Friday, January 29, 2016

2016 Food & Toiletries Spending....January Update

**I am posting this a few days early as I am done with my food spending.  The mayo I am picking up on special later today is for the food bank so not coming out of the food budget $.

Onward to January's food spending report.......



Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for JANUARY 2016.

I have posted January's totals on the Total Grocery Savings for 2016 Page located HERE and have updated the Yearly Totals there.  I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in January.  If you aren't interested in that much detail, just skip to the bottom for the Totals Sum.  My spending includes Food, Toiletries/HBA, Cleaning Products, Paper Goods & tax where applicable. We are a family of 3(2-3 at home this month). No kids under 19.

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BAKERY OUTLET
OOP  $9.00
Value  $31.64
Savings  71.55%

BOYER'S
OOP  $40.36
Qs/Sales  $28.72
Value  $69.08
Savings 42%

CVS
OOP  $11.96
Sales/Qs  $12.38
Value  $24.34
Savings 50.86%

MAINE SOURCE
OOP  $60.82
Sales  $36.71
Value  $97.53
Savings 37.64%

RITE-AID
OOP  $0.00
Qs/Ads/gift card  $717,24
Value  $717.24
Savings  100%

SHURSAVE MARKET
OOP  $18.54
Qs/Ads $6.48
Value  $25.02
Savings  25.90%

WALMART
OOP  $19.01
Value  $26.61
Savings 28.56%

WEIS MARKETS
OOP  $202.24
Qs/Ads  $260.56
Value  $462.80
Savings  56.30%

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My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid at 100%, the Bakery Outlet at 71.55% and Weis at 56.30%.  My WORST savings rate was Shursave Market at 25.90%.

I shopped at 8 different stores this past month.

** My TOTAL out of pocket for January food/toiletries was $373.30.
After I deduct the items I paid for that I am donating to the local Food Bank my OOP spending stands at $349.97.


TOTAL Out of Pocket........ **$349.97
TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$1079.95
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$1,429.92
TOTAL Savings of...................................75.52%
TOTAL Savings without Rite-Aid...........50.89%

Value of items excluding Rite-Aid bought ones was $712.68.
Rite-Aid goods brought home totaled $717.24

This closes out the January food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I went into January wanting to do a $300 food budget for the month($200 for family spending and $100 to restock College Boy on food to take back to school with him).
After deducting what was spent on food bank purchases I spent $349.97 this month.
I didn't meet that $300 goal this month.  There were just too many deals and after the Holidays markdowns to stick to only $300 in January.  Approximately $50 over isn't terrible so I am happy with how things turned out.

The monthly savings percentage went down by 2.47% in January to 75.52% compared to December's 77.99% savings average.
While saving 3/4 on food every month is unsustainable I'll take it while it lasts. lolz

I have spent a total of $349.97 on food/toiletries so far in 2016.

LOOKING AHEAD To February 2016.........
Ok, since College Boy won't be home this month and we have no traveling plans and are hunkered down for the duration of this Winter and the freezer is still pretty full,  I will try for a $250 food month for February.  If deals on food come around this month I'll give myself an extra $50 and try to come in under $300.  This seems like the right amount as I tend to end up around $300 most months with food purchases.

If you have other ideas or guidelines you follow please leave a comment and share yours with us all.
Here's hoping y'all had a great year for spending less on food in 2015.

*  How much did you spend on food/toiletries in January?
*  Do you track your yearly food spending?
*  What was your savings percentage buying on sale and/or with coupons vs. buying at regular retail price last month, if you track that sort of thing?
*  What are your methods for keeping your food spending in check?

Now let's start 2016 off right by tracking where your money goes on food/toiletries/HBA/paper goods/pet needs.
Is anyone out there up for tracking expenditures and trying to spend less but still eat well?


Sluggy

15 comments:

  1. I haven't added anything up yet but two of my kids have January birthdays and I give them each $100, I was generous with a couple of folks who needed cash, and I paid my nephew $50 to pick up some yard debris. Plus I increased my offering to church; no clothes bought though and no meals out but a latte at McDs and a sandwich from Fresh Market in a weak moment. I did buy some wine and the liquor cabinet is full. I bought gas for my Prius 3 times- not too bad for all the driving I did. I am contemplating buying a laser printer so I don't need ink so often- it's a business expense but $$. I have plenty of food in the house!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not much spent for you on non-groceries in Jan. but what did you spend on that?

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  2. I am over this month too - food costs have risen fast with our dropping dollar. In February I will separate food from nonfood grocery items (dog has a different category altogether in my Budgets) as I am curious. We pay 5-12 percent tax on nonfood items so it adds up fast. You did well - there were some deals here in January like 1.49 day which I didn't want to miss just to stick to the budget and that is definitely where I went over but got everything that day at at least 50-70% off so totally worth it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. so worth it to spend a little now to save more later.
      I just don't see how people in countries that either don't grow much of their own food and/or live in places where there isn't much of a growing season(like Scandinavian countries). I guess they eat a lot more animal proteins and/or root veggies that can be kept for long periods.

      Delete
  3. I didn't save 75% on my bill but we had a very good month nonetheless. I'm hoping to really watch our budget closely in February.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am amazed at my savings rate the last 2 months and figure it won't last. Anything over 40% is great in my book.
      With Feb. being a short month it helps the money stretch, doesn't it? ;-)

      Delete
  4. Food here is so high. I would quit eating but I have no will power. Great job on the Rite Aid

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well we HAVE TO eat so that's not an option. lolz
      I will miss Rite-Aid when they go away........... 8-(

      Delete
  5. Reading your blog for awhile inspired me to track my spending, we are empty nesters, but I do buy treats and such for the grandkids. My total

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Welcome to comments Meg, glad to have you here. Unfortunately your comment got cut off early for some reason. Please come back and try again. We are 'almost' empty nesters here too.

      Delete
  6. We spent $650 in January, and our budget was $550. A couple of things there - 1) we were out of everything. Don't understand how that happens. 2) I was traveling last week, so I buy more prepared foods for the husband to serve to the kids (he's a great cook but has almost no time when I'm gone). We were under on our dining out - so there's that win! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Totally understandable buying prepared foods when you travel, Hubs had to cover the cooking. Leading busy lives with a 2 income family can be rough on the budget sometimes but you do well even so.
      Just wait until your boys are teens tho....they will decimate your food budget! Ask me how I know......lolz

      Delete
  7. Well rent a truck and come get it all!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Eight stores?!
    My head swoons. I try to avoid going into even one.
    You are the warrior queen indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  9. My budget is....crazy.
    I did find some excellent sales for the food pantry here as well. Toilet paper was on sale. They were very excited.
    Thanks for sharing your budget. I just wish I could figure out modern day couponing!

    ReplyDelete

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