Monday, January 20, 2020

This Week's $60 ALDI and Kroger Shopping Trips (+ a different way of grocery shopping!) and more...

Want to see what we bought for this week’s $70 grocery budget? I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products ...

Intentional finance. Intentional family. Intentional business.

This Week’s $60 ALDI and Kroger Shopping Trips (+ a different way of grocery shopping!)

Want to see what we bought for this week’s $70 grocery budget? I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products (toiletries, laundry soap, etc.).

For live updates, be sure to follow my Instagram Stories. See all posts on my $70 Grocery Budget here.

We’ve been using the Eat at Home Menu Plan service this week for our meals this past week. I wanted to demonstrate a different way to shop and cook for those who want to stick with a budget but don’t have time to go to multiple stores each week or shop markdowns/sales.

The Eat at Home Menu Plan service only goes on sale twice a year and it’s on sale through Tuesday at midnight for 30% off with coupon code HOME. You can get the annual plan for just $1.13/week with this code — and the code locks in the 30% off rate for the rest of your subscription!

We love this menu plan service and have personally found it to be super helpful during really full seasons of life. Check it out here.

I saw these Tearless Onions at Aldi last week. Have you purchased these before?? I’d never heard of them. Do they actually work and not make you cry when you cut an onion??

Aldi Shopping Trip — $42.75

Kroger Shopping Trip — $17.04

Dinners This Week

  • Sunday — marked down rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans
  • Monday  —  grapefruit, Pumpkin Waffles, bacon
  • Tuesday — oranges, Broccoli Cheese Egg Casserole, Banana Muffins
  • Wednesday —  Slow Cooker Italian Chicken/Potatoes, Banana Muffins, green beans
  • Thursday — Slow Cooker Chicken a la King, Biscuits
  • Friday — Dinner out since Kathrynne had an out of town basketball game
  • Saturday — The kids had leftovers, Jesse and I went out with friends
  • Sunday —  Slow Cooker Cheeseburgers, Sweet Potato Fries
    
 

My Goals For This Week

This year, I’m doing weekly goals in 2020 instead of yearly goals. And I’m thrilled to report that it’s going so well!

While at first glance, it might seem like I didn’t accomplish that much on my goals list this past week (and I certainly didn’t accomplish as much as I have the last two weeks), I had a really productive and great week.

There was breathing room and laughter and memories made. There was a lot of forward momentum on projects. And there was a lot of time spent with Jesse, the kids, and friends.

To me, that’s what’s way more important than checking everything off my list!

One of my goals was to go through these tubs of mementos we have in the basement.

They have kind of gotten pretty disorganized over the years (and multiple moves) as we’ve just stuffed things in them.

I only made it through one tub, but it felt good to at least make some headway!

Here’s my update on last week’s goals:

2020: Week 3 Goals Update

Personal Goals

1. Get in 53,000 steps total. (I use the FitBit Ulta HR to track my steps every day.) 

2. Finish reading 100 Ways to Love Your Husband100 Ways to Love Your Wife100 Words of Affirmation Your Wife Needs to Hear100 Words of Affirmation Your Husband Needs to HearLive Love Now, and No Better Mom for the Job. Finish listening to Killing the Rising Sun.

3. Get up at 5:30 a.m. every week day.

4. Go to bed by 10 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. (I did this every night but one night when Jesse was out of town!)

5. Drink a gallon of water every day. (I did this 5 of the days, so I’m excited about that!)

Home/Family Goals

6. Decluttering: Boxes of mementos, under bathroom sinks, and kitchen cupboards.  (I did some decluttering, but I didn’t end up finishing all of this.)

7. Finish reading Great Escapes of World War II aloud as a family.

8. Buy hats and coming home outfit for baby. (I’m chipping away at my To Do Before Baby Comes list a little bit per week.)

Work/Blog Goals

9. Write chapter 2 of my manuscript. (Chapter 2 is really close to being done, but I want to sit with it for a few more days and rearrange and rework some things before I officially say that the first draft is done.)

Word of the Year Goals

10. Pop popcorn and watch another classic movie as a family.

11. Go to a movie with Jesse.

12. Go out to dinner with friends.

2020: Week 4 — Goals

Personal Goals

1. Get in 54,000 steps total. (I use the FitBit Ulta HR to track my steps every day.) 

2. Finish reading 100 Ways to Love Your Husband100 Ways to Love Your Wife,The Whole-Brain Child, and Live Love Now. Finish listening to Before and After.

3. Get up at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

4. Go to bed by 10 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

5. Drink a gallon of water every day.

Home/Family Goals

6. Get new shower curtain, rug, and towels for upstairs bathroom.

7. Read 40 pages of Carry a Big Stick aloud as a family.

8. Get a crib and bedding. (I’m chipping away at my To Do Before Baby Comes list a little bit per week.)

Work/Blog Goals

9. Finish chapter 2 and write chapter 3 of my manuscript.

Word of the Year Goals

10. Pop popcorn and watch another classic movie as a family.

11. Take Kathrynne out on a date for her birthday.

12. Light candle and write notes to our Compassion children.

What are YOUR goals for this week? How did you do on last week’s goals? Tell us in the comments!

