Last night was a VERY successful grocery shopping trip. A host came with me along with a couple friends. We had a ton of fun! We looked like a little train walking up and down the aisles. I really enjoyed the company!
First we headed to Smiths. I am going to tell you how I made out and then I'll tell you how my friends made out when they send me their pictures!
At Smith's I walked away with
10 packages of American Beauty Pasta (long spaghetti and macaroni noodles)
10 bottles of Kens Salad Dressing
1 32 oz Bag shredded cheese
2 Gallons of milk
1.5 lbs green grapes
1.12 oz Asparagus
1.48 lbs yellow onions
4 green bell peppers
1 red bell pepper
1 package beef jerky
3 Boxes Kellogg's Mini wheat bites, blueberry, cinnamon, and maple flavors
7 boxes Nature Valley Granola bars
4 Colgate toothbrushes
2 bags Cheetos puffs
2 bags Frito honey BBQ chips
1 bag chili cheese Frito's
1 bag Doritos
Then I did head over to Albertson's after. I hardly ever do two stores, but I couldn't leave behind such a good sale
4 boxes Planters nut bars
2 box wheat thins
1 box chicken in biscuit crackers
4 California Pizza Kitchen personal pizzas
3 Kraft Pasta salads
1 Kraft salad dressing
1 package 18 taco shells
2 packages Oreo cookies
1 box already cooked bacon
1 Oscar Meyer deli shaved lunch meat
1 100 sq feet plastic wrap
2 bags Lays potato chips
1 Sara lee cheesecake
1 tub land o lakes butter
4 bags birds eye fresh steamer vegetables
2 packages hot dogs
1 loaf french bread
1 container cinnamon rolls
Totals
Total spent at Albertsons 23.09
Total Spent at Smiths 52.31
Grand Total $75.40
Saved $159.34
Savings of 68%
85 items purchased
.88 cents an item
I brought home the groceries, set them on the counter, called my husband over, asked him what he thought I spent and then he proceeded to tell me he already knew, so I asked how. He said the exact total I spent and said he checked online at our bank account. Then he said I was surprised you went over budget before you came home and now that I've seen what you bought I think you should go back and spend MORE! I was so excited to hear him say that. This week I bought a lot of stuff to use in his lunches and a lot of stuff we have really been needing, like pasta. I did go over budget a little, but I figure as long as I don't go over $200 for the month I'll be happy!
Here were a couple tips
If you buy 10 participating products the $5 discount comes of your purchase instantly!!!! That was so nice. I kept expecting the $5 off coupon to print out and it never did and then I saw it came off my receipt I was thrilled. Then I realized you could do up to 30 products and receive $15 off your total instantly. So Smith's will honor up to 30 items and then if you had more than 30 you would have to do another group or transaction to get the discount! Awesome huh! You saw the savings drop right there! The ad states that very clearly too.
Both stores I went to last night were stocked well
Never be afraid to question your bill total. At Albertson's last night my Kraft discount wasn't applied and I asked why. The checker wasn't sure so he called over the manager. The manager explained to me that the computer only recognized the sale if I grouped it by either 2 for $5 groups or 2 for $6 groups. I said the ad doesn't state that any where and he said I was right and they had to manually apply my discount. He said it had happened to several people and they couldn't figure out how to fix the computers to the discount would apply automatically.
Always have at least an estimate of what you expect your bill to be in case something like that happens. They were super nice about it and were happy to give me the discount, I just had to tell them. It saved me $10 off my bill to question the sale ad. In all the times I have been shopping this is the first time this has happened, but just be aware and never afraid to question something. You're the customer.
