frugal living

Happy Ad Friday!

It’s been a haul but here I am!  Finally an ad post. I write it in my planner every week, and every week seems to have kicked my butt because we both know I haven’t posted.  But this week I am getting the list up, and I’ll keep doing my best to post.

Right now my fridge is a mess of nonsense because last week pork shoulders were on sale, and I made some seriously weaponized posole.  In the apocalypse, if you should find a bit of mace, I can make soup out of it if need be.  I’m not sure anyone will eat it, but I can make it. 

For those of you wishing for toilet paper or hand sanitizer, may I suggest Fiesta? When I was there a few days ago it was a completely normal experience, with no empty shelves.

To the deals!

HEB

  • HCF split chicken breasts                                                        $1/lb
  • HEB Sweet 1015 Onions, 3lbs                                                $1.50/ea
  • Autumn Glory apples                                                                77c/lb

Randalls

  • Halos, 5lb box                                         $4.99/ea
  • Sat-Mon ONLY:
    • pork butt roast, bone in, in bag                      99c/lb
    • Blue Bell, half gallon                                      $4.99/ea

Fiesta

  • Ataulfo mangos                                           44c/ea
  • small avocados                                            33c/ea
  • bulk red beans                                             77c/lb
  • bulk white rice                                             50c/lb

Sprouts

  • blackberries, 5.6oz                                        88c/ea
  • red seedless grapes                                      98c/lb
  • organic D’Anjou pears                                $1.48/lb
  • Almond Breeze almond milk                     Buy one, get one free

Whole Foods

  • organic Lady Alice apples                            $1.99/lb

Wheatsville

  • organic Fuji apples                                        $1.79/lb

Central Market

  • xl Gold pineapples                                                   $1.98/ea
  • organic Fuji and Gala apples                                $1.97/lb

 

Links to the weekly ads:

Advertisement

Happy Ad Roundup Weekend!

We’ve got the weekend, so let’s get to it!  Except, well, my mail didn’t include an HEB circular, so I’m going to have to do the online one and let me tell you, it’s not my favorite site to deal with.  I get distracted and decide to check out college football or an instant pot site, and that’s how we end up with my Wednesday post on Saturday.

But I am here, typing away, and I hope it helps you.  This week doesn’t have the meat sales that I expect will show up next week for the holiday, but we’ve got Fiesta with the cheap chickens, still. 

This year I’ll be doing several homemade gifts, some cooked, some crafted.  Do you have any fun gift plans?  I’d love to hear about them! Cheepie is trying to cheep our holiday season down and I’d love to hear how you like to gift without breaking the bank.

Randalls

  • large cantaloupes                                        88c/ea (limit 2)
  • Progresso soup                                            99c/ea
  • Calidad tortilla chips, 12oz.                    $1.49/ea (must buy 4)

Sat-Mon:

  • pork butt/picnic roast                                  99c/lb
  • medium avocados                                        50c/ea

 

Sprouts

  • jumbo Hass avocados                                                $1.25/ea
  • organic Fuji, Gala or Pink Lady apples, 2lbs        $2.98/ea
  • Sprouts bulk coffee                                                   $7.99/lb
  • Sprouts xv olive oil. 1 ltr.                                         $6.99/ea
  • bulk rolled, quick or steel cut oats                         79c/lb

 

HEB

  • Envy apples                                                                                97c/lb

 

Fiesta

sweetbreads

Fiesta, this doesn’t mean what you think it means.

  • white onions, 3lbs.                                                                97c/ea
  • round mangos                                                                       50c/ea
  • lemons                                                                                     25c/ea
  • whole chickens                                                                      77c/lb

 

Links to the weekly ads:

Ad Roundup, Late Edition

You’ve got until tomorrow to get these prices, or Wednesday if you’re shopping at Sprouts. It’s late this week, due to some over-ambitious holiday planning.   We hit both the Trail of Lights and the light show at Mozart’s, and I’m glad we were able to do that early before the more crowded evenings!

This week I’m going to be getting a couple of chickens at Fiesta and some Cuties at Sprouts.  Maybe this is the year I make some tamales? If I decide to, I’ll be picking up supplies at Fiesta.

Central Market

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    Be nice! Bring flowers!

organic Bartlett and Red Anjou pears                           $1.47/lb

HEB

  • XL Honeycrisp apples                                             77c/lb
  • black seedless grapes                                               97c/lb

Randalls

  • raspberries/blackberries, 6oz                              $1.50/ea
  • chuck roast, value pack                                         $2.99/lb (Mon only)

Sprouts

  • Cuties mandarins, 2lbs                                                $1.98/ea
  • organic red seedless grapes                                        $1.98/lb
  • black seedless grapes                                                      98c/lb

Fiesta

  • small avocados                                                                    33c/ea
  • round mangos (round? really?)                                       50c/ea
  • bone-in chuck roast, family pack                                  $2.47/lb
  • chicken drums & thighs, family pack                              77c/lb
  • whole roaster hens                                                             77c/lb
  • assorted pork loin chops, family pack                          $1.27/lb

 

Links to the weekly ads:

 

Ad Roundup, Thanksgiving Edition

Last week, a helpful reader pointed out that the ad for HEB runs through tomorrow.  Turns out this week is the 1970s split-level house of weekly ads, with some sticking with the current ad until Thursday, and some switching over today.  

