I had totally planned on doing a no spend week last week and actually made it all the way until Friday but then my Mom asked me to pick something up for her at Costco. In a very uncharacteristic move, I popped into the store around 3 pm. And it was a MAD HOUSE.
I grabbed what she needed and got out of there quick. And then I started to think about WHY it was busy.
The holidays are just around the corner. Duh. Why didn’t I think of that before?
And since November and December are pretty much my least favorite time of year to be in any sort of store, the next day I went back to Costco about 30 minutes before closing, and went a little crazy.
Costco $169.89
Has anyone tried those cute little bird nest fettuccine noodles? They were too adorable not to buy!
Albertsons $5.92
After Costco I decided to stop by Albertsons because they had ice cream on sale for $1.99 a half gallon {which is a must if you are serving apple pie on Thanksgiving} and 10 pound bags of potatoes for $0.99 each.
Fred Meyer $37.96
And then because HEY… let’s just buy ALL THE GROCERIES I Think I’LL NEED UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR {besides milk} all at once so I don’t have to step foot in another grocery store mentality set in.
All or nothing. That’s how I am sometimes. I may have busted my grocery budget for November… but I’m done. And that feels good. Oh, and in case you are wondering where our Thanksgiving turkey is, The Girl is getting a free one from her work. 🙂 Wahooo!
The HH’s breakfast in bed from Sunday.
One night I cooked a Zaycon turkey breast in the crock pot and we had seasoned rice, mashed potatoes and corn. The next night I made a turkey casserole with the leftovers. Anyone want the recipe?
Snack or dinner?
Big salads rule!
Roasted butternut squash.
Beans, rice and chicken.
And because I was still sick, I also popped a Trader Joe’s lasagna in the oven and made their frozen Kung Pao Chicken for my peeps one night as well. Oh, and I also made a crock pot full of chicken soup one night as well.
It was a very slow and easy week… Until I went on a serious stock up trip. 😉
So I’m curious, do you like all the hustle and bustle in the stores this time of year? Or are you like me and would rather go and get everything all at once and stay home to avoid the stores?
I’d love to know.
~Mavis
Total Spent This Week $213.77
Total Spent in January on Groceries $202.99
Total Spent in February on Groceries $143.94
Total Spent in March on Groceries $183.35
Total Spent in April on Groceries $205.67
Total Spent on Groceries in May $248.60
Total Spent on Groceries in June $147.47
Total Spent on Groceries in July $293.63
Total Spent on Groceries in August $117.29
Total Spent on Groceries in September $172.91
Total Spent on Groceries in October $186.69
Total Spent on Groceries in November $283.02
Total Spent in January on Take Out, Date Nights, and Bakery Treats $42.19
Total Spent in February on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $118.45
Total Spent in March on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $25.29
Total Spent in April on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $62.50
Total Spent in May on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $54.52
Total Spent in June on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $119.15
Total Spent in July on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $12.45
Total Spent in July on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $0
Total Spent in August on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $212.67
Total Spent in September on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $132.50
Total Spent in October on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $87
Total Spent in November on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $60.42
Go HERE to read more Shopping Trip Stories.
Jessica says
Jarred Alfredo Sauce???? Nothing compares to fresh homemade.. Trader Joes sells shelf stable whipping cream in 8oz size. For making whipped cream you need to pop that bad boy into the fridge for 6-8 hours then use as it should be. I take a box straight off the shelf to make alfredo! We don’t have a local to us TJ so when we make the trip our shopping looks hoarder-ish! A stack of these, a half dozen of the garlic aioli my husband loves, the special treat the kids like… But the boxed whipped cream is just amazing to have on hand!
Mavis Butterfield says
I know, right? 😉 I’ve never tried to make homemade so I’ll have to find a recipe for next time.
Kara says
Easy recipe- bring 1 cup butter and 1 cup cream to a low simmer, whisk in 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino. Season with salt and pepper and a dash of nutmeg.
Mavis Butterfield says
Oh you are kidding me! That is so simple. Thanks Kara I am going to have to try it.
Katie Wagner says
I am a stay home and hibernate kinda girl! haha I don’t like the hustle and bustle of the stores. I am Like you Mavis, get my stuff , stock up and stay home!
Kristina says
So, recently we got together with friends, and since no one wanted to cook, we pooled our lunchmeat, cheeses, random olives, fruits, nuts. Our friends said they call this a “bohemian dinner”. Genius, and so much cooler than our dorky name for it — “the cold cuts dinner”. It’s a go-to probably once per week around here, but from now on it will be called the bohemian dinner. Ha.
Linda M says
I am so like you about November and December shopping. I try my best to avoid the crowds!
Linda says
I used to love the hustle and bustle. Now I order my groceries online between mid November and Christmas. I dislike being rushed and pushed.
