2018 Food & Toiletries Spending.....the November Edition

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

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for NOVEMBER 2018.

I have posted November'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 November.  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 4-5(4 at home this month). No "kids" under 22.

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ALDI
OOP  $50.54
Value  $89.70
Savings  43.66%

BREAD OUTLET
OOP  $9.00
Value  $36.42
Savings  75.29%

DOLLAR TREE
OOP  $4.00
Value  $6.00
Savings   66.66%

GIANT
OOP  $22.56
Value  $39.86
Savings  43.40%

OLLIE'S
OOP  $17.66
Value  $45.65
Savings  61.31%

PRICE CHOPPER
OOP  $47.54
Qs/Sales  $55.45
Value  $102.99
Savings  53.84%

RITE-AID
OOP  $0.00
Qs/Ads/BC  $1259.36
Value  $1259.36
Savings  100%

TARGET
OOP  $0.00
Value  $77.81
Savings   100%

WEIS MARKETS

OOP  $331.64

Qs/Ads  $450.71

Value  $782.35

Savings  57.61%

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My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid and Target each at 100%, the Bread Outlet at 75.29% and Ollie's at 61.31%.  My worst savings rate was Giant at 43.40%.
Over 40% being the worst is aok with me! ;-)

I shopped at 9 different stores this past month.  

TOTAL Out of Pocket for November..........$482.94

TOTAL Coupons/Store Sales............$697.84

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased.........$1180.78

TOTAL Savings of ................................59.10%

TOTAL Out of Pocket for November.....$482.94
TOTAL Coupons/Store Sales....$1957.20
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased w/Rite-Aid.....$2440.14
TOTAL Savings with Rite-Aid items........80.20%

This closes out the November food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
Well, I did go over my $400 goal for November.  But if I take the almost $100 I didn't spend in my October food budget that more than makes up for the overspending in November.  Averaging the 2 months out I am still on target for the year. 8-)))

The monthly food spending savings percentage went UP an amazing 6.04% in November 2018 to 80.20% compared to October's 74.16% savings average.  Most of that was thanks to freebies at Rite-Aid.
The free stuff from Rite-Aid skewers my averages but without R-A I am at a 59.10% savings.  So even without R-A we are doing well on the "savings" front.

With 11 months accounted for, I have spent a Grand Total of $4747.03 on food/toiletries in 2018 which is a 74.55% savings rate for the year so far and averages out to $431.55 spent per month in 2018.   Still over my $400 per month average goal but this monthly average will go down in December as I cash out all my rebates/cash envies to apply toward the December spending.

LOOKING AHEAD To December.......
Let the Holiday games continue! Lots of cheap and free stuff was had in November.  If the deals present themselves I will continue to pick items up if it's something we can/will use or I can donate to the food bank and doesn't put me over budget.
I've got well over $550 so far in various envies/rebate apps/etc. to dump back into the food spending and I've got another few weeks to earn more so I've soooo got this!!! ;-)

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 November?
*  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

This Week on the Dining Table

The "Egads!  Can Christmas be only 16 Days Away?!" Edition.......

 

 

It's already the 9th of December and I have yet to catch any Christmas movies or specials on the television.
How did that happen?! 8-))

 On to the Meal Planning.
Here is what was planned last week--
 

Sunday--Stuffed Shells, Salad
Monday--Leftovers-Whatever you can find night and Roasted Asparagus
Tuesday--Leftover Stuffed Shells
Wednesday--Fried Chicken, Coleslaw, Green Beans, leftover stuffing
Thursday--Eating Out
Friday--Leftover Chili and Burritos
Saturday--no clue yet, maybe use a free Pizza coupon I have

Well we ate everything listed, but not on the days planned.   Except there was no pizza bought on Saturday, as I had gotten a big package of ground beef at Wegman's so we had hamburgers and used up some veggie side dishes that evening.

As for the food spending last week....
There were 4 trips to the stores and I spent $94.92(including my Rite-Aid trips-$10.87)on $285.76 worth of groceries/toiletries at 4 different stores.  Add that to the $34.68 I carried over from Nov.(when I closed out the books on that month and did some more grocery shopping on Nov. 30th)and we are at $129.60 spent on $356.25 worth of groceries/toiletries for December so far.
23 days left in the month and $179.40 left in the food budget.
Eh.

I am still hopeful I can pull off a $300 food month.  I don't plan on spending but $20 this week on a few loss leaders to use in the next 2 weeks.  That would leave us with about $150 left for the second half of the month's food shopping.

Leftovers going into this week--Shells, Coleslaw and some Fried Chicken.  I also have that whole roasting chicken I bought on Thursday and cooked up, plus a large package of ground beef also bought at Wegman's last Thursday to do something with this week.  Maine Source had a weekend special of yellow and green squash for .89¢ lb. so I bought 3+/- lbs. of each. and 2 doz. eggs.  I also picked up more asparagus as it was still on sale Saturday at Weis.

Here's this week's meal plan---

Sunday--used leftover Fried Chicken to make Lemon Pepper Chicken w/Zuke, Rice
Monday--finish the Leftovers Stuffed Shells, Salad
Tuesday--Dinner out w/a gift certificate(free)
Wednesday--Meatloaf, Squash Casserole, Asparagus
Thursday--Roasted Chicken(maybe w/BBQ sauce), steamed Broccoli, roasted Sweet Potatoes
Friday--Leftovers Medley
Saturday--No Clue yet-options of leftovers, lasagna from freezer or pizza take-out(w/gift cert.)


