Downstairs Stash

Are you ready?

That's my basement stash (& my dog Clifford) :)  It works really well given our basement isn't yet developed.  The top shelf was already there, and my husband added the bottom two for me.  It's hard to tell what is on those shelves so I'll explain some of it:

1. 20 boxes of cereal
2. 13 cans of diced tomatoes
3. 5 packages of 24 toilet paper
4. 12 boxes of kleenex
5. 9 bottles of laundry soap (all over 40 use each)
6. 6 bottles of toilet bowl cleaner
7. 6 bottles of Fantastic cleaner
8. 2 bottles of ketchup
9. 4 bottles of mustard (I use it for a Honey Curry Chicken recipe... trust me, we don't use mustard on much else).

In addition to those things there is:

1. Pasta
2. Peanut Butter
3. Salsa
4. Tostitos
5. Pop
6. Tomato Sauce
7. Paper Towel (I tried couting but gave up.  At least 12 rolls plus a Costco container)
8. Goldfish
9. Oatmeal
10. RedHot Sauce
11. Tuna
12. Pizza Sauce
13. Crackers - alot of Crackers.  Probably as many as the cereal. 
14. Swiffer mop refills.
15. Laundry stain remover.
16. Windex
17. Rice
18. Annie's Noodles
19. Ok, this list could keep getting longer, I keep seeing more things - lol.

None of these items were free (unless it was a BOGO), but they were all cheap, cheap, cheap, and almost all of them were purchased with coupons.  Part of the reason for the amount of cereal, is twofold.  Cereal is expensive so it's great to buy it when it's cheap, and cereal boxes also have coupons on them.  It's a bonus when you can get cereal cheap & with coupons!  Some of the coupons on the boxes I have downstairs are for free yogourt, Glad products, and Icecream.

The stash downstairs does not show items that I keep upstairs, such as other bathroom cleaners, shampoo, conditioners, toothpaste and body wash. 

I'm really proud of our wall of food & cleaning items.  It's nice to know that we could go a few weeks without needing to get more than produce and refrigerated items, and be more than alright.  It's like having our own mini little grocery store right at our fingertips.

Does it convince you to create a stash of your own?

There comes a time

When you have been shopping only with deals, that you no longer need to buy groceries.  My flyers FINALLY arrived on my doorstep this morning.  It took four weeks of calling Flyer Force and asking for them.  I sat down and looked through them, and NOTHING jumped out at me.  I could take advantage of getting sme ice cream for free (Nestle on sale at Sobey's, with a $5 off any brand ice cream cereal coupon), and I could pick up some more Christie Crackers (such as Triscuit's) for $2, but none of it is needed.  Our stockpile is sufficient.

When I first started using on cash, and the limit of $125 a week, we needed that limit.  Our stockpile was still growing, and it took that much per week to grow it/maintain it.  But I've been noticing more and more, that that money has allowed me to buy frivolous items.  Last week I picked up a foldable chair for each of my kids for $5 a piece at London Drugs.  And I picked up the boxes of 6 packets of Real Fruit Mini's for $1 a box at Wal-mart.  Items that are needed?  No, not really.  Nice?  Sure.  But, it didn't surprise me this morning when I realized I need to pick up nothing this week other than produce and milk.  Looks like this will be a $40 grocery week. 

Guess it's time to trim down that $120 budget a bit.  Maybe bring it down to $100 or even crazier $80?

If you are out there, and still reading this, would you like to see my stockpile?  I'd be happy to show you!  Post back and let me know :)

Comedy of Flyers

For the third week in a row, my flyers did not arrive.  I looked outside my front door Thursday to see they were on the neighbours steps, but not mine.  One more call to Flyer Force, and she said if the manager didn't bring them by that night, that she would have them brought over by a courier Friday morning.  I went about my day with the kids, and pulled into the driveway noticing my neighbour was out in his.  I went over, youngest on my hip, introduced myself (again) and asked if I could have his flyers.  He looked at me and said "What do you do with them?"  I chuckled inwardly at this comment.  It's true.  What I'm working so hard to have delivered, is one item most people are happy to not receive.  He thought this was all too comical, and was happy to pass me his flyers, saying he just "burns them in the winter."  Score.  More flyers for me (this weeks came with some good coupons from Rexall!).

Maybe next week I'll see Flyers on my steps?

Still here, Still saving!

I've been away from this space, but have still been busy learning this new art of saving.  Here are some of the new to me things I'm doing:

• Hounding Flyer Force to deliver flyers to my doorstep.  I've been having to buy the Herald every Thursday to access a paper copy of the grocery store flyers.  I'm hoping that this week will be my lucky week and flyers will arrive free on my doorstep.  (If you don't get flyers, call Flyer Force - they are friendly and perhaps they can set you up!).
• Using these Flyers at stores to price match.  Similar to coupons, the first time I asked for a price match, it felt a little bit like "really, you are going to do this?".  But, if it is just one item I need from a different store, so much easier to get it while I'm shopping where I'm getting the majority of my other groceries.  Just make sure it is the exact same item - weight/size, brand etc.
• Trading coupons!  Through SmartCanucks, I have done my first successful coupon trade with a couple ladies in Ontario.  A great way to get rid of coupons you aren't going to use, and get ones you will.
• Still shopping with just cash.  The $125 was a great weekly amount for my family, but was hard to take out of the bank machine so I've reduced it down to $120 for the month of July.

Have you started changing your shopping habits?  Any great tips to pass along?