WAGS fun & another big stockpile trip

I know, I know. I said that I'm only gonna spend about $20-30 per week on groceries, but after visiting the stores this weekend, I decided to do another big stock up. I started reorganizing my stockpile last week (it's still a work in progress) & have a better idea of what I still needed. I apologize for the lack of pics, but by the time I've unpacked and wiped down everything, I'm too tired to still think of pics.

When I was out on Sunday, I stopped at Meijer to get newspapers & blueberries. The store didn't have the main paper & the other paper only had the SS insert. Grrr. I did get my blueberries & 4 more strips of yeast. I noticed that they had limits on peanut butter and canned pumpkin was non-existent. 

Then I went to another Meijer and they had the main paper. Except, no PG insert. Ugh. It's a mystery as to why we never got PG inserts this week. Thankfully I got a PG insert in the mail. Same story with PB & pumpkin and their yeast was limit 1, so I grabbed one strip. No use passing it up.

On Monday I headed to Walmart for a few produce items and eggs. I decided to make a list of things to stockpile, because shortages seem to be getting worse every week. I keep seeing more items added to the shortage list - not good. I normally buy 1 or 2 cans of baked beans, but decided to be bold and just grab 4. I figured if I keep buying 1 at a time, I'm gonna end up seeing beans shortages at some stage too. We love our Busch's baked beans. 

The canned goods aisle was half empty. This was a shock to me. I've switched my shopping day from Sunday to Monday, to give them time to restock the shelves. Usually they're pretty well stocked, so I was shocked to see so little goods. I grabbed what was on my list. Their store brand chickpeas (another favorite of ours) has been OOS for almost a month, so I picked up some of their store brand organic ones. It's actually still a few cents less than the regular name brand chickpeas. So organic wins the day.

The baking aisle had no yeast and I searched high and low for pumpkin. I eventually found it on a bottom shelf at the end of the aisle. There wasn't much, but I grabbed 3 cans and also a ready made pumpkin pie mix. Just add eggs and evaporate milk. I tried making a pumpkin pie once and it was a flop (I guess it didn't bake long enough, because the filling was still loose), so I've been buying pies ever since DMIL passed away (she used to bake our pies). Now I'm a good baker, so I was disappointed when my pie flopped. I'm not taking chances this year. If Sams doesn't have pumpkin pie, then I at least have the filling all ready in a can. Easy peasy...lol

I also found store brand EVOO cooking spray. I bought 3 cans. I wasn't out, but I figured I'd get some more. I opened a 2pk Pam spray last week, so we're still in good shape

Now I'm basically stocked up on Thanksgiving food. We don't care for cranberry sauce or even turkey and stuffing (I've never liked stuffing). So we get seafood and other meat (for me) and add all the other sides. The most important part of the meal (for me) is the pumpkin pie...lol

I cashed out for another $25 Walmart gc on Ibotta. Then I headed to Sams with $75 gcs. They had lots of t/p & p/t, but no Dunkin Donuts coffee, DS's juice was out (I got the last one and the shelf space has been filled with a different brand). I bought another pack of store brand tissues. I wanted to get 2, because I want to donate one. However, there were only 4 packs on the shelf and I didn't want to deprive someone else of getting some. I can always buy another pack next time.  I also got a 2pk PB (we don't like any other brand). These jars are huge and we still have one unopened jar in the pantry.

They were once again out of my non GMO chicken breast. There were only thigh meat & tenders, so I got 2 packs of tenders. 

I stocked up on the rest of my baking supplies - baking powder, vanilla extract, raisins and I found more cooking spray. Turns out the Sams brand EVOO spray cost more than Walmart. Huh? Isn't Sams supposed to be cheaper, since we're paying for a membership? I did buy a pack, but will pick some up at Walmart again. At Walmart I paid 26c/oz and the Pam Spray at Sams costs 29c/oz. I know that most people will just buy Pam, because the bottles are bigger (12 oz vs 7 oz store brand). I always calculate the unit cost to see which is the better price. I use the spray for cooking & baking. 

I feel a whole lot better about my stockpile now. I can finally say that we're in good shape. Now I can really focus on that $20-30 per week stockpiling, because I just need to fill in the gaps. The problem I have is not knowing how long shortages will last or whether Covid will be worse or better during winter. 

So DH has started with the stockpiling crap again. He's not complaining per se, but making comments about it. Looks like he hasn't learned from the pandemic after all. He's been bragging about how Aldi's fully stocked. I told him it's because most people shop at the big grocery stores (especially since Aldi doesn't carry half the stuff that they do). Our Meijer is like a super Walmart. It has everything under the sun. Actually Meijer is better than Walmart, because it carries a much larger variety of items and brands. We have all stores right on our doorstep, so why would people go to Aldi, except to fill in the gaps. Anyhoo, after some back & forth with him, I told him to not listen to me. That we can take up this conversation again in a few months (boy is he gonna regret it...lol). Immediately after the conversation, he went into the pantry to get a bottle of his favorite juice....smdh. I told him to leave the juice alone and go buy some at Aldi....lol, since he's so anti stockpiling (hoarding he calls it. As if we don't use any of the stuff). So I've decided to teach him a lesson. I know that Aldi doesn't carry this juice. It's the only thing he'll drink, because of the low sugar. I've been picking up a few bottles at Dollar Tree every week. Well, I'm just not gonna buy anymore. He drinks at least 2 bottles per week. So when it's gone, he can go see if his beloved Aldi has it....lol (we all know he's not gonna find any...lol). Then he can do the running around to find his favorite juice (better hope things don't get worse here again, cause flu season will be here too). No, I'm not being mean. Sometimes you just have to teach them a lesson, so that they can truly appreciate what you do.

I wasn't planning on going to WAGS this week, but read about the inexpensive Scott p/t deal. 

Trans 1 (DH account)

2 x Scott p/t $10.00

3 x Robitussin 6.57

1 x Kit Kat 0.99

Less Scott DQ (2.00)

Less Scott IVC (2.50)

Less Robitussin IVC (6.57)

Less BR Points (5.00)

Tax 0.99

OOP $2.48

Earned $5 BR Points. 

DH had a earn $5 BR WYS $1 DQ. I added the candy, because I knew that my total would be 50c after using BR to pay.

The Robitussin is clearanced to $2.19 (check your stores). There's a $3 IVC. The cashier told me that I cannot use the q, because it's higher than the cost of the item. She told me that she'll try the kids one (which I knew wouldn't attach, because it's for a 2pk). I very nicely asked her to just try scanning the $3 one, so she did & voila, it deducted the full value off each item. All the while I was thinking 'girl please, I know that q works. I've got the inside scoop'....lol

To save yourself the same headache, go clip the IVC to your card. I should've done that instead, but didn't check our accounts first. The q will automatically deduct and you'll just have to pay tax on the medicine. 

Trans 2 (my account)

2 x Scott p/t $10.00

Less Scott DQ (2.00)

Less IVC (2.50)

Less BR Points (5.00)

Tax 0.60

OOP $1.10

I don't use much p/t, but am saving this in case DH ever runs out....shhhhh (I didn't tell him this...lol)

That's been my shopping week. I feel like this stockpiling has been consuming my life. I'm happy to basically be done with it. All I need to do is make a CVS run. I don't even have a game plan yet, except for the Loreal moisturizer deal.