Grocery round up Oct 19

I have gotten into a pretty good routine of doing my shopping on Monday mornings after I get the kids on the bus. I like shopping when the stores are less crowded. I have a new budget now. We are going to try to stick to $50 a week for food items only. I don't see this working long term, but if we can do it for a couple of months it would really help. This pay period I had $20 to spend on toiletry items and I had $13.50 leftover, so that went to groceries. There were several great deals on things that rarely go on sale around here, so I took advantage. I will list the prices of everything, because I know I am always curious to see what others pay for each item.

2 tator tots $5 - $1.50c
4 bagel bits - $8 - 2 $1c
4 heinz ketchup - $8 - buying the above products gave me an $8 catalina to use next time
4 pillsbury cookies - $10 - 4 $.55c doubled - this also gave me a $2 catalina to use next time
3 California pizzas for one - $2.50 - $1c
2 large roasting chickens b1g1 - I bought the largest 2 I could find so $13.49 for both
5 steamfresh veggies - $1 each used 3 $.50c and 1 $.35c - I had another $.50c but she missed it, it should have been $.30 for all 5 bags, but instead it was $1.30
8 pack of juicy juice - $2 - $.75c = $.50!
4 boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch - $6 - 2 $1c = $1 a box
loaf of bread $1.69
Yo Plus yogurt - $2 - $1c
Minute Maid OJ - $2.50
Wheat Thins - $3.29 - $1c
Sunflower seeds - $1.99
4 Fresh Pet dog foods - $.99 each - used 4 free coupons
2 gallons of milk
1/2 gallon of soy milk $3.49 - $.75c
large bunch of bananas
large bag of grapes
3 tomatoes

My total was $66.55 - $16 more than I had planned, but it worked out pretty well with my toiletry budget being so low this week. I know exactly where I went over too - the 2 impulse purchases - Wheat Thins and sunflower seeds. I do have $10 to spend next week, so that helps too.

At CVS I had to fill a prescription and used a coupon I found on the counter for a $25 GC when you fill a prescription. Yay! I was torn about doing the advil deal (spend $20 and get $10 back), but when I got there and found $2 coupons on each Advil pack, I knew it was worth it. I put $7 on the GC and got $16.99 in ECB to use next time.
I stopped at Walgreens to get toilet paper. I have refused to shop there for the past few months due to their coupons errors, but on a tight budget I can't be picky. These packs for $3.99 each and I had a $2 off 2 packs coupon - making it $6.50 for 18 rolls of TP.

My total for everything for the week is $73.05. I am pretty pleased with that number, but still hope to do better next week.

*this post is linked to Grocery Cart Challenge and Money Saving Mom.