Stockpile Sweet Potatoes

My family loves sweet potatoes.  We eat them baked with butter, sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top.  We eat them in soup.  We eat them as fries.   We also make a mean sweet potato casserole that I will share with you next week.  Your family doesn’t like sweet potatoes?  This casserole might make you change your minds.  

If you love sweet potatoes (yams), or if you want to try and like sweet potatoes, now is the time of year to stock up.    Currently, sweet potatoes are at their rock bottom price.  At Walmart they are $.38/pound.   Aldi of course beats Walmart this week with a 3 pound bag selling for 99 cents (33 cents/ pound).

Sweet potatoes will keep for awhile in a cool, dry place.  What exactly am I going to do with the 18 pounds of sweet potatoes I just bought at Aldi?  Next week I will show you.

For now, you need to stock up on those sweet potatoes!  If you subscribe to the Frugal Flamingo via email, Facebook or Twitter you won’t miss a sweet potato thing.

Stock Up on Meat

photo source: pixelbase 

It is that time of year again.  Time to buy your turkeys.  This week at Giant and Weis (my local grocery stores), whole turkeys are on sale for $.58/pound.  My suspicion is that almost all grocery stores will have turkeys on sale the next 2 weeks.  This is a slight price increase compared to last year’s $.49/pound.  I suspect it is due to the cost of turkeys rising by 4%. 

I think this is it.  This is the stockpile price of the season.

Even if you are not cooking a turkey on Thanksgiving, you need to buy one.  In fact, I recommend buying one every week they go on sale for this rock bottom price. 

Think beyond Thanksgiving.  Store them in your extra freezer.  Pull them out through the winter to feed your family for a week.  This is the cheapest way to feed a family when meat is involved.   Still need a little turkey convincing?  Here are some ways you can use your turkey.  Remember, making your own broth will almost fully compensate you for the cost of your turkey.

Cooking your turkey

Homemade broth

Turkey Noodle Soup

Turkey Tetrazzini

Turkey Tacos

What about you?  Do you buy turkeys on sale to use later?

Seasonal Grocery Sales

photo source: akaak19

Did you know that grocery sales are seasonal?

Typically you are not going to find barbeque sauce on sale in the middle of the winter. Barbeque sauce will hit its rock bottom price in July and August. That is when you stock up for a few months or the year if you have room.

Tis’ the time of year for all things holiday to go on sale. Canned pumpkin and condensed/evaporated milk will be at their lowest over the next few weeks. Of course turkey will be too. Buying a giant turkey at a super low price to use later this winter will be the best deal ever.

As we move closer towards Christmas, you will find all things “baking” at their lowest prices. Flour, sugar, brown sugar and butter will be on sale. When they hit their bottom price, stock up! Just like the butter at Aldi this week.

Of course, coupons paired with a rockin’ sale will make you even more excited to bake. As they become available, I will do my best to share them with you.

I am starting to get excited for all of the holiday cooking and baking. What about you?

Stock up at Aldi this Week

This week at Aldi 2 products on sale grabbed my attention.

The Happy Farm’s cream cheese is on sale for only $.89.  This is a marked down price from $1.49.  If you coupon, you can sometimes get cream cheese cheaper.  However, if you don’t coupon be sure to stop by and grab a few.  You can freeze cream cheese if needed.

 

The sale I am very excited about is Aldi’s 16 oz butter.  It is on sale for only $1.99.  This is a price cut from $2.79.   I use a lot of butter.   I have not been able to find butter this cheap recently, even with coupons.  So, I plan on stocking up for my upcoming Christmas baking.  Also remember that you can freeze butter too.

Stocking up on Toilet Paper

I often get asked, “where do you buy your paper products like toilet paper?”  I seriously wish it were a more glamorous question, but it is reality.  We need toilet paper and a lot of it.

I buy almost all my toilet paper at the grocery store.  You may be surprised by that because it is thought to be more expensive at a grocery store.  However, I stock up when the time is right   Lucky for you, the time is right this week at Weis.  My favorite toilet paper is Scotts 1000. Why?  Because I feel like it lasts longer than the ultra soft stuff.  At least that is the opinion in our house. (*I have not been compensated by Scott Tissue for this post)

Back to the deal.  This week at Weis if you buy $11 worth of Scott’s Bath Tissue,  you get back $3 to use on your next order.  If you buy $21 worth, you get back $7.  The toilet paper in the deal is the 12 pack of Scott 1000 Bath Tissue priced at 2/$15.

