My Stock-Up Price List

Today I am sharing my personal “Stock-Up Price List” – my list of prices that I aim to pay for certain items. This is a list that I have been compiling for quite some time now. I hope that this will help you get started with your own list and/or give you some target prices to aim for.

A few things to consider:

• Prices vary greatly by region, so my price for certain items might be quite a bit higher or lower than what you would pay, depending on where you live.
• I use coupons every chance I get, so many of the prices you see below are what I aim to pay when using a coupon (usually paired with a sale). If you use coupons, you will be familiar with what price you normally pay for certain items as well.
• These are prices that I try not to pay more than, so of course if I can get even lower prices, that’s fabulous! At the same time, if I run out of something, sometimes I do pay higher prices.

For my list, I created a simple Excel spreadsheet with the category (meat, produce, etc.), the item (honey, potatoes, etc.) and my target price for each item. After I had been using coupons awhile, I got familiar with the average cost of items that I purchase on a regular basis. “I normally only pay this much for toothpaste and this much deodorant”. “I can usually find laundry detergent on sale for this much per load”. You get the point.

Whenever I find an item for lower than what I have on my price point list, I go in and update the list. Obviously, I only do this when the price is consistently lower. I wouldn’t do this if I found a one-time fantastic price on an item, on clearance or what not.

PRODUCE (FRESH)

• Avocados – $.50 ea
• Bananas – $.44/lb
• Blueberries – $1.29/1-pt container
• Carrots (baby, non-organic) – $.99/lb
• Carrots (baby, organic) – $1.50/lb
• Carrots (whole) – $.50/lb
• Cherries – $1.99/lb
• Grapes – $.99/lb
• Lemons & Limes – $.25/ea
• Lettuce (head, non-organic) – $.99/ea
• Strawberries – $.99/lb
• Watermelon (Seedless) – $2.99/ea
• All other fruit in season – $.99/lb (or less)

MEATS/SEAFOOD

As a general rule, I try not to pay more than $1.99/lb for any meats at the grocery store. For beef, we usually buy in bulk, which is a little higher – but totally worth it!

• Beef, ground (80% or higher) – $1.99/lb
• Beef, roast – $1.99/lb
• Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks – $.79/lb
• Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless) – $1.99/lb
• Hot Dogs (Name Brand) – $.50/pkg
• Pork Chops – $1.49/lb
• Pork Ribs – $1.49/lb
• Tuna – FREE

DAIRY/REFRIGERATED

• Butter (sticks) – $1.50/lb
• Cheese (grated or block) – $3.00/lb
• Cream Cheese (8 oz) – $.50
• Eggs (store bought, large) – $.99/dozen
• Eggs (farm fresh, large) – $1.50/dozen
• Milk (grocery stores) – $2.00/gallon (We almost always buy our milk from Braum’s, since we prefer the taste and it’s all-natural. We usually pay around $3.59/gallon – which is very comparable to grocery store prices. This is one of the few items that I feel is well worth paying the extra money for!)
• Yogurt – $.25/serving

FROZEN

• Frozen Pizza (Large) – $2.50/ea (It’s sooo much better – and cheaper – to make it homemade!)
• Frozen Veggies – $1.00/bag

PACKAGED/CANNED/BAKING

• Brownie & Cake Mixes – $.50/box
• Flour (5 lb bag) – $1.49
• Sugar (white, 4 lb bag) – $.99
• Ketchup – $.50/ea
• Mayo – $1.00/ea
• Mustard – FREE
• Pasta – FREE
• Pasta Sauce – $.50/ea
• Peanut Butter – $.99/ea
• Salad Dressing – $.99/ea
• Tomato Sauce & Tomato Paste – $.25/ea

BREAD

• Bread – $.99/ea
• Hamburger or Hot Dog Buns – $1.00/ea
• Tortillas – $.99/ea

BREAKFAST/CEREAL

• Cereal – $1.00/ea
• Oats – $1.69/canister

SNACKS/CANDY/GUM

• Snack Crackers – $.99/box
• For all other snacks (granola bars, protein bars, fruit snacks, etc.) – I aim to pay no more than $.25 per serving

BEVERAGES

• Coffee – $.19/oz (unless I’m splurging on this )
• Coke/Pepsi (12 pack) – $2.00/ea
• Coke/Pepsi (2 Liter) – $.99/ea
• Juice (100%, 64 oz) – $1.00/ea
• Juice boxes – $.10/ea

HOUSEHOLD/CLEANING/PAPER PRODUCTS

• Bleach (96 oz) – $.99/ea (If I can’t find this on sale, I can always find this for $1 at Dollar Tree)
• Cleaning Supplies (Scrubbing Bubbles, Windex, etc.) – $.50/ea
• Dish Soap (full size bottles) – $.50/ea
• Fabric Softener (liquid) – $.06/load
• Laundry Detergent – $.06/load
• Aluminum Foil (20 ft) – $.50
• Baggies (Freezer) – $1.00/box (either Quart or Gallon size)
• Napkins – I have found that the store brand works just fine and usually costs less, so that’s what I buy.
• Paper Towels (Name Brand) – $.50/roll
• Paper Towels (Store Brand) – $.40/roll
• Toilet Paper – $.25/regular roll – or $.50/double roll (Frugal tip: I have found that our family doesn’t mind Scott brand single-ply and it lasts twice as long!)

PERSONAL CARE

• Bandages (30-ct box) – $.50
• Cough Drops – $.25/bag (I rarely buy these anymore, as I always try a more natural approach, so this price point might be a little outdated).
• Pain Reliever (Name Brand) – $1.00/ea
• Body Wash – $1.00/ea
• Deodorant (full size) – $1.00/ea
• Dental Floss – FREE (I never pay for this!)
• Feminine Products – $1.00/pkg
• Hand Soap – $.50/ea
• Mouthwash – $2.00 (I only buy Listerine and I can usually get the 1.0 L bottles for around $2.00 with coupons and sales)
• Razors (not disposable) – $1.00/pkg
• Toothbrushes – $.25/ea
• Toothpaste – FREE (No one should ever pay for toothpaste! )

Note: I did not list every single item on my list (that would take all day!), but I did list items that are consistent and that I believe you will find most helpful. Again, this is mainly to get you started with your own list. You will notice that I do not have “baby” and “pets” categories, since my children are way past the diaper and formula stage and we have zero pets. I encourage you to include those categories, if you purchase these items on a regular basis. For me, it’s helpful to be able to have a reminder of what I consider a “stock-up price”.