I wish I could say all this extra cash went straight into the savings account, but where’s the fun in that? I treated myself to a few kitchen toys that set me back around $200. I snagged a shiny new All-Clad 12-Inch Fry Pan on eBay. Then I started obsessing about Le Creuset. Unfortunately, I understand that the Le Creuset outlet store in Kansas City closed a while back, and the eBay deals weren’t all that hot. I finally realized how ridiculous I was and settled for a much more budget-friendly Lodge 6-Quart Dutch Oven in emerald green. Of course, I needed the Le Creuset Stainless Steel Knob if I wanted to bake bread in it. At this point, what’s a couple more things, right? A T-Fal Professional Total Nonstick 12-1/2-Inch Fry Pan and a Lodge Logic 12-Inch Pre-Seasoned Skillet rounded out my order. The total damage was $200.12, which was then slightly reduced by an Amazon gift card from Opinion Outpost and by last week’s eBay Groupon. Whew!

Now you may be wondering how I can write about All-Clad and Le Creuset on a blog titled “A penny pinched.” It seems counter-intuitive, doesn’t it? I personally believe in pinching pennies wherever I can so that I can spend on the things that really matter to me. Donate, save, yes, bot don’t live like a miser. Treat yourself once in a while.

Walmart
Ken’s salad dressing, 16 oz: $2.24 – $1.00 coupon = $1.24 (this is what happens when you delegate)
Yakisoba noodles: $0.62 – $0.50 coupon = $0.12
Degree travel size deodorant: $0.97 (coupon didn’t scan. grrr!!)
Spent: $2.67

Walgreens
Walgreens aluminum foil, 20 sq ft: $0.69 – 20% off coupon = $0.55
2 bottles Renuzit, 13 oz each: $2.99 – 15% off coupon – two $1.00 coupons = $0.54
Spent: $1.37
Saved: $5.44

Hen House
Post Honey Bunches of Oats Raisin Medley, 17 oz: $2.00 – $1.00 coupon = $1.00
Lipton tea, 29 ct: $3.99 – $0.60 coupon = $3.39 (messed up)
Spent: $4.87
Saved: $3.29

CVS
5 Pepsi bottles, 2 liters each: $4.40
Skintimate shaving gel, 7 oz: $3.49 – $0.55 coupon = $2.94 (generated $2.50 ECB)
2 Clean & Clear shower gels, 16 oz each: (2 x $2.99) – BOGO coupon – $2.00 coupon = $0.99
Used $7.99 ECB from a previous transaction
Spent: $2.06
Saved: $24.69

Price Chopper
2 Tony’s four cheese pizzas: ($1.69 x 2) – $1.00 = $2.38
2 mangoes: 2 x $0.69 = $1.38
Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers: $$0.69
2 Yoplait Greek yogurts: (2 x $0.99) – $0.60 = $1.38
4 lbs oranges: $1.69
0.77 lbs green beans: $0.77
1.06 lbs asparagus: $1.05
Spent: $10.24
Saved: $10.16

Costco
36 flour tortillas, 63 oz: $3.99
Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches, 20 ct: $9.45 – $2.75 coupon = $6.70
Organic baby spring mix, 1 lb: $4.29
Kirkland Signature Parmigiano Reggiano, 1 lb: $14.99
Kirkland Signature wheat bread, 4 lbs: $3.79
Spent: $37.01

GRAND TOTAL: $58.22
TOTAL SAVED: $43.58

I had a pretty good week last week. There was only one night when I served leftovers, and the only thing that’s left from last week’s menu is breakfast for dinner, which doesn’t really count. My favorite recipe from last week was the Sirloin Steak with Garlic Butter. Nevermind that I overcooked the steaks and that I used garlic salt instead of garlic powder. In fact, I prefer garlic salt. What can I say? I like to live dangerously. Next time, I’ll know better than to make the full amount of sauce and store it for the following day’s lunch. It’s NOT the same.

