Groceries for a Week [less than $35] -- Is it possible?

I know that I have been missing in action this week, but I have been very sick with a cold. That is for another post in another place Sue's Special Corner. Come visit me there.

I did go shopping yesterday, Saturday, to purchase a few things for this week's meals. I went to my favorite two stores, Save-A-Lot and 99 Cent Only Store. I spent $8+ change at the 99 Cent Only Store and a total of $23+ change at the Save-A-Lot.

I didn't buy a lot of cleaning products (probably none) nor did I buy a lot of meats. As a matter of fact, I only bought my 5lbs of jumbo hot dogs ($4.99). I did buy some canned beef stew ($1.49 each) and some chili with beans ($.68 each). These were the every day prices not just ad specials.

Yes, I did buy some veggies, tomatoes, sauerkraut, mushrooms, 2lbs of frozen cauliflower, and sliced potatoes, all for less than $5.00.

I bought coffee ($3.99 for 34.5 oz), bottle of soy sauce ($.99) and splurged on some munchies (e.g., potato chips, cheese puffs, and a 1/2 lb solid chocolate bunny) for less than $3.00 [again, every day low prices].

Oh, yeah, since I didn't post last week, I'll tell you what I did for a super cheap soup.

We found cabbage at $.24 per pound and bought two heads for $.81 total. When I came home I had such a craving for that cabbage that I cut it up with onions and cooked it for about an hour or so (depending on how soft you like yours). We diced some "chopped ham" (we bought a few days earlier) and added a can of tomato sauce, cut green beans, kidney beans, sliced carrots, 6 roma tomatoes and seasoned it to taste with onion powder, garlic powder, a dash of crushed red peppers, salt and pepper.

This recipe made a stock pot full of soup. We now have over 5 quarts left. Easy meals for a couple of days. I love it.

If you try this recipe, please let me know how you liked it.

WOW!! Cheaper groceries!


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Discount vs. Overrun

Boy, do I hate to go shopping for groceries, especially on Saturday and Sunday afternoons due to the crowds (maybe you do to?). But lucky for me I live in Las Vegas where most of the big chain grocery stores are open late (1 a.m.) or they open early (6 a.m.). Although I use most of the chain stores for emergencies. The other stores that I shop at are usually open 8am until 9pm.

I don't think that I've told you that I do my grocery shopping by bus, so I do have to plan several days in advance to do all my shopping. The reason? Well, I always need something somewhere. When you live on a budget like my roommate and I do, you're always looking for bargains.

I just found out that there is a difference between Wal-Mart, Save-A-Lot or Food4Less and my 99cent Only Stores, Dollar Tree, etc.. Do you know what that is? Ok, don't feel left out. The difference between these is that Wal-Mart, Save-A-Lot, Food4Less, etc. are discount stores and the 99cent Only and Dollar stores are known as over-run stores. We all know what a discount store is, but an over-run store needs some explaining (I think).

If you grocery shop at your 99cent Only stores (or Dollar Tree, Dollar King, or similar stores) they are the over-run stores. You probably noticed that sometimes they don't always have your favorite snacks, veggies, etc. every time you go there. They receive the "over-runs" from the manufacturers. Sometimes the manufacturers don't have an over-run of that product that week.

These over-run stores are used by suppliers to relieve their inventories of excess merchandise. The benefit to you is that you can get groceries and other items at a much lower price, sometimes as much as 80% less.

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