    
 

Gretchen’s $89 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 5

Aldi

1 bag Tortilla Chips – $0.89

1 Grape Jelly – $1.29

2 Blueberries – $1.49 each

1 Crisp Rice Cereal – $1.45

2 gallons Milk – $2.38 each

1 lb Butter – $2.61

2 Half & Half – $1.55 each

1 Unsweetened Applesauce – $1.95

1 Sour Cream – $0.89

1 bag Shredded Mexican Cheese – $2.49

1 Taco Seasoning – $0.39

1 bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $2.79

2 cans Green Beans – $0.49 each

1 MooTubes – $1.55

1 box Granola Bars – $1.15

2 bags Steamed Peas/Corn – $0.79 each

3 Cucumbers – $0.49 each

1 pkg Yeast – $0.89 (not pictured)

1 Cream Cheese – $0.79

3 dozen Eggs – $0.99 each

1 loaf Bread – $0.95

1 pkg Tortillas – $1.19

1 pkg Hot Dog Buns – $0.85

0.95 lbs Roma Tomatoes – $0.47

1 pkg Hot Dogs – $0.79

1 Peanut Butter – $1.15

1 lb Turkey Breast – $3.99

1 box Cheese Crackers – $1.49

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup – $0.49

Total: $48.34

Kroger

2 boxes Mom’s Best Cereal – $2.49 each, used 2 $1/1 e-coupon AND 2 $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate AND 2 $0.25/1 Kroger Cash Back – $0.99 each after coupons and cash back

1 box Kroger Graham Crackers – $1.79, used $0.50/1 e-coupon – $1.29 after coupon

1 Kroger Apple Juice – $1.49, used $0.45/1 Ibotta rebate AND $0.45/1 Kroger Cash Back – $0.59 after cash back

2 Mott’s Fruit Snacks – $1.99, used $1/2 e-coupon – $1.49 after coupon

2 Kettle Chips – $2 each, used 2 $1/1 printable – $1 each after coupons

1 Kroger Peanut Butter – $1.79

1 Zia Pasta Sauce – $1

1 Mexican Salsa – $1.50, used $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate – $1.25 after rebate

2 The GFB Bar – $1.50 each, used 20% off e-coupon (no longer available) AND $2.19 Ibotta rebate – $0.10 each after coupon and rebate

4 Kroger Frozen Chicken Breasts (3 lbs each) – $4.99 each

2 pkg Frozen Broccoli – $1 each

3 lbs Ground Beef – Marked down to $4.99 each

1 Kroger Hot Cocoa – $1.25, used $0.50/1 Ibotta rebate AND $0.50/1 Kroger Cash Back – $0.25 after cash back

3.72 lbs Bananas – $2.19

1 Lettuce – $1.69

1 Kroger Ketchup – $1

2 RX Peanut Butter – $6.79 each, used 2 $2.50/1 printable AND 2 $2/1 Ibotta rebate AND $2/1 Kroger Cash Back – $0.29 each after coupons and cash back (I LOVE this peanut butter so I was thrilled to get it for almost free!)

5 Simple Truth Little Cubs Crackers – Marked down to $1.24 each, used 5 $1/1 e-coupon – $0.24 each after coupon

1 Simple Truth Hot Sauce – $1.89, used $0.30/1 e-coupon – $1.59 after coupon

Used $0.10/1 Ibotta rebate for any receipt

Total after coupons, rebates and cash back: $39.46

Food City

I ventured into Food City this week! I only grabbed cereal as we didn’t have anything left in our grocery budget for more, but I found marked down fruits and veggies and lots of decent markdowns on meat as well. I’ll definitely be popping in there to check out markdowns each week!

2 Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes – $1.99 each, used 2 $1/1 printable – $0.99 each after coupons

Total: $1.98

Total for all stores: $89.78

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal, Toast, Eggs, Oatmeal, Yogurt

Lunches

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Turkey Sandwiches, Hot Dogs, Hard Boiled Eggs, Tossed Salad, Cheese/Crackers/Fruit, Chips, Leftovers

Dinners

Homemade Cheese Pizza, Breadsticks, Brownies

Cream of Mushroom Gravy and Beef over Noodles, Steamed Peas

Grilled Chicken, Biscuits, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Corn

Nachos, Sliced Apples (leftover from last week)

French Toast, Eggs

Chicken Taquitos, Rice, Steamed Broccoli

Pasta Goulash in the Slow Cooker, Oatmeal Spice Muffins, Tossed Salad