79 each
• 1 Kellogg’s Special K Cereal- $1.88 used coupons paid $0.08
• Used $1.00/1 coupon from KFR account and $0.80 Ibotta rebate
• TruFru Strawberry $4.99- Had coupon for FREE bag from Tops last week
• Lettuce $0.88
• Hard Salami $4.96 for .71 lb.
• Bananas $1.03 and $1.15

Total: $12.67 used Ibotta to get $0.90 back

BJS:

• Hellmann’s $6.49
• WF Broccoli and Cauliflower $5.99
• Hillshire Farm Lunch Meat $11.99
• Used the $2 BJs coupon
• 2 Gallons of Milk $5.14
• WF Green Beans $6.49
• Avocado Oil 2 pk. $8.19
• Explore Cuisine Organic Edamame Spaghetti 2 boxes $10.96
• Tri Fun Kellogg’s Cereal $8.99
• Two Bags of Chips $6.98
• Chobani Flip Yogurt 12 ct. $11.49
• Used a $2.50/1 clipless coupon

Final Price: $78.21

Here’s Our Meal Menu:

Breakfast– Cereal, Eggs, Bagels, Pancakes

Lunch– Turkey Sandwiches, Granola Bars, Fruit, Leftovers,

Dinner:

• Mon: BLTs
• Tues: Spaghetti & Salad
• Wed: Fish Sticks and Green beans
• Thurs: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
• Friday: Chili with cornbread muffins
• Sat: Whole Roasted Chicken
• Sun: Tuna Casserole

Even being over budget this week it happens. Especially when you are constantly watching for deals. Let me know how you are doing with your grocery budget this week.

Not sure what your family’s grocery budget should be? Try this method.