I absolutely love being a homemaker. Nothing makes me feel more complete than the work that I do to care for our family. One of my favorite tasks is grocery shopping.
Some may think I'm crazy. But I get such joy out of writing up my grocery list during the week of our payday and then going out and tackling that list, at the end of the week. I am like a cat ready to pounce on the deals, bargains, and sales that out there for the taking.
My first stop this week was Karns. I got their 10lbs of ground chuck for $2.79 and their 10lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts for $1.99. Of utmost importance is knowing what the going rate is for these staples. I was sharing with a friend once that just because something is a BOGO or is on sale does not mean that you are getting the best price, in particular at the mainstream grocery stores. I know that I can get chicken breasts for $1.79 at the lowest on sale at Karns or Price Rite, so I'm okay with $1.99. On one very occasion I happened upon ground chuck on sale for $1.99 at Giant, but the going rate is anywhere from $2.69-$2.79, so I am fine with the price I paid at Karns. There are times when I'll shop for the yellow tag meat (mentioned in a previous post). In this case I wanted to stock up and I had a coupon for $5 off a $50 Karns purchase. Buying the meats helped me to reach that amount.
Other deals they have this week are five 8oz. chunk or shredded Kraft cheeses for $10 minus an additional $5 off with a coupon in their weekly circular which can be picked up in the store on found on-line. In other words, I got 2-1/2 lbs of cheese for $5 which amounts to $2/lb! This is an amazing price for cheese! The best part is that I can go back and get the deal additional times. Fabulous!
Lastly I picked up a loaf of Sara Lee bread that was on sale for 2 for $3. I only got one--do you know that if something says "2 for $5" or "10 for $10" that you don't have to get that amount? I thought this was common knowledge but my sister questioned me about this once so apparently not everyone does know this. If you have to buy a certain amount it will be listed. For example, Karns' Turkey Hill ice cream was 3 for $6 and it said in the ad "must buy 3". Otherwise you can buy whatever amount you want and figure the price by what you buy. So, I bought one loaf of bread, used a $1 off coupon from a newspaper that I don't pay for which a kind newspaper lady regularly brings to our house, and my bread costs me 50 cents! I'm lovin' it!
My final grocery stop was at Sharp Shopper in Middletown. I cannot say enough about this store. The prices are insanely low and you can always find what you were never looking for but cannot live without :-)
On this trip some of the highlights were bags of granola for 69 cents/lb. I wasn't looking for granola, but I can certainly use granola. Trail mix, yogurt parfaits, muffins...the possibilities are endless. They also had Helluva Good mozzarella chunk cheese for 79 cents/lb. I picked up three of those puppies. Cheese is a staple in the Webb household (hence the need for a return trip to Karns mentioned above). Their Kraft Macaroni and cheese is 3/$1.00 which at that price I will pick it up every time. I just cannot see paying $1 for a box of mac and cheese that feeds 1-1/2 people in our family. Mayo was on my shopping list and I picked up a jar of Miracle Whip light for 99 cents. Sharp Shopper is a store where there are certain staples that are sure to be there, past items that have made a brief appearance never to return again, and definite surprises awaiting shoppers with each visit. For these reasons, it is my favorite grocery store.
James 4:14 says,
What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
When I think about the joy I get out of being a homemaker, it floors me to realize that there is going to be an even greater and lasting joy in being eternally in the presence of my Savior. In the time being, I am finding joy in the mist.
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