My First Order From Azure Standard

OK, I know this picture is probably about the worst one I ever posted. One of the kids had messed with the settings on the camera and my techy guru was away in Europe and couldn't help me and I was trying to take a "quick" picture while the kids were happily playing outside, blah, blah, blah!

Crummy photography aside, this is a picture of my very first order from Azure Standard:

• 50 pounds of whole wheat pastry flour
• 50 pounds of quick oats
• 25 pounds of black beans
• 25 pounds of split peas
• 25 pounds of lentils
• 5 pounds of milk powder

I had heard about this place from another blog when we lived in Louisiana and was really excited to order, but became dismayed when I found out they actually don't deliver to Louisiana.  When we moved to California, I was thrilled to place an order.  The whole process was pretty simple.  I called the company, and they gave me the phone numbers of a couple of people in Huntington Beach.  One woman gave me the drop location number and I just placed my own order online to come to that drop location.  (Each individual has to have an order totaling $50 or more and each drop location has to have an order totaling $550 or more.)

Now, here's where things got a little crazy.  I had planned to go pick up the order on Wednesday but then got a call on Tuesday evening about 6:00 from the woman saying that the truck was going to arrive between 8:00 and 8:30 pm on Tuesday!  So, I fed, bathed and pajamaed the kids and loaded everyone in the car to go to Huntington Beach.  I got there about 7:45 pm, but then the driver didn't actually arrive until 8:45 pm.  Hurray for the Story of the World and for kids who sleep in the car!  When the driver arrived, he unloaded and separated everyone's stuff.  The other customers were very kind and carried and loaded my stuff for me.  Once we had everything loaded, we headed home.  Fortunately, the kids transferred well from the car to their beds:)

I hadn't thought about how exactly I was going to store all the stuff I bought ahead of time.  I divided the beans into small ziploc bags (about one pound in each bag) and have them in a locked cabinet (so the boys don't play with them).  I bought some storage containers from Costco for the flour and the quick oats.  I am really happy with how the whole process worked out and will definitely order from them in the future, but I don't think we'll be needing anything for quite some time:) 

Is This Over the Top???

Eggs were on sale this past week at Walgreen's: 2 dozen for $2.  I also had four coupons for 55 cents off two dozen eggs, making each dozen 72.5 cents.  David went early in the week and bought four dozen.  I went yesterday and bought another four dozen.  I still had three eggs left over from last week's trip to Save-a-Lot.  So,  I now have 99 eggs in my refrigerator!  Is that over the top???

10 Ways We Save on Groceries Without Coupons!

Recently, I was talking with a friend while feeding Matthew and Jonathan, who, incidentally, eat a TON!  I mentioned that I was going to increase our grocery budget for 2012 to accommodate these growing boys.  Honestly, I knew the time was coming, but I didn't expect it to come so soon!  My friend was really surprised at how little we spend to feed our family.  I feel like I am constantly striving for the perfect balance between keeping costs down and feeding my family wholesome and healthy foods.  Here are some cost-cutting strategies that I have picked up from wiser and more economical folks out there:

1. Develop a love for oatmeal!  I'm not talking about the stuff that comes in the premeasured packages but either bulk or in big containers.  I very rarely buy cold cereal anymore.  Instead, we have oatmeal most mornings and homemade pancakes or waffles other mornings. 

2. Drink water!  I used to buy soda for David and me and apple juice for the kids.  Now, I only buy soda or juice on very rare occasions when I have a coupon that will make it nearly free or I want to make popsicles with the juice for a special treat.  (We have twins, who still do not sleep through the night, so coffee and tea are considered essentials!)

3. Try powdered milk!  By the gallon, powdered milk is $1 or more cheaper than fresh depending on where you shop.  I use powdered milk for all my cooking and baking, in my coffee, etc.  I even give the girls half powdered and half fresh when serving a glass of milk.  From my research,  fresh and powdered milk are nutritionally the same.

