Friday, September 30, 2016

2016 Food & Toiletries Spending......September Update

* I've closed out the September books a day early as I am done shopping.  Anything bought in the next day will come out of October's funds. *

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



Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for SEPTEMBER 2016.

I have posted September'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 September.  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 5(4 at home this month). No kids under 20.

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BAKERY OUTLET
OOP  $3.00
Value  $9.77
Savings   69.29%

DOLLAR TREE
OOP  $15.65
Value  $42.36
Savings  63.05%

FARM STANDS
OOP  $23.25
Value  $52.86
Savings  56.02%

MALACARI'S PRODUCE
OOP  $5.55
Value  $12.55
Savings  55.78%

PANERA
OOP  $6.99
Value  $9.99
Savings  30.03%

RITE-AID
OOP  $2.99
Qs/Ads  $350.42
Value  $353.41
Savings  99.15%

SHURSAVE MARKET
OOP  $93.30
Qs/Ads $54.12
Value  $147.42
Savings  36.71%

TARGET
OOP  $6.70
Qs/Ads/Gift Cards  $86.23
Value  $92.93
Savings  92.79%

WEIS MARKETS
OOP  $564.08
Qs/Ads  $658.74
Value  $1222.82
Savings  53.87%

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My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid at 99.15%, Target at 92.79% and the Bakery Outlet at 69.29%.  My WORST savings rate was Panera at 30.03%(for the bagels I bought there).  For all but 2 stores shopped at, the savings rate was at least 53.87%.
I shopped at 9 different stores this past month.


TOTAL Out of Pocket..........$721.51
TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$1222.60
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$1944.11
TOTAL Savings of...................................62.89%


This closes out the September food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I went into September wanting to do a $400(then changed to a $500)food budget for the month.
Things went waaaay off budget this month!  $221.51 over my revised higher budget.
What can I say?  Lots of awesome deals on items we use/need(cheese, pantry staples, facial tissue, etc.) and meat discounts so I loaded up.
My spending total also included supplies for making/canning my pepper relish so I'd be at about $700 without those costs.  Still high though.

It is looking like I won't need to shop much in October.  My budget may get a well deserved rest in the coming month.  ;-)

The monthly food spending savings percentage went up by 14.84% in September to 62.89% compared to August's 48.05% savings average.
That's a big difference!  It seems that when I spend more on my budget I save a much higher percentage comparatively.  Crazy.

With 9 months accounted for, I have spent a total of $3658.00 on food/toiletries so far in 2016 which averages out to $406.45 per month spent.  This is $51.89 higher per month than the average in August was.  Yikes.  But then again I spent A LOT more in September.  At least the savings percentage rate was better meaning I paid less for what I did buy in September compared to August.


LOOKING AHEAD To October 2016.........

Other than chicken I am well stocked on every item I possibly could be stocked on(not counting fresh milk and produce and bread).
Maybe I will take a break from the grocery stores in October except for necessities.
That would be different, right?  8-)

If I am not planning on stocking up(and will try to avoid any Deals I find)I could try for a $300 budget on food in October.  Hey! Stop laughing out there.  It could happen......


If you have other ideas or guidelines you follow please leave a comment and share yours with us all.

*  How much did you spend on food/toiletries in September?
*  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?

Is anyone out there up for tracking expenditures and trying to spend less but still eat well?


Sluggy

6 comments:

  1. I spent about $85 this month on food. Toiletries, maybe 45. I've got to figure out a better method for keeping receipts. Do you have a separate place in your purse for receipts? Put them in one place when you get home? I know this is not rocket science, but I obviously am not getting it. Maybe a whole post on your receipt saving would inspire me or teach me.

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  2. I still think that is good for 4 adults. It has to be way under what the average family is spending.

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  3. I have done nothing but Cherry Pick the last 6 weeks. I am truly amazed we can eat as well as we have for 50 bucks a week

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  4. Not counting my daughters party, which I went over the food, beer, and paper products budget by $36, I was under $300. I am crap at specific tallies, but used my receipts, and memory as best I could, but I know at 9/14 i was at $140, and had to shops of $69, and $46, and roughly $18 in DH picking up stuff. this is just grocery, I am going to throw in 5% for things I missed and call September groceries $287. Plus we are well stocked for some pantry staples,and despite going over budget for the party by $36, I have two meals of ham frozen (ate the potatoes), plus beverages (soft and alcoholic), and paper products to have friends over instead of a night out-cheaper for all of us.

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  5. This was my first month out trying to lower my food bill from $500 - $600 a month, down to $400. I amazed myself. I spent $398 this month on food. I've got my pantry/freezer/fridge loaded up to my basic needs. When I run out of dairy and produce, I just buy what I need to get my stock back up to my comfy level of basics. I don't use any coupons. I shop 95% at Aldi. Wednesday is their meat sale day and I make meals out of what 's on sale. I do watch the loss-leader sales and buy only if i NEED what's on sale. Then, stock up.
    I buy almost everything else at The Dollar Store. I get VO5 shampoo & conditioner for only seventy five cents a bottle. Ditto for everything else. I don't shop CVS or anywhere else. For me, couponing is a waste of time. I buy only what I need or can use within a few months. I live small so space is a premium around here.
    I post all my expenditures in real time to an Excel spreadsheet I set up. As soon as I see I am nearing my budgeted amount, I stop spending. Period.
    Works for me every time.

    ReplyDelete
  6. If your expenses in September were "bong" then mine were "Whistling fast". This is the first time my husband &I looked at each other and said, "Ouch".
    My pantry is well stocked now- not with junk, but real stuff. I canned until I was purple and will look forward to winter months of food that tastes real. That all cost a pretty sum.
    The plan is to go into a regular mode.
    I still find the best prices for real beef and pork at my Amish butcher shop. That will continue. It is amazing that a smaller quantity of meat can be so filling when it tastes amazing.
    Otherwise it is the commissary or Walmart for everything else.Looking forward to about $100 a week beginning today.
    Good thing I look at the year in quarters. Starting again is so much easier that way!

    ReplyDelete

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