I don't do the grocery shopping, shocker I know. Mark actually likes doing it. He started to go when Nathan was a newborn. He had just started to work from home. He saw it as an opportunity to get out of the house at least once a week. He usually goes when we ran out of a necessity. Milk, eggs, etc.
So, why I'm I telling you this? It is a new year and Mark and I have always "lived" by a budget. At least we track what we spend and try (not hard) to stick to what we have said we would spend. We are doing the 2009 budget (laugh because we have no income) Anyway, The food budget for the year was staggering. We were over budget as usual, but last year we upped food $100 a month. Are you ready.... $7000 last year on food and other things like cleaner, mops, laundry detergent, etc. Everything you get at the grocery or Walmart/Target for the house. Something has to be done!
Mark went to three grocery stores today with a list of the items we buy the most. We knew our favorite store could be overpriced, but oh so convenient. Mark went to our favorite and wrote down prices and then to the Walmart Marketplace, then to another local store in which he found himself back at Walmart to buy groceries. The Marketplace is just groceries not the super center.
Let me give you a run down. Mayo, the brand name $2 less at Walmart Marketplace! Almost everything same brand was at least 10 cents less, up to 30 and 40 cents less. Some things where almost half the cost. Now, if our favorite store does buy one get one free, then they have the better deal. It was eye opening. Out of eight items I totaled, the average savings was 27 cents per item. That is over $2 for just eight items. Out for debate is dairy, the eggs and milk were 10 cents more. Sour cream and yogurt were more too, but Mark thinks they are bigger so the cost per unit might be less. All that to say Mark has a new grocery store :) Now how to get the cost down more? I'm working on that. I told Mark it might take us shopping at more than one store. Will it be worth the money saved? I'll let you know in a month how we did.
P.S. Just say that Marketplace will match sale prices! SCORE!
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