4. Use less meat!  Unless I see a great, I mean great, sale, I buy less than 2 pounds of meat a month.  I buy 2 14 oz. packages of turkey sausage on my monthly Wal-Mart trip to use in split pea and lentil soup.  I also splurge for a turkey at Thanksgiving and a ham at Christmas.

5. Use dry beans and legumes!  I have always made a lot of dishes with beans and legumes, but I used to buy them in cans.  It's so much cheaper to buy them dry and cook them yourself, so that's what I do now.  They are an excellent source of protein.

6.  Make yogurt!  I used some gift money to purchase a yogurt maker and started making my own yogurt.  It's so much cheaper than buying all natural or Greek yogurt.  And it's way cheaper than buying that baby yogurt!

7.  Skip the ice cream!  I am a huge fan of ice cream.  It can be below 0 outside and I will still want ice cream.  I used to consider it a main staple.  Now, I realize it is expensive and, sadly, nonessential.  Sometimes, we do splurge and buy ice cream, but more often, I make a dessert at home.

8. Check out the drug store!  Believe it or not, I frequently buy some major staples at Walgreen's: peanuts (to make homemade peanut butter), eggs and butter!  Usually, there is a limit on the quantity that you can purchase and they tend to sell out quickly, so I go at the beginning of the sale and get as many as I can per the ad.  Then, on Saturday when I am doing my regular grocery shopping, I drop by again and they will of course be out, but I can get a rain check and get the item the following Saturday at the previous week's price.

9.  Stock up!  I keep a price list, a list of grocery items and their cost at various stores.  When I see a good price on something, I buy enough to last until the next sale.  Now, this is an area where you do need to be considerate of others and not clear the shelves entirely!

10.  Get creative!  I have certain spices in my spice drawer that I use all the time.  I have others that I use only very rarely.  Recently, I used the last of my sage.  Instead of buying more right away, I'm experimenting with some of those other spices that I use less frequently, like savory.  Of course, this doesn't work with some spices, like what can you substitute for chili powder in chili?

And when all else fails, put everyone on a diet:)

Chocolate Overload

 

Today, I had my best Whole Foods shopping experience ever!  15 bags of chocolate chips for 50 cents each!  I don't ordinarily shop at Whole Foods, otherwise known as Whole Paycheck, but a Living Social deal combined with an in-store coupon made for an awesome deal on a household staple! 

The Cost of a Great Deal

Recently, David read an article about commuting costs, which got us to thinking about the cost of shopping at various stores.  I end up shopping at lots of stores for our grocery and household needs because I love getting great deals.  I try to mentally weigh the cost of gas versus the savings before committing myself to going to a certain store.  I already consolidate trips as much as possible.  However, I never actually calculated the cost of gas and looked at the numbers.  I also never took into consideration the cost of wear and tear on the car.  Until now.

I calculated the mileage cost at 30 cents per mile, 15 cents for gas ($3 per gallon and assuming 20 miles per gallon) and 15 cents for maintenance and depreciation (this was kind of tricky and a bit more complicated, so I'll spare you the details).  That's probably on the conservative side.  Here's what we found the round trip costs of various stores to be:

Store			Cost
Wal-Mart			$5.51
Target			$6.97
Sam's			$5.68
Save a Lot			$2.82
Rouses			$1.37
Winn-Dixie			$2.30
Lakeview			$1.67
Walgreens			$0.82
Rite Aid			$1.51
Whole Foods			$3.55

The greatest disappointment to me in looking at these costs is how much it costs for a trip to Sam's!  I love shopping at Sam's Club.  It's the easiest place for me to go with all four kids because the shopping carts are so big.  I carry Jonathan in the bjorn and Matthew rides in the basket in his car seat and the girls sit in the front.  They also usually have lots of samples and free cookies for the kids.  Plus, their soft pretzels are really yummy!  But, my mother-in-law kindly pointed out that I could take the cost out of our entertainment budget!