Here is what you can do:

• Buy 2 packs of bath tissue (a fancy word for toilet paper)= $15
• Get back $3
• That equals $12 for 24 rolls.  In my opinion, 50 cents a roll for this toilet paper is a good price. 

A better deal:

• Buy 3 packs of bath tissue= $22.50
• Get back $7
• That equals $15.50 for 36 rolls or only $.43 cents per roll. 

Did you notice something?  You can get this deal with no coupons involved.  You are trying to get your rock bottom price to stock up.  If you don’t coupon, this may be your stock up chance.

If you do coupon, you are going to get an awesome deal.  You can find Scott’s Bath Tissue coupons:

• 10/23 Smart Source flyer $1/1  12 pack
• $1/1 All You Magazine August
• $1/1 printable (you can print up to 2)

Since I have 3 coupons, I will get 36 rolls for $12.50 which is only 35 cents a roll.  That is my rock bottom.  We are not out of toilet paper, but it looks like I will be stocking up this week any way.  Please don’t wait until you run out.  For more reasons than one.

*Of note: if the store is out of the toilet paper you need for your deal, just go to customer service and ask for a raincheck.

When You are Apple Obsessed

Autumn is my favorite time of the year. I love everything about it. Especially apples. Making applesauce, apple butter, apple crisp and apple pies are a tradition.

I am able to keep my apple fetish alive by buying them at our local orchard. The key is to buy “seconds”.

Does it look like anything is wrong with this apple?

Nope. Nothing. It is a “second” although I’m not sure why it qualifies. Sometimes they are bruised or spotted. However, they still taste great.

I bought this whole box for $3.00. The seconds at my orchard cost $4.00 for a 1/2 bushel. (I think I got a discount).

If you are going to need several bushels for applesauce, I suggest calling your local orchard and ordering ahead. Your apples will keep in a cool dry place for a week or two. If there are any “bad” or bruised apples, pick them out of the box. They will make the other apples go “bad” quicker too.

The later in the season, the more “secondy” the “seconds” are. I am sure you are not like me and procrastinate. every. single. year. This year I vow to change. Just talking about apples makes me hungry.

So go for the seconds. It is hard to beat that in price. Unless you are lucky enough to pick them off your backyard tree. Then go do that.

Do you have any apple tips to share?

I am linking up with Women Living Well Wednesday’s…. hop on over there for inspiration!

Stocking up on Snacks

Forgive me for a completely text based post. I have no time to take pictures.  This post is really for the “local folks”.  Today I ventured to my somewhat local food salvage store.   With summer here, I suspect it will be quite awhile until I go back again.

If I had time to take pictures each week of my groceries, you would notice that I do not buy much in the way of snacks.  I make a lot of my snacks and “junk” food. 

I also buy snacks at D & K (our food salvage store).  I spent more than I wanted to this week.  However, I bought a lot of snacks that will last us through the summer.  Or at least a good chunk of it.  I hope. 

We spend a lot of time at the pool each summer.  I was purposely on the hunt for treats to eat there.  We rarely ever buy anything at the snack bar.

At D&K right now, there are a lot of buy 2 bags for $1.  I bought a lot of bags of baked veggie chips and baked pita chips.  While not entirely “healthy”, it is a better option than Doritos.  If my crew can munch on something for 50 cents, I’m a happy camper.  Or a swimmer in this case.

I also found boxes of Jello pudding pops for 99 cents.  I can give my kiddos a popsicle for 3 days on one box.  This is only 33 cents per day.  Oh and the ice cream cake I bought for $5.99.  Not entirely frugal.  Ok not frugal at all.  However, good gravy is that a fun treat to pull out in the heat of the summer.  Surely will get your mom of the year award.

I do not condone junk food.  However, we have one “fun” snack per day.  It is our afternoon tradition.  Family traditions are important so it’s all good. 

Happy summer snacking!

Thinking Ahead

I have found that a large part of saving money on everything from groceries to clothes to shoes to gifts is “thinking ahead”.

When you are in the grocery store, at a yard sale or at Target keep an open mind.  You may not be on the “hunt” for Christmas presents in May, however be open to the possibility.  Your kiddos birthday might be 5 months away, but you may find something perfect now.

Today I bought these brand new sneakers at a yard sale for $2.  My youngest won’t wear them for another year or 2, but at that price who would pass them by?

I bought these Christmas cookie decorations today at Aldi’s.  They     were only 10 cents.  Yes, I wrote 10 cents.  I found them on clearance at the front of the store.  They normally sell for $3.  They will be perfect in 7 months when we do our traditional cookie baking!