What I need to purchase for this menu?......a couple of sweet potatoes.  Add that to the loss leaders I'll pick up later this week if the weather makes it able for me to get to the store.


What is getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Sluggy

This Week On the Dining Table

I am right on schedule with this post this week....will wonders never cease?!

 

Here's what was planned last week--

Sunday--Hot Dogs, leftover beans, corn and 'new pickles'
Monday--Fend for Yourself night as Hubs was late from an out-of-town meeting
Tuesday--Chicken Fajitas
Wednesday--Chicken Parm, Sumer Squash Casserole
Thursday--Tacos
Friday--Fajitas Redux
Saturday--WTHK---> Who The Heck Knows!

 

We stuck to the list fairly well though not on the days I had planned.  I got Chinese take-out on Thurs. so we didn't do the Tacos, and Hubs wasn't up to a big meal the last 2 days so it was leftover Fajitas for moi only.

I spent $46.02 on $73.93 worth of groceries last week.  Mostly on produce, eggs and crabmeat.


Here's this week's meal plan--
Sunday--Grilled Pork Chop, Summer Squash Sauté, Macaroni Salad
Monday--Tacos, Corn
Tuesday--Ravioli, Salad, Garlic Bread
Wednesday--Sloppy Joes on Buns, Brussel Sprouts
Thursday--Quiche, Salad
Friday--No Clue
Saturday--No Clue

#2 Son is home for dinner 3 nights this week so I asked him for 2 dinner suggestions.  He said he'd eat Tacos(of course!lol), Ravioli and Quiche and I should make other things the nights he's working.
Thus he avoided giving me 2 dinner suggestions....the boy is a genius I tell ya! ;-)

So I am taking suggestions from my readers for what to serve 2 nights this week.  Something for 2 people, that is low sodium but tasty and hopefully I have most of the ingredients to make already here.
A bonus if one meal uses the Fajitas filling(chicken, peppers, onions and mushrooms)I have leftover.
Good luck! 8-))

On the shopping list so far--

fruit, orange juice, produce, salad greens, turkey breast meat, cheese, half and half and "junk" for Noah(ramen noodles, hash browns, burritos, etc.)

So that's where the food money stands now and what's appearing on the kitchen table this week here at Chez Sluggy.
What's getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Sluggy

Meal Planning March Week 4 & Food Spending Week 3

Here is what actually got served last week....

Sunday-Leftovers or Pizza

Monday--Sloppy Joes on Rolls, Corn

Tuesday--Stuffed Shells, Caesar Salad, Garlic Bread

Wednesday--Leftovers

Thursday--Roast Chicken, Carrots, Onions, Potatoes

Friday--Breakfast for Dinner-pancakes, eggs, sausage

Saturday--Leftovers or Find Something Yourself LOL

 

 

The Tacos and Fish Fry never happened.  They were replaced by a Roast Chicken dinner and a Leftovers meal.  I basically didn't eat these dinner meals until Thursday because of my dental issues.

My appointment on Wednesday took care of the problems and I am now a chomping champ again. lol

 

The food spending the last week?

Between not feeling well and having car issues, I never actually went to the grocery store last week.  The daughter and Hubs picked up items along the way last week, but no actual proper grocery shopping was accomplished.  Nevertheless, we did NOT starve since we have plenty here in the pantry/freezer.

A couple of trips to the local Shursave affiliate where a total of $29.62 was spent.  Food spending for the month is now at $127.69, leaving $272.31 of my $400 March food budget to cover the next 13 days.

As for leftovers rolling into this week--there is some roast chicken and veggies and some breakfast sausages.  Hubs is working out of town the beginning of this week so the kids and I are on our own for dinner until Thursday.

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Here is what is getting served this week.....

Sunday-Chinese take-out

Monday--Soup, Broccoli or Fend for Yourself

Tuesday--Green Bean Casserole, Mac and Cheese

Wednesday--Veggie Fajitas

Thursday--Corned Beef, Cabbage, Carrots

Friday--Fish "Fry",Coleslaw, Veggie TBD

Saturday--?

Needed at the store to serve the meals I am making this week?  

Peppers for the Fajitas, Cabbage to go with the CBeef and to make the Coleslaw.  And when I figure out Saturdays dinner I may need to buy something for that. lol 

We also need fresh fruit and milk this week.  If I can get Daughter to do the shopping I may not go to the store again this week too! Yeah, I live on the wild side.....

 

The freezer is getting a bit empty now, as I've been using up some things here and haven't been restocking.  Unless some incredible meat deal comes my way, I am holding off on stocking up on foods to throw in the freezer.   And I still have to figure out what to serve for Easter dinner.  It looks like we may have 7 at the table this year so I've got to find out what everyone can/will eat this year. sigh.  The only definite are the Deviled Eggs....lol

We did have some food waste this past week.  A Tupperware of chicken stock with bones that got pushed to the back lower corner of the fridge went bad before it could be used or added to the dog's dinners.  I hang my head in shame. 8-(

What's on your menu for the week?  

Any good deals at the grocers this week?
Did you have any food waste this week?

Sluggy