Anyways, I just thought this was all very interesting and something to take into consideration before heading out for a great deal.  Depending on where the deal is, the mileage cost may eat up your savings!

Price Matching at Wal-Mart

As you may have guessed, shopping with four kids can be somewhat of a logistical nightmare, especially when two of them are six-month old twins.  It's hard enough trying to plan shopping between feedings and diaper changes and naps with one baby, but when you factor two into the equation, well, it's more challenging.  Usually about the time, I have the girls ready with their crocs on, having gone potty and washed their hands, sippys in hand, then one of the boys has a blow-out.  I change him from head to toe.  Then, I go ahead and check brother because they usually do everything together!  Twin B is now changed from head to toe, too.  Once everyone is in their seats, inevitably someone has left their drink or baby or book inside, so I run in to get that one thing that we absolutely cannot go to the store without.  Then, one of the boys spits up, so I clean him up.  Just as I'm turning the keys in the ignition, I realize that I haven't brushed my teeth yet. I look at my watch and calculate how much time I have left.  Not enough!  At the store, all my best friends want to know how old my twins are and whether twins run in my family and if they're fraternal or identical and on and on.  Suffice it to say, these days my shopping trips are on Saturdays when my husband is available to watch some or all of the kiddos.  But, I still have to be speedy!  My latest strategy for multiplying my time is price-matching at Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart will price match competitors advertised prices even without an ad!  WOW!  Before, I thought this would be too much of a hassle, but in this season of life, one-stop shopping is a bit of a necessity!  I decided to try it out last Saturday.  To be honest, I am not a fan of Wal-Mart.  I seriously try to avoid the place like the plague, but I had a Site-to-Store order to pick up, so I decided just to pick my groceries up there, too.  It was so incredibly simple and easy.  I had seen that Save-a-Lot had grapes advertised at 99 cents per pound, so I just told the cashier that I wanted to price match them to Save-a-Lot's price.  I didn't even need to show her the ad!  She just adjusted the price right then and there!  Check out Wal-Mart's price match policy here and try it out on your next purchase!  I am delighted to know that if I'm going to Wal-Mart I can still get the best prices advertised elsewhere without having to go to multiple stores!

My Very First Rain Check

I have to say that shopping at Walgreen's is sometimes a completely unsatisfying experience, to be polite.  I get to the store and they don't have that one thing in the ad that was a super-amazing deal that I went there to buy.  Well, about two weeks ago, they had Purex laundry detergent on sale plus I had a coupon that made a great deal.  I couldn't make it shopping until Saturday, so of course they were all out of the Free and Clear kind.  I was kind of upset that they didn't have it, but at least they had the watercolors.

Then, I don't know what made me do it, but I did it.  I asked for a rain check.  It was really so simple.  The clerk at the cash register gave me a slip of paper that said the price and how many I wanted and some other details, I'm sure.  The following Saturday, I took that little slip of paper to a different Walgreen's and bought my Purex Free and Clear detergent at the sale price and used my coupon.

The downside is that I did have to go to Walgreen's twice.  That didn't really bother me, though, because there is one on about every corner.  Plus, I was stopping on my way home from the grocery store for the next amazing deal anyways!  Now, I know I don't have to leave Walgreen's frustrated and angry anymore.  I just have to ask for a rain check!

Bowling for Spaghetti Sauce!

Last week we stocked up on Splenda.  This week we stocked up on spaghetti sauce.  Lakeview Grocery, a local grocery store, sells these jars of spaghetti sauce which are really tasty.  Not only that, but they are free of high fructose corn syrup.  They were on sale for 5 for $5, which is a stock-up price for natural spaghetti sauce in the land of no double coupons.  We use this on pasta, in lasagna and even as the sauce for homemade pizza.  Your eyes are not deceiving you.  I bought ten jars!

