Publix - 60% Savings! - September 23, 2010

You know what's more impressive than that receipt up there? That I drove to Publix all by myself for the first time. Seriously, I'd never been in a Publix completely alone before. I'd driven to this particular store twice before - once with a driving instructor (we didn't go in the parking lot, we drove past) and once with my husband (he drove home). This is a huge deal - particularly because across the street from this store is a bubble tea shop (I LOVE BUBBLE TEA) and an independent natural grocery store. And it's around the corner from my friend's house. It's finally clicking! I feel great.

Ah, so, the savings. I saved 60% today, mostly because I stuck rigidly to my list and nearly everything was on sale. I got many, many boxes of Vitatops because they were on BOGO for $2.25 each and I love them; I'm not even sure if I got enough and am debating going back next week (the sales go Thursday-Wednesday) to get more, as we still have room in the freezer. Maybe. That sale was the final straw that got me to get in the car and just go. I also got 3 boxes of pancake mix for 14 cents each (and am planning on donating at least one, maybe more, of those boxes to the local food pantry), Quaker instant oatmeal for 95 cents, an extra-large jar of Prego spaghetti sauce for $1.73, Progresso soup for 65 cents, cottage cheese for $2 (not the best price ever but I like it and my husband loves it), Laughing Cow cheese (it wasn't on sale but I did use a coupon so it was $2), and free laundry detergent thanks to Jen at Saving Cents in the City (she got me three coupons for free Arm & Hammer Gel laundry detergent at BlogHer).

So everything I bought wasn't absolutely necessary for survival, but it was all things we use and things we will enjoy. I did not buy the Smart Balance milk - after coupon, it was a mere 50 cents, but it also has fish oil in it and...I just couldn't do it. (Full disclosure: My daughter, who I'm raising vegetarian for the time being, takes fish oil supplements, and I do too.) Milk with fish oil just  didn't do it for me, so I played coupon fairy and left the $2 coupon on the shelf in hopes that someone who can use it will find it. I also skipped the cheap Eggland's Best eggs because we didn't need them, but they're only $1.30 after sale + coupon, which I think is a great deal for free-range eggs. (Better deal? Getting them free from my friend's backyard chickens!)

And now I can drive to Kroger, Publix, and YDFM, which means I can finally do the family's grocery shopping by myself if I want to. Wow. (My other destinations are CVS, the pool, and a friend's house. I hope to add Target, Big Lots, and Goodwill in the near future, followed by...just driving where I need to go without making an issue out of it.)

Thank you to I Heart Publix and CouponMom for help formulating these deals!