Weekly Shopping Trip--Savings $91.99

This past week was a payday week so I took the time to work the sales and deals at the grocery stores along with making my monthly bulk shopping trip to Sam's. 

I learned an important lesson this week...Do NOT go through the "fastlane"/self check-outs at Meijer IF you have LOTS of coupons!!!  Because the computer will holler at you along with the cashier for using too many coupons!  I am not sure if it was more due to the cashier's attitude or if it really was the computer that had the problem with the 18 coupons that I had to use on my one order!  Also, while the cashier is sitting there taking your coupons off your order in those self check-outs make sure that you are looking over her shoulder rather than bagging your groceries!!  I am pretty sure after going over my receipt that she actually missed a coupon!  At any rate, I am beginning to think that I need to shop at another Meijer store!

Meijer had a great deals this week, you can read about the deals here!  They had many items in their buy 10 for $10 get 11th item free sale that were great for stocking up on my empty pantry shelves. 

Here is the breakdown of my Meijer shopping...

• 4 boxes Jiffy muffin mix $2.88
• 1 family pack bag Tyson chicken nuggets $4.99
• 3 boxes Toaster Strudel $4.59
• 2-64oz bottles Juicy Juice $5.38
• 2 bags potato chips $3.98
• 2 containers Dean's Icecream $4.48
• 2 family pack bags Meijer chicken nuggets $5.48
• 1 box Fruit Stackerz $1.12
• 1 jar salsa 70¢
• 2-64oz Tropicana OJ $4.00
• 4-12pks Pepsi products $14.80(with deposit)
• 5 Warm Delights $2.95
• 4 boxes fruit snacks $4.00
• 2-64oz Minute Maid Lemonade $1.00
  
• 2 tubs margarine $2.00
• 4 jars applesauce $4.00
• 3 boxes B&S sausage $3.00
• 4 loaves bread $2.00(two loaves free--one with sale and one via catalina cpn)
• 8 boxes pizza rolls $5.40
• 2 tubs sour cream $2.00

Minus another $2.00 off shopping order Catalina cpn

Total OOP: $76.75

Total Savings: $75.07(Meijer promotions=$9.34; non-cpn savings=$56.93; cpn savings=$8.80)

Grand Total: $151.82

I also went shopping at Family Fare this week to pick up a few of their weekly deals along with getting my WIC for the week.   Their fresh produce always looks better than Meijer's as well so I get most of the fresh items there!

Here is the breakdown from there...

• 1lb strawberries $1.68 
• 2 oranges 58¢
• 2.97lbs apples $2.94
• 4 dz. eggs $3.96
• 1 gallon milk $2.50
• .47lbs Sirloin tip breakfast steak $1.71(markdown meat!)
• 1.62lbs Center cut Thin Pork Chops $3.48(markdown meat!)
• 2.36lbs beef cube steak $6.58
• 6.13lbs ground chuck $11.58

Total OOP: $37.26

Total Savings: $16.92

Grand Total: $54.18

So my weekly totals for this week are: 

Grand Total OOP: $114.01

Grand Total Savings: $91.99

Grand Total: $206.00

For more savings stories head over to MoneySavingMom's Super Saturday Savings or to BeCentsAble's Centsable Savings Stories.

Monthly Sam's Club Shopping

This past week was another "bulk shopping run" to Sam's.   I am actually trying to get where I am doing my monthly shopping there and using the sales at the grocery stores as my supplement.  So once again this month's purchases look even a little bit different than last months.  

Here is what I purchased this month at Sam's...

• 140 ct Totinos Pizza Rolls $8.88
• 5lbs frozen cut corn $4.88
• 12ct mini deep dish pizzas $10.76
• 6lbs Ore Ida Hashbrowns $4.88
• 60 ct Eggo Waffles $8.52
• 4lbs Goldfish Crackers $8.66
• 5qt pail Vanilla Ice Cream $4.77
• 36ct Kudos bars $6.72
• 4pk HoneyMaid graham crackers $7.22
• 48ct. string cheese $6.67
• 56oz. M&Ms $7.88
• 36ct Pillsbury Froz. biscuits $5.46
• 3lbs Hormel Bacon Bits $7.06
• 3lbs Garlic & Cheese Croutons $4.88
• 5lbs Pepperoni $11.84
• 5lbs Mild cheddar cheese $9.47
• 30lbs Ore Ida French Fries $17.28
• 5lbs Country Crock Margarine $4.42
• 2-60oz Mrs. Butterworth's Syrup $6.34
• 3-45oz Ragu Spaghetti Sauce $6.37
• 48ct Gogurt $7.83
• 4.25lbs beef round roast $12.24 ($2.88/lb)
• 30oz variety deli meat $8.87
• 12.68lbs fresh Boneless/skinless chicken tenders $22.07 ($1.74/lb)
• 3pk(960ct) Dixie paper napkins $8.34(with tax)

Total: $212.31

Thank You!!

Thank you faithful readers for your patience with me!!  

It has been very difficult for me over the last couple of weeks as I take time away from my computer to find balance in my life and to work through my emotions from the "bombshell" that hit my life.

