Weis Shopping This Week

There were some deals this week at Weis(PMITA)Markets that I wanted to get in on so I went out this morning before the snow flew to shop.
If you shop at Weis you may want to get in on some of these offers.

I hadn't planned on buying paper products/cleaners but this Buy $30/Get $10 Deal paired with coupons I had was too good to resist.........

 

 

This all came to $30.72(sale prices-I never try to run off the reg. shelf price on Kimberley-Clark stuff at Weis anymore because last time the Catalina didn't generate when I did).
Subtract the $5 of Qs and I spent $25.72(plus tax).

Between the $6 I already have spent on Huggies wipes on  a trip to Rite-Aid, and the items here that qualify for the SavingStar "Buy $30/Get $5 Kimberley-Clark" rebate, I have enough to have earned that $5 reward into my SavingStar account.
$25.72, subtract the SavingStar $5 Refund, and I am at $20.72 OOP.

Add in the Catalina that the machine spit out............

And this lot of products "cost" me $10.72.
Good deals for TP, towels and dishwashing liquid.

Then I did the Customer Appreciation Sale Deal(buy 8 select items and pay .88¢ ea.).  Some of the select items are on sale $1 this week if you don't buy 8 at a time, some are regularly priced at $1.29 or more.
Here is what I got..........

4 whole grain variety Barilla pastas
2 Spaghettios w/meatballs(for College Boy)
2 Weis facial tissues
Total with sale........$7.04
I used 2 x .75¢/2 Barilla Qs(coupons dotcom)which double to $1/2 so paid $5.04 OOP, making each item .63¢

I goofed up on this.
I should have gotten 3 Spaghettios and 1 facial tissue instead.  This would have kicked in a SavingStar Q for .40/3 Spaghettios and my per item price would have dropped to .58¢ each.
I may go back with 2 more Barilla Qs later this week and do this deal again utilizing the SavingStar Q too.

I also bought this stuff.......

The hot cocoa mix is to replace the less fresh box in the Giveaway box.  I have a Q for .40¢/1 which doubled to .80¢ off the cocoa plus it was on sale.
That's how we roll around here............ ;-)

The Oreos are for College Boy.
On sale for $1.97 this week and I had .50/1 IPQs that doubled to $1 off each, so Oreos for .97¢ a bag.

Weis had Furmano's tomato products(the big cans)as part of the Customer Appreciation Sale for .88¢ each, however there was a blinkie box hanging off the shelf, with $1/3 Qs for Tuttorosso tomato products AND the Tuttorosso's were on sale for $1 a can.  After the Q was applied the Tuttorosso's were only .66¢ a can making them a better deal than the Furmano's at .88¢ a can.

If I hadn't had my trusty calculator with me to do the math I might have bought the less good deal.

The halal chicken was $5.24 after $2 instant meat discount Q on it, making it just over $1 a lb.
Both OM Deli meat trays had $2 instant meat discount Qs on them so I splurge on a lb. of deli meat for $6.98.  Much cheaper than the deli counter meats which were $10 or so a lb.

This applesauce was also a good deal this week.
On sale for $1.37 each, limit of 4(I am lucky to see applesauce in cups for $2 a package here).

I had 4x .75¢/2 Musselman's ManQs from the 1/4 inserts(thanks to my sister in-law not wanting them!).  I used 2 Qs and will go back later this week to use the other 2.
So each package, after the Qs doubled to $1, cost me .87¢.
Sweet!
Hubs likes to take these in his lunch.

I had 2 x $1/2 Hanover frozen Veggies Qs and they were on sale $2 each so the veggies cost me $1.50 a bag.  These are the "premium" gold and silver line of veggies.

The Helluva Good cheese was BOGO and I had a .55¢ ManQ that doubled up to $1, making each block of cheese $1.09 and a half($2.19 for both).

Then I bought this treat because it's my birthday and it was on sale.......

$5.99

And here is the only thing I bought at Weis that was FULL PRICE.........

A bag of Coleslaw shreds for $2.49
Yah, I could have bought a head of cabbage and cut it down myself but being frugal with other items let's me be a spendthrift with a bag of coleslaw and not have to worry about it. lolz

This bag will see us through 2 meals......with fish and then again with bbq sandwiches.

My savings rate over regular retail was 45%, I earned 20 gas points and that $10 OYN order Catalina Q.

Sluggy
 

This Week on the Dining Table

The "Why, Oh Why, Do I Have to Come Home to My Boring Life" Edition.......

 

Who can meal plan when all I want to do is relive last weekend in my head?  This shot was taken at The Purple Parrot in Rehoboth Beach DE.  We had lunch there on Saturday.  It was all decked out for St. Patty's Day weekend.
And frankly, that sign wasn't the only thing lit up there when I left....... ;-)

 

 

And here is what was planned last week---

 

Sunday--Chicken with Pot Pie Noodles, Carrots
Monday--Beef Stew with onions, carrots, potatoes and I might throw in the leftover asparagus too!
Tuesday--Fend for Yourself(Hubs not home for dinner)
Wednesday--Burgers or Sloppy Joes, Sugar Snap Peas
Thursday--?
Friday--?
Saturday--?