Sticking with the current ad:  HEB, Randalls, Sprouts, Central Market, Whole Foods

Moving on like there’s not a giant holiday:  Fiesta, Wheatsville

Still using that nutty flyer that has stories, no dates, and says ‘prices might change’: Trader Joes.

So, here are the Fiesta and Wheasville updates. For the others,  you can check last week’s roundup.  I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Wheatsville

  • organic Pink Lady apples                    $1.99/lb
  • sourdough or French baguette           $1.50/ea

Fiesta

  • small avocados                                         25c/ea
  • white onions                                             32c/lb
  • beef bottom round steak or roast       $2.47/lb
  • Fiesta flour, 5lbs                                     $1.89/ea
  • Fiesta tortilla chips, 12oz.                     $1.49/ea

Thursday only:

  • whole fryers                                                67c/lb
  • boneless skinless chicken breast            87c/lb

 

Links to the weekly ads:

Double Ad Wednesday!

Every Wednesday, Sprouts has overlapping ads.  Today these are all available!
 
Grapes                 88c/lb
bulk oats             69c/lb
cherries            $1.48/lb
corn                   20c/ear
Link to flyers!
Screen shot 2017-06-28 at 2.32.49 PM

Happy Ad Friday

I’m starting this at 23:02. Yes, my computer is on military time. No, there is no good reason at all other than for my offspring to moan when they ask the time and I tell them it’s 18:42. The moaning means I’m parenting right.  That’s what the parenting books I don’t read say, I figure. 

In grocery news! CORN. 6/$1. It’s no 12/$1, but it’s still cheep and you know how I feel about corn.

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Remember that ’50 Ways to Cook Corn on  the Cob’ link I shared? And then I made like eight of them, and my family thought I was maybe on  the opposite of  the Atkin’s diet?  I’ll go dig that up tomorrow.  Tonight I’ve got a round-up to post.  To the circulars!

HEB

Jazz apples                                                                            $1.47/lb

Campari tomatoes, 16oz                                                      98c/lb

HEB pork italian sausage chubs, 16oz.                           $2/ea

HEB seasoned  chicken fajita leg meat                            $1/lb (value pack)

HEB natural ground turkey chub, 16oz.                          $1/ea 

Note: Some Cheepsters have found quality issues with the ground turkey on sale this week.  Use your judgment, and maybe look closely if you choose to purchase it.

 

Sprouts

corn                                                                                        6/$118519869_10154653832118366_2581979419502218849_n

many kinds of melons                                                        98c/lb

Vidalia onions                                                                      50c/lb

whole seedless watermelon, organic                              $3.98/ea

bulk peanuts                                                                        $1.99/lb

bulk Thompson raisins                                                      $1.99/lb

 

Fiesta

whole seedless watermelons                               $3.97.ea

limes                                                                         12/$1

green bell peppers                                                 50c/ea

tomatillos                                                                 69c/lb

chicken leg quarters, jumbo bag                        47c/lb (usually ~10lbs)

pork country style ribs                                        $1.47/lb (great for carnitas in an Instantpot!)

bone-in pork sirloin chops                                  89c/lb

India Gate basmati rice, 10lbs                            $7.99/ea

        Sun-Mon ONLY:

        pork butt roast                                                         88c/lb (limit 2)

        Russet potatoes, 5lbs                                               98c/ea

        beef bone-in chuck steak                                       $1.97/lb

        beef back ribs                                                            $1.67/lb

Note: This is a lot of meat for a Fiesta list. The pork butt is at a serious stock-up price. The chuck steak is a good price, but I’m not doing pot roast for months so I’ll pass. Beef back ribs is not something I’m familiar with (we mostly just smoke pork ribs), but at that price I’ll make beef stock and maybe smoke a half rack to see what happens. The sacks of chicken legs need back portions removed (again, stock), so if you’re not one to process it’s not worth it.  And note, those pork chops are sirlion, not loin, and they’re always tougher.

                                       

Randalls

fresh French bread                                                             99c/ea

USDA choice beef brisket, whole in bag                         $1.97/lb (limit 2)

       Fri ONLY:

      selected Lucerne cheese , 32oz.                                        $5/ea

                  Fri-Sun ONLY:

                 raspberries, 6oz.                                                                  $1.50/ea

                 pork butt roast                                                                     99c/lb (limit 4. if you’re                          buying 4, though, just go to Fiesta)

Happy shopping, Cheepsters! I’m over an hour into Friday at this point so I’ll change the name of the post, but hopefully I’ll be back to Wednesdays soon. Wish me luck.