I know, I know, you are wondering since I enjoy cooking so much, why I don't make my own sauce.  Well, occasionally I do, but mine just never comes out tasting very good. Plus, it's a whole lot cheaper to watch for sales

and stock up when the jars go on sale for $1 or less.

The girls were very distraught I didn't take them with me because they LOVE Lakeview Grocery.  Not only does Lakeview Grocery have kiddie shopping carts, but they also have ice cream.  You feed the pig a quarter for an itty-bitty cone of soft serve.   Since they were so disappointed, I let them each have a go at bowling.  OK, you know me, I was sitting right behind the jars, so there was no way any of them were gonna break!  We still have all ten jars in tact and can you guess what's for dinner tomorrow night?

The Great Splenda Stock-Up

The last time I bought Splenda, I found a broken box in the As Is section at Sam's.  It was a big box of 1,000 packets for $10.  (For my NOLA friends, the As Is section is near the bakery on the right side.  I always check it out when I'm there.)  I think that was a couple of year's ago and we finally used it all up.  We like to use Splenda in tea and now David likes to take it to work with him to sweeten his yogurt.  I've been on the lookout for a great deal on this stuff.  Last week, I found these boxes on clearance at my Walgreen's.  They were marked down to $2.89, so I bought four and used four $2 off coupons from Splenda's website.  In the land of no double coupons, that's a pretty good deal.  Then, I also found a $3 off coupon in the newspaper.  I guess I could have used that at Walgreen's, too, but you know, I really didn't feel like haggling with them about their coupon policy to get them to give me a box for free, so I just took my coupon with me to Wal-Mart.  The packages are regularly $3.98 there, so it came to $0.98 after the coupon.  Five boxes for under $5 and now I don't need to think about Splenda for quite some time!

You may be wondering, why the peanut butter container?  That is the excitement of shopping in New Orleans.  While I was at Wal-Mart, there was a ginormous thunderstorm and the lights went out.  Fortunately, Wal-Mart is prepared for such things and the back-up generators kicked in right away.  There was a huge line of people at the door waiting for the storm to die down, but I was just looking at my watch thinking the boys were in desperate straits, on the verge of starvation, so I ventured through the torrential downpour without an umbrella or a jacket to the van!  The outside of the Splenda box did get a little bit soggy and was sacrificed for the sake of the boys, but the peanut butter jar is a wonderful stand-in! 

This Week's Frugal Failure

Guess what I stocked up on this week?  Rite Aid had cereal on sale for $1.88 a box, plus I had coupons which brought them down to 88 cents a box, so I bought 10 boxes! You detail people who are counting the boxes in the picture, you're right, there are only eight.  Just keep reading.  Ten boxes of cereal for under $10 after tax!  Awesome deal, don't ya think?  I thought so.  The kids were super-duper-excited because I had not bought cold cereal in a very, very, very long time (not since those Kellogg's Special K coupons in December or January). 

So, how could this possibly be a frugal failure, you ask?  In two days, David and Mooter-Tooter (a.k.a. Maggie) ate an entire box of Raisin Bran!  Yep, you read that right.  An entire box.  Two days.  My husband and a not yet three-year old!  (Mary chose to stick with raisinless Corn Flakes, so those lasted until this morning.)  Next time, I think I'll stick with our standard fare: good old fashioned oatmeal!  It only costs $1.99 for a container that feeds our family for at least two weeks (and it's probably better for us anyways).  Oh well, I guess it's good to throw some variety in the mix every once in a while!

Here she is, our Raisin Bran fan!

My Couponing Adventures Part 3

I want to follow up last week's post about collecting coupons with a few lessons that I have learned in my coupon adventures.

Always take the store's coupon policy with you.  You may be surprised, but sometimes even the managers are not aware of the store's coupon policy.  It is helpful to have their official coupon policy in case there is a dispute regarding the legitimate use of a coupon.