 

And here is what actually happened---

 

Sunday--Chicken with Pot Pie Noodles, Carrots
Monday--Beef Stew with onions, carrots, potatoes and I might throw in the leftover asparagus too!
Tuesday--Chicken Sandwich, Salad(I was the only one home for dinner.)
Wednesday--Burgers, Sugar Snap Peas
Thursday--I don't care what they ate. Bwaaaaahhh
Friday--Ditto
Saturday--Ditto

Everything as planned.
My guys got pizza on Saturday and they ate leftovers on Friday and I didn't even ask about Thursday.

 

 

As for the food spending update.....I spent a total of $87.96 on groceries last week between the Bread Outlet and Weis(PoundMeInTheAss)Markets.  Saved 34.46% over regular retail in all as I bought some things not on sale.  Not great but not bad.

I have spent a total of $233.96 in March of our $300-$400 food budget.  I'm going to try to eat from the pantry/freezer/stockpile and not shop for food this week as much as possible. I'd like to go into the final week of March having spent under $300 for the month.

 

  

Oh and no food waste last week either.

 

Going into the new week here are the leftovers we have......2 med. helpings of Chicken w/Pot Pie Noodles and Carrots, 1 cantaloupe, 4lbs. of yellow squash, a large helping of Beef Stew.

 

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

Sunday--Hamburger & Noodles, Sugar Snap Peas(I just had a bowl of veggies.)
Monday--leftover Chicken w/Pot Pie Noodles and Carrots
Tuesday--Meatloaf(freezer), Squash Casserole(use the squash on hand)
Wednesday--Crab Cakes(freezer), Haddock(freezer), Sautéed Green Beans(freezer)
Thursday--Kielbasa(freezer) on Rolls, Squash Casserole(leftovers), Potato Salad
Friday--Pork Chop(freezer), Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots, Applesauce
Saturday--Roast Chicken(freezer), Sweet Corn Cake, Veggie Mélange(freezer)

What I need to purchase for this menu?.......Rolls for the Kielbasa, Cauliflower and turkey deli meat for lunches, any spices or staples we've run out of(I haven't checked on things yet), and maybe some loss leaders.

I am hoping to spend $40 or less for all.

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

 

Sluggy

Whats on the Dining Table This Week

The "Almost Well but Still Not Up to Real Grocery Shopping" Edition......

 

 

A shot of a tree across the street from my house that's really starting to show it's fall colors.  Happy October everyone!

 Here's what was planned last week--

Sunday--Pork Chops(freezer), Green Beans(garden), leftover Stuffing, Applesauce(from stockpile)
Monday--Dinner at TGIFridays(I had an appetizer and water, Hubs had a burger and iced tea.)
Tuesday--Roast Chicken(freezer), Brussel Sprouts(freezer), leftover Applesauce
Wednesday--Halushki(noodles from stockpile, cabbage from farm stand) with Bacon(freezer)
Thursday--Rigatoni w/Meat Sauce(meat from freezer/pasta from stockpile/sauce made from stockpile ingredients), some veggie from the freezer OR Fend for Yourself-not sure which yet
Friday--No plan yet, eating out
Saturday--My brother will probably want to eat at a pizza joint so not sure what I'll get there.

And here's what actually got eaten--

Sunday--Pork Chops(freezer), Green Beans(garden), leftover Stuffing, Applesauce(from stockpile)
Monday--Dinner at TGIFridays(I had an appetizer and water, Hubs had a burger and iced tea.)
Tuesday--Roast Chicken(freezer), Brussel Sprouts(freezer), leftover Applesauce
Wednesday--Hubs was away on business, son at work, so I had a grilled cheese sandwich
Thursday--Halushki(nnodles from stockpile, cabbage from farm stand)with Bacon(freezer)
Friday--I had Seafood platter at motel restaurant(ate about half of it), Hubs had BBQ platter
Saturday--Italian restaurant near motel, I had eggplant parm, Hubs had seafood ravioli

Everything as planned the first part of the week, except I just made a grilled cheese sammie on Wed since no one else was home.  2 dinners out while away from home for the Reunion.

 

As for food spending last week.....I spent $109.68 on $157.64 worth of groceries at 3 stores.  We spent under $8 for the week and then spent over $100 total at Walmart on Friday on the way down and at Food Lion Sunday on the way home from the Reunion.  Some of that $ was for party supplies but most of it was for soda and wine stock ups for home so it's coming out of the food budget.

As for food waste, nothing last week. 8-))

Leftovers going into this week--still picking tomatoes and there is leftover Halushki from last Thursday.

