I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 grocery budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products (toiletries, laundry soap, etc.).
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We leave for South Africa for an 11-day trip tomorrow (if you’re new around here, here’s a post from the last time we took the kids to South Africa that explains why were are taking them on this trip), so my grocery shopping is a little different this week. We’re mostly buying things we can freeze or stick in the pantry. And our meals are kind of weird because we’re just using up the perishables we have on hand!
But, don’t worry, just because we’re getting ready to go out of country, I still went grocery shopping! There were some great deals and I didn’t want to miss them!
Plus, I decided that I wanted to try shopping at Publix.
Some of you who love Publix are all, “Wait, hold up! You have a Publix nearby and you don’t shop there!”
I know, I know.
I have to be honest and say that I didn’t really pay much attention to Publix. I had looked at the deals at IHeartPublix.com a few times, Jesse has been there a few times, and I think maybe I have been there one time before, but I never thought to try to get deals there since I felt like the prices were likely too high to make it worth it.
But after changing my mind on Sprouts, I decided that I need to think outside the box and try out all the grocery stores here just to see what they have to offer.
I was pretty impressed with Publix! I especially loved that they let you scan your own coupons at the self-checkout and it seems like they are very coupon-friendly.
I only got a few items because I just wanted to test out and see how it worked. Overall, I was very impressed and will definitely be paying attention to the deals there from now on.
Saturday Publix Shopping Trip
- 2 Promise Land chocolate milk — $1.69 each, used 2 $1.50/1 coupons = $0.19 each
- 2 lbs. of Jennie-O Ground Turkey — on sale for $2.99, used 2 $1.50/1 coupons = $1.49 per pound
- 1 tub Yucatan Guacamole — on sale Buy One for $5.99, Get One Free, used $2.50/1 coupon = $0.49 (I bought one and they charged me half price since they are on sale Buy One, Get One Free)
- Total with tax: $4.24
I also stopped by Sprouts because they had rolled oats on sale for $0.69. I got around 2 1/4 pounds and we already used some of it to make a double batch of Baked Oatmeal.
And then I was SO excited to find ground beef and sausage on Manager’s Special!
Saturday Sprouts Shopping Trip
- Rolled Oats — $0.69 per pound
- Organic Ravioli — FREE with e-coupon code that Sprouts sent to me
- 2 packages of Ground Beef — marked down to $1.99 per pound = $3.51 and $3.71
- 2 packages of Ground Sausage — marked down to $1.49 per pound = $1.32 and $1.42
- Total with tax: $13.01
Saturday Kroger Shopping Trip
- Davinci Fettuccine — clearanced for $1.25, used a $0.75/1 peelie coupon = $0.50
- 5 PopChips — $0.99 each with the Weekend Only Digital Coupon
- 5 boxes of Ritz crackers — $0.99 per box with Weekly Only Digital Coupon
- 5 boxes Hefty Freezer bags — $1.49 each, used $0.50/1 Kroger Digital Coupon (could be used up to 5 times) = $0.99 each
- Bananas
- Turmeric
- 5 packages of Nathan’s Beef Hot Dogs — $1.99 each with the Weekend Only Digital Coupon
- 4 boxes of Creamette pasta — $1 each, used $2/4 Kroger Digital coupon = $0.50 each
- 4 boxes of Ronzoni pasta — $1 each, used $2/4 Kroger Digital coupon = $0.50 each
- Total with tax: $35
Jesse ran to the store for me on Tuesday because we needed a few things and I had meetings almost all day long for various business stuff. Here’s what he got:
BigLots — Whole Wheat Flour for $3 + Shout Laundry Stain Remover for $2.97 = $6.33 total with tax
ALDI — 2 Peanut butter ($1.15 each), Honey ($2.79), Organic broccoli ($1.89), Powdered Sugar ($1.29), Bananas ($0.81) = $9.80 total with tax
Total Spent on Groceries This Week
Total spent on groceries this week: $68.38
Rebates: $0.25 for submitting a receipt to Ibotta, $0.80 back from Fetch Rewards for scanning four receipts (If you haven’t signed up for Fetch Rewards, you can sign up here and use code WW7XJ and you’ll get a bonus 2,000 points = worth $2.)
that should have said their subs are pretty great, too!!
There’s really only one thing worth going specifically to Publix for:
Fried. Chicken.
I don’t know what they coat their fried chicken in, but it’s AMAZING. We’ve tried deli fried chicken at other grocery stores and restaurants. No one comes close to Publix chicken. They always made a great cheap quick dinner when one of us had to work late. I miss being close enough to a Publix to get that chicken, but every time we go somewhere that has a Publix… we get a box before we leave.
Thanks so much for that tip!
they’re sub are pretty great , too!!
Sounds great! You are inspiring me to get out of my grocery shopping rut. Have a great trip!
Yay! I’m glad that I’m inspiring you!
Publix in many areas are not true buy one get one free. Florida Publix are. Meaning our stores charge 0 for the second item. You can also use a coupon for the free item. I shopped there a lot when I was really into couponing. I stayed in Ohio for a few months last year and shopped at Kroger often. Loved it!!
Thanks for those tips!
So glad that you shopped @ Publix!
Their Customer service is the Best!
I have forgotten a coupon or the digital coupon wouldn’t take @ register, so the Service just gave me money for those!
Thanks so much for mentioning that about coupons and customer service!
I like how you shop in a lot of different places and have variety of things to get. Keep up the great work.
Thanks so much!
Also try savings star and checkout 51 apps for rebates
I use Checkout 51 whenever I’m able to find a deal on there — which isn’t often, but does happen sometimes! I have yet to use Savings Star.
I think you mean’t $2 off 4 on the Creamette Pasta deal at Kroger (the Ronzoni as well); not the other way around.
Thanks so much for catching that!
My husband and I grew up with Publix and my husband worked there for his first teenager job 44 years ago. Their prices have really gotten higher and higher so I only usually shop there on really good deal weeks which is about one week a month. When they have good deals though we try to get there. But, our surplus grocery store just keeps upping their game so more and more of our dollars go there. I just cannot beat their prices anywhere. This week they added a cold dairy section and we took home premium OJ that is $5 a bottle at Publix for 99 cents among other great deals. They also had a 10 pound box of individually frozen Hormel pork chops for $9. Name brand bread is $1 and in date. They have everything from Thomas to Arnold brand. We blessed to be able to shop there and save so much money.