Teri says
HATE the crowds! Good idea to go shortly before closing — might try that!
Teresa says
I was in Costco yesterday. It was good/bad. Bad because the parking lot was dog eat dog, I hate it when people just park in the road waiting for someone to pull out. PARK ALREADY! A little walk won’t hurt you! Good because the store was SO BUSY that every checkout was open! I was in/out in 20 minutes. Had my list, stuck to it. I typically stay out of Costco from now to after Christmas unless it’s something I really need.
Amy says
Went to Costco and it was dog eat dog too- no parking spaces at all. I tried to park in the road and wait for a woman unloading her cart into her trunk but felt too much guilt after the 10th person had to drive around me and the woman was only halfway through repacking her cart into her trunk item by item. I left the lot completely, parked in an industrial district, and the children and I hiked across a field of snow to get to the store. Since we were meeting my sister there she was able to drive our purchases to the car as we hiked back. Won’t be going to Costco again for a couple of months, that was insane!
Laura Z says
I hate the crowds! I like to do school drop offs and head straight to the store. It’s quieter, and I often find markdowns then. I can take my time, coupon and comparison shop, and not feel rushed.
Ali says
Another one here who hates the crowds. I get my groceries delivered throughout November and December as I can’t stand the hustle and bustle. People just go crazy!!! I send OH for any fresh items I need, he doesn’t mind it as much 😉
Jtwink says
I love that idea, might try grocery delivery this year. I hate crowds and shopping anyway but I have a very personal reason to stay away from crowds – I’m a diabetic and somewhat immunosuppressed so every time someone gets too close to me, I catch the cold or flu or whatever illness that person has. Last summer I retired and didn’t have as much as a sniffle all winter, because I’m no longer working alongside people who come into work sick. Yay!
Mrs. Z says
I do not like the craziness of the holiday shopping season. I try early morning shopping. I wish I could just get it all over now for the next month and half. But with 4 boys eating anything they find it is tough. So 6 people eating everyday. It is the snack food that I need to find ways to hide and stock pile. Lol. I still feed everyone on about 350 a month so I am doing alright. Boy when I worked full time I would find my grocery budget hitting 800 some months. I will say it is easier to plan ans take time now that I am home.
Candy C. says
Mrs. Z., I found hiding special items I don’t want devoured before I want to put them out or use in a recipe, such as M&M’s or reeses cups for use in baking are most likely not to be touched if I hide them in my cleaning cupboard! Unless of course it is something that needs refrigeration. I used to work in a candy store and would tell my customers who wanted to hide candy until a special day to put in the cleaning cupboard or if a man..in their toolchest. Worked every time.
Helen in Meridian says
I love the hustle and bustle. I love a crowd…you can make new friends and check out what they are buying. Costco the last 45 min they are open is great too, but no sampling at that hour. Found a deal on butter. Albertsons has Darigold butter 2/$5. At Fred Meyer and Albertsons there are Darigold cardboard coupon pad on the doors of their milk $2 off any 2 Darigold products. This makes butter $1.50. Stock up for the next 3 months. The coupon is good thru Feb something, if I recall.
Susan says
I found that coupon at FM, too and grabbed a few knowing the butter will be on sale somewhere, sometime in the next few weeks.
At my FM they had them in 4 or 5 different spots around the store.
Sarah says
Oh, Mavis. We just got home from Costco. It was Bananas. My girls kept asking why there were so many people :-). I said I don’t know. It’s Monday morning? Der. Holidays.
Sue R. says
I was at Winco this morning about 7:30 just to avoid any crowds later on. I stocked up for a good long while!
Susan says
Did you get a FREE turkey? If you spend $100, you get a FREE turkey! They are between 13 – 19 lb,
Tricia says
I do not like grocery shopping less so this time of year. To make matters worse if someone sneezes or coughs I back track and won’t go down that aisle. If I could shop every couple of months have chickens and goats I would be one happy girl (HOA!).
Lolly says
I hate the holiday crowds!!! I worked on a mall for 4 yrs as a teen….and that ruined me for life! Also, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more and more anxious in crowds. So I normally try to do my holiday shopping well in advance of Nov, and avoid the stores till after the new yr!
I bought our Thanksgiving meal (and food for the rest of Nov) last week Wed and Thurs. We’re set till the beginning of Dec on food, except for milk and bananas. I’ll need to grocery shop in Dec, but we go to a teeny, local cost + 10% store for our groceries, AND I go during the mornings, usually, so we don’t hit crowds. With the kids running to get me groceries, it goes fast! (We homeschool, so they are with me on my grocery runs!)
Marcia says
Ha! You crack me up. I also hate crowds, but I tend to go in the early morning. For Costco, after the lunch crowd is over, around 3 pm is good. (Before school lets out.)