Here's this week's meal plan---
 

Sunday--Hubs had leftover Halushki, I didn't eat anything
Monday--Leftover barbecue pork and coleslaw from our lunch stop on the way home Sunday
Tuesday--Spaghetti and Meatballs(balls in the freezer/pasta in the stockpile), Italian Green Beans(freezer)
Wednesday--Leftover Halushki, Quiche(freezer), Salad(using garden tomatoes)
Thursday--BLT sandwiches(tomatoes from garden), Fried Apples
Friday--Baked Fish and Crabcakes(freezer), Veggie Medley(freezer)
Saturday--Leftovers or something from the freezer

On the shopping list......some turkey lunchmeat for me, some salad greens, milk, oj, cantaloupe, yogurt, burritos(for #2 son) and some specials like sugar, bread, celery, etc.
I'll try to keep it under $50 this week.

That's 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

MARCH 2013 Budget Results....Food & Toiletries Spending

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for MARCH 2013.

I have posted March's totals on the right side bar under Total Grocery Savings for 2013 and updated the Yearly Totals.
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 Summary.

My spending includes Food, Toiletries/HBA, Pet Supplies, Cleaning Products, Paper Goods & tax where applicable.We are a family of 5(4 at home this month)& 2 dogs. No kids under 16.
******************

BREAD OUTLET

OOP  $5.78

Value  $21.34

Savings   73%

MAINE SOURCE(restaurant supply)

OOP  $153.15

Value  $245.07

Savings   37.50%

SHURSAVE STORES(small local independent affiliated stores)
OOP  $99.06

Qs/Ads  $46.41

Value  $145.47

Savings  32%

WEIS MARKETS

OOP  $79.45

Qs/Ads  $33.57

Value  $113.02

Savings  29.70%

I am no longer adding my rebates received into my food budget directly. I will use them on food on occasion and will note that when used.  I will keep track of rebates/gift cards/certs received here as before however.

REBATE CHECKS RECEIVED IN February.....$5.00

GIFT CARDS and CERTIFICATES....$0

TOTAL Value of Cash/Store Checks/Gift Card Rebates Received...$5.00

COUPONS and FREEBIES

Zero

*********************
My best 3 Store Savings Totals were the Bread Outlet at 73%,  the Restaurant Supply Store at 37.50% and Shursave affiliate market at 32%.  l only shopped at 4 different stores this past month. 8-)

TOTAL Out of Pocket........$337.44

TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$154.17

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$491.61

TOTAL Savings of...................................31.36%

This closes out the March food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....

I went into March with $400 budgeted for food/toiletries for the month.  I have $62.56 leftover in my March food envelope. 

I didn't count the number of Qs that were redeemed in March but there were very few.  I did NO Rite-Aid shopping in March, which lead to a substantially lower savings rate overall.  My almost free shopping at Rite-Aid always brings up my rate of savings for the grocery stores.

Looking ahead to April---We'll stick to our $400 food budget again this month.  With the sudden changes I need to make to my diet this month I am not sure how this will affect our food budget.  I suspect we will need to spend more on food. April will see some changes in our food spending.

 

And here is the run down of my Food & Toiletries Spending for 2013 so far--

2013 Total Saved $932.72

2013 Yearly Total Value of Items  $1,914.70

2013 Yearly Total Spent $990.98

2013 Yearly Savings Total of 48.25%

How much did you spend on food in March?
 

Sluggy

Price Book Data.....Part 2

More on the Price Book numbers......


