This Month's 2025 Grocery Spending – November

 

Welcome to the BFF edition!  This month was a little bit of a different shopping experience for me.  I started out the month not really needing anything.  However, I was able to add some more items to the LTFS because the BFF was feeling what I like to call “the urge” to stockpile.  You know that little niggling feeling that you should do “something” in case of “something”?  Apparently he was feeling that and I know from my own experiences throughout my life that when your gut is telling you something you listen to it.  I let him do his thing and helped him when he asked for it, like the canning and giving him some of my Kroger paper coupons that had come in the mail, not to mention my excellent advice and guidance.

 

We started off with a ten pound pork roast on sale for $1.69 a pound, a package of boneless, skinless chicken breast on sale for $2.69 a pound, a two pound block of medium cheddar cheese for $4.99 and two pounds of butter for $2.99 each plus I had a 70¢ OFF paper coupon for the butter.  All of the meat was processed and canned in pint jars while the cheese was grated and put up in the freezer.  The butter also went into the freezer.

 

The following week the BFF came in with two more packages of chicken he found for $1.98 a pound and a large family pack of beef for $6.49 a pound.  Man, beef is ridiculously expensive right now.  We got out the canner and got busy again to process more chicken to put ten more pint jars on the shelves.  The beef was made into seven pints of carne asada for readymade meals and also added to the LTFS.

 

Carne Asada & chicken breast

"Well, what have we here?"

Once the ads changed again we made another trip to Fred Meyer for some sales items, most of which are for the category of items I want to have on hand to give as donations.  We picked up boxes of cereal, milk, butter, pasta and some rice sides.  I put together a bag for an amazing single mom with a baby that is struggling right now.  I also added a dozen eggs, a bag of oatmeal, a bag of rice and some other things I already had on hand.  My plan is to gift her with a bag or two of items once a week or so until the end of the year to help her out.

 

Donated

Markdowns! 😗

Markdown pepperoni for 98¢ each and these packages of ready to bake pumpkin cookies for 78¢ each made their way into the cart as well.  With the current price of baking chips right now I could hardly argue that this was a bad idea.

 

Pasta & rice sides donated

Markdown veggies

We were able to vacuum package and add a family pack of chicken thighs to the deep freezer along with more bell peppers I had found on markdown.  Three more frozen pizzas on sale for $2.99 each were added to the kitchen freezer and half a dozen pot pies mysteriously showed up in there one day as well.  I was told those were being added to the stash of emergency meals for when we are sick and tired or sick of being tired or tired of being sick, whichever the case may be. 

OMG! 😄

Most of this is for donating

I was super excited about the two cans of Bustelo coffee for $9.99 each that got added to my stash as well as the box of Lemon Lift tea that on occasion is hard to find at times.  We also added another four jars of peanut butter to the LTFS as they were Buy One Get One FREE making them $1.15 each.

 

Yep, this happened... 😮

At some point a Costco haul happened, however I wasn’t able to capture a picture of all the stuff he came home with or see the receipt to catalogue it, but I’m sure it was expensive and I was glad I wasn’t paying for it.  I do think that was the shop though that seemed to put his mind at ease.  That and the cute little freezer he ended up purchasing.  Don’t ask… 😂

 

Orange cranberry sauce and a bottle of pancake syrup 😋

Mid month I took over the shopping and I was thrilled to add a couple chuck roasts, more butter and some flour to my LTFS.  I also got cranberries on sale and was able to use that to can seven half pint jars of delicious orange cranberry sauce.  Fresh produce and a few more pantry items made up the bulk of my shopping this month.

 

Chuck roasts "on sale" for $4.99/lb 😕

I must admit it was super nice to have a partner in crime this month although it got a little chaotic at times.  We pooled our resources, divided and conquered (someone possibly got a little bit carried away), we got creative and then we got busy.  I think the BFF was not only impressed with all that we got this month (for ourselves as well as for donating) and for a relatively low price, all things considered, but also what all we were able to do with it.  I think I was even amazed a little bit too.

 

I think he did a pretty good job 😃

Me too! 😁

The sales were nothing like in past years, especially as far as the holiday items I typically see as loss leaders.  Meat prices have been atrocious too, however we did what we could with what we had to work with and I think we did really well in retrospect.  I’m so very grateful to have full shelves and freezers and the peace of mind that brings as well as a stockpile of items we can share with those in need as we head into the holidays.  I’d say it was a pretty great month!