Albertson's CAN Be Romantic!!

We were running out of milk, so tonight -- after dinner -- Max and I went to Albertson's to buy some. After all, it's better to buy it the night before you need it, rather than run to the grocery store early in the morning with sleepy eyes and bed smashed hair. Right?

We left the children at home and called this our mini-date night. Yippee!! Date night at Albertsons!!! We're living on the edge. You can call us the last of the romantics.... gazing at each other with the soft glow of the milk case softly reflecting in our eyes. Oooooh. It doesn't get any better than that, does it?

Well, tonight it actually did.

I had read on a friend's blog that she got a great deal on some Post cereal today and I thought that maybe, while we were there, buy a couple extra boxes for our food storage. So we found the cereal aisle and threw 5 boxes in.

On a whim, I decided that hey! If cereal is on sale, let's see what else we can get a good deal on. I grabbed this week's ad. We ended up walking around that store, back and forth -- forth and back for about an hour while we added good deal after good deal into the cart... and about 15 more boxes of cereal. (Yes, it was still romantic. Saving tons of money is the best aphrodisiac there is! *wink*wink*)

Before we knew it, the cart was bursting full of good deals and great items to put in food storage and our 72 hour kit. As well as food that Max can take with him when he goes out of town again -- so he doesn't have to eat out in restaurants too often.

We were mostly confident that we had gotten good deals... but exactly how good still needed to be seen. It was time to check-out.

Beep.... beep..... beep.... went the scanner (boy this is compelling writing, isn't it?) The checker joking around with us, winking at his wife as she walked by. Obviously we're not the only couple who finds romance in a big building surrounded by produce, fluorescent lights and canned food. Beep... beep... beep.....

Tension was building. Did we save money? Were we smart consumers? Will love conquer the big grocery bill?

Finally, the big moment arrived. Our checker looked at us and said that we had saved a bundle. (Do people really talk like that anymore?) We saved so much and had used so many receipts, it was unclear was the exact savings was... but we knew that we hit the jackpot.

I gave the man some cash, grabbed the receipts and ran for the car anxious to get home to a calculator so I could see the exact totals.... I think Max came along. By this time, all thoughts of romance and time alone had left my brain. All I could see were dollar signs and coupons.

Hurrying to put the soupy ice cream away and trying desperately to find enough space in the storage room for the 20 boxes of cereal (and popcorn, and pudding etc. etc.) I finally was able to sit down and work the numbers:

The total amount for the food we bought was: $191.75
The total amount I gave Albertson's was: $ 67.84
Which means the total amount I saved was: $123.91

HOLY COW!!!!

And all we needed was a couple gallons of milk and some time alone. Date night should happen more often! *wink*wink*

(Thanks, Julie, for the heads-up about the cereal sale!) :)