Ground Beef...2.28/3.69  3.79/3.99   2.79/2.99   2.49/3.89  3.49/2.99  2.79/3.99
Chuck Roast....3.99/3.99  2.99/3.99     3.79/3.79   3.99/5.29  2.99/3.99  3.99/3.99
Hot Dogs....4.99/5.99  4.99/5.99    4.99/3.00   5.39/3.50  3.99/5.99  5.39/5.99
Pork....3.99/3.00  3.99/2.99   3.49/2.99   2.99/3.69  1.99/2.49  3.49/3.69
Bacon....2.98/3.50  3.99/3.50   3.99/3.00   2.98/4.00  3.50/3.49  3.99/3.50
Chicken Breast....2.99/3.09  2.99/3.49    2.99/3.99   1.89/3.29  2.99/3.19  .99/3.29
Chicken Whole.... .78/1.69  1.39/1.89    1.59/1.49   1.59/1.79  1.29/1.69  1.59/1.69
Salmon....10.00/7.99  0.00/7.99   9.99/7.99   6.99/7.99  6.99/7.99  11.16/7.99
Cheese....1.77/2.99  2.00/2.00    1.75/2.00   1.66/2.00  1.50/3.00  2.00/2.50
Butter.....3.00/3.50  3.49/3.98    2.50/2.50   3.00/3.00  3.49/3.50  3.00/3.50
Eggs....1.93/1.50  1.79/1.89     1.83/1.53   1.25/1.99  2.09/1.99  2.09/1.99
Carrots.... .90/1.00  .75/1.29    .90/1.69   .90/1.00  .75/.78  .99/1.00
Potatoes....1.48/2.50  2.99/2.99  1.50/2.00   .94/2.50  2.00/3.99  2.99/2.50
Celery.....1.69/2.59  1.99/1.89    2.99/1.50   1.49/1.50  1.99/2.50  1.99/2.59
Onion..... .49/.75  1.69/1.00  .59/1.69   1.69/.75  1.25/1.99  1.29/1.50
Salad Greens....2.50/1.95  2.50/1.85   2.50/1.85   1.99/1.85  2.50/1.85  2.50/2.50
Pasta..... .88/1.00  1.00/1.00   1.00/1.00   1.25/1.25  1.00/1.00  1.00/1.00
Spaghetti Sauce.... .88/1.00  1.33/1.25    1.50/2.00   1.66/1.50  1.00/1.25  1.00/1.25
Coffee....5.65 lb/5.12 lb  5.65 lb/4.16 lb   (4.00)5.65/4.85*   4.32/4.80  5.65/4.80  3.87/4.35
Soup Tomato...1.05/.75  1.05/1.00   .50/.69   .79/.69  1.05/.75  .79/1.00
Soup Cream....1.00/.75  1.29/1.39    .99/.75   .99/.75  .80/.99  .99/1.00
Flour.....2.19/2.19  2.19/2.19   2.00/2.19   2.19/2.19  2.19/2.19  2.19/2.19
Sugar.....2.69/2.69   2.69/2.69   2.50/2.69   2.69/2.69  2.50/2.69  2.89/2.50
Brown Sugar...1.89/1.69  1.89/1.69    1.89/1.69   1.89/1.69  1.89/1.69  1.89/1.69
Honey.....4.00 lb/3.45 lb  4.00 lb/3.45 lb    4.00 lb/3.32 lb   4.00 lb/4.00 lb  4.29 lb/3.32 lb  4.00 lb/3.43 lb
Deli Ham...5.99/7.99  4.99/5.99   4.99/7.99   3.99/5.99  4.99/7.99  4.99/4.99
Deli Provolone...7.99/8.99  4.99/8.99   5.99/8.99   5.99/7.99  5.99/5.99  5.99/7.99
Frozen Pizza...4.49/4.99  5.00/3.33   5.00/3.33   4.00/5.00  5.00/5.00  4.49/3.33
Ice Cream...3.00/3.00  2.50/3.00   3.50/3.00   2.50/3.33  3.75/3.00  2.50/3.00
Frozen Broccoli...1.88/1.50  2.19/2.00    2.09/1.25   2.15/1.59  1.33/1.25  1.33/1.50
Soda....4.99/4.00  4.00/4.00   3.66/3.25   4.00/3.00  4.99/3.67  3.50/4.00
Chips....3.00/3.00  3.00/2.50   2.15/2.15   1.88/2.15  3.50/2.00  2.15/2.15


Now let's pick out our "Rock Bottom Prices".
Go through each item's weekly prices and find the lowest price for each item and when it occurred.


Ground Beef...............2.28 WEEK 1/STORE 1
Chuck Roast....2.99 2.99 WEEK 2,5/STORE 1
Hot Dogs....................3.00  WEEK 3/STORE 2
Pork............................1.99 WEEK 5/STORE 1
Bacon..............2.98 2.98 WEEK 1, 4/STORE 1
Chicken Breast........... .99 WEEK 6/STORE 1
Chicken Whole........... .78 WEEK 1/STORE 1
Salmon.......... 6.99 6.99 WEEK 4,5/STORE 1
Cheese.......................1.50 WEEK 5/STORE 1
Butter.............2.50/2.50   WEEK 3/STORE 1,2
Eggs.......................... 1.25 WEEK 4/STORE 1
Carrots................ .75  .75 WEEK 2,5/STORE 1
Potatoes......................... .94 WEEK 4/STORE 1
Celery.....1.50 1.49/1.50 WEEK 3,4/STORE 2,1,2
Onion.............................. .49 WEEK 1/STORE 1
Salad Greens....1.85 1.85 1.85 1.85 WEEK 2-5/STORE 2
Pasta.................................. .88 WEEK 1/STORE 1
Spaghetti Sauce................. .88 WEEK 1/STORE 1
Coffee...........................4.16 lb WEEK 2/STORE 2
Soup Tomato...................... .50 WEEK 3/STORE 1
Soup Cream.....75 .75 .75  WEEK 1,3,4/STORE 2
Flour......................................2.00 WEEK 3/STORE 1
Sugar..... 2.50  2.50 2.50 WEEK 3,5,6/STORE 1,1,2
Brown Sugar...1.69 1.69 1.69 1.69 1.69 1.69 WEEK 1-6/STORE 2
Honey................3.32 lb  3.32 lb  WEEK 3,5/STORE 2
Deli Ham.............................. 3.99 WEEK 4/STORE 1
Deli Provolone......................4.99 WEEK 2/STORE 1
Frozen Pizza...3.33  3.33  3.33 WEEK 2,3,6/STORE 2
Ice Cream...2.50  2.50  2.50 WEEK 2,4,6/STORE 1
Frozen Broccoli...1.25 1.25  WEEK 3,5/STORE 2
Soda........................3.00 WEEK 4/STORE 2
Chips.......................1.88 WEEK 4/STORE 1

My data tells me that only 9 items were ever less expensive at Store #2.
Going further, 3 items were equally cheap at both stores on different or the same week(s).
And a full 20 of my 30 items were less expensive at Store #1.
So if for whatever reason I can only get to 1 grocery store during any given week, in general, I am better off making the trip to Store #1, rather than Store #2.

