Grocery trip on foot

I had a coupon for $10 off a $20 purchase at bottom dollar.

Before we left the house, I started some dry pintos and some dry small red beans to boil and then sit.

I went outside in the rain to plant what my mother-in-law said were two tomato and two pepper plants, but they looked like three tomato and one pepper. Daughter helped me plant them.

We (husband took the day off) walked the neighborhood kids to school and headed to Bottom Dollar. On foot.

We bought:
- pineapple chunks, 98 cents
- pineapple slices, 98 cents
- mango nectar, 1 quart, $1.38
- 6 inch flour tortillas, 2 packs, $1.18 each
- water chestnuts, 99 cents
- 2 ounces pure vanilla extract, $4.78
- 2 small cans tuna in water, 69 cents each
- 9 ounces chili powder, $2.66
- almost one pound of fresh broccoli crowns, $1.42
- bunch of fresh kale, 98 cents
- strawberries, quart, $1.98
- cucumber, 64 cents
- half gallon of half-and-half, $3.56
- three pounds of butter, $6.87
- English muffins, $1.28

Total: $22.33

When we got home my husband made me a vegetarian sausage sandwich with harvarti and buffalo blue cheese dip on an English muffin.

Steak followed by Bottom Dollar

Tonight's dinner was steak in a brandy cream glaze, Green Giant Healthy Vision vegetables and Uncle Ben's long grain rice. More processed than usual but I haven't gone shopping since Thanksgiving.

We headed to Bottom Dollar after dinner since a new one opened and we had a $10 off a $20 purchase coupon.

We spent $39.32.

We bought:
- 2 bags of Frito style corn chips, $0.99 each. (We plan on bringing 'ugly bean dip' to our upcoming holiday parties.)
- 2 bags tortilla chips, $1.09 each
- 3 small cans chunk light tuna in water, 59 cents each
- Goya canned black beans, 67 cents (for the dip-- I have a dry bag, but I don't know if I'll have time to make them before the party)
- one can Goya passion fruit nectar, 85 cents
- whole black olives, 2 cans @ $1.28 each
- 2 cans creamed corn, 2 cans whole corn, 59 cents each
- 2 cans pinto beans, 65 cents each
- mayo, $1.60
- geisha sliced water chestnuts, 99 cents
- 1 can pear halves in light syrup, $1.28
- diced tomatoes, 2 cans at 88 cents each
- box of golden raisins, $2.99
- boxed macaroni and cheese, 39 cents each (2 boxes)
- unsweetened applesauce in the individual portions, $1.67
- box of seedless raisins, $2.18
- lemon extract, $2.05
- ground beef, 1 lb, $3.66
- red onion, 41 cents
- almost 2 pounds of gala apples, $2.75
- large green pepper, 50 cents
- cantaloupe, $1.68
- mango, 98 cents
- carrots, 78 cents
- 2 pints raspberries, $2.48 each
- extra sharp cheddar, one pound, $3.58
- crunchy cheese doodles, 99 cents

Pre-Holiday Shopping (Hi, Bottom Dollar)

I finally remembered/ had time to go to Bottom Dollar. I had one of their "get $10 off any $25 purchase" coupons. Who can resist THAT?

Stores like this only save you money if you know exactly what you pay for your groceries. For instance: they charge $2.98 for Silk soy milk. Target charges $2.99. Fresh Express Veggie Lovers Salad was $2.49 at Bottom Dollar. The regular price at Target is $2.99, but it's usually on sale _most of the time_ for $1.99.

Bottom Dollar has lots of name brand merchandise. Lots of processed food. I don't typically use much of these items. I have to admit, I liked the variety of Bottom Dollar's fresh produce.

My mom came with me and I paid for everything and then she bought me a HUGE bottle of brandy in exchange for her victuals.

So, I bought:
- 3 containers (a quart each?) of mango nectar, $4.14 ($1.38 each)
- macaroni and cheese dinner, 2 @ 39 cents each
- big cans of yams, 2 @ 1.98
- black turtle beans (dry), $1.22
- light red kidney beans (dry), $1.14
- little red beans (dry), $1.06
- large can of tuna in water, 2 @ $1.98
- round top white bread (for stuffing), 89 cents
- pumpkin seeds, natural, $1.99
- crushed chili peppers, 99 cents
- Libby's solid pack pumpkin, 15 ounce can, 2 @ $1.29
- pineapple nectar, single serving can, 2 @ 44 cents each
- pear nectar, single serving can, 44 cents
- maiers Italian rolls, $2.79 (for mom)
- small bag of flour, $1.28
- 2 cans apricot nectar, 44 cents each
- bananas, 44 cents a pound
- pineapple (fresh, small, but ripe according to the pluck test), 2 @ $1.99
- green peppers (for mom, but I should have gotten some too), 2 huge ones at 50 cents each
- 3 lbs onions (for mom), $1.67
- 2 big bags of frozen broccoli spears, $1.98
- salted butter, one pound, 2 @ $1.98 each
- 64 ounces of half and half, $3.98
- 32 ounces whole milk, $1.18
- 12 large brown eggs, $1.58
- 18 large eggs, $1.46
- Kraft shredded cheese, 8 ounces, 2 @ 1.48 (for mom)
- huge loaf of French bread, $1.48

Total, after coupons: $45.25

Then we headed to Target. For more pre-holiday damage.

- two up and up fabric softeners, $3.99 each
- Cheetos, one crunchy regular and one crunchy jalapeño (with plans for my famous Cheetos broccoli on thanksgiving) $2.50 each
- tostitos spinach dip, on sale for $3
- Ocean Spray cranberry pomegranate juice, 2 @ $1.99 each
- Marie's ranch dressing, 3 @ $1.65 each (normally $3+ each)
- Fresh Express veggie lover's salad, 3 @ $1.99 each
- Bolthouse smoothies, 2 at $3.49 each (one mango-cherry and one blue)
- big jar of Market Pantry peanut butter, $5.09
- 16 ounces of almond-cashew-peanut butter, $5.99
- Kraft Italian dressing, $2.19
- kitchen basics, one vegetable stock and one beef stock, $3.04 each
- market pantry tomato sauce 16 ounce can, 2 at 57 cents each
- Archer Farms buffalo blue cheese dip, $2.99
- market pantry no boil lasagne noodles, $1.65
- market pantry brownies, 4 packages of four brownie bites, 49 cents a package
- pecans, $3.99 (normally $5.69)
Anyone else notice the skyrocketing cost of pecans?
- Hershey baking cocoa powder, $2.59
- SURPRISE for my husband for Xmas, $4.99
- 1 pound strawberries, $3.04
- 6 ounces raspberries, $2.09
- frozen strawberry slices, $2.29
- Silk vanilla almond milk, $3.19
- silk very vanilla soy milk, $2.99
- Silk unsweetened soy milk, $2.99
- 9 yogurts, 62 cents each
- market pantry whipped cream cheese, brown sugar and cinnamon, $1.29
- 4 boxes of tissues, $4.99
- Purina One salmon cat food, $10.99 minus $1 off coupon
- Archer Farms whole wheat bread, $2.59
- Archer Farms coffee, $6.49
*had a coupon for $2 off the bread and coffee*
- the BIG pack of 24 Scott triple rolls of toilet paper, $14.99 minus $1 off coupon plus free Kleenex hand towels

Subtotal: $138.31
Team member discount: -$13.86
Red card discount: -$6.22
Tax: + $1.31

Total: $119.54