Fall Shopping Trip...

On left:  Myrna's freezer before restocking;
On right, Sue's freezer after restocking   

After defrosting our freezers, Myrna and I made separate trips to Costco (about 70 miles for us) to restock before winter weather sets in.   Myrna and her daughter went together and shopped for both households; my husband and I had to also look at both a housewares store and a lumber yard while we were there.

I purchased salmon, shrimp, fish, chicken, and bacon to carry us through until spring.  I purchase beef, pork, sausage and ham locally when it’s on sale around the holidays…both of us especially like Frick’s hams from Missouri.  I also buy cheese and frozen vegetables on sale locally.  I usually buy a year’s supply of things like brats and ground beef during sales before the summer holidays, Memorial Day, July 4^th and Labor Day.

While at Costco, I also refilled my pantry, with 5# of honey, olive oil, maple syrup, wild rice, brown rice in a 12# bag, pecans, coffee beans and a bottle of sherry for cooking.

We both buy most of our paper goods and personal care items there too.

Because of the distance, I use all the coupons available for things I need, but I buy full-price items too even if I don't have coupons, as they are still much cheaper than locally, and it’s less expensive to make fewer trips than to save on a few coupons.

After a trip like this, I repackage everything for the freezer in meal-size portions, usually in quart freezer bags I also buy at Costco.

Myrna's storage, 
Sue's is similar  

Myrna says:

On my trip to Costco I stocked up on paper goods, toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, and paper plates.

I bought pecans, fish, butter and chocolate for baking.

I also stocked up on over the counter drugs, hearing aid batteries, and toothpaste and toothbrushes. The tooth paste and brushes will last a year for just me and the rest of the items will last at least six months.

I have a Doctor appointment then and will go to Costco again. I try to make each trip when I have other reasons to travel to Des Moines. I try like Sue to use coupons but will pay full price rather than waste gas making many trips and using up time and money.

 I will fill in at our local stores for meat, milk and eggs, also cereal and potatoes.

I had let my stand alone freezer run down so I could defrost it and will now wait till Ground Beef goes on sale and buy it in the 10 pound tubes. I repackage it in ¼ pound package as that is good for one person and freeze it.