Like today, I had a dear sweet someone who I barely even knew, give me $50 because she wanted me to “buy something for the kids.” (Did I mention the time a stranger that I met at a park playground gave me a car? True story. I’m still driving the trusty little Toyota.)
- 8 lbs. of fresh strawberries
- 2 heads of celery
- 3 lbs. of zucchini
- 8 lbs. tomatoes
- 11 lbs. onions
- 6 avocados
- 2 heads of romaine lettuce
- 23 lbs. oranges
- 1 head green cabbage
- 8 cucumbers
- 3 lbs. brocolli
- 4 green bell peppers
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| Click on the picture to see an enlarged photo where you can look at the receipt in detail. |
Top steals of the trip: Fuji & granny smith apples 3 lbs./$1, $1.50 for pineapples, $1.60 for a head of cauliflower, cucumbers 8 for $1. I easily got a 150 lbs. of food for $42.
How does price matching work?
This is how my Wal-mart does it. Other stores or other Wal-marts, that match competitor prices may have different policies.
You take in a list (you don’t even have to have the ad, although I’ve found having the ad on hand is helpful, especially if the cashier has questions about the sale), tell the cashier you are price matching & they will ask what the competing price is for each item you are matching. Easy as that!
Although I admit, I often hope & pray that my cashier can figure out some of the more complicated items.
For example, Wal-mart sells oranges by item, like .50 an orange. But most other places do by the pound. So when I price match oranges they’ve got to convert or do the math, which to be honest, some cashiers aren’t up to the task (I’ve actually had to help them figure it out).
Here’s what I do to prepare for each shopping trip:
I go on Wednesdays. This is the day when two of the major grocers have their big weekly one day sale (this is when they do the 10 lbs./$1 oranges & sales like 1 lb. of strawberries for $1).
I go through the 3 stores that usually have awesome deals on produce & make a list of the best deals.
General rule of thumb: I only buy a certain fruit or vegetable if it’s on sale. [Remember, I’ve got 4 little mouths to feed plus a hubby & myself (& I eat A LOT!) & I’m on a budget.] I have one exception to this rule–bananas. They aren’t always on sale & this is one of the foods that my family always wants to have on hand. If I can’t find an ad for it, my default is Costco, where I can always get them at a competitive price.
Here’s how I do my shopping:
I go shopping once a week (Wednesdays) for fresh produce. We do our “big” shopping trip once a month (the 15th, payday) where we stock up on all non-perishables & frozen items for the month. Occasionally I’ll have to make an emergency run to the store for a last minute item for a get together or party, but usually we don’t go shopping more than 4 or 5 times a month, & we typically have plenty of food on fresh, healthy food on hand without breaking the bank!
Last thought…
You may not have a lot of options where you live, but you may be surprised to find that you have more than you think. If you live near a Wal-mart, you should be able to price match your produce.
If not, many grocery stores will ad-match, so you can compile all the best deals on produce & shop at one place. A little creativity & a little extra work may be the difference in improved health (more fresh produce for you & your family) & savings of several thousand dollars a year!
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What are some of your tricks for saving on your grocery budget without sacrificing healthy, nutritious, whole foods?
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