Pantry Living Week 5 and my confession

Week 5 was another successful week of Pantry Living. No grocery shopping-check! and cash only shopping: double check!

We hit a speed bump though with milk. Dairy is an allowable purchase. We use between 2 to 4 gallons a week. (More in the winter because of hot chocolate addictions.) Well, Sam's club switched milk suppliers and the milk suffered. We had 2 gallons go nasty before the sell by date. We buy a combo of 2% and whole. My children are now terrified of blue labeled 2% milk. So we've gone entirely to whole milk and I buy only 2 at a time to prevent spoilage. (Btw Sam's refunded our money for the sour milk.)

Unopened boxes of cereal after Week 5: 16 

 During my normal non-pantry living life I get the weekly ad and pour over it. I list all desired sale items with their price. I then compare my list with my coupons and star all items with coupons. I recheck list with ad several times and hit the store on Wed or Thurs. (additional sales begin weds).

I enjoy grocery shopping. I love filling my cart and pantry. I love examining my receipt to price check. I especially love the section at the bottom that tells me my Total Savings!

I typically spend $60 a week on groceries from ShopRite and then $15 or so on milk and other items elsewhere. Truthfully, I miss the weekly shopping trip. But I've avoided the weekly ads and the shopping habit has fallen aside.

This brings me to my second minor speedbump, my awesome dad left the ShopRite ad at my home.

My first thoughts, recycle it or return it to Pop. Time passed and I began to peruse the front page. Oh the sales! Oh the specials! I know I have coupons that correspond with these lovely sales. Next thing I know I've written a short list of desirables.

I tortured myself during this 5th week of pantry living. Do I break my oath of no shopping? Back and forth I went. My sweet hubby reminded me this is self imposed and I'm welcome to shop.

Then my sweet mother showed up at my doorstep with a few of those items. Perfect! Crisis averted....almost. Mom supplied me with

1. 4 jars of peanut butter
2. 7 cans of beans (black, pinto, roman, pink)
3. 1 loaf of potato bread
4. 1 can of french fried onions

 Seriously my parents are awesome!

Week 5 ended on Thursday. I made it!

Well today we hit the store with mom, hoping to stick to resolution. I have to admit I did cheat, but only a little. The cart included

1. 2 boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios (good sale $1.88 a box)
2. 2 bottles of Purex laundry soap (sale $1.99 each plus $1 off coupon)
3. Hazelnut spread (I've never had it before but Dave's been craving it for his newest recipe: crepes)
4. Swedish Fish (for the plane ride in our future)
5. V-8 Splash (that counts as a fruit, right?) 
6. Mini Pretzels 
7. 4 loaves of Potato Bread 
8. Carrots
9. Bananas
10. String Cheese
11. 2 deodorants
12. 2 notebooks (for plane ride also)

This all cost $29 and my Total Savings was $24. See? isn't that exciting!

I only feel a little guilty about bending my rules today. I guess I'm just really good at rationalizing. Here is to another week of no shopping and more saving! Happy Summer!