Recently, a clerk at Wal-Mart tried to tell me that I could not use a $1 off coupon for a product because the price of the product was less than $1.  Fortunately, I had the coupon policy with me, which clearly states that when a coupon's value exceeds the cost of the item, the difference should either be refunded to the customer or applied to remaining purchases.  I told the clerk that I knew it didn't really make sense, but it's right there on the coupon policy. 

Below are links to the coupon policies at a few stores that I frequent:

• Wal-Mart Coupon Policy
• Walgreen's Coupon Policy
• Target Coupon Policy
• Rite-Aid Coupon Policy  (You have to download it under Coupon Acceptance Policy)

Remember not all stores accept internet coupons, nor are they required to do so.  Any store may refuse to accept your internet coupon!  Try not get into an argument with the clerk or the manager (unless the coupon policy says that they will accept internet coupons).  Trust me, I know from experience, it's fruitless!  Either politely ask the clerk to remove the item from your order or purchase the item without the coupon.  Make a mental note that xxxx store does not accept internet coupons and save your internet coupon purchases for another store.  For my NOLA friends, the K-Mart on Vets does not accept internet coupons.  I think it's kind of ridiculous, since they post them on their website, but I digress! Rouse's also does not accept internet coupons, but at least they don't post them on their website!

A few points of coupon etiquette:

• Do not photocopy coupons.  This is illegal.
• Do not use coupons past their expiration date. The scanners won't allow you to do this anyways.
• Only use coupons for products authorized on the coupon.
• I know this is going to be controversial, but I would not key in a different zip code in order to find a coupon on a website, such as at coupons.com.  It seems to me that, if a manufacturer restricts a coupon by zip code, it is really only intended for those living in that zip code.  The way I see it, typing in a random zip code to get a coupon is dishonest.

 And one final lesson I have learned is that it's ok to completely let go of couponing from time to time.  Sometimes there are more important things going on in our lives than saving $xx off our grocery budget.  When our twin boys were born, I didn't pay attention to coupons or sales ads or even blogs for a month or so and we still survived.  So, just remember to keep coupons and sales and stockpiles all in perspective!

My Couponing Adventures Part 2

Last week, I began to discuss my adventures in couponing.  See my first post here where I shared about creating a price book and following some blogs. Please remember that I am still a coupon newbie, so I really am just trying to share with you my experiences:)

Armed with my price book in hand, I started collecting coupons.  At the time, we were getting a newspaper, so I clipped the coupons from the coupon inserts.  To begin with, I was very selective, too selective, in the coupons that I clipped.  Because I was too selective, I missed out on a few deals in the beginning.  Now, I clip almost every coupon because you never know when there's going to be an amazing deal on xxxx. When I can predict the future, I'll stop clipping every coupon!

I also find lots of internet coupons by following just a couple of blogs, like MoneySavingMom.com. Sometimes these coupons are offered on manufacturer's websites, sometimes on store websites, sometimes on coupon websites, other times they are Facebook offers.  Usually, you can print two internet coupons per computer.  I am more selective about the internet coupons that I print.  In the beginning, I printed way too many coupons and wasted a lot of ink.  Now, I have a better sense of what coupons I will use. One thing to definitely watch out for with internet coupons is the expiration date.  Often coupons will expire within 30 days, so make sure you will use it prior to the expiration date.

Sometimes I get coupons by requesting samples, which I also read about on blogs.  These samples may come from Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Costco, Target, VocalPoint, or the manufacturer, but more often than not, they come with high-value coupons. 

From what I hear, another great source of coupons is the All You magazine.  Just today I was able to get a free six-month subscription, so I'll let you know what I think of it as a coupon source in the future.

Once I started growing a coupon stockpile, I needed an organizational system.  I like to use an envelope system.  I sort my coupons by category and file them in labeled envelopes.  I store my envelopes in a small storage box that has a handle.  I like this method because, if I am shopping and see something on clearance, I can quickly look to see if I also have a coupon for it.    But, everyone's different, so do what works best for you.  Once a month, I go through my coupons and pull out coupons that have expired. 

