Menu of the week: Complete steak dinner for $5.98/person! (with sale items from Safeway)

Approximate total cost: $11.96 for two or $5.98 / person + seasonings

Main course: Steak
New York strip steak: $3.99/lb (big packages) or $4.49/lb (normal packages)

Side dish: Mashed red potatoes (one recipe here)
Red potatoes: 99¢/lb

Vegetable: Asparagus
Asparagus: $2.99/lb

Dessert: Pumpkin pie
Fresh whole pumpkin pie from Safeway bakery: $2.50 each

Notes:
- Prices are for Safeway sales Oct 28 - Nov 3
- Calculation for 2 people: 1lb steak ($4.49) + 2lbs potatoes ($1.98) + 1lb asparagus ($2.99) + 1 pie ($2.50) = $11.96

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Best deals at Safeway Oct 28 - Nov 3

Safewaygirl's plan: Celebrate fall with $2.50 pumpkin pies from the Safeway bakery and stock up on 2-liter sodas for 88¢ each!

Halloween!:
Fresh pumpkin pies $2.50 each
Bags of candy (Reeses KitKat Snickers, etc) $2 each when you buy 4 or more

Meat:
New York strip steak (big packages) $3.99/lb

Fruits & Veggies:
Whole pineapple $1.99 each
Fuji apples 79¢/lb
Squash (butternut, acorn, spaghetti) 79¢/lb
Small potatoes (red, white, yellow) 99¢/lb

Pantry:
2-liter Coke, Pepsi, or 7-up 88¢ each when you buy 4 or more

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Safewaygirl tip: What 10 for $10 *really* means

Last weekend, what started as a Safeway shopping trip with a few friends for some dinner items (we were cooking together :) turned into a full-blown Safewaygirl lesson after I realized some of the rookie mistakes my friend Eddie was making.  The most outrageous mistake: if an item is marked something like 10 for $10, you can almost always buy just 1 or 2 at the same sale price!

An easy way to check is on the store tag.  If it says something like "$1 each", you're golden.  No need to buy a year's supply of pasta today, just to get the discount!

This always used to be true at Safeway, but recently they've been getting sneaky.  The main exceptions to this rule are:
- milk (usually need to buy 2 for the discount)
- frozen dinners (need to buy 5)
- 12 or 24 packs of soda (varies)

Other than that, there's no reason to buy the full quantity they suggest.  Don't get tricked into buying what you don't need! 

If this tip helped you out, I'd love to hear :)  Happy saving!

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Recipe for this week: Spicy Sausage and Shrimp Stew

I tried a new recipe from this cookbook on Monday and I thought it was a great warming, hearty stew for fall. And with sausage - the most expensive ingredient - at a great price this week, I figured it was a good recipe to share. I added some pasta (also on sale!) to make it more filling.

If you like getting recipe ideas here, let me know!

-------------------------
Spicy Sausage and Shrimp Stew

This is a relative of gumbo, but thicker and not so heavily spiced. I like the mild flavors of the white wine and thyme to be able to shine through.

3/4 pound spicy sausage (Safewaygirl says: sausage varieties are as low as 99¢/ package!)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely diced ($1/lb)
3 garlic gloves, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1 quart reduced-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chopped tomatoes (Green Giant canned vegetables 79¢/can)
15 grinds fresh black pepper
6 fresh thyme sprigs
15 shrimp, peeled and deveined ($5.98/2lb bag - you'll have extra! - on SAT/SUN)

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage links as fully as possible on all sides. Remove and set aside to cool.

Reduce the heat to medium, melt the butter in the pan, and wait for it to start bubbling. Add the onion and garlic, and saute until the onion has softened and turns translucent. Add the flour, cumin, and paprika, and stir into the onion and garlic until the mixture becomes dry. Add the stock, white wine, and tomatoes and stir to incorporate well. Season with the black pepper and add the thyme sprigs. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook at a low simmer for 15 minutes.

Slice the sausage on an angle into 1/2-inch slices and add to the pot. Add the shrimp and cook 5 minutes longer.

Serves 6 - 8.

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Best deals at Safeway Oct 21 - 27

Safewaygirl's plan: If I hadn't splurged on sausage last week I'd be pigging out this week - some of the sausage is over 60% off! It's also a good week to pick up some beef cuts, and fresh seasonal apples.

