* Posting my grocery totals a bit early as I am done food spending for March. If for some reason I shop again this week, this amount will go onto April's spending.*
Onward to March's food spending report.......
Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for MARCH 2017.
I have posted March's totals on the Total Grocery Savings Page located HERE and have updated the Totals there.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in March. 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 3-4(3-4 at home this month). No kids under 21.
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BREAD OUTLET
OOP $22.00
Value $83.02
Savings 73.50%
DOLLAR TREE
OOP $12.00
Value $35.76
Savings 53.42%
MAINE SOURCE
OOP $129.32
Value $249.91
Savings 48.25%
RITE-AID
OOP $0.00
Qs/Ads/PPs $67.52
Value $67.52
Savings 100%
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My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid at 100%, Weis Markets at 76.72% and the Bread Outlet at 73.50%. My WORST savings rate was Maine Source at 48.25%.
Ok, having a "worst" savings rate of almost 50% is not too shabby..... ;-)
I shopped at 5 different stores this past month.
TOTAL Out of Pocket..........$245.84
Onward to March's food spending report.......
Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for MARCH 2017.
I have posted March's totals on the Total Grocery Savings Page located HERE and have updated the Totals there.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in March. 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 3-4(3-4 at home this month). No kids under 21.
******************
BREAD OUTLET
OOP $22.00
Value $83.02
Savings 73.50%
DOLLAR TREE
OOP $12.00
Value $35.76
Savings 53.42%
MAINE SOURCE
OOP $129.32
Value $249.91
Savings 48.25%
RITE-AID
OOP $0.00
Qs/Ads/PPs $67.52
Value $67.52
Savings 100%
WEIS MARKETS
OOP $82.52
Qs/Ads/Gift Cards $271.98
Value $354.50
Savings 76.72%
*********************
My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid at 100%, Weis Markets at 76.72% and the Bread Outlet at 73.50%. My WORST savings rate was Maine Source at 48.25%.
Ok, having a "worst" savings rate of almost 50% is not too shabby..... ;-)
I shopped at 5 different stores this past month.
TOTAL Out of Pocket..........$245.84
TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$617.39
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$863.23
TOTAL Savings of ..................................71.52%
TOTAL Savings w/o Rite-Aid of ..............69.10%
This closes out the March food/toiletries spending.
THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I went into March wanting to stay under $300 spent OOP on food and toiletries.
Thanks to using some gift cards I stayed $54.16 under budget.
The monthly food spending savings percentage went UP by .33% in March to 69.10% compared to February's 68.77% savings average.
With 3 months accounted for, I have spent a Grand Total of $1,091.06 on food/toiletries in 2017 which averages out to $363.69 per month spent in 2017. 8-)
LOOKING AHEAD To April........
Though College Boy won't be home for Easter we will most probably host the Brother in-law and Nephew for that meal. I already have a ham in the freezer I picked up for free at Weis at Christmas, I'll make my own rolls and deviled eggs(with eggs I already have here), so the only expense will most likely be fresh or frozen veggies I'll pick up in April. Easter this year shouldn't break the bank.
Plus we'll have a good bit of ham leftover for other meals in April(though I really don't eat ham anymore the Hubs and Daughter can eat it).
As for the rest of April, I want to try for a $200 grocery spending month. We've got lots in the pantry/freezer/stockpile heading into April. If April turns into a good stock-uppurtunity month I have $477.89 in gift cards for places that sell food/toiletries(though I rarely pay money for toiletries) Ican put some of the food purchases on($205.01 in Weis cards, $60 on a Visa Debit Card from Kohl's purchases, $125.44 in Target gift cards, a $25 Giant Markets gift card, and $62.44 left on my Rite-Aid gift card).
I don't plan to stock-up on things in April but I have the means to pay for it if it happens.
TOTAL Savings w/o Rite-Aid of ..............69.10%
This closes out the March food/toiletries spending.
THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I went into March wanting to stay under $300 spent OOP on food and toiletries.
Thanks to using some gift cards I stayed $54.16 under budget.
With 3 months accounted for, I have spent a Grand Total of $1,091.06 on food/toiletries in 2017 which averages out to $363.69 per month spent in 2017. 8-)
LOOKING AHEAD To April........