Monday
Crispy fish fillets with honey glazed carrots and baked asparagus with balsamic butter sauce

Tuesday
Quinoa and Black Beans (modified because I only have pinto beans)

Wednesday
Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

Thursday
Pasta

Friday
Costco (yes, I eat at the Costco food court after doing all my shopping for the week)

Saturday
Light and Fluffy Spinach Quiche

Sunday
Grilled Salmon with green beans

Please give menu planning a try. It may seem like a chore at first, but it really takes a lot of stress away during the week. Check out the myriad of blogs linked at I’m an Organizing Junkie for more meal inspiration.

Hy-Vee
Peter Pan peanut butter, 3 pack, 48.9 oz total: $2.98
Spent: $3.25

Hen House
2 lbs strawberries: $1.38
Green Giant honey glazed carrots, 10 oz: $1.25 – $0.50 coupon (doubled) = $0.25
Roberts sour cream, 16 oz: $1.29 – $0.30 coupon (doubled) = $0.69
Spent: $2.60
Saved: $9.63

TOTAL: $5.85

All I really needed at Hy-Vee this week was the 3-pack of peanut butter, but I made up for it with a quick trip to Hen House. I love shopping at Hen House, and I get some of my best deals there. I should make more of an effort to pay attention to the sales they’re having because I don’t shop there nearly enough.

I also got a couple of things at CVS and Walgreens earlier this week.

CVS
Head & Shoulders shampoo, 14.2 oz: $4.99 – $1.00 coupon = $3.99 (generated $2.50 ECB)
Spent: 3.44
Saved: $2.89

Walgreens
2 Dove chocolates, 1.3 oz each: $0.98 – $0.75 coupon = $0.23
Spent: $0.32

TOTAL: $3.76

GRAND TOTAL FOR THE WEEK: $18.81 (including my earlier trip to Price Chopper and Costco)

That’s a pretty low total. I’ll gladly pocket the difference or use it to stock up next week.

Today’s shopping trip was really small and cheap. I first stopped by Hy-Vee, but they were all out of the Peter Pan peanut butter. They were in the process of restocking it, but I didn’t have time to hang around waiting for it. I might swing by to pick it up tomorrow. The Price Chopper trip was mostly to get some fresh produce, although I did get some coffee ice cream. I was also looking for Dean’s bagel dip, but I can’t seem to find it no matter what. That was my second week looking for it. By the time I got to Costco, I was entirely too hungry and tired, so all I bought was milk. I wanted to get the box of Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches that’s a great deal with the coupon from this month’s coupon book, but that giant thing won’t fit in my freezer. Maybe next week.

Costco
1 gallon skim milk: $2.49
Total: $2.71

Price Chopper
1.38 lbs green beans: $1.36
1 lb radishes: $0.99
2 mangoes: $0.69 (hmm, only charged for one)
Edy’s slow churned coffee ice cream, 1.5 qt: $1.99
Blackberries, 6 oz: $0.99
Total: $6.49
Saved: $5.99

GRAND TOTAL: $9.20

Unlike the previous week, I actually managed to stick to my menu this past week. Not a single thing remains unmade. I’m not being very ambitious with the meals planned for this week, but I do have one new recipe planned for Tuesday.

For those of you who clicked on the picture of a strawberry shortcake to get here, I thought you might like to see the larger version. It was every bit as delicious and satisfying as it looks in the picture. On Friday and then again on Sunday.

Monday
Spaghetti and salad

Tuesday
Sirloin Steak with Garlic Butter

Wednesday
Tacos

Thursday
Soup and salad

Friday
Costco

Saturday
Breakfast for dinner or leftovers

Sunday
Pizza and salad

Please give menu planning a try. It may seem like a chore at first, but it really takes a lot of stress away during the week. Check out the myriad of blogs linked at I’m an Organizing Junkie for more meal inspiration.

First, I ran to Walgreens and CVS last Sunday, and those were by far my most impressive shopping trips of the week. I’m pretty well stocked up, and I don’t need lots of things from the drugstores anymore, so I’d forgotten just how great it can be to walk out of there with a cart full of things for which you paid only a couple of dollars. It’s even better when the cashier can’t believe you’re getting such a good deal, and she asks to see the flyer before she lets you walk out of there with all those things.