I definitely had some misconceptions about coupons to begin with.  First, I thought the coupons were only for junk!  In my newspaper, I found lots and lots of coupons for chips and baking mixes and sugary cereals.  I am more of a whole foods cook, so those things don't often find their way into my pantry.  I really wondered if coupons existed for things that I would buy!  Well, I have found coupons for healthy foods, like whole wheat flour, eggs, milk, oats, fresh pineapple, bagged spinach, potatoes, and mandarin oranges. I also found that I save a bundle by using coupons for toiletries (instead of paying for these items, I usually get them for free or better than free, seriously!)

I also thought that I could always save more by buying a generic product.  Now, I thought that because I was comparing the brand name regular price less the coupon with the price of the generic product.  I have since learned that I can get the product for even less if I wait for a sale to use my coupon.  Doing that often makes the name brand product cheaper than the generic.  Surprisingly, even more savings are possible.  Some stores like Target and Walgreen's have store coupons.  Combine the store coupon AND the manufacturer's coupon AND a sale for maximum savings!  

I'll continue on next week.  Happy shopping, everyone!

My Couponing Adventures Part 1

Since my post last week with the tower of pasta, I have had a few questions about couponing, how I got started, where I find coupons, that sort of thing.  First of all, I want to say that I am really a newbie at couponing, so I am not really one to look to for advice, but keep reading and I will point you to an expert who you can look to for advice:)  I will share with you why I started couponing, the steps I took, where I find coupons, etc., and, of course, the results.  That's a lot, so it's going to take me several posts, so please be patient!


About two years ago, I was shopping primarily at Sam's Club and WalMart.  I had a strong conviction in my heart that if we could manage to spend less, then we would have more money to give to others, so I started looking at ways to decrease our spending.  Now, we weren't exactly living extravagantly at the time.  We had two kids and were living off of one income.  For years we have only had one vehicle.  We have never paid for cable.  We do not have iphones; in fact, we didn't even have texting at the time.  Our kids wear hand-me-downs.  We use cloth diapers.  But, the grocery budget was one place I identified where we could possibly reduce spending.  Plus, I do all the shopping, so the grocery budget was an area completely under my control.  Now, I used the term budget, but really up to this time, I wouldn't say we really had a grocery budget.  We (meaning I) just spent what we needed to on food.  I was determined, though, to spend less with the goal of being free to give more!

Around this time, a friend of mine mentioned a blog that she liked, called MoneySavingMom.com, so I checked it out and started reading it.  I currently follow a few couponing/money saving blogs, but this is by far my favorite.  Crystal is a wonderful Christian homeschooling mom of three.  I have learned and continue to learn so much from her about frugality with a purpose.  I don't want to reproduce the work that she or others do on their blogs, so I point you there for a great resource of money-saving tips, coupons, deal scenarios, etc.  She has some great series that can help you lower your grocery budget, like 31 days to a better grocery budget and 31 weeks to a better grocery budget if you are interested.

The first step I took, which I learned from Crystal at MoneySavingMom.com, was to create a price book.  I listed the groceries that I typically buy going down the left hand side of a spreadsheet and the stores going across the top.  Then, I went around to the stores and recorded the regular price of the product.  I went everywhere I could think of: WalMart, Sam's, Target, K-Mart, Big Lots, Rouse's, Winn-Dixie, Save-a-Lot, Dollar General, Walgreen's, Rite Aid, you get the idea.  I think this first step is crucial.  In order to get the best bang for your buck, you really have to know a good deal when you see it and you can't do that unless you know what you typically pay for something.  If you have it recorded in your price book, then you won't be guesstimating.  You'll be able to look at an ad and compare the price with the lowest price in your price book and know whether it's a good price or not.


Armed with my price book in hand, I then started collecting coupons.  If all goes well, we can continue this discussion next week!  

Pasta, anyone?

When I have coupons AND something we love goes on sale AND the shelves are full, I say stock up!