Category Archives: Grocery Stores

Meijer: Best Grocery Deals thru 5/7

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Meijer SupercenterLook for stockpile prices at Meijer by stacking the Meijer Mealbox coupons with manufacturer coupons for big savings. Using this strategy, I’ve purchased Ortega Black Beans FREE, Ortega Salsa $0.25/jar, Campbells Cream cooking soups FREE or $0.05/can, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Sticks $0.19 ea, etc.

Here are the best prices at Meijer this week. I won’t personally do all of these deals for the $25/wk Food Budget Challenge. They’re just what I see in the ad. If you’re not familiar with mPerks, read my post here.

Best Prices this Week:

Dannon Greek Yogurt 5.3 oz $0.99
Use (2) $1/5 Meijer Mealbox coupons
Also use (5) $0.50/2 coupons from 4/17 SS
Final Price $0.54 ea wyb 10

Ball Park Franks $1.79
Use $0.55/1 printable coupon
Final Price $1.24

General Mills Cereal $2.50
Use $2/3 mPerks digital coupon
Final Price $1.83 ea wyb 3

Skinny Cow Ice Cream Novelties $3.99
Use $1/2 mPerks digital coupon
Final Price $3.49 ea wyb 2

Yoplait Singles $0.50 ea
Use $2/20 mPerks digital coupon
Final Pric $0.40 ea wyb 20

P&G Promo: Spend $50, Get $10 Prepaid Card Back by Mail

Sample Savvy Scenario:

Buy 2 Gillette ProGlide Razors $7.99 ea
Buy 2 Bounty Basic Paper Towels 6 roll $5.49 ea
Buy 2 Mr. Clean Multi-Surface Cleaner $2.50 ea
Buy 2 Old Spice Body Wash $3.59 ea
Buy 1 Gillette Body Wash $3.89
Buy 1 Gillette Deodorant $4.49
Buy 2 Oral B Advantage Toothbrush $2.50 ea
Total = $52.52
Use (2) $4 Gillette ProGlide coupons from 5/1 PG
Use (2) $1 Bounty coupons from 5/1 PG
Use $1.50/2 Mr Clean coupon from 5/1 PG
Use BOGO FREE Old Spice coupon from 5/1 PG
Use BOGO FREE Gillette coupon from 5/1 PG
Use (2) $1.50/1 Oral B Advantage coupon from 5/1 PG
OOP = $29.94 (+ tax)
Submit mail-in rebate for $10 Prepaid card
Final Price $19.94 for all 12 items ($1.66 ea!)

Good Values:

Mangos $0.50 ea
Vidalia Sweet Onions $0.69/lb
Cilantro $0.50 per bunch
Chicken Drumsticks/Thighs, value pack $0.99/lb
Meijer Soft Tortillas $0.99

Note: I shop from the Grand Rapids, Michigan circular. Our stores do not double coupons.

Not sure about the coupon lingo? Don’t have enough coupons? Order some. Still need help? Look here or ask me in the comments!

Shop Meijer.com – Higher Standards, Lower Prices

Family Fare: Best Grocery Deals thru 5/7

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fam fare

Save on Spartan brand items with the Turn to Spartan coupons valid at any Spartan store (Family Fare, D&W Fresh Market, VG’s, Tom’s Food, Glen’s Market).

Here are the best prices at Family Fare this week. I won’t personally do all of these deals for the $25/wk Food Budget Challenge — they’re just what I see in the ad.

Best Prices:

Donate $1 to Special Olympics Michigan and get $3.50 in coupons! Plus, purchase $20 of participating General Mills products, get $5 off. General Mills will donate a matching $5 to Spartan Stores Foundation for Special Olympics Michigan. (Special Olympics State Summer Games are coming up June 2 – 4 at Central Michigan University. Please BE A FAN of the local Kent/Barry county athletes on facebook if you’re not already!

Yoplait Yogurt Singles $0.50 – Buy 20
Use (3) $0.40/6 printable coupons or from 3/27 SS
(Purchase $20 General Mills, Get $5 off)
OOP = $3.80
Get $2 OYNO Catalina
Final Price $0.19 ea wyb 20

Aunt Millie’s Hot Dog or Hamburger Buns $3.19, BOGO
Use $0.55/1 coupon from 4/17 RP
Final Price $1.32

Old El Paso – 25% off full line
(Purchase $20 General Mills, Get $5 off)
Use $0.60/3 printable coupon
Final Price varies

Purex Liquid Laundry Detergent $3.99
Use $1/1 coupon from 5/1 RP
Final Price $2.99 (6.5¢ per load)
*or try my recipe for 3¢ per load detergent!

