Went to the grocery store this morning as usual. Spent $49.18 but only 35.38 of that was for groceries. I also purchased a book of stamps and 4 boxes of Kleenex for $5.

It's always a game in the grocery store. Usually I look at it as a challenge but some days I feel like it's a fight to retain my money and get the best deal.

You have to look at everything, it's like they deliberately try to trick you. For example, I was looking at Campbells tomato soup. The individual cans were .69 cents each. Then they had a pack of 4 sitting right next to the single cans on sale for $3. Well that is .75 cents each or 24 cents more than buying the 4 individual cans. Bleagh!

I know that the grocery store always has lots of things on sale that aren't in the sales brochure so while I'm making out my grocery list I notice what coupons I have and at the bottom of the list I will list the item with a ? next to it. Then while I'm in the store when I go past the item I check to see if it's on sale. If it is, I'll buy it. For example, I had 2 coupons for 35 cents off Hillshire Farm sausages. I buy the lil smokies to eat with beans or omelete. They were on sale this week at $2.50 and normal price is $3.69 so I bought 2 for $5, they doubled my 2 coupons and discounted $1.40 so I got 2 for $3.60 which is less than one at the normal price. Good deal, and I can freeze them till needed.

I got a free box of Kleenex this week. I had a coupon. Love freebies

My friend bought a Papa Murphy's pizza and came over to spend the afternoon. The pizza was excellent. Very good.

We watched the Bourne Supremacy that I had taped from one of the free movie weekends I get with Direct TV. It was pretty good. I liked it. Then we just talked for several hours. It was great to relax and spend time with a friend.