I am finding myself coming out of this valley and starting up the mountain trail!  It will be a slow climb but I am confident that with the Lord holding me I will make it up the mountain trail and His greatness and strength shine through and will get me to the top!

My God is a God of mercy and compassion and He is showing me every day how I can minister to my family, esp. my hubby in a way that glorifies Him! He is a Mender of the broken heart and making it to beat stronger for Him and the family He has given me.  Our God is an awesome God!

It has been amazing how much the Lord has been teaching me through this "computer fast". One of the things He has been teaching me is that I can not be a lukewarm or cold Christian.  I can not just go through the motions of life just being a Christian.  I need to truly let my light/life shine for Him in everything that I do and say.   The new Matthew West song, The Motions, has really ministered to my heart over the last few weeks and has become my lifesong.  When I feel like going through the motions of life I remember that I need to keep my fire/passion of God's love burning inside of me and pour it out for and to others!

For those of you that haven't heard the song before, here are the lyrics....

The Motions
by Matthew West

This might hurt, it's not safe
But I know that I've gotta make a change
I don't care if I break,
At least I'll be feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

No regrets, not this time
I'm gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love make me whole
I think I'm finally feeling something
'Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of this life

'Cause I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

take me all the way (take me all the way)
take me all the way ('cause I don't wanna go through the motions)
take me all the way (I know I'm finally feeling something real)
take me all the way

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"

take me all the way (take me all the way)
take me all the way (I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go)
take me all the way (through the motions)
take me all the way

I don't wanna go through the motions

As a final note, I am going to start back up blogging in this next week but just not with the same intensity as before.  I was caught up in the number of hits my blog got on a daily basis and stressing over what to blog about for all the different blog carnivals that I found myself just going through the motions of posting just to get more hits rather than just sharing as my heart lead me.  Now I am not concerned about my "blog ratings" but rather the friends I have made by blogging and following through with the mission that I set for this blog when I started it a year and a half ago.  

The mission was to show others encouragement through getting a glimpse into my life of homeschooling, frugal living, and parenting.

Menu Plan Monday 3/15-3/21

Last week's menu plan went pretty smoothly despite the fact that I didn’t post my menu on fridge!  My family was all out of sorts because I didn’t post it for them. At the beginning of the week, I found it funny that they rely on that posted menu being there!  However, come the end of the week, I wasn’t finding it very funny because they kept “bugging” me with “Mom, what’s for dinner?” “Mom, what’s for snack?” and on and on!  So I decided that not posting the menu for the family to see is a bad thing and I will try not to do again!

This week’s shopping trip was just filling the holes!  I spent less than $25 for the week!  I am so happy!   After talking with my kids and showing them that when we go out to eat as a family it is costing us at least $25 for the meal. I decided that one of my goals this year is to feed my family of seven at home on $20 or less per day!  To help show my kids that we can eat three very filling meals (along with 2 snacks) at home every day for the price of what we pay for one meal out at McDonald’s or Wendy’s.

This week’s menus are still using many things out of my freezer and pantry. This week though I am sticking in a new recipe!  Also this week’s weather is to be very nice, so I am pulling out the outdoor’s grill to do some of my cooking this week!  It has been months since I have had any grillin’ food!

Lunches listed are for the kids & me. Unless we are having leftovers, our lunches are served with apple slices or baby carrots along with fruit juice or water.  Hubby usually takes a dinner leftover along with various snacks for his work lunch.

A special thanks to Erin-$5 Dinners for hosting Menu Plan Monday while Laura-Organizing Junkie is away with her son! Need help with your menus; go check the over 400 other delicious meal plans that have been linked at Erin-$5 Dinners' site or look down in my right sidebar for my menu suggestion lists! 

Sunday (3-15)

Breakfast: eggs, sausage, hash browns, and cinnamon rolls

Lunch: sandwiches and chips

Dinner: beef gravy over noodles served with green beans

Snack: snack basket

 

Monday (3-16)

Breakfast: cereal, toaster strudel

Lunch: leftovers

Dinner:  grilled chicken and potato pockets served with corn and rolls

Snack: brownies & milk

 

Tuesday (3-17)

Breakfast: waffles and sausage

Lunch: chicken nuggets, and mac & cheese

Dinner:  grilled burgers and fries served with a fresh veggie tray

Snack: ice cream

Wednesday (3-18)

Breakfast: bagels, eggs and cereal

Lunch: sandwiches & chips

Dinner:  salsa chicken (new recipe—which I will post if it is any good!) over rice served with corn

Snack: snack basket

Thursday (3-19)

Breakfast: French Toast

Lunch: leftovers

Dinner: skillet pork chops served with boiled potatoes and peas

Snack: snack basket

 

Friday (3-20)

Breakfast: cereal and toaster strudel

Lunch: sandwiches & chips

Dinner: roasted chicken served with mashed potatoes, gravy, corn and biscuits

Snack: cookies & milk                                            

 

Saturday (3-21)  

Breakfast: “Cook’s Choice”

Lunch: ??? 

Dinner:  sloppy joes served with fries and a fresh veggie tray

Snack:  snack basket  or popcorn