Weekly Flier Links:

Happy Ad Thursday

Yes, technically it’s Friday, but I started on Thursday and I still think that’s a valid reason to keep the post name the way it is.  If you take offense I’ll thumb wrestle you when you see me.

There are a few fun things on sale this week. My favorite is what Rancho del Cheepie calls ‘Babysitter Pizza’. We bought this pizza when the kids were little and it was something the babysitter could cook and they would eat. Now we get it for nights when we leave them to fend for themselves like cave children while we go out to talk to other adults about the choices that have led us to the peculiar times we now live in.  Because the kids are now teens it takes two pizzas to feed them, but at three bucks a pie, I’m a-ok with that. So hit up Randalls for some frozen pizza and train ’em young is my suggestion.

Prime top sirloin is $9/lb at CM, if you’re looking for a splurge. Their meat is always worth it, and steak for less than $10 there is a deal.  Sprouts 40% off many gluten-free items, so it might be a good time to stock up if you’re a gluten-free person.

Highlights this week: corn, tomatoes, mangos and mandarins; pork ribs, country and spare. 

And lest we forget the loving grocery art of the Trader Joe’s flyer, here’s a challenge!

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Randalls

boneless skinless chicken breast                    $1.69/lb

chicken leg quarters, 10lb bag, frozen                       $4.90/ea

signature Select Pizza 12-33.oz, selected varieties   $2.99/ea

 

HEB

corn                                          6/$1  (limit 12)

tomatoes on the vine             67c/lb

HCF chicken drums or thighs         99c/lb

pork baby back ribs                         $2.97/lb

 

Sprouts

mandarin oranges, 5lbs                   $3.98/ea

green bell peppers                                50c/lb

zucchini squash                                     50c/lb

organic baby carrots                             98c/lb

organic Red Delicious apples              98c/lb

 

Fiesta

Ataulfo mangos                           25c/ea

limes                                                10/$1

seedless watermelons               $3.97/ea

pork country style ribs         $1.47/lb

pork spare ribs                           $1.97/lb

Tyson drumsticks                      97c/lb

boneless skinless chicken breast        $1.47/lb

 

 

Wheatsville

organic Gala apples                               $1.79/lb

 

Happy shopping, Cheepsters!

 

Weekly Flier Links:

Dinner on the Cheep

Pasta is something we eat a lot more of during the summer at Chez Cheepie.  Given I hate to turn the oven on at all, and Mr. Cheepie owns the grill, I find it’s simplest to cook things that are quick on the stove: stir-frys and pastas get heavy rotation during the warm months.  

I’ve got an old Atlas pasta roller (thank you wedding registry of the 1990s), which makes homemade pasta simple.  There are a lot of recipes that will tell you you don’t have to have one, you can just roll it out by hand.  Those people have more skills than me. And more upper body strength.  Neither of those is hard to accomplish, but if you’re like me keep an eye out at thrift stores and you’ll find a machine for about $25.  Or you could get married, and register for one, but that comes with a lot more compromise than Savers demands of its customers.

homemadepasta.jpg

Breakdown of cost for batch of pasta:

5lbs flour=$1.99

18 eggs=  $ 1.69

2 c flour             20 cents 

 3 eggs              28.2 cents

So for under 50c, I’ve got a tasty batch of pasta that is plenty for 5 sides. It could also be a main dish if you added some random leftover meats & vegetables and gave it a toss with some oil and garlic over some heat.

Yes, it’s work. But these kids have to do something and they’ve started to notice that Pick Up This Crap is not as exciting of a game as I’ve made it out to be.  Especially when you get to the upper levels.  Rolling out pasta on the machine is like edible play-doh happy hour!

Given I use this method, using a food processor, it all comes together pretty quickly.  Whirl up dough and knead for about a minute. Then the dough rests for 30 min, which is helpfully enough time for you to figure out what else your band of heathens deserve for dinner.  Then put a pot of water on to boil, roll out the noodles, and get them cooked.  

Yes, you can buy noodles for twice the cost and they’re still cheap.  Yes, time is money.  If you’ve got some time, though, it’s a fun frugal way to make delicious pasta.

 

 

 

 

Happy Ad Wednesday!

Mothers Day is for Meat, apparently. Steaks are on sale all over town. I didn’t see any great deals on prime, so choose your favorite cut and pick a store, it’s probably on sale.

HEB has their chicken fajitas (breast or thigh) for $1.97/lb, and the club pack 80% ground chuck for 2.77/lb.  These are near-permanent prices, so I’m deciding not to list them all the time.

