First, I don't coupon at all. I use to, and I may try to get back into it, but I just don't have time for it. I really wish I did. I need to install the coupon printer on my computer at home, and try to print out coupons.... Okay, now i'm just lecturing myself and trying to talk myself back into it. But for now, I don't coupon.... moving on.
I make a meal plan, and then off my meal plan, I make my grocery list. There are things that I might buy every time I go to the grocery store: deli meat and cheese, bread, milk, fruits, etc. and they still go on my list. I'll look at my bi-weekly menu and write down how many packages of chicken I need, how many packages of ground turkey (we don't eat ground beef), and how many cans of whatever I need. I put tally marks off to the side, so i'm only writing cream of chicken soup, one time, and then I might have I,I,I, tally marks beside it, so I know I need to buy three cans.
I try to go to the grocery store alone. It helps me think and not impulse buy. Last Sunday one of my friends posted a picture of her at Sams Club by herself with three kiddos and I had a mini panic attack. She has a 4 1/2 year old, 3 1/2 year old, and 7 month old. She was by herself y'all.... And, had one of those flat bed carts and a regular buggy. I don't know how she did it, but she is supermom. I however, am not. So, I like to grocery shop alone. If I don't go on the weekends when DJ can watch the kids, then i'll leave them at daycare and go after work, and then go pick the girls up.
So, when I get to the store, by myself, I immediately head to the right of the store. I've heard of studies that show that marketers set up stores where all of the most expensive things are on the right side of the store because people naturally head toward the right. Well, so do I. Plus, I can't go to the left side- thsoe are the registers and it wouldn't do me much good heading their first.
My first stop is the deli counter where I buy 1 lb of turkey meat and 1 lb. of slice cheese. I'll also pick up some pita chips. Then, I head off to the produce. I tend to get grapes, strawberries, oranges, and sometimes blueberries, and always bananas. I'll also pick up whatever fresh veggies we may need for our meals: bell pepper, spinach, squash, potatoes. I don't tend to buy a lot of fresh veggies. I know I should and they're healthier, but I prefer frozen because it's easier.
I then head over to the butcher and I pick up the chicken breasts. I typically buy three to four packages with three breasts in each one. The girls are able to share a chicken breasts, so that's why I buy three. I have them placed in a plastic bag and then in the white butcher paper. My grocery store use to place them in freezer paper and then in the white butcher paper, but if I'm in a hurry and need to throw dinner in the crock pot, then I need the chicken in the bag, because the paper freezes to the chicken.
Next, I pick up the ground turkey, bread, and then orange juice, milk, yogurt, cinnamon rolls, cheese..... anything that's in the open freezer section. If I have the girls with me, then we stop and get them a free cookie. And, I forgot to mention, but the deli, will almost always give them each a slice of cheese to snack on.
I tend to skip the left side of the store altogether. Unless, I buy frozen veggies, but usually a large bag can last us a month because we just rotate through them, and I cook just enough so they're not left over. Plus, I cook mostly casseroles or one-pot dishes, so we don't go through a huge bag of veggies every week.
I start at the back of the right side and just work my way up. The first row is where the cream of crap soups are, the mexican food, and any broth/stock I may need. Then, it's on to pasta, sauce, pb & j, then cereal, baking products, can goods and finally chips.
Sometimes I head to the other side and pick up snack foods and more juice, but not always. It just depends on what we have at home and if we're going to be home a lot. When we're home more, we snack more.
I try to buy some organic, but i'm not always good about it. It depends on the budget and what organic produce is offered. I am pretty brand loyal, and will buy kashi cereal or Muir Glen tomatoes. I also have specific can of black beans i'll buy, but I don't know the brand- I can just tell by looking at the can. I will buy store brand cream of crap soup. I am also loyal the brand of bread that I buy. This being said, when I have more time to plan and budget, then i'll buy more organic, and my goal is to slowly transition us to gluten free. I'll start with breads and pasta, and then go from there.
I also don't buy a lot of frozen pre-cooked dinners. I do buy Pillsbury cinnamon rolls and crescent rolls, but I don't buy frozen pizza, for example. I also don't buy bisquick because I can make my own pancakes or waffles from scratch. I've also found that by not purchasing these pre-packaged dinners and meals, that I can save a little more money.
I typically spend $150-200.00 every other week at the grocery store.
My grocery store also offers curb side pick up! I don't take advantage when I'm alone or with the girls, but when MC was a baby, I took full advantage, and I probably will when Adalyn is here!
I also make weekly Target trips. I'm able to run to Target between school sites if I don't have to buy anything that needs refrigeration. If I can't go between schools, then i'll go right before I pick up the girls. Target is a totally different ball game, and these trips are usually reserved for picking up things that we ran out of between grocery store trips- milk, cereal, cereal bars. I also go to Target for any toiletries we may need. I usually have a big toiletry buy once a month, and then we have the smaller trips to pick up any random toiletries we've ran out of.
I rarely have a list for Target, and I do usually get sucked in by the hypnotizing bullseye, which means lots of impulse buys. I spend anywhere from $50.00 to $150.00 on my Target trips.
So, hopefully that helps you know how I get my grocery shopping done while working full time! It really helps when I'm prepared with a shopping lists and when i'm organized and alone! If not, then my list doesn't vary too much from week to week, so I'll just pick up what we usually have to buy.
What are your grocery store tips? How do you save time there and money?
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