I am actually decreasing my shopping this week. We are going on vacation the week of Thanksgiving, so mostly getting things that travel well for a road trip (hint: your cheese/salami/crackers, apples and oranges, tortilla chips and canned chili). Also trying to eat up things in the freezer.
I would love the casserole recipe. Your meals looks great. I gave up gluten earlier this year (it started to not agree with me, total bummer), and I need ideas beyond salad, eggs, and beans and rice. I’ve been meaning to try making a pot-pie like thing but with mashed potato top.
Brianna says
I could probably be a recluse from the stores until New Years. I only grocery shop and go to town 1X/week and I just don’t have an immediate need anything. My parents go to town every other day at least, so I just have them get me a loaf of bread or milk. I just finished Christmas shopping today for my kids. I took advantage of deals in October and early this month so I don’t get caught up in the Black Friday or unnecessary spending rush of the holidays. I hate the holiday expectations, but stores keep starting earlier and earlier every year. I am burned out already.
bobbi says
I do it all at once also. And all of my Christmas shopping is DONE! I finished today. I have noticed the traffic too and I can stay home until we go on vacation after Christmas. We. are. good.
I love this time of year though, but don’t want to spend it in traffic. So I shop all year long and then just do little things for stockings. We pick names too so we don’t have to spend a fortune on ‘stuff’. We are going to the muntains of NC after Christmas to be with the family up there and it will be a blast!!!
KC says
There being a lot of people is more or less okay for me when the people are not all stressed and cranky and/or dog-eat-dog (in advance competition for everything they’re buying, looking at everyone around them with suspicion and dislike). But during the holidays, more people seem to be stressed and cranky and desperate, so… yeah, nope. Gotta stock up with enough butter for all the holiday cooking and baking early to miss that season, though! 🙂
Mary says
I don’t mind. I go early in the day, before everyone is shopping. I get to Costco when they open.
Tracy says
I make a list of all the gifts I want to get, by person, make myself a pot of tea and toast a muffin….and get to town on Amazon. I think I’m only one or two gifts away from having all my Christmas shopping (and three birthdays that fall in November and December) done, done, done. From now through New Year’s, I won’t set foot in a store, mall or shopping center. I’ll run to the market for food from time to time, but will plan those trips at 7 a.m. or so, just to get in and get out quickly. After 30 years of corporate life in NYC, I now work from home and spend December wrapping, packing up to ship, and baking and cooking, prepping for dinner parties and baked good gifts. Best solution for me. No stress and plenty of woodburning fires, licking the bowls, and Christmas music. Zero crowds, malls, or stress! Get organized, take the plunge and get it done now, so you can enjoy your family and connect with what the season is all about! Anybody can do it, regardless of your work schedule or budget.
Mama Cook says
Tracy-Your post just made me smile! Crackling fire, bowl licking, amazon shopping NYC exec turned work from home encourager!!! Joy!!!!!
Tracy says
My favorite holiday hack is cosco.
They have 10 pound tubs of mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes for about 10.00 I think.
And they are tasty.
My fam are huge potato eaters
One year I asked someone to bring and they had stirred in blue cheese and nuts
So around 50.00 I come out with 50 pounds worth of peeled cooked creamed buttered and sugared with the sweet potatoes.
I also buy a 2pk of harrys gravy and add to my stock to make a gallon of gravy. It thickens they gravy nicely.
Still tastes homemade and saves my sanity.
Tracy Tidwell says
I miss Costco so much. Ours flooded during Hurricane Harvey and it has not reopened yet. They sent an email last week stating it would open November 30th. there is not another Costco close to me but I need to stock up so bad on some things. I can only imagine what that store is going to look like on November 30th. I think I will wait a little bit more.
Teckla says
I hate the crowds and shop when I have to, not because I like to! So I’ll avoid the stores as much as possible until after Christmas and probably through most of the winter because of all the coughing and sneezing goodness. YUCK! And what’s with all of the impatient or just plain RUDE people lately. I know I’m a little slower than I used to be when I was younger, but people are just plain rude. They cannot wait until I have finished emptying my cart before they start emptying theirs! And they’ll even shove my stuff up the belt. I usually put bread and perishable, easily bruised fruit/veggies last so they won’t end up under the canned goods, but people will still shove things around. I think next time someone does that to me, I am going to pick their stuff up and put it on the floor! I have even pushed stuff back and handed it back to people. Think there might be an apology? Yeah, not! Ok, grumpy will just stay home as much as possible until after the holiday madness anyway.
Julie P says
We escape it all and the winter chill. We take the dogs and head south in the motorhome to Southern Europe. My husband can’t stand it and I am getting like Tracy do it all from Amazon. So it’s done and we are off any day now. Daughter will move into the house as they have a large project on our drive that they are working on (a 1971 Airstream) and boom! No stress, no crowds, no ridiculousness. We really are a grumpy old man and a grumpy old woman!