What about you?  Do you buy ahead?

this post is linked to Frugal Friday so hop on over there for more inspiration

Opportunity to Stockpile Peanut Butter

Although my menu is planned, I have not yet figured out what deals are to be found this week.  However, a quick glance in the Weis grocery flyer caught my eye.  Peanut butter is on sale.  My kids love peanut butter.  If I could use a stronger word for their affinity of the creamy delight, I would.  They would eat peanut butter every day for lunch.  Often they do.

I also use peanut butter in baking and cooking.  Needless to say, this is one of the items I stockpile. 

At Weis this week, the small jars of  Skippy peanut butter are on sale 3 for $5 (which is $1.66/jar).  However, if you buy $20 worth, you get back $5.

So, let’s look at this deal. Without clipping any coupons, I can buy 12 jars of peanut butter for $15 (will spend $20, get back $5).  This is equivalent to $.80 per jar.  As long as the Skippy Natural is included in the deal (which it usually is), I am all over it.

It will only take us a few months to consume that many jars of peanut butter.  This is WELL before the expiration date. 

This is how I go about stockpiling. It does not have to be rocket science, time consuming or coupon intensive.  Can someone else do better?  Absolutely!  However, this works for me! 

Hopefully this could work for you too!

Sshh! Can you Keep a Secret?

I have another lil’ secret for how I keep my grocery budget low. I honestly forgot to mention this until now.  Since we are friends, I will share it with you.  Ready?  It’s called: the Bread Outlet.

Oh glorious day.  How the bread outlet saves my family money.  Each day of the week the specials are slightly different.  My favorite day to go is Friday because it is buy one get one free day.

My local bread outlet is “across” town.  When I go, I stock up.  I simply throw the bagels, bread and muffins in my freezer. 

This week I bought

• 3 bags of of whole grain bagels
• 3 bags of pretzel bagels (I have never heard of these before, but they sound delicious for sandwiches for tomorrows lunch)
• 3 boxes of Thomas English muffins
• 1 box of donuts (a pure sinful delight that will make me mom of the year with my kids)
• 6 loaves of Stroehmann’s bread

Grand total?  $9.50! For the “non-math minded”, that averages to only 59 cents per item! 

Have you bought a loaf of “name brand” bread at the grocery store lately?  Good gravy!  The prices are outrageous.  So, I believe it is worth my time, energy and gas to buy my bread at the outlet.  I usually combine my trip with other errands. 

I do make my own bread from time to time.  Especially, when I run out of my outlet bread.  However, as long as I can get whole grain bread this cheap, I will continue to buy it. 

I know that other areas have bread outlets too.  So, go ahead and google it!  Have you ever shopped at a bread outlet?

Stock up: this Week at Amelias

I have shared before that the majority of my shopping does not take place at the traditional grocery store. I go to the “regular” grocery store with a list in hand.  I buy coupon deals and meats.  That is typically all. Of course, you know I shop Aldi’s.  Hopefully you do too now.

Another place I frequent is Amelia’s.  I typically stop by Amelia’s every 4-6 weeks.  I do not go with a list in hand.  Instead, I scan the aisles for items I would buy at the lowest price.

There are times that I walk out with nothing.  Sometimes, I walk out with a cart full.  The last time I visited, I came out empty handed.  This time, I emerged with a lot.

They have half gallons of Turkey Hill Duettos Gelati on sale for 99 cents!  99 cents!  Duettos are half vanilla soft ice cream and half Venice Ice (they have the Rasberry).  I bought 5.  They will last us quite awhile.  When I open my freezer I am now pelted with half gallons.

The yogurt sales are incredible.  16 oz of Athenos Greek plain yogurt are 3 for $1. 

32 oz tubs of Plain and Vanilla Yoplait yogurt are 99 cents

Yoplait whip yogurts are only 19 cents (they hardly count as yogurt, but they are a fun snack)

Havarti cheese is only $1.50 for 8oz

3 oz tubs of Goat cheese are only 99 cents (I dream of swimming in Goat Cheese.  It is my absolute favorite)

5 lbs of Gold Medal Whole Wheat Flour are only 99 cents

Quaker Honey Graham granola bars (10 pack) are only 99 cents

That is what is there THIS week. Amelia’s prices and stock constantly change. Want to get started in stockpiling?   Don’t buy 1 box of granola bars, buy 5.   Flour, granola bars, cheese can all be frozen.  Do not become extreme.  Buy what you would eat in an 8-12 week period. 

I hope you have time to swing by!  Let me know what you find!

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Want to start stockpiling? Here is your chance...

