$100 Grocery Challenge: Week 2

Last week, I spent $33.14. I was hoping to stay under $20 on my second week of grocery shopping, so I have $50 for the rest of the month.

Thursday I went to the farmer's market and picked up two bunches of fresh Ontario asparagus for $5.00 and a loaf of fresh bread reduced to $2.00. On the way home we stopped at Food Basics because we were out of milk ($3.97), and faced one of the perils of making extra shopping stops: the extra purchases! We grabbed another bag of cookies, still on sale for $1.99.

Thursday total: $12.96

Friday I went to Food Basics and picked up my potatoes, and while I was at it I got a few more things:

• White potatoes, 10 lb bags, 2 for $3.00 = $3.00
• Bananas = $2.28
• Lemons and limes, reduced for quick sale = $.79
• Lemons (nice, shiny, new, 3) = $0.99
• Food Basics TOTAL = $7.06

Today I went to Zehrs to pick up the Europe's Best vegetables and bought a couple of other things:

• Europe's Best Frozen Vegetables, 4 for $1.99-$1.00 each = $3.96
• Bread (50% 0ff) = $1.34
• Sour Cream = $1.99
• Snap lids for canning = $1.49 + $0.19 taxes
• Zehrs TOTAL = $8.97

Oh, and I think my mother is worried I am going to deprived my kids. She bought us 8 liters of milk, a dozen eggs and several bunches of lovely asparagus when they visited this weekend. Thanks Mum!

Total spent this week, $28.99

Total spent to date = $62.13

Humm... this isn't looking good for my challenge! Especially as I just ran out of baking powder and sugar (white and brown)....

One thing I am realizing is that I tend to buy extras on each shopping trip. I had read that reducing your shopping trips reduces spending. I think this is one reason meal planning saves you money. I made 4 stops this week on three different days. I spent about $10 on "extras" this week. Many of those purchases were reasonable purchases, and none were particularly extravagant, but it was extra!

Next week I am going to try doing all of my shopping on one day, even if it requires multiple stops. I feel that this may reduce my chances of spending as much on extras.

If I am lucky, there won't be any good deals in the flyers!