Though College Boy won't be home for Easter we will most probably host the Brother in-law and Nephew for that meal. I already have a ham in the freezer I picked up for free at Weis at Christmas, I'll make my own rolls and deviled eggs(with eggs I already have here), so the only expense will most likely be fresh or frozen veggies I'll pick up in April. Easter this year shouldn't break the bank.
Plus we'll have a good bit of ham leftover for other meals in April(though I really don't eat ham anymore the Hubs and Daughter can eat it).
As for the rest of April, I want to try for a $200 grocery spending month. We've got lots in the pantry/freezer/stockpile heading into April. If April turns into a good stock-uppurtunity month I have $477.89 in gift cards for places that sell food/toiletries(though I rarely pay money for toiletries) Ican put some of the food purchases on($205.01 in Weis cards, $60 on a Visa Debit Card from Kohl's purchases, $125.44 in Target gift cards, a $25 Giant Markets gift card, and $62.44 left on my Rite-Aid gift card).
I don't plan to stock-up on things in April but I have the means to pay for it if it happens.
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 March?
* 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
* 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
Nice job! For once, I'm under on groceries but only because we were moving & we ate out more than usual. Not sure that's a win. ;-) On a typical month, we save by all of your standards: meal planning, buying in bulk where it makes sense, avoiding snacks, making our own when possible, etc.
ReplyDeleteI think I will hit my $300 target for March. I have milk yet to buy, but I was very careful. I'd like to challenge myself for April as well, but may have my family revolting if I try two months in a row.
ReplyDeleteMy fridge is jam packed right now and since I'm only eating salad, it seems like, it's not emptying out as quick as it should. THe kids are eating what they can and the rest are eating what they can. We have family dinners as often as possible with lots of varieties... I'm not saving money here... maybe this summer.
ReplyDeleteWoo hoo I am 10.50 over my 100 dollar budget for the month. I am going to continue the freezer game at least 2 night a week until I get it almost emptied (Unless somewhere has a gigantic sale and then I will probably get into stock up mode again.)
ReplyDeleteI am over spending at the grocery store, because I can't resist the meat sales. Must eat down freezer again. Sigh...... You are such an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteI have good intentions, but never seem to track more than for two weeks and quit. However, this last week, I only bought milk, bananas, and one other thing--less than $6. Sure, there were things on sale, just nothing I had to have. Since today is Tuesday, the sale papers will be in my mailbox, and Sprouts and Kroger ads will be online. I will make a list of what I want that is on sale. I will spend judiciously in order to get the Easter specials with limited funds.
ReplyDeleteToday, I read your figures for how much you spent, what original price was, and percentage saved. Then, I read it aloud to someone helping me. She was stunned. I told her buying the ready-made and frozen meals--Hungry Man- would not help her reach her goals. She is meth addict, she and bf live with my neighbor, no car, no house, cannot buy clothes or shoes. But, she buys energy drinks and cigarettes. I try not to fuss, just show her a better way.
ReplyDeleteI can now see my counter again, thanks to her. She is helping declutter kitchen which includes food, stuff bought and no room on the shelves and in boxes on the floor.
I do not encourage smoking, but she got online and used a coupon to buy cigarettes, saving almost half. I pointed out the sale papers from the mail. She is not from here, so did not know about the ads that come with sale papers stuffed inside. Maybe I can make a little bit of difference in her finances. She is bereft in this world except for meth addict bf who is controlling and punishes her by taking her phone away if she does not answer his calls immediately.
She stress eats and has no say in what groceries he buys. He works; she does not. Okay, sorry to vent on here. She was impressed by your percentage of savings.
We have a bit of a different situation in that my DH travels for a living and is gone for weeks at a time. I rarely spend more than $25/week for my own needs and DH has an agreed amount of money to spend while he is away. Naturally he spends more because eating out is expensive. He tries to stay in hotels that include a free breakfast and further offsets his expenses by occasionally buying cans of soup to heat and eat in his hotel room.
ReplyDeleteYou did a very nice job on the groceries in March. It's very impressive!
ReplyDeleteMy totals for the month are going to have to wait until I have more time. I am so behind on everything.