I am done my coupon match ups for the week! My goal is to have them done Monday, but so often I procrastinate.

In the past we talked about stockpiling. This week is your chance to stockpile cereal without cutting one coupon!

This week at Weis several of the Kellogg's cereals are on sale for $1.99 (Raisin bran, Corn Flakes, Cinnabon, Honey Smacks, Crispix). If you buy 5 boxes, you get $5 off your bill.

So, let me do the math for you. Without clipping 1 coupon you are looking at a great deal:

• Buy 5 boxes of Kelloggs cereal= $10
• Get back $5
• $5 Total= $1 a box

Of course there are coupons to make this deal even sweeter!!! Take advantage of them! Raisin bran has a $.70 off coupon! .$30 for a box! And if your store doubles, it is free!

Remember to visit Kellogg's and sign up to receive up to $5 in Kellogg's coupon savings! That is where you can get great coupons for this deal. I have not calculated the whole deal yet, but I suspect that with using these coupons I will get 5 boxes for only $2.

That's it folks. This is how you begin to stockpile something like cereal. It is not rocket science. To be honest, we do not do cereal a whole lot for breakfast during the school year. However, I like to have it on hand. I also think "junk cereal" can work great as a snack from time to time.

To really stockpile, do this deal several times!! Note, this must be in separate transactions. I haven't tried this specific deal yet, but in the past it has always worked.

Also, if your store is out of the cereal you want, just ask for a raincheck and you can do the deal next week!

If you are interested in other deals, check out For the Momma's for the coupons and the deal specifics at Weis. If you shop Giant of PA, you can check out that link up here. For all other stores (including Walmart) check out Money Saving Mom's grocery page.

Happy savings!



*Disclosure: this post contains an affiliate link. If you use my link, I will be paid a very small commission per sale or click. Just wanted to let you know! However, I will only recommend products, coupons, or sales that I myself would do!

Stockpiling...Finding the Lowest Price

Monday, we talked about constructing a list of your stockpile needs.  I also shared with you the true secret of stockpiling..."rock bottom" prices.

I know you all want me to just get to the chase and tell you how to get it all cheap!  Well, I can help you along the way. However, you are going to have to do some leg work. In order, to get stuff "cheap", you have to know prices.

Repeat that...I have to know prices, I have to know prices, I have to know prices.

Some of you already are pricing wizards.  However, many of you have no idea what you are paying for things.  I want to encourage starting a pricebook. 

This is how I approach pricing:  

1. Start with the list that you created for your top 10 stockpile needs.
2. If you shop Aldi's, write that price in one column. 
3. In the other column, you can write the price at your favorite grocery store.  Use the regular price.
4. Now, over the next 6-8 weeks, write down the price of the item each week at that one grocery store. The item may be on sale several times.  However, it will eventually hit a rock bottom price.

 Let us use an 8oz block of cheese for example.

Aldi's: $1.79   Weis: $2.50 (regular price)

I don't have the tracking of cheese recorded, but you will find it will go on sale at Weis for 3 for $6 or 3 for $5.  However, the "rock bottom" price is when they put it on buy one get one free.   At that point it is only $1.25 per block. 

  

Once you see it hit a "rock bottom" price.  Then you stockpile.   For example, when cheese is BOGO at Weis, I will buy 20 blocks.   You can freeze cheese, so you need not worry of it going bad.

Overall, what I like to do is know the price at Aldi's and the lowest price at Weis.  So, if I am at Walmart and see 8 oz. cheese for $1.00  ....Holla! 

What if I need cheese and it's not a huge sale?  I would buy it at Aldi or the grocery store...wherever it is cheaper that week.  But just buy enough cheese for that week. 

Obviously, I am just using cheese as an example.

I will also add that the way I tell you to do a pricebook is not the true scientific way to approach it.  You typically will bring in more stores to the book.  However, that overwhelms me. (I encourage you to google pricebook)

I will confess that I do not have a physical pricebook.  I never did.  God has graced me with an incredible mind for remembering prices.  I say that with humility because he has not graced me with remembering details of any other sort.  Or even remembering big things for that matter. I have lost a cell phone, a set of keys, and my gigantic coupon book in a freakishly sort period of time. 

So it is ok for me to say, "I can remember prices" because that is all I have somedays:)

I have more posts on stockpiling planned for the future.   So continue to read along!

 

Stockpiling: Before you begin

So, how do you build your stockpile? 

 

First, you are not going to stockpile EVERYthing.  You are going to look at stockpiling only things you use on a regular basis. If it takes me a year to use shrimp cocktail sauce, I am not going to buy 10 bottles next week.

