August BUDGET RESULTS-Food & Toiletries Spending

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for AUGUST 2009.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in August.
These Totals include Food, Toiletries/HBA, Pet Supplies, Cleaning Products & tax where applicable.We are a family of 5(4 as of 8/30). No kids under 13.


ACME
OOP $113.86 (this drops to $73.86 after $40 Rebate)
Qs/Ads $1180.19
Value $1294.05
Savings  91.20% (94.30% after Rebate)


CARONE'S
OOP $1.29
Qs/Ads $0.00
Value $1.29
Savings  0%

CVS
OOP $2.72
Qs/Ads $236.10
Value $238.82
Savings 98.85%

KMART
OOP $47.84
Qs/Ads $648.28
Value $696.12
Savings 93.13%

PRICE CHOPPER
OOP $123.43
Qs/Ads $263.32
Value $386.75
Savings 68.10%

RITE AID
OOP $219.39
Qs/Ads $525.75
Value $745.14
Savings 70.55%   **This is before Single Check Rebate of $184.66 & Gift Cards($15) earned.**

TARGET
OOP $15.38
Qs/Ads $20.00
Value $35.38
Savings 56.50%

WALGREEN'S
OOP $41.60
Qs/Ads $311.98
Value $353.58
Savings 85.50%

WEIS
OOP $69.87
Qs/Ads $90.71
Value $160.58
Savings 57.50%

I've decided NOT to track CVS's ECBs & Walgreen's RRs. They will be included when used on purchases under "Coupons". Rebates will also show up in the Monthly Totals when spent, but I'll keep track of what rebates are received monthly.

REBATES RECV'D. IN AUGUST

Rite-Aid SCR........$85.00
Reynolds Foil........$4.19
Centrum..........$19.99
Pinecone Research....$3.00
Physician's Formula....$7.13
Staples Checks....$20.33
Subtotal........$139.64

FREE ITEMS
Gillette Shampoo x 2 Coupon
Wrigleys Coupon

COUPONS
Swiss Tea
Nabisco

GIFT CARDS & PrePaid VISA CARDS
Rite Aid  $25.00
Staples   $33.96
SubTotal...$58.96

TOTAL Value of Cash/Visa/Gift Card Rebates Received..$198.60

My best 3 Store Savings Totals were from CVS at 98.85%, Kmart at 93.13% and Acme at 91.20%.
Walgreen's was a distant 4th this month because of sending hubby to buy stuff.  If there is a problem(coupon won't scan, item rings up wrong, etc.), he doesn't say anything....he just pays whatever they tell him to.
Oy!lol

TOTAL Out of Pocket...............................$645.10
TOTAL of Rebates...................................$198.60

TOTAL OOP After  Rebates....................$446.50

TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$2266.61
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased.............$2911.71
TOTAL Savings % for AUGUST....................84.67%

This closes out the August spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month-
After the Rebates(money coming back into the budget), I was able finally to achieve a Food Budget spending UNDER $500.
Yippee!!! 8-)))

Our garden finally produced some veggies this month.  I have only canned/frozen a bit of the harvest however for the coming winter.  We lost all the tomatoes to the late blight and many plants just didn't sprout or fruit out.  I am not set up for winter gardening in this climate but I'll try to gather locally a large assortment of fall crops for the makeshift root cellar in the garage.

 Most of the Food spending this month was for stockpile purchases(canned/bottled/bagged items).  We were eating alot from the freezer to empty it out some so we could fit in the local farm purchases.  I generally start buying extra local produce around Late Aug./Early Sept. for the freezer. 

What's ahead for September.....
I want to ease up on couponing in September.  I have 1 child away at college, so less mouths to feed=less spending on food.  I am stocked to the gills in the stockpile and still too full in the freezer.  Besides, I am burned out right now on couponing.  This month was CRAZY with shopping!  Between the Acme Deal in early August and TWO weeks of KMart Double Coupons, I am so ready to sit my butt home and just do some serious organizing.  My stockpile is in shambles as is my coupon binder!

I am going to try to AVOID the Grocery Store for at least 2 weeks this month, except for fresh fruit, potatoes, milk, flour & cheese.  We have enough meat and rice/noodles to last the month.  I am shooting for spending the bulk of my food budget at the farm market in September.
I will give myself a $250 food budget for the month.

I just hope the stores don't come up with some great deals I can't resist!lol


Sluggy