Something to think about when grocery getting

For years now I have purchased my groceries once a month.  It worked fine for us, but due to my switching jobs at the hospital and taking a cut in pay, necessity has required me to budget my money into two trips to get groceries.  Now full disclosure here: I maintain a pantry(thats putting it mildly), so it's not like I have to restock my foodstuffs every grocery shopping trip. That being said, I am noticing extra each two weeks.  I am able to get only what is on sale and what I have to have.  This is allowing me some extra for storage.  Example:  I went this past Thursday to the store and bought everything I have to have as well as some sale items I needed (Kroger had the Kraft cheese slices and the Philedelphia cream cheese on sale Yay!).  I still have $98 left for the next two weeks.  So figuring what I still want/need to get from Sams Club:  60 oz carton of coffee creamer for $5.87, a 6lb box of tortilla chips for $7.92 and a 5 lb block of mozzerella cheese for $11.56, I still have approximately $72 left.  So (rubbing my hands together with glee) I am off today to get a 50 lb bag of hard white wheatberries from Nora Mills Grainary to add to my pantry.  Nora Mills is located in Helen Ga about 40 min from my house.

They still have a working stone grain mill, water powered.  You can buy the flour as well as other grains already ground, or do like I do and get the 50 lb bag of grain.  The 50lb bag is $35 which takes me down to $37 and I am thinking of buying their wheat germ for my granola for about $3.  Now I am down to $34.  I have no idea what to use the extra money for.  That is until I see something on sale either this week or next.  So I have to say this is working for me.  Everyone has to do what works for them.  I am already in town so extra for gas isn't an issue.  I also have to throw out a huge Thank you to Kim, a friend of mine who I go to church and now work with.  She is in a barter agreement with me for eggs.  She brings the eggs and I bring the baked goods.  Saves us both and she will also be the beneficiary of the wheat I buy today.  I have to say I had to cook store bought eggs today for breakfast, and there is a difference.  Really.  Dh and I are in agreement that if our barter agreement ever ends (Please no!), we are definitely getting chickens.  It is that noticeable after spending the last 2 weeks enjoying farm fresh eggs. 

Today's plan after the trip for wheat, is to bake.  I have to make my "payments" for the eggs I get tomorrow as well as our weekly loaves of bread and some things for a super bowl party at church tomorrow.  So on the docket is Cinnamon rolls, choc chip cookies, 2 loaves wheat bread, peanut butter brownies(for you Pastor), and mac and cheese.  So please don't let a nutritionist near my kitchen.  LOL.  Except I can brag that only whole wheat flour, real butter, nothing processed etc is used in my cooking. So there!
Well I am off to get dressed for the day.  You guys have a great day!