Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for AUGUST 2012.
I have posted August's totals on the right side bar under Total Grocery Savings for 2012 and updated the Yearly Totals.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in August. If you aren't interested in that much detail, just skip to the bottom for the Totals Summary.
My spending includes Food, Toiletries/HBA, Pet Supplies, Cleaning Products, Paper Goods & tax where applicable.We are a family of 5(3-5 at home this month)& 2 dogs. No kids under 16.
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FARM STAND
OOP $31.50
Value $80.48
Savings 60.86%
RITE-AID
OOP $.70
Qs/Ads/+Ups/Gift Card $613.06
Value $613.76
Savings 99.88%
SHURSAVE STORES(small local independent affiliated stores)
OOP $346.94
Value $616.12
Savings 43.69%
WALMART
OOP $17.88
Value $31.14
Savings 42.58%
WEIS MARKETS
OOP $88.92
Qs/Ads $73.01
Value $161.93
Savings 45.09%
I don't track Rite-Aid's +Ups here, nor CVS's ECBs & Walgreen's RRs. They will be included when used on purchases under "Coupons". I'll keep track of what rebates are received monthly. Rebate money/gift cards will be considered 'income' & will go into the Food/Toiletries budget, offsetting the Out of Pocket. Cash will go immediately into the Budget kitty, while Gift Cards will be calculated in when spent.
REBATE CHECKS RECEIVED IN August
Total...$0.00
GIFT CARDS and CERTIFICATES
TOTAL Value of Cash/Store Checks/Gift Card Rebates Received...$0.00
COUPONS and FREEBIES
Nothing.
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My best 3 Store Savings Totals were the Rite-Aid at 99.88%, the Farm Stand at 60.86%, and Weis at 45.09%. l shopped at 5 different stores this past month.
TOTAL Out of Pocket........$485.94
TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$1,017.49
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$1,503.43
TOTAL Savings of...................................67.67%
This closes out the August spending.
THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I went into August with $400 budgeted for food/toiletries for the month. I obviously blew through that mark plus another $85.94. Having all 5 of us home for almost a week and having #2 Son(aka the Eating Machine)home full time helped push me over but I gave myself an extra $100 last month so I'll have to see where we went off course. I suspect it's a little more junk food and extra spending on fresh veggies/fruits AND the almost $100 I spent on meats at the Meat Sale at the local market. Also, the bulk of the farm stand purchases were either for canning pepper relish or for veggies to freeze for this winter's consumption.
This closes out the August spending.
THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I went into August with $400 budgeted for food/toiletries for the month. I obviously blew through that mark plus another $85.94. Having all 5 of us home for almost a week and having #2 Son(aka the Eating Machine)home full time helped push me over but I gave myself an extra $100 last month so I'll have to see where we went off course. I suspect it's a little more junk food and extra spending on fresh veggies/fruits AND the almost $100 I spent on meats at the Meat Sale at the local market. Also, the bulk of the farm stand purchases were either for canning pepper relish or for veggies to freeze for this winter's consumption.
So yes, now I see where that $185.94 went. ;-)
Again, I didn't use many coupons in August, not counting Rite-Aid, where I use many MANY coupons!lol
At strictly grocery outlets, I used 2 coupons and 2 catalinas I earned to be exact.
LOOKING AHEAD TO SEPTEMBER......
I will be keeping my food budget at $400 for September. #2 Son is home again. I might be going back to the farm stand for Fall veggies and I want to leave myself some budget room for stocking up opportunities this month if they come along.
I will be keeping my food budget at $400 for September. #2 Son is home again. I might be going back to the farm stand for Fall veggies and I want to leave myself some budget room for stocking up opportunities this month if they come along.
Did you stick to it?
Did you find any good rock bottom prices to stock up on groceries?
Please leave a comment or link to your post and let us hear about your progress! By sharing our struggles and efforts we can help each other stick to our budgets and learn to be better guardians of our resources.
Sluggy
Hi, Sluggy!
ReplyDeleteMy August budget was non-existant, which makes not worrying about it much a little easier :) I have been awful about getting out to farmers' markets -- they're all around me apparently, but between time of day, heat and parking issues in the city, I just don't bother. I'm still eating down my dad's pantry, but supplement from the nearest grocery store once a week. And that's a Target! LOL! I finally signed up for their red card and get my Rxs filled there, so if I time things right, I get 5% off from the card, another 5% off from the coupon I receive after each 5th prescription, and I stack coupons whenever possible. As usual, it's the Diet Coke that really does me in financially :)
Still working the Target deals I see.
DeleteI can't remember the last time I was in a Target.lol
I blew my food budget in August by $50. It's getting harder and harder for me to find good deals with coupons, especially on groceries.
ReplyDeleteI hear your pain Lena. Food coupons are going the way of the dinosaurs....
DeleteI am doing pretty good with staying within our budget. What is driving me insane is the up and down on different foods. Such as: the last three months the men folk have gone through 4 loaves of wheat bread per month, so I buy 4 loaves. August??? One loaf they ate. Instead they ate all the sale crackers I thought would last several more months. Not to mention the 4 cans of refried beans I set aside for emergencies. I make a crockpot full of homemade beans once a week (the 24 yr old survives on them), as they say they like them...maybe not!! And of course the cereal they just HAD to have has not been touched.
ReplyDeleteI am thinking an 'eat from the pantry and freezer' month is necessary. They know I mean business then;-)
blessings, jill
Yes this is The stock-up Syndrome.
DeleteYou buy 1, they want more, you buy 5, they only eat 1.
We need to buy 5 but TELL THEM you only bought 1. Then secretly refill the box or bag at night with food from the other 4 boxes/bags.
Do you think that would help?lol