Kroger Deals!

I did my Kroger shopping this week and OH BOY did I score on this trip! The Mega Event this week at Kroger is absolutely amazing! I couldn't believe what I brought home! I am so excited about this shopping trip that I will be able to pretty much stay out of the grocery stores for the next two weeks (I have my meals planned till the end of March now!) except for milk and fresh veggies/fruit trips! Since you are only allowed three $5 savings per transactions the Kroger Cashier was super nice and rang up my groceries in two separate sales. Unfortunately I got a little mixed up with the coupons and what was going with which transaction and a couple of coupons got missed. But, I can use those next time. That is definitely something I am working on is trying to stay more organized at the grocery store and being able to manage all of the coupons and sale prices in my brain! I am definitely a work in progress! So with my six mega sale savings I saved $30. Can you believe that?! Awesome...You gotta love Kroger! That doesn't even include the massive coupon savings I added up. Here is a picture of my loot. I combined both transactions for the picture because there was so much stuff that it was just easier. It's just a little hard to see everything. So here is all that I got!

I saved 63% on one transaction and 65% on the other! I was especially excited about the laundrey detergent that I stocked up on for $1.80 a piece! Pluse, not sure if you can see it in the picture but I got enough toothpaste and tooth brushes to last us a year (for .25 cents each!) I saved a total of $67.75 in coupons alone. I used to spend that much in ONE shopping trip a week (and I always had to make several more after that!) You can't see it in this picture but I also stocked up on chicken breast since my hubby just bought me a brand new (well...new to ME!) FREEZER. What a sweet man! Mommy is in stockpiling, money saving heaven this week! So here is the most exciting number...drum roll please...my total dollar savings this week...$195.59!!!!! WHAT????? Woooo, hooooooo!!!

My new way of thinking!

It's amazing how much my "way of thinking" has changed in the past two months! Has it only been two months? I was really made aware of it today as I walked out of Kroger. Let me explain...

Unfortunately I wasn't able to do my usual coupon clipping/sorting/organizing this week so I feel a little behind with that. But, the bright spot was that it's ok because I am planning on only buying the basics this week (you know...milk, fresh fruit.) YEAH for stockpiling, menu planning and shopping the sales. I have so much right now that I don't need anything really.

Well, tonight is our Blue and Gold (Cub Scouts) Banquet and we are responsible for bringing a dessert and a salad. That shouldn't cost too much right? Well, I was wrong. It was the first time I went into Kroger for two months without a coupon to use for what I needed and without a sure and exact plan. And guess what? It just felt..."wrong."

I ended up spending $35.41!! Yes, I know it to the exact penny. I never would have remember that previous to the start of my frugal journey. I would have spent that money and not really even thought twice about it! So as I watched the numbers going up I started feeling sick~! Thirty five dollars????!!

This was just a great reminder of how important what I am doing is for my family, for our budget, for our life style. Also a good reminder that I need to stockpile on some cake mixes!! But, this was also a good reminder to myself that I am really doing a great job with our budget lately! I really am. So I didn't save like I would have liked to this week...that's ok because in the past I would have had to spend the rest of my budget on groceries so we could eat this week. Did I mention I did find some good managers mark downs? Found some verde enchilada sauce marked down because the cans were bent! You gotta love that. I guess we will be eating enchiladas and some of those awesome BLACK BEANS I cooked up from scratch and put in the freezer a few weeks ago!

I guess the whole point of my writing today is to say...it's ok if you have a week where you have to buy some things that you aren't getting for a "steal!" Especially when you have done so well the whole month before. It all adds up!

Have I mentioned how much money I have saved since mid January?

Drum roll please....

I saved $420 in CASH in an envelope

and I paid $452 on a credit card in FEBRUARY!

Can I hear a whoot whoot!

Not to mention all of the savings on coupons and sales and the fact that my fridge and freezer are stocked FULL of food!

I love my new "way of thinking!"

What I have learned

It has been about 6 weeks since I have been "re-born" as a FRUGAL mommy! I know, that sounds a bit dramatic but it's the best way I can find to describe the path I have started down recently. I just made a quick (well I say quick but with my two girls tagging along nothing is quick!) run to the bank to make my cash deposit that I have saved for my much anticipated girls scrapbooking weekend. It wasn't meaningful because it was a LOT of money. It was meaningful because it represents a major change of thinking on my part...a change of lifestyle so to speak. One that I promise going to "stick" this time. It's amazing how much I have learned about spending in the last 6 weeks. I will be honest with you, I seriously always believed I was being a frugal Home Manager. I know now that I wasn't really. If only I had known then what I know now...just think of the money I could have saved. But we can't live in the past right. So I moved forward from here. I thought I would write down some of the most important things I have learned in the last 6 weeks to help me make a frugal change for my family. Most of them are small but added together they make a huge difference....At least for us! 1. Coupons are my friends. They are not to be avoided for fear of adding more "to-do" in my life. It's actually very fun to use them...I even like clipping them and keeping them organized. And if you know me...you know this is not something I easily take to...the organized thing I mean! 2. You can actually get FREE stuff if you use coupons. Seriously! I clip just about every coupon I get because you never know when a four pack of drinkable yogurt will go on Manager's Special at Kroger. A .50 cent coupon makes that baby FREE! It might not be something I would have bought normally but for free I'll take it! 3. A .50 cent coupon is a MAJOR score...because it doubles to $1 at Kroger, Meijer or Marsh. Did you know you could get FREE toilet paper at Kroger? I will never look at buying toilet paper in the same way again. 4. Aldi's may be a little far to drive to but it's worth the drive once a month (or less) to stock up on some things. Did you know you can get a big bag of frozen fruit for less than $3 there?! 5. There is an amazing resource for finding bargains and the best coupons out there in online blogs! My favorite of course is Money Saving Mom where I find all sorts of amazing deals, ideas, free stuff, and other great blogs. 6. Being a Frugal Home Manager means making a life change. It's really like a diet right? If you try if for a little while and don't make permanent changes then what good is it? 7. Feeding your family healthy food and making healthy choices doesn't have to be expensive. Plus, if you are a little "sneaky" you can get your kids to eat some pretty healthy stuff! 8. MEAL PLANNING is a MUST! How did I live without this? Meal planning not only saves huge amounts of money but it frees up any time I was wasting in my day trying to figure out what to make. This will save you money right off the bat...I promise! 9. Dave Ramsey is so right about...well, just about everything! I wish I would have REALLY learned that the first time around. 10. You can really save money by doing things from scratch and stock piling your freezer. I would have never believed that setting aside a "cooking day" for myself would fit into my life. But, it has...and it works!! 11. Being frugal and saving money can be FUN guys!! It really doesn't have to be a horrible drag. I have enjoyed this past several weeks so much. I can't wait to share what I have saved with my husband when I get home. It's exciting for me to take my little savings envelope out and count my money that I have saved. So this is a summary of my frugal journey so far. I could probably come up with more ideas if I sat here a little longer. But, I will save those for another time. I can't wait to see what the next 6 weeks holds!