Grocery shopping is a routine thing for me.
Grocery shopping with the Mr. is not so routine.
Grocery shopping with the Mr. and two separate carts is completely foreign.
Welcome to Podunk, USA, where you see a lot of unusual things.
It all started when my Publix decided not to allow customers to use the $5 off of $20 coupons. Stacking them was a huge money saver! Rats, but it was good while it lasted.
Despite this, my store is still allowing us to use Harveys coupons. Harveys is a competitor grocery store. Southern Savers has $5 off of $25 coupons that can be printed multiple times. But, you can’t stack them (use two for a $50 order).
So, I asked the Mr. to go to the store with me.
He was game.
I gave him a calculator and an envelope. My envelope had all of the coupons, so when we got to an item that was going into his buggy, I gave him the coupons he needed. We both tallied our totals as we went to ensure that we would each hit the dollar amount needed to be able to use the Harveys coupons.
I’m sure we were quite a sight, but as I said before, when you live in Podunk, USA, you see strange things.
You also run into people you know everywhere you go.
The first person we saw was a soccer dad. The conversation went something like this:
“Hey you two,” he said, eying both of our buggies. “I see you’re getting buy one get one frees.”
We chuckled.
“So, how’s your daughter doing,” I asked, to get his mind off of why a married couple would be following each other around the grocery store…both people pushing their own buggies.
“Fine, fine,” he said. “I’m just here to pick up some dinner. We’ve been working in the yard.”
I really wanted to offer him a coupon or two, but I’m stingy, and things just felt a little weird.
The Mr. piped up with an intelligent (yeah, right) quip…”Pick out something easy for dinner.”
Um, yeah. That would be what you’re doing, oh keeper of the Contessa Frozen Shrimp coupons, which, by the way, is what you’re having for dinner.
I laughed nervously, wished the friend well, and booked it around the corner.
“Well, that was a little embarrassing,” I told the Mr. “It’s bad enough that we already sit in separate parts of the bleachers when we watch Chicky play soccer. Now we’re shopping sort-of-separately.”
“Uh, yeah, I guess I see your point,” he said, laughing.
On we went.
Upon hitting the water aisle, we saw a soccer mom. She drew near just as I was ordering the Mr. to put a couple of packages into his buggy, handing over the $1 coupons.
“You don’t have to tell me what to do,” he said, “Especially with people we know standing so close.”
“Be quiet and get me another two packages. Put them in my buggy,” I said.
When you’ve been married 20 years, a conversation like this is typical.
I smiled politely at our friend and hustled to the next aisle.
Before we headed to the register, we parked our buggies near the wine section (I could have used a toddy about that time) and tallied up our totals. I wanted to ensure we didn’t spend a penny more than we needed.
I have no idea if anyone passed by us, but what a sight we must have been…the Mr. crunching numbers on the calculator as fast I could call them out to him, me sticking coupons in an envelope as I read them off.
Penny-pinchers to the core, I tell you.
We visited my favorite cashier’s lane, and she smiled when she saw us (LOVE that lady!). The Mr. stood in line behind me, coupons in hand…ever the obedient spouse.
My total came out to $12 and some change. I was a little disappointed, but I’m not a math person, so I probably figured wrong. Yeah, I know. I even had a calculator, but numbers and AuburnChick do not go together. Still, I saved over $50.
The Mr.’s total? $6.06. His savings was almost $80.
He smiled.
I assured him that in truth, I get the credit for the savings since I pulled the coupons and organized the trip and even put the stuff in his cart.
We’re a bit on the competitive side.
We’re soccer parents. We play to win.
Total spent in groceries: $19.03
What we would have spent without the sales and coupons: $149.96
Percentage saved: 87%
That’s no chump change!
Here’s a picture of what we came home with…
Cheez-Its – $.04 each
Morton Salt – Moneymaker of $.37
Edwards Pies – $.50 each.
Granola Bars – $.75 each
Water – $.24 each
Shout – Moneymaker of $.11.
Scrubbing Bubbles – $.25 each
Windex – $.25 each
Bread – $.33
Oh, and let me show you what I got when I went to a different Publix earlier in the day…
I only spent $1.35 for everything. I saved $50.40 (97%)!
So, the shopping is over…for this day, anyway.
I’m sure the rumor mill is flying, though, at the thought of AuburnChick and the Mr. shopping with his/her’s carts.
Hmmm…I wonder if the friend noticed the cleaning products in the Mr.’s buggy?
Not only does the family shop separately, but the Mr. does the cleaning!
Welcome to Podunk, USA — home to strange sightings and men who pretend they’re the ones keeping the house clean!
Filed under: Saving Money | Tagged: couponing, grocery shopping, publix, Saving Money | 1 Comment »
AuburnChick's Adventures 