This information, that Store #1 is lower on prices for things I buy on average than Store #2 threw me for a loop!  Store #1 is a local Shursave affiliated market.  Physically the store is tiny, with 5 aisles and a very limited selection of brands.  It's what you would call a neighborhood market.  Store #2 is part of the Weis grocery chain, which is a regional mega-market.  It's like a Shop-Rite, a Kroger, an Acme, a Publix, a Harris Teeter, a Giant, etc.  It's a large store with all the amenities(fresh fish dept., bakery, pharmacy, etc.), bells and whistles as it were.  One would assume that the bigger market with all those choices and extras would offer lower prices, huh?  I guess because they probably have unprofitable extras to keep customers shopping there, and all the extra bills(electricity and rent for the much bigger space as well as many more employees to pay), the customer ends up paying for it all in higher food prices.
Just goes to show that more choices and bigger stores aren't always good for the customers bottom line.

Now let's take that last list and remove the Week/Store information from it.....


Ground Beef........2.28 lb
Chuck Roast......2.99 lb
Hot Dogs.............3.00 

Pork....................1.99 lb
Bacon.................2.98 lb
Chicken Breast.......99 lb

Chicken Whole.......78 lb
Salmon.................6.99 lb
Cheese..................1.50 8oz
Butter.................2.50 lb
Eggs......................1.25 dzn

Carrots.................75 lb

Potatoes................ .94  5lb

Celery................1.50 bunch

Onion.................... .49 1lb
Salad Greens......1.85 bag

Pasta...................... .88 1lb
Spaghetti Sauce....... .88 can/jar
Coffee......................4.16 lb

Soup Tomato............ .50

Soup Cream...............75

Flour....................2.00 5lb

Sugar................. 2.50 4lb

Brown Sugar.......1.69 2lb
Honey...................3.32 lb 

Deli Ham.............3.99 lb

Deli Provolone.....4.99 lb

Frozen Pizza..........3.33

Ice Cream..............2.50

Frozen Broccoli.....1.25

Soda................3.00 12pk

Chips....................1.88 bag

These are my current ROCK BOTTOM PRICES for these items. *From here on out I will abbreviate ROCK BOTTOM PRICE as RBP.
These are the prices at which I will buy these items.  These are the prices at which I will stock up on these items, if I have the room to store them.
I can now take these prices and transfer them into my little notebook.  I take this notebook with me(along with a calculator and a pencil)to the grocery store.  If I see an item I want to buy that is "on sale", I'll refer to my RBP list to see if the item is truly on sale at it's lowest price.  If it is, I buy it.

I can see that I need to amend my new RBP list already, because Store #1 has Butter on sale for $2.00 lb.
So I will change my RBP for Butter and make sure I get up to Store #1 this week and stock up.  Butter can be stored in your freezer for a year or more.  This, along with how much butter I have left in my stockpile and how much we use in a month, will affect my decision on how much butter I will buy this week(unless they have a store limit on how much you can purchase).

If I know a RBP price doesn't come around often, I calculate how much of that item I will buy now(according to how much I have to spend and if I have somewhere to store it at home).  You want to buy enough to get you through to the next time that item goes on the best sale price.

If your data tells you an item goes on sale every 3rd week, then you need to buy enough to last your family 3 weeks.  If your family eats 1 box of spaghetti once a week, that means if spaghetti goes on sale every 3rd week, you need to buy 3 boxes of spaghetti when it's on sale to avoid buying it when it's not on best sale price.
Now if you know that your best buy price is .88¢ on spaghetti and you go to the store one week and they are having a special (loss leader or clearance) sale on a brand of spaghetti so that it's .50¢ a box that week, knowing that the best price is .88¢, you instantly know that .50¢ a box is a "one of a kind" special deal and you should stock up according to how much space you have to store boxes of spaghetti, how much extra cash you have in your food budget to pay for extra spaghetti and how much spaghetti your family will consume before the "use by" date on the boxes(though most items can be used well after the "use by" date).