Highlights this week: mangos, avocados, strawberries, bacon and Oak Farms ice cream.

Happy shopping, Cheepsters!

 

Sprouts

avocados                                   33c/ea

green bell peppers                  50c/ea

celery                                           88c/ea

Honeycrisp apples                  $1.98/lb

bulk oats                                    50c/lb

bulk organic coffee                 $6.99/lb

Brown Cow yogurt cups          69c/ea

 

HEB

strawberries, 1lb                                                                 98c/ea

corn                                                                                         20c/ea

small mangos                                                                      33c/ea

pork loin roast                                                                   $1.99/lb

HEB or Honeysuckle ground turkey, 1lb                   $1.97/ea  (more grackle only)

HCF vegetable oil, 128oz                                                 $5/ea  (more grackle only)

Our American Favorite Chicken Nuggets, 2lb bag frozen                       $2.97/ea

 

Screen shot 2016-05-04 at 3.49.55 PM

                              Free Clamato? Combo Loco, indeed.

 

Randalls

Red Delicious apples                                                  99c/lb

pork loin chops, bone-in, value pack                 $1.79/lb

Safeway bacon, 3lbs                                                   $8.97/ea            

 

Fiesta

cucumber                                                33c/ea

green cabbage                                       39c/lb

cilantro                                                    33c/ea

seedless watermelons                       $2.99/ea

Ataulfo mangos                                                     25c/ea

strip or top sirloin steak, family pack          $3.97/lb (Fiesta limit)

boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh   $1.49/lb (Fiesta limit)

boneless half pork loin, cy-o-vac pack         $1.49/lb (Fiesta limit)

live crawfish                                                            $1.99/lb (30c off for whole sack)

Oak Farms ice cream, 1/2 gal                              $3.99/ea

 

Central Market

organic green pears                                               $1.27/lb

 

 

 

 

Weekly Flyer Links:

Happy Ad Wednesday!

Berries! Daffodils!  Yes, it was Summer for a couple of days last week, but we’re back to Spring, which is my favorite season. Bluebonnets, everything turning green, & BBQ meat sales–all great Spring things!

This week asparagus, sausage, strawberries and mangos are all cheap.  Ham is cheap all over because it’s Easter, which is all about Jesus and ham.  Cheap citrus is gone, but a couple stores still have sacks of grapefruit if you want more.  

Also some big news:

celerymonth

So celery is less than a buck at Sprouts! Get out and celebrate National Celery Month!

HEB

asparagus                                                              97c/ea

kiwi fruit                                                                25c/ea

HEB chicken for fajitas, value pack             $1.97/ea

Eckrich smoked sausage, 30-42oz               $5/ea

ground chuck, 80%, club pack                        $2.97/lb

HEB fresh sausage                                              $2.97/lb

 

 

Randalls

Hormel spiral sliced ham                                  $1.59/lb

Smithfield shank ham                                        $1.39/lb

bscb                                                                         $1.77/lb

Land O Lakes Butter, 1lb                                      $1.88/ea (must buy 2)

Lucerne brick or shredded cheese, 2lb            $5.99/ea

 

Sprouts

green seedless grapes                                           99c/lb

strawberries, 1lb                                                    $1.50/ea

spiral sliced ham                                                   $1.59/lb

cucumbers                                                                 50c/ea

red bell peppers                                                       50c/ea

celery                                                                          88c/ea

Sprouts organic broth, 32oz                                $1.50/ea

Sprouts salsa, select varieties, 16oz                  $2/ea

Sprouts frozen vegetables, selected, 16oz       $1.25/ea

 

Fiesta

Roma tomatoes                                                               67c/lb

cantaloupes                                                                     $1.50/ea

beef brisket, whole                                                        $2.77/lb (Fiesta limit)

Smithfield ham, butt or shank, bone-in                $1.47/lb (Fiesta limit)

boneless chicken breast or thighs, value pack     $1.29/lb (Fiesta limit)

chicken leg quarters, jumbo bag                                49c/lb (usually about 10lbs)

Blue Bell half gallon                                                     $4.49/ea (limit 2)

 

 

Central Market

extra large Hass avocados                                     97c/ea

 

Wheatsville

R.W. Knudsen juice, 32oz, selected                   $2.39/ea

organic carrots, 2lb bag                                         $1.99/ea

 

Trader Joe’s

TJ’s proscuitto, 4oz                                                 $3.99/ea

daffodils, 10 stems                                                   $1.49/ea

 

Whole Foods

Ataulfo mangos                                                          50c/ea

conventional-organic strawberries, 1lb              $1.50-$3.33/ea (yes, the ad is confusing)

Screen shot 2016-03-23 at 11.19.58 AM

See? Confusing. They say it’s a GREAT DEAL, though.

 

 

 

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