 

I will probably differ from what you read elsewhere, but I typically do not worry much as much about price for something I only buy a few times a year.  It becomes too much for my brain to process. 

So, for things I don't use that much I may or may not have an extra one on hand. When I run out, I most likely will just buy it at Aldi's. I am throwing that fact out there so that you don't become obessesed for scouring the ads for EVERYthing you could potentially ever buy.

What you will do is think of what you use or buy most often. These are the things you are going to focus on for stockpiling.  As you grow in experience, you can continue to add other things to your stockpile. 

I was trying to think of things that I would typically make sure that I have stocked.  It is obviously not an all inclusive list.  Here are a few:

• peanut butter
• bread
• cheese
• chicken
• ground beef
• cereal
• oats
• toilet paper
• flour
• butter

 As I continue to make my posts build on one another, I promise that it is not an intentional ploy for you to come back and read this blog again. Instead, I am trying to give you digestible bits of information.  I think if I lay it all out in one post, you may not have time to read to the end.

So, I am going to leave you with this assignment.  Think about what you are consistently putting on your list every single week.  I would recommend thinking of 10 things.  Next, I will share with you how to find "rock bottom" prices. 

Wondering about how to buy at rock bottom prices? Subscribe to the Frugal Flamingo via email, RSS or on Facebook.  

Stockpiling

Stockpiling.  If you have perused through frugal blogs, you have seen the word thrown around 100 times.  Perhaps you have even used the word yourself.  However, I would venture to say that many people starting out in the "grocery game" really don't know what a stockpile is, the purpose of one and how you get one.


no, this is not my own stockpile



For our purpose, a stockpile is a bulk of groceries, beauty supplies, personal supplies and cleaning supplies you have stored and on hand to use. 

So why stockpile?  The answer is obvious. It saves money!  It can save a lot of money! 



OK. I could continue to throw incredible stockpiling tips your way, but first I'm going to share a secret with you.  The secret is that this stockpile is your ultimate goal with the whole "grocery game" of lowering your budget.



Listen closely. Your goal is to shop from your own stockpile.  When you run out of cereal, you want to be able to grab a box from your stockpile pantry.  You do NOT want to grab one at the grocery store simply because you ran out. Why?  Because most likely you will be paying a high price! 

The secret within the secret is that all the items within your stockpile were bought at rock bottom prices!

Wondering about how to buy at rock bottom prices? Subscribe to the Frugal Flamingo via email, RSS or on Facebook

My system for the "traditional" grocery store

At some previous point I mentioned that I do not buy much at the "traditional" grocery store. Currently the way my system works is like this.

I match up deals at Weis. I usually do this before I even meal plan. What I buy on sale and/or with coupons is completely independent of what we eat that week. It is basic stockpiling (which I do plan to write on soon).

With groceries, I try to use as little brain power as necessary. So, I always let other bloggers do the work for me. Here are the 2 bloggers that I currently use to figure out what I want to buy with coupons this week.

For the Mommas and Dearly Domestic. "Deal" bloggers will match up the deals with the coupons that are currently available. They tell you where to find them or where to print them. It is easy and painless.

Now, I do not buy everything that they list. I browse the list to figure out what I think we will use if it is a really good price.

So,here is an example of what this looks like for my list. Check out For the Mommas again. Out of their list, here are the only things I plan to buy.

• Green Giant veggies
• Butterball turkey sausage
• Fast fixn nuggets/patties
• Ronzoni pasta
• Cheerios
• Wheaties
• Old El Paso deal (may decide not to do this one)
• Ortega salsa
• Nestle Hot cocoa
• Blistex lipbalm
• Scott Toilet paper (pretty sure I have a great deal scenario worked out for this, I will share later)
• Bailey's (coffee creamer, saw this deal advertised elsewhere)

I would also buy Xtra detergent and the Fisherboy nuggets, but my coupons are not printing for those deals (computer issues).

Sometimes when I get to the store, I change my mind. The deal may not be as good as first thought. And of course sometimes, I will walk by a great deal I didn't previously know about.

The ONLY other thing I will buy at the grocery store is meat. I probably will pick up some chicken thighs (good price this week, but not a "go crazy" price), chuck roast and bacon.

That's it. That is all you should buy at the traditional grocery store. Of course,the exception is what they carry there and you can't get elsewhere. I would venture to say that less than 40% of my $400 monthly grocery is bought at the "traditional" grocery store.

I am sure you could argue with me. However, it is how I lowered my budget.