For me personally, if my family ate 1 box of spaghetti per week and the RBP for this item came around every 3rd week, I would buy 4-5 boxes of spaghetti when it was RBP.  Since I have the space for an extra couple of boxes of spaghetti, I'd buy 1 or 2 extra at the RBP.  Pasta is good to have on hand anyway and you never know when you may need an extra box(for trying a new recipe or having unexpected company to dinner and you need to stretch the meal, etc.).
Now if I hit a .50¢ a box one time deal,depending on the "use by" dates, I'd buy 20 boxes.  I probably would be tempted to buy MORE than that but, boxes of pasta take up a fair amount of room and unless you store in airtight buckets, grains can fall pray to weevils as well as mice if you are storing your foodstuffs in a garage or basement.

Now that you have the RBP for the store you shop at most(or a couple of stores), it's time to go see if you can find a lower RBP at other stores you may shop at also.
If you have a produce market, a discount food outlet, a restaurant supply store, an ethnic food store, a bulk foods store, a warehouse store, etc., that you either shop at already or would go to, check their prices out on items you purchase on a regular basis.  If you find only 1 item that's lower in price, it's still may be worth it.
Say you find that spices at the bulk food store are much cheaper than at any other store.  The only thing is that it's quite a distance to drive and you can't be traveling there every week, because if you're using lots of gas, there goes your savings on the food!  So you figure out how often is worth it to you to go to that store.......once a month, once every 3 months or longer?  Pick how often and then calculate how much of every spice you would probably go through during that interval(and throw in a bit more just in case so you don't run out too soon).  Now you have your list and amounts to buy so go figure how much money you need for this trip.  Once you have the funds, go stock up on your spices.  Now you don't need to worry about finding a deal at the grocery store and buying spices for a month, 3 months or longer.

Now that you have your RBP for 30 items, you can add as many items to your price list as you want.
Just add a new item to your Price List and on your next grocery trip, mark down(IN PENCIL)what the price is this week.
Every week you go back to the store, if the price is lower than the price you had recorded, erase it and mark the new lower price.  After 6 weeks or so of doing this, you'll have your RBP for this new item on your Price List.

Now, a word about maintaining your Price Book.
Like any tool, it won't be worth anything if you don't maintain it.
We live in a country with a fairly volatile economy.  Weather affects food prices.  Energy prices affect food prices.  Government regulations affect food prices.  We are plagued by pretty aggressive inflation currently.  So while those RBP in your Price Book are valid today, what goes on in our world affects those prices.
Every few months you need to take out your Price Book and go over your buy prices.
An example, my RBP for whole chickens use to be .69¢ lb.  About 4 months ago, I noticed that I hadn't seen that price for whole chickens for at least 2 months(since August).  At that point my new RBP became .79¢ lb. because that was the lowest price I had found for it since August.
I had to update my buy price for whole chickens in November because sadly, the days of .69¢ lb. chicken around here were gone.
Of course if I see whole chicken for less than .79¢ lb. again I will happily stock my freezer with it! 8-)
But my Price Book got updated.


I'll stop here for now as I feel this is getting quite boring and dry.
If anyone has an questions about Price Booking or How To Save at the Grocery Store in general, please leave questions in the comments or email me directly and I'll be happy to cover what is on your mind.

Sluggy

Monday Food Spending/Meal Planning on Friday...Who Cares!?

 

 

Time to get back to the mundane tasks of my life, like food spending and meal planning.

***********************************

And here is what actually got served last week.... 

Sunday--Burger King Whoppers(BOGO 55cents Deal), Broccoli

Monday--Beef Pie leftovers

Tuesday--Salmon(Crab Cakes for #2 son),Green Beans

Wednesday--Stuffed Shells, Tossed Salad

Thursday--Hot Dogs, Beans, Potato Salad

Friday--Leftovers or Fend for Yourself Night

Saturday--Hubs bought take-out Pizza

 

I don't recall the Potato Salad happening tho.

Between the Bread/Bakery Outlet load up and 3 small trips to the local grocery stores, the food spending last week(through the 22nd)came in at $92.37 for 8 days.  The big honking rib roast trip will be on this coming Monday's post.

As of the 22nd, food spending for December was at $328.41, leaving $71.59 of my $400 food budget for the month.
As of 12/24, I am $11.66 over for December.

***********************

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

Sunday--Chicken Enchiladas

Monday--Christmas Eve dinner at Chinese Restaurant

Tuesday--Ravioli w/Marinara Sauce, Standing Rib Roast, Roasted Vegetables, Green Beans, Rolls, Pies

Wednesday--Leftovers

Thursday--Pork Chops, homemade Mac and Cheese, Broccoli

Friday--Pizza, a green veggie from the freezer

Saturday--Kielbasa on Rolls, Caramelized Onions, Beets

I had made up Sunday through Tuesday's meals beforehand. Add in that the day after Christmas is always Leftover Day here, so I was good through Wednesday.  The one item that didn't get mostly consumed on Christmas was a bowl of green beans, so I took the leftovers of that and made a green bean casserole on Wed. and we now have no more green beans. lol

#1 Son wanted Thursday's meal that was served and I was able to cobble the ingredients together from items I already had here.  I used a bunch of partial blocks, shredded bags of cheese that were opened for the mac and cheese and an opened can of evaporated milk from making pies got thrown in with the fresh milk too.  After making the mac/cheese I have a container of cheese/bechamel sauce extra for the freezer. That sauce will make a dinner for two of more mac/cheese, or pasta alfredo or carbonara style noodles.
I also boiled down the carcass/skin on Sunday when I made chicken filling for the Enchiladas and have 2 containers of chicken stock in the freezer ready for Chicken and Dumplings or Chicken Soup sometime this Winter.

