What's For Dinner Tonight Mexican Layered Casserole

I have invited my son Tim to come over and have dinner with hubby and me. On the menu is Mexican Layered Casserole. We made this once and it was a true winner. You can click on the link to see the recipe and pictures.

http://couponloversunite.blogspot.com/search/label/Recipe%20Collection%20Mexican%20%20Layered%20Casserole

I am going to share this at http://grocerycartchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/10/grocery-cart-challenge-recipe-swap_21.html

it is truly tasty.. give it a try and let me know what you think.

Thanks for stopping by.. Lets keep saving together. Grace

Making A Price Book For Grocery Shopping

I have thought about starting a price book for the grocery stores to help us save money on groceries and home supplies. Most of the time I know what is a good buying price on some items but not on everything we may use on a regular basis.

Earlier this week I found a wonderful site on having an Organized Home. There is so much there to help us become organized in our home life.

Well back to the price book, tonight I went searching the site and she talks about the price book. It has everything we know about it, but still interesting read and maybe a kick in the back end to get me to start this price book. You can read about it at
http://organizedhome.com/kitchen-tips/make-price-book-save-money . This idea for the price book was first publicized by Amy Dacyczyn, author of Complete Tightwad Gazette.

There are many different methods for a price book. The most important thing is to find a method that will be used and convenient to use. Methods could be a large or small ring binder, a spiral notebook or a spread sheet. I feel it should be a method that is easy to take to the grocery store.

Here is an example from the Organized home site.

Next is to grab some of those last grocery receipts. There is all the information needed right there.

I plan to put this to work and look forward to knowing a good price when I see it.

Plan of action . 1. go to store and buy a small spiral notebook to carry in my purse. 2. Find my recent grocery receipts, record and get started.

How about you? Do you keep a price guide book? Would love to hear your ideas and answer.

Thanks for stopping by.. Lets keep saving together... Grace

Grocery Shopping Round Up For The Week

My grocery shopping went way over the weekly budget, this will make next week alot slimmer. Will be a challenge to keep the cost down with the price of groceries. I actually got mad at the check out and said out loud " How can it cost $60.00 for groceries for 2 people" I did not buy any steaks , or expensive frozen items, or prepared deli items.
Some of these items will last more than the week but so much of the items did not have coupons that is the problem. Either I did not have them ( I have noticed our coupon inserts here in northern Minnesota STINK or they are not out there for the items I wanted to buy.

Oh well enough complaining for now. But I am still irked. I need to pull in the belt and do better.
Here is my week of shopping...

Shopping this week was more costly than I would of liked but many items will last past a week. Hubby needed batteries for his palm ( of course no coupon with me) .Walgreen’s had a RR for Northern Toliet paper and I did have a coupon.
See Walgreen’s transaction here.
Transaction 1
Northern Toliet Paper 12 Double Rolls $6.49
Use 50 cent off coupon
tax .51 cents Total out of pocket $6.50
Receive $1.00 RR
Transaction 2
2 packages of Energizer batters 3.00 each
1 package of Mexican Corn Chips $2.00
3 cans of Tomato Soup 59 cents each
2 Brilla Spaghetti $2.00
used coupon from flyer for tomato soup
used coupon from flyer for Brilla Spaghetti
used 40 cent off coupon for 3 tomato soups
used 2 $1.00 off Register Rewards from previous trips
tax 47 cents
Total out of pocket $9.84
Total saved $10.58


Total spent 16.34.





Next came our shopping at Cub Foods. They do not double coupons so no savings there.
Used 3 coupons from the Cub Foods coupon book to save some money. No other coupons for the items I wanted to buy.
Total spent $60.08
Saved only $2.73 or 4 percent.
One of my worse shopping trips ever.

Items purchased
Hunt’s Ketchup
1 can of spinach
1 can of corn
3 cans of Hormel Roast beef hash ( coupon from coupon book)
2 Lipton onion soups ( received a coupon for $1.50 off 3 boxes and 75 cent register reward for next shopping trip.)
1 jar of green olives
1 small black olives
1 jar of dill pickles
1 worchestershire sauce
1 jar of salsa ( coupon from coupon book)
1 can of refried beans
1 can of kidney beans
1 box of ripple potato chips ( coupon from coupon book) makes lunch at home a little more exciting.
2 pounds of ground beef
2 tomatoes
1 onion
1 French Bread
1 package of Havrti cheese
1 Green Mill Pizza
1 cottage cheese
6 yogurts ( cheaper than Yoplait that I had a coupon for )
1 package of shredded cheese
1 Gallon of milk
1 Eggs
2 sour creams







Had to make a quick trip to Target to take advantage of a great deal on Quaker's Oatmeal. I had 2 coupons for $2.00 off a box. I had been able to print 2 coupons . http://couponloversunite.blogspot.com/2010/10/200-off-1-quaker-oatmeal.html
One value pack of 18 packages on the shelf so I grabbed it. The other package has 8 packages. so I got 26 oatmeal packages for $1.00.. YEA thanks Quaker and Target..
Target has it on sale this week for $2.50
making each box 50 cents each.
I added a box of tea ( for crafty tea dying fabric for some projects) bought the store brand for $2.04. Will post these projects on my other blog site when I get them done. http://wwwpicturespapersfromthepst.blogspot.com/
Cash spent for all of this $3.04.

Discount bread store

1 package of toasting bread out of pocket 99cents


Total for the week $80.45 .. that is unbelievable. I just need to do better some how.

How much should it cost 2 people for groceries in a week or a month?

David Ramsey 's Total Money Makeover says 10 percent of net income. That would be $300 a month but our health cost is so horrible because we are retired and have to pay my health insurance ourselves. We can not spend that much on groceries and balance out at end of month. I am so glad I have health insurance. Just starting to get the bills for 10 nights and 11 days in the hospital. But that is another story .. the cost of this stay will be unbelievable.

My goal is to work at keeping the food budget at $160.00 a month or roughly $40.00 a week. I will be starting this the beginning of the month and report how I am doing.

How are you doing with your grocery budget? Are you on a grocery budget?

Thanks for stopping by... Lets keep saving together.. Grace

Posted at Grocery Cart Challenge

Monday Menu Plan

Monday and another week to plan out our menu. We never made the Home made Pea Soup last week so is on the list.
Monday Sloppy Joe's ( Mrs. D's recipe) with chips and dip http://couponloversunite.blogspot.com/search/label/Recipe%20Collection%20Mrs.%20D%27s%20Sloppy%20Joe%27s

Tuesday Layered Mexican Casserole http://couponloversunite.blogspot.com/search/label/Recipe%20Layered%20Mexican%20Casserole

Wednesday Meat loaf, boiled potatoes and vegie http://couponloversunite.blogspot.com/search/label/Recipe%20Collection%20Meatloaf
Thursday Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches with chips and dip
Friday Ham and Scallopp potatoes and vegie with french bread
Saturday Homemade Pea Soup and french bread http://couponloversunite.blogspot.com/search/label/Recipe%20Collection%20Pea%20Soup
Sunday Left overs

Thats whats on the menu this week at our home .. great food great savings of money by eating at home..
Thanks for stopping by.. Lets keep saving together... Grace