Friday was my regular shopping day, and I went to Hen House, Hy-Vee, Price Chopper, Aldi, and Costco. I could’ve skipped Hen House and Aldi since I only went to each of them for a single item. Sometimes it makes sense to go a little out of your way if the savings are worth your time and money, but not always. Even when the savings justify it, make sure you grab the right item so that you don’t wipe your savings by overpaying.

All in all it was a great week. I was only slightly over my initial budget of $50/week, which I have actually upgraded to a more realistic $75/week. I figured that $50 was much too restrictive, especially since I use that money not only for groceries but also for cleaning supplies and personal care items. Moreover, even the thrifty USDA food plan for a family of 2 is $82.60/week as of January 2011. More often than not, I hover around $50/week anyway, but I no longer feel like I’m constantly failing whenever I go above.

Walgreens

Spent: $0.40
Saved: $8.98

CVS

Spent: $3.93
Saved: $42.42

Costco

Spent: $26.03
Saved: $3.00

Price Chopper

Spent: $12.98
Saved: $16.40

Hy-Vee, Hen House, and Aldi

Spent: $10.08
Saved: $9.36

GRAND TOTAL: $53.42
TOTAL SAVINGS: $80.16

Hen House
Eggland’s Best large eggs, 1 dozen:  $1.49 – $0.35 coupon (doubled) = $0.79
Total: $0.83
Saved: $4.37

Hy-Vee
Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers, 12 oz: $1.50 – $0.50 coupon = $1.00
4 boxes Hy-Vee mac and cheese @ $0.25 each: $1.00
2 containers Hy-Vee sour cream, 8 oz each (BOGO): $0.89
2 bags Kraft Natural Shredded Mozzarella: $3.00 – $1.00 coupon = $2.00
1.01 lbs asparagus: $1.49
1 bunch of radishes: $0.50
Total: $7.63
Saved: $4.99

Aldi
2 lbs sweet onion: $1.49
Total: $1.62

GRAND TOTAL: $10.08

Here are a couple of things I noticed while shopping today:

• I had a ridiculously hard time finding a box of Eggland’s Best eggs without any cracked eggs. Maybe that’s why they were on sale.
• I went out of my way to buy onion at Aldi because the savings justified it. Unfortunately, I grabbed the wrong bag, which ended up wiping a good chunk of the savings.
• Not that it matters to me (because I go wherever the best deals are), but there’s a noticeable difference in the people shopping at Hen House, Hy-Vee, Price Chopper, and Aldi. That made me a little sad.

2 boxes Ronzoni Healthy Harvest linguine: $1.98 – $1.00 coupon = $0.98
2 boxes Ronzoni Smart Taste spaghetti: $1.98 – $1.00 coupon = $0.98
2 boxes Ronzoni Garden Delight spaghetti: $1.98 – $1.00 coupon = $0.98
Hidden Valley salad kit: $1.99 – $1.00 coupon = $0.99
KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce, 18 oz: $0.99 – $0.50 coupon = $0.49
Hostess strawberry shortcake shells: $0.99
2 lbs strawberries: $1.98
Roberts cottage cheese, 24 oz: $1.49
0.8 lbs green beans: $0.79
4 Knorr Sides: $1.96

Total: $12.98
Saved: $16.40

2 loaves Kirkland wheat bread, 4 lbs: $3.79
1 lb organic baby spring mix: $3.99
4 lbs organic quinoa: $8.99
3 pack Palermo’s ultra thin pepperoni pizza, 47.1 oz: $9.89 – $3.00 coupon = $6.89

Total: $26.03

I was really tempted by these amazing Belgian waffles that I got to sample today. They weren’t cheap, but I was almost ready to buy them until I looked at the nutritional information. I put them down, and my heart sank a little. Come to find out that they’re just as unhealthy if not worse when you make them at home. I might have to return sometime soon. Yum!

This was the first time I bought quinoa. I had been thinking about trying it for a long time because I’d heard such great things about it. The funny thing is that a woman just passing by grabbed a bag after she heard me say that there are 6 grams of protein in a serving. I can’t wait to try it.