GROCERIES: We do our very best to eat organic, non-processed foods, but there are some areas where we simply don't have the budget to make it happen (I feed a family of 6 on $600 per month). Below is a mix of where I purchase the large amount of nourishment needed for our family.
Costco:
-organic chicken and ground beef
-butter from grass-fed cows
-organic olive oil
-organic whole milk
-almond milk
-organic bread
-organic carrots
-frozen organic mixed-veggies
-canned organic diced tomatoes
-cheese sticks
-nuts (almonds and cashews)
-toilet paper
-paper towels
99cent Store: I know some people have bad, preconceived notions about this store.....but seriously go in one time and really have a good look around. They have many treasures! You may need to go to a few to find the "best" one in your area (they do vary).
These are things that I buy that they always have (in our area):
-bananas
-bags of apples
-bags of oranges
-onions
-eggs
-salsa
-canned olives
-4 packs of apple sauce (with no added sugar)
-Swiss Miss and Nestle hot cocoa
-school supplies (poster boards, pencils, pens, erasers, paper, envelopes, etc.)
-toothbrushes/toothpaste
-plastic storage bags
-hand soap
-band aids
-hair accessories for the girls
-dog toys, dog bowls
-fish and turtle food (we have both pets)
-simple household tools and supplies (screw drivers, utility knives, duct tape, rope, etc.)
-cleaning supplies (sponges, dust pans, dish soap, etc.)
-gift bags, gift bag tissue, cards
-Kleenex
-great seasonal holiday sections
They often have:
-some sort of organic fruit or veggie (I have gotten blueberries, spinach, arugula, and carrots)
-fresh cilantro
-celery
-grapes
-radishes
-Chobani Greek Yogurt (for 79cents)
-crispy bread sticks (with only 7 ingredients....and I can read and understand them all: wheat flour, palm oil, tomato, yeast, salt, malt flour, and oregano)
-Gluten-free cereal
-Gluten-free pasta
Other healthy things they sometimes (rarely) have:
-organic milk
-organic yogurt
-organic salsa
This list does not include all of the great things at the store.....just the stuff that I purchase regularly. They also have things like: bagels, cream cheese, pretzels, soup, condiments, etc.. Give the store a chance!
Ralph's:
-Always look in the "Manager's Special" section...always. You never know what you will find. The best deal I ever found was boxes of Lara Bars....healthy snack bars (5 per box) for $1.79!!! That's right! $1.79 for the box! Usually Lara Bars are anywhere from $1-$1.50 per bar. They had a year before they expired, so I bought all that the store had (27 boxes...see pic below).
My Lara Bar Bounty!
I have also found boxes of organic granola bars (5 per box) for $1.29 and organic loaves bread for $1.50. In the meat section, I have found "Manager's Special": organic chicken, Applegate uncured bacon, and Aidell sausages for super cheap. In the produce section, I have found: pre-cut watermelon, apple slices, carrots, organic salad, packaged spinach and celery. With meat and produce the food is expiring within a day, but if you eat it that or the next it is a great deal!-Ralph's is also starting to carry lots of organic food for much cheaper prices than Sprouts and Whole Foods.
Trader Joe's:
-They have lots of great prices on lots of things, but my only "must have" from this store is Envirokidz organic cereal for $2.50 a box (over $4 everywhere else)
KIDS' GIFTS:
-If you are in the Los Angeles area, the Mattel Toy Store in El Segundo is a must! They have great deals on certain days where you can get 25-75% off a variety of items. Also....my favorite section....the "damaged package" section. In this section, toys are already marked down because there is some sort of minor (or major) damage to a toy's packaging. AND in addition to the mark-down, they usually also give you an additional 50-60% off!!! I got a $70 Hot Wheel Wall Track with a minor puncture wound in the center of the back of the box for $15. My youngest son did not even notice the box damage...because he ripped the box open anyway! They usually have great special daily deals on Monster High, Barbie, and Hot Wheel toys. The only thing is that the deals are hit and miss. If you are flexible with what you want to purchase, this store is great!
-Another bit of Mattel fabulousness....my kids and I are all toy testers for the Mattel Imagination Center. They host numerous focus groups to test toy concepts, samples, commercials, etc....and you get rewarded. Depending on how long the kids are there, they get free toys and/or gift cards for Target! As a Mom, you get paid in Target gift cards. Usually if I am there for an hour, I get a $60-70 gift card! I save all of the gift cards I get (I let the kids spend theirs) to use to purchase gifts at Christmas. I usually end up having $300-$400 in gift cards!!! It seriously saves us during the holidays.
-Target clearance: Always walk the around the back-side of the end-caps at Target (especially the toy, seasonal/holiday, and home goods sections). There are seriously good deals to be found!
-Michael's Craft Store: This store has a great kids section AND you can always find a "40% or 50% off one item" coupon by going online.
-Toys R Us, Target, and Amazon online clearance....We got a $30 game of LIFE (iPad version) for $12.50, super cute sparkly girly shoes for $2.25, KNEX basic building kits for $12 shipped, travel board game for $4, and more.
EATING OUT:
-We don't eat out much....unless we have a gift card. Most fast food places completely gross us out (watch any food documentary and you will see why), so we don't eat at those places either. The "one" place we do eat 1-2 times a month (totally unhealthy, processed food junk...but cheap), is Little Caesar's Pizza. I can feed my family two pizzas and it only costs us $10 total.
Other money savers:
-I make my own household cleaner using vinegar and Dawn dish soap
-I make my own laundry detergent (using this recipe http://duggarsblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/duggar-recipe-liquid-laundry-soap.html
*****NOTE!....I am not nearly as domesticated as the two things listed above make me sound......although I do hope to add homemade shampoo to the list soon! :0) *****
-Couponing.....wonderful deals are to be had if you have time to coupon. I have a friend who gets all sorts of things for free! However, I have never been able to get the hang of it, and do not have the desire/energy/time to figure it out. However, if you can do it, go for it!!!
Super Moms, with a little flexibility and searching you can find amazing deals to make every one of your super pennies stretch to its fullest potential! Do you have any super, money saving deals? SHARE!
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