I’m documenting what I’m buying each week and how much everything costs. This post covers the July 14th to 21st. I’m going to switch over to tracking monthly, with weekly check-ins.
My 2025 Shopping Rules
I went into detail on what my new shopping rules will be in this post and this post, but in short, my initial goal was to keep purchases for food and household goods to $190 per week with 2 caveats. Then it was to keep purchases for food to $190 per week. I totally blew that budget in June. If I blow the budget again in July, I guess I’ll have to adjust it upwards again? I’ll have to check and see where we are in terms of the USDA food spending guide.
The caveats: We make most of our meat and seafood purchases from Butcher Box throughout the year. We also make sporadic larger bulk purchases from Azure Standard to save money over what we can buy in the grocery store. I currently contribute $350 per month in a separate fund for these purchases.
As a recap, I spent $256.67 for the first 8 days of July. I made 2 shopping trips between July 9th and 13th: one to Ralph’s and one to our discount grocery store. I spent $194.40 for the second week of July (again, a trip to Ralphs and the discount grocery store). That brings our first half of July total to $451.07.
What We Bought
Ralphs ($67.76 Spent After Refund for Moldy Broccoli)
This was a pickup order.
What we bought:
- 2 Cheerios ($4.00 for both)
- 2 Lucky Charms ($3.00 for both)
- Celery hearts ($3.49) – I tried to order a $1.99 regular head, but they were out of stock.
- 1.57 pounds of Broccoli ($3.12)
- Green salsa ($5.49)
- Bananas ($2.04)
- 1 lemon ($0.79)
- 1 lime ($0.50)
- Asparagus ($4.27) – Mr. FF loves asparagus, so I try to get it when it’s in season, although $4.27 is stupid.
- 2 avocados ($5 for both)
- Kroger Cream of Tartar ($5.49) – needed to make snickerdoodle cookies
- 2 Kroger cottage cheese ($4 for both)
- Kroger sour cream ($2)
- Cat food for the grandcat, not pictured ($7.99)
- 2.03 pounds of grapes ($4.04, AFTER $4.06 of discounts – unreal)
- Sweet potato ($1.79)
- Gluten free rolls ($5.49) – I thought this was for 4 rolls. Nope. 2. TWO.
- Blueberries ($4.99, AFTER $4 off — also batshit crazy)
- Cantaloupe ($3.99)
- Bag fee ($0.50)
The broccoli was moldy, so I requested a refund and got it ($3.12). Ordinarily I wouldn’t bother, but grocery prices are so insane I’m not messing around anymore. I was able to salvage one whole head and stalk, and the stalk of the moldy one. I don’t throw away the stalk. I trim off the woody end, then dice the tender part up and use it in stir fries. I actually prefer the stalk to the florets, but that’s just me.
But also, if you’re a grocery picker, how do you not notice this? And why was it even on the display for purchase? For two summers in college I was a cashier at a grocery store and my produce guy would never.
Look at the inside:
You guys, I just can’t with these prices. And they’re only going to go up, what with all of the agricultural workers being rounded up and disappeared. WHAT THE FUCK IS OUR GOVERNMENT DOING?
Can we just be so for real right now? This was almost $100 before discounts and sales. What. The. Actual. Fuck.
Discount Grocery Store ($104.95 Spent)
- Hippeas ($5.99)
- 2 Family Size Honey Nut Cheerios ($9.98 for both)
- Pamela’s gluten free cake mix ($4.99)
- 2 brie cheeses ($5.98 for both)
- 1 feta cheese block ($3.49)
- 3 Kind granola bars ($5.97 for all three)
- 2 gluten free granola ($5.98 each)
- 2 Chobani greek yogurts ($9.76 for both)
- 2 Mission gluten free tortillas ($10.58 for both)
- Tostada shells ($2.59)
- Tortilla chips ($3.99)
- Kettle chips ($4.29)
- 3 zucchini ($2.40)
- Bag of Brussels sprouts ($3.99)
- Organic lemonade ($2.99 plus $0.10 CRV)
- Grillmates Chimichurri Blend ($1.99)
- Avocado ($1.99)
- An impulse nature something or other snack bar at checkout ($0.99), not pictured
- 24 pack of La Croix ($10.29 plus $1.20 CRV)
- I forgot my reusable bags, so $0.30 for plastic bags
- $5 donation (but I get a $5 off coupon on my next trip)
Even without the sparkling water or donation, the food items would have been about $90. This is my head exploding.
Ralphs ($25.66 Spent)
I don’t have a picture, but my son requested Oreos, so I sent him to the store. I asked him to pick up some more yogurt while he was there. This is what he got:
- One package of gluten free Oreos
- One container of Breyer’s ice cream
- 2 Chobani greek yogurts (32 ounces each)
Mr. FF and I like to have greek yogurt with granola for breakfast/lunch.
Thrive Market ($43.33 Spent)
What We Bought:
- 2 Gluten Free hamburger buns ($5.69 each)
- Gluten free granola ($5.49)
- Bachan’s gluten free Japanese BBQ sauce ($8.49)
- Gluten free tamari ($4.29)
- Avocado oil spray ($5.69)
- Gluten free quick oats ($6.17)
- Dijon mustard ($3.49)
- Nutpods creamer ($3.41 each)
- Pecans and dried pineapple (Free gifts with purchase)
The last time I ordered from Thrive Market, I ordered the Japanese BBQ sauce and it was left out of the delivered order, so I had a credit of $8.49 on my account. Prior to the credit, the total was $51.82, but out of pocket was $43.33.
I will say, Thrive Market does have some great free gifts with purchase. I try to time all of my orders to offers of free gifts with purchase. You do have to act fast though. They only have limited quantities. But, this time, the free items were valued at $33.91 (the pecans are currently on sale for $18.52 – normally $21.92, and the dried pineapple is currently on sale for $9.49 – normally $11.99), so I definitely scored with that one.
(As of the writing of this post, if you use my Thrive Market affiliate link, you will get 40% off of your first order and up to $60 in free gifts. They change the offers, so it may not still be this depending on when you’re reading.) Plus, they have free shipping on orders over $49. When I travel, I will usually place an order and have it delivered to my destination, especially when I’m not sure gluten free options will be readily available. Or, when we are visiting family or friends, I’ll do this so we don’t burden them with feeling obligated to purchase pricey gluten free groceries for us.
Third Week of July Totals
I spent $241.70 this week on groceries. Added to the $451.07 from the first half of July, that brings our running total to $692.77. We still have 9 days left in the month. I can delay grocery shopping for a couple of more days, but we are having my uncle and his husband over for dinner on Friday night, so I’ll need to go to the store this Thursday.
My uncles are on their Farewell to the USA tour. They are moving overseas indefinitely. My uncle’s husband is an immigrant and he isn’t white, and even though he’s a naturalized US citizen, they don’t really feel safe. And it’s too expensive here. I don’t blame them at all, but it really makes me sad. My uncle and I have been having some really in-depth, serious conversations about everything since December. I adore my uncle and his husband. I love my Guncles. They’re amazing.
I hope you have a great rest of the week. May you find some epic sales.
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Frugal Forward 
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