The MFA Price Book: Grocery Stores
This is part 3 of the price book series. As I mentioned before, I don’t usually like to discuss the prices I will pay for certain items because it really depends on where you live and where you shop. I live in a very high cost of living area and I do not have double coupons in any of my stores. So my prices are likely much higher than yours are! This is just to give you a very rough idea of what I consider a good price for certain staple items. I do not have a formal system of tracking prices- I just sort of remember them in my head. When a sale rolls around or coupons get me to the prices listed, I usually buy enough to last until the next sale. Typically I use 6 weeks as a rule of thumb for the next sale cycle, but again you will want to simply watch the ads in your area and see what works for you.
All prices reflect name brand products. I have found I get name brand items for much less than the generic version by using coupons and shopping the sales.
CHEESE: (Basic Cheddar or Mozzarella) $5.49 for 2 lbs (.17/oz)
WHOLE WHEAT BREAD: .99/loaf
EGGS: .99/dozen (usually I can get 18 for that price)
PASTA: .49 (I try to pay .25 or less)
BUTTER: $.99-1.50 (this is for quality butter like Challenge)
BANANAS: .39/lb
COFFEE: I usually pay $5.50-5.99 for a 29 oz tub. I like a specific brand or I could probably get a better deal. I do splurge on Tassimo disks but that is not in our grocery budget.
5 LB FLOUR: $1.99 is the highest I will pay. I try to get closer to $.99-1.49.
PASTA SAUCE: .49-.99 (again with double coupons you can likely get a much better deal!)
5 LB SUGAR: $1.49 or less
CRACKERS: .49 or less
CEREAL: I just reduced my buy price to .25 a box. I will occasionally pay a little more for Organic products or something new I want to try. Also I find Cheerios I have to pay a little more for. I will spend up to .70 per box.
OATMEAL: .49-.99 for instant oats
PEANUT BUTTER: .49-.99
JELLY: .99 (I will pay a little more to get a high quality product)
FROZEN PIZZA: $2.50 or less for a large pizza
CANNED VEGGIES: .25 is what I aim for but I will pay .50
CANNED SOUP: We don’t eat a lot of canned soup- I try to stock up on cooking soups for .50 or less a can
So those are just a few basics. You can see my drugstore prices HERE and meat stock up prices HERE. Just leave a comment below if there are other specific products that you are interested in!
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Thank you for taking the time to do this. It is very helpful!!
Take care,
Frances
Thanks so much for posting this!
Just curious where you buy your cheap peanut-butter? We go through it so fast around here and I can never seem to find good deals. I am in California too. The coupons that come in the paper for Skippy and Jif are usually so low-value I find myself being happy getting a jar for under $2.00. It seems like there should be better deals out there, but I can’t seem to find them!
Let’s see- I have about 4 PB in my pantry which will last us for awhile. I got several in October at Target when there were Target coupons and MQ that made Skippy free.
http://myfrugaladventures.com/2009/10/free-skippy-at-target-99-snuggle/
I also still have a few from when the all natural PB was .49 at Safeway in August.
http://myfrugaladventures.com/2009/08/safeway-deals-part-2-49-peanut-butter-16-corn/
I guess you just have to stick around for awhile and eventually everything goes on sale. When that happens just buy extra. I bought 8 or so PB and that would last us a year but it rarely goes on sale so I have no problem buying quite a bit.
It is always interesting to see what others are paying. I am the same on several items but higher on the rest. It does depend quite a bit on where you live, what stores you have available in your area, what type of foods you buy and if your stores allow doubles or better on coupons (I wish!)
May I ask what is your price for MILK?
Our Safeway had the lowest price (1.99 a gallon, must buy TWO) but they recently raised it to 2.39, must buy TWO. Usually when milk goes up you hear the reason why on the news (the cows went on strike, etc) but I haven’t heard anything this time.
At least I don’t live in Alaska, Hawaii or California. I have heard they pay the highest for groceries. And we live in a state where food is not a taxable item.
Thanks~
Um.. I live in CA
It is the most expensive which is why my prices are always way higher. For milk it is around $2.49-2.99 a gallon here- 2.49 if you buy 2.
I have noticed CVS has the cheapest prices so I can get it there for as low as $1.49 with a coupon. We have Real CA Milk at CVS and there are .50-.55 coupons that you can use. My other stores don’t carry this brand. Also if I buy 2 gallons a week that makes a nice filler to use the $5/20 CVS coupons.
This list is very helpful – thank you! I recently moved to NorCal, possibly in an even higher priced area than you (Palo Alto). I have not bought the newspaper for the coupons because I thought that it wouldn’t be helpful because I don’t buy a lot of prepared food. (I make almost everything from scratch.) But in looking at your list you are paying much less for several items than I normally do (including eggs, cereal, bread, peanut butter, pasta, etc.) Should I start buying the newspaper for the coupons or do I just need to wait for the good deals? Thanks so much – I love your website. It has helped me enormously!
I actually don’t think prices are highest in CA. I lived in the Bay Area for much of my life and have been in southern New England for almost 10 years now. Housing is somewhat lower than where I used to live for sure, but food is generally more expensive here. It is interesting to see the target prices that are available in different areas. I live in Connecticut, though, and it’s definitely not an inexpensive place to live.
Awesome!! Now I have an idea what to strive for and what is possible. Very, very helpful. Appreciate your time doing that!!
I would like to know prices you pay for toilet paper, kleenex, paper towel, garbage bags, etc. Thanks! I like this list!
I live in central CA and no double coupons around! Can anyone out there tell me where in CA there are double coupons and at what stores? I’m just curious! Thanks.
Kathleen I do not have double coupons but some areas in So Ca do. Ralphs has done triple coupons in the past. Also many areas of Oregon have double coupons.
Charlene,
I read somewhere that you like to pay $.25 per double roll of TP, please tell me where you find this price. We are nearing the end of our stash. And thank you so much for all your hard work. You are a real blessing to many families.
That one you really have to work for. I usually try to roll ECBs and use store coupons to make it work. For example get a 12pk or whatever for $6 and if you have a $5/15 CVS coupon than find $9 in “free” or nearly free stuff. Then use the $5/15 to get the TP cheap. Last time there was a rebate from Real Simple that I used to stock up. Or I guess when it hits a decent price just buy $15 worth + coupons + $5/15 and that will get your price down.
Thanks Charlene. I did notice a Scott coupon/rebate in the Sunday paper, but it doesn’t look like a great deal.
That one is for a coupon for another Scott purchase isn’t it? I had some bloggers tell me it was great but I personally don’t see much to get excited about. I think I am cranky in my old age though. If it isn’t easy I just move on
What about clothes? I fell in love with jeans at the gap but I can’t afford $70 for one pair and it looks like there aren’t any good deals unless you have a credit card
Hi Charlene – Can you add a Price Book tag for these entries (I think there is another one)? I find this information so helpful. Thanks!