Halloween!
Halloween candy $2/package when you buy 4
Halloween pumpkins buy 1 get 1 free SAT/SUN

Fruits & veggies
Apples 69¢/lb
Spinach $1/package

Meats
SAUSAGE! Hillshire Farm $1.99 pack of 6 (and others 99¢ - $4.99!)
Beef roasts $1.89 - $2.29/lb
Shrimp $2.99/lb (sold in 2lb bag) SAT/SUN

Pantry
Canned vegetables (Green Giant) 79¢ each
Wheat Thins & Triscuits $1.47/box SAT/SUN
Ragu pasta sauce $1.50/jar

Fresh
Whole roasted chicked (hot from deli) $5 FRI
Oroweat bread $1.99 each SAT/SUN

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How to shop at Costco without membership

When an ex and I broke up I was initially bummed about (among other things) no longer being able to use his Costco membership.  I started wondering... should I pay $50 for my own membership?  Would I get enough use out of it?  But then I discovered, you can use Costco Cash Cards to shop at Costco without paying for membership!

Here's how it works:
1) Direct someone who does have Costco membership here.  A family member, friend, or anyone will do.  Have them buy you a Costco Cash Card aka gift card.  You can even have them ship it to your address.
2) When the gift card arrives, take it with you to Costco.  You show it at the door and at the register instead of a membership card.

And that's it!  The first time I did this I felt a little funny, but it has worked for me many, many times now.  And going over the value of the gift card doesn't seem to matter, they just have me pay the difference (cash, check, or AMEX only though!).

Sometimes my folks don't even ask me to reimburse them for the cash card, because they like the idea of me buying nutritious groceries (actually I'm buying discount movie tickets).  Happy Costco shopping!

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Safewaygirl on SF Mission district blog

This post was randomly on the blog Missionmission (along with this photo of the Mission Safeway).  Guess people in the Mission like to save too! 

Help Us Save, Safewaygirl!

I was alerted to this Safewaygirl’s Safeway deals blog today, which consists pretty much entirely of what’s on sale at Safeway, with enthusiastic commenteary interspersed.   I was initially ready to write it off as a snooze, until I noticed the 40¢ mac & cheese.  Stoked!

Other good deals, too, and nicely categorized. I tend to forget there’s a Safeway in the Mission, but perhaps I’ll stroll in this evening after work and – - OH NO I’VE BEEN VIRALLY MARKETED TO!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Great deals at Safeway this week Oct 14 - 20

Safewaygirl's plan: Pick up some household products that are usually way overpriced at Safeway but on sale this week, and catch the 77¢ avocados on SAT/SUN.  If I ate mac & cheese I'd pick that up too.. only 40¢ a box on SAT/SUN!

Fruits & Veggies
Broccoli 69¢/lb
Grapes 99¢/lb
Avocados 77¢ each SAT/SUN ONLY

Meat
Chicken leg quarters 67¢/lb (big packages)
Jumbo franks 99¢ package
Fresh Keta Salmon $5.99/lb

Pantry
Kraft Mac & Cheese 40¢ each SAT/SUN ONLY
Doritos $1.49 bag SAT/SUN ONLY
Cheerios or Cocoa Puffs $1.67 each
Brownie mix 79¢ each
Milano cookies $2 package

Household
Dial liquid handsoap 99¢ each
Close-up toothpaste or toothbrush 99¢ each
Lysol toilet cleaner or wipes $1.99 each COUPON

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Safewaygirl spotting!

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What to buy at Safeway this week! (Oct 7 - 13)

Safewaygirl's plan: Some great deals this week. I plan to stock up on pasta and good pasta sauce with this buy 2 get 2 free special, and pick out a few wines that are the cheapest I've seen them.  Italian dinner, anyone?

Fruits and veggies:
Red roma tomatoes 58¢/lb
Fuji apples 88¢/lb
Asparagus $1.49/lb FRI/SAT/SUN

Pantry:
Barilla pasta and Classico sauce buy 2 sauces at $2 each and get 2 boxes pasta free!!!
Knorr packaged sides 99¢ each
Wines $2 - $10/bottle
Ken's salad dressing $1.29/bottle FRI/SAT/SUN
Gatorade 88¢ each

Meats:
Top sirloin steak $2.67/lb

Fresh:
Safeway bread or garlic bread $1.79/loaf (only slightly cheaper than usual, but never seems to get lower)

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Receipt of the week

Marcial from Sunnyvale says  "You were right, this was a bit of a tough week... at least there was a good deal on oranges!"  He saved 24% this week.

Ok, so maybe this one didn't deserve a *wink*, but have a smile for effort :)

Keep sending in those receipts!

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