Nestle Promo: Spend $20 on participating products, Get $5 OYNO Catalina
Sample Savvy Scenario:
Buy 2 Nestle Drumsticks $6.00
Buy 4 Lean Cuisine $8.00
Buy 1 DiGiorno Pizza $4.99
Buy 1 Coffee-mate creamer $2.00
Use $1/2 Drumsticks coupon from 5/1 SS
Use $1/4 Lean Cuisine coupon from 5/1 SS
Use $1/1 Digiorno coupon from 5/1 SS
Use $0.55/1 Coffee-mate printable coupon
OOP = $17.44
Get $5 OYNO Catalina
Final Price $12.44 for 8 items ($1.56 each)

Good Values:

Azteca Flour Tortillas $1.00

Spartan Fresh Chicken drumsticks or thighs, value pack $0.98/lb
(stock up price)

Mini Seedless Watermelon $3.99, BOGO
Final Price $2.00 ea wyb 2

48-Hour Sale (Fri 5/6 and Sat 5/7):

Kellogg’s Cereal $1.57 (limit 4)
Use $1.50/3 coupon from 4/10 RP
Final Price $1.07 wyb 3
(Stock up price for me! I never pay more than $1 for cereal. How about you?)

Spartan Large Dozen Eggs $0.88
Use $0.55/2 printable coupon (previously available)
Final Price $0.61 ea wyb 2

Note: Our Grand Rapids area stores do not double coupons.

Not sure about the lingo? Read this. Don’t have the coupons you need? Order some. Still need help? Look here or ask me in the comments!

Save Money on Produce: Organic vs. Conventional

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organic vs conventional produce

We’d all love to purchase all organic foods all the time, right?  The problem is that little thing called a “budget.”  So, if you have to pick and choose when to buy organic produce and when conventional produce will do, how you do decide?  Here’s what has been suggested by EWG’s Dirty Dozen vs Clean 15:

Go Organic:

  • Apples
  • Celery
  • Strawberries
  • Peaches
  • Spinach
  • Nectarines (imported)
  • Grapes (imported)
  • Sweet Bell Peppers
  • Potatoes
  • Blueberries (domestic)
  • Lettuce
  • Kale (collard greens)

    Conventional is ok (lowest in pesticide):

    • Onion
    • Sweet Corn
    • Pineapples
    • Avocado
    • Asparagus
    • Sweet Peas
    • Mango
    • Egg Plant
    • Cantelope (domestic)
    • Kiwi
    • Cabbage
    • Watermelon
    • Sweet Potatoes
    • Grapefruit
    • Mushrooms

    What is your strategy for buying organic vs. conventional produce?  Aside from growing/canning/etc your own, how do you find ways to save?

    Country Life Natural Foods Store {Frugal, Bulk Foods}

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    country life natural foods storeI just took a blog field trip to Country Life Natural Foods store in Pullman, MI. This is an excellent resource for bulk foods and is open to the public. It has really helped me stick to the $25/wk Food Budget Challenge.

    So far, I’ve purchased (and would recommend):

    • 25# organic rolled oats $27.50 ($1.10 per lb)
    • 25# dried black beans $13.00 ($0.52 per lb)
    • 12.5# basmati rice $13.75 ($1.10 per lb)

    We were 4 people splitting fuel costs ($5 per person) in a van that hauled back over 250# of bulk foods.  I’m planning on driving to the store about once per quarter to restock. There are also a few local co-ops that you can join (often for a surcharge) if you don’t want to make the trip.

    country life frugal bulk foods

    They also have a typical health-food type store in addition to the bulk foods warehouse.  Those items are about average pricing. I spent about $44.65 for the items in the box (which include 5# whole almonds, 1# quinoa, 2 jars natural jam, tofu, organic artichoke & spinach pastas, and a few other things.) As you know, that’s about 2 week’s worth of my food budget, but I’m excited to try a few new foods!

    How about you? Have you been to Country Life Natural Foods? Do you prefer to order through a co-op?