I've spent $83.25 to get this menu pulled together, though not all of that spending was used for this menu.  There were some seasonal stock-ups included.  I've got a $5 voucher to spend before Jan 1 at the local market so I'll pick up a few things before the month is out like eggs, pineapple, milk.

#1 son left this morning so the food cooking/spending should return to the humdrum, boring stuff soon.

January will be belt-tightening time(like everyone else I see online!)so we will be cleaning out and using up stuff lurking in the dark corners of the pantry and freezer that have been hanging around much too long.
I'll also be re-evaluating, in the coming weeks, my food budget and what and how much I've been cooking(or not)this past year.

Is 2013 going to be the year you start planning your meals out ahead?  How about food budgeting.....are you going to put one into place and try to stick to the plan?

Sluggy

The Rest of My Saturday

So we headed out Saturday afternoon, the Hubs and I.

I snapped this shot at 1pm as we pulled out of the driveway.  It's our first "Snow Event" of the Season!

By the evening, everything had melted though.

We went to the Gun Shop(Buy local!).  I had told Hubs that Saturday was NOT a good idea, seeing as Deer Season opens Monday morning.  I knew they'd be swamped and they were!

Next stop, we hit another Rite-Aid in another town.
We got there right after a shoplifter had fled the store.  He left a trail of destruction in his wake inside the store.  The manager who was still quite upset told me that they had caught this guy stealing and when he was confronted he started clearing shelves of merchandise and knocking down displays.  There was a huge pile of gift cards on the floor he had thrown from an endcap and all kinds of perfume and make-up gift sets littering one aisle. What a mess!  They were waiting on the police to show up before they cleaned up the store.

After that bit of excitement, I picked up 4 more Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergents, 2 more Shave Gels & 4 more Monster drinks, using BIL's card.
After Qs it came to $20.50 + tax.
I paid with my $20.50 in +Ups from yesterday(so all the tax came off the order) and I got $14 in +Ups back.
I also bought 2 more $50 Home Improvement Gift Cards(out of reg. income funds)so I can add another $20 in bonus +Ups to my +Ups stash.
Woot!
I got a mess of rain checks too.

This trip--
OOP....$0.00
Value of items....$43.30
+Ups coming into today....$43.49($20.50 ready to roll today)
+Ups used....$20.50
+Ups earned.....$14.00 + $20 in bonus +Ups=$34.00

GRAND TOTALS so far FOR NOVEMBER.......

Out Of Pocket....$1.25  cash
Value of items bought.....$273.03
Savings Rate of  99.54%
Single Check Rebate due....$0.00
Other Rebates due......$0.00
After SCR applied, Out of Pocket.... $0.00
Savings Rate  99.54%

+Ups at beginning of month...$10.00+
+Ups used....$112.50+
+Ups received...$159.49+
+Ups currently...$56.99+ 

We then hit the Restaurant Supply Store for 2 standard items in this house....
My "Precious".......lol....

This is the best Blue Cheese Dressing around!  I don't buy it often anymore but I'll splurge for the Holidays as it make a great dip as well(for raw veggies and for chicken wing pizza).

And a 5lb block of cheese....

The cheese is retailing for $6.99lb. at the deli counter, so even though the RSS price for a 5lb. block went up to $18, I am still saving $16.95 for every 5lbs. I used to buy at the grocery store.
And this is a local business too.  I am glad to see they are reopened after being decimated in the flooding of September 2011.

 Then it was a romantic lunch for two at Wendy's.   Oh yum.....insert eye roll here......

Afterwards, we stopped in a beverage distributor to do some adult beverage shopping.  In PA, you can't buy 6 or 12 packs of beer(unless it's a place like a restaurant that also has a license to sell alcohol that is consumed off premises).  You have to go to a beverage distributor, though there are a few grocery stores that can sell beer too now here, and you have to buy a case.
I "heart" the alcohol laws in PA......insert eye roll here......

So this particular Beverage Distributor was taking part in SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY.  They had a guy from a local microbrewry start-up in the store giving out samples(SAMPLES!)and promoting their brew.   There was a special price for Sat. only on the local brew and the store was running a 10% off imports and micros on Saturday.
That was enough to entice us to open our wallets and purchase some beverages.

We also got free beer glasses when we bought the local brew case and I can send away for a $5 Rebate on the Mike's.
Yes, I use coupons and rebates when I buy liquor.  Why would anyone think otherwise?  ;-)

We came home and what did I find in the mail on Saturday?
Why the 1st Christmas Card of the season!

Thank You Sonya Ann! 8-))

So that's my jam packed Saturday.
Today I am lying low, working on my Meal Plan for this coming week, doing some house chores and taking a nap.  We might drag out the Holiday decorations later but no pressure to get that all done today.
What are you up to today?

Sluggy

Food Spending August Week 1 & Meal Planning Week 2

Ain't it the truth.....

*****************************
And here is the "meal plan" that actually happened last week.....

Sunday--BBQ Chicken, Collard Greens

Monday--Hamburger Helper type casserole, Pickles

Tuesday--Leftovers/Fend For Yourself

Wednesday--Subway Sandwiches

Thursday--KFC, Mashed Potatoes, Coleslaw, Biscuits

Friday--Leftovers/Fend For Yourself

Saturday--Fried Fish, Yellow Squash, Coleslaw

I cooked 3 meals at home last week.  Hubs and I got a sandwich on Wed. since no one else was home, I didn't see the point of cooking a big meal in the heat.  KFC was our splurge/eating out for the week.  It gave us 2 full meals worth for $21.

#2 Son wasn't home for dinner Mon.-Fri. due to band.

The weekly food spending was $119.98 done in 2 trips to Weis and 1 trip to the local Shursave Market. I had a $5 WYS $50 Q for Shursave so I bought ice cream, milk, carrots, 2 types of fruit, deli meat, 2 loaves of bread, tartar sauce, 6 jars of spaghetti sauce, 6 bottles of salad dressing and 2 boxes of tea bags.

The last few items were part of a Spend $20/Get $7 Catalina Q Unilever Deal.  The 2 trips to Weis to do the Purina Dog Food and the Nestle Deals.   The Purina Deal didn't produce the Catalina so I got a $10 gift card which I promptly forgot to use for the Nestle Deal. doh!  I did receive the $5 Cat for the Nestle Deal.  Between the 2 stores I have $12 in Cats and a $10 Gift Card to spend on future free food in the coming weeks.

Besides the Cat Deals at Weis I picked up some cheap chicken cutlets, pork ribs, some steaks and some reduced bakery muffins.

I have $280.02 left of my $400 food budget for August.

Going into the new week I have the following leftovers to use up......nothing at all.

***********************

This week's menu.....

Sunday--Chicken Parmesan, Spaghetti, Green Beans

Monday--Meatloaf, Squash Casserole

Tuesday--Tuna Helper, Tossed Salad

Wednesday--Chicken in the Crockpot, Stir-fry Veggies

Thursday--Tacos or Taco Salad

Friday--Pizza, Salad

Saturday--Leftovers

I have squash and green beans to use from the garden this week.  

We are suppose to have some cooler days this week so I'll be turning on the oven 1 or 2 nights(2 nights if I make a homemade pizza instead of using one of these gift cards I have for a couple of pizza places around here).  I'll make enough meatloaf for leftovers.

What I need to buy this week to serve this menu?..... lettuce.  Also more lunch  meat, fruit, eggs, yogurt and milk for non-dinner needs.   This should be a light week for groceries.  I'm figuring $30 for all.

So what's on deck for your menu this week?

Sluggy

April 2012 Budget Results.......Food and Toiletries Spending

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for APRIL 2012.

I have posted April'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 April.  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 at home this month)& 2 dogs. No kids under 16.
******************

BAKERY OUTLET
OOP   $9.89

Value   $38.41

Savings  74.25%

SHURSAVE STORES(small local independent affiliated stores)
OOP  $78.54

Qs/Ads  $47.11

Value  $125.65

Savings  37.50%

WEIS MARKETS

OOP  $142.60

Qs/Ads  $144.47

Value  $287.07

Savings  50.33%

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 APRIL

Rite-Aid SCR....$6.00
Subtotal........$6.00

GIFT CARDS and CERTIFICATES
Nothing

TOTAL Value of Cash/Store Checks/Gift Card Rebates Received...$6.00

COUPONS and FREEBIES
Nothing

*********************
My best 3 Store Savings Totals were the Bakery Outlet at 74.25%, Weis at 50.33% and Shursave Grocer at 37.50%.  Ok, so I only shopped at THREE STORES all MONTH!lol

TOTAL Out of Pocket........$231.03

TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$220.10

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$451.13

TOTAL Savings of...................................48.80%


TOTAL of CASH Rebates........................$6.00
TOTAL Out of Pocket After Rebates........$225.03
TOTAL Savings including Rebates...........$226.10
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$451.13
TOTAL Savings After Rebates...................50.12%

This closes out the April spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I went into April with $300 budgeted for food/toiletries for the month.  I was able to stay well below my budgeted amount, even with hosting an Easter dinner for what turned into a Feast for 7 at the last minute.
I used very few coupons in April, though I did buy many meat items.   Using those store clearance meat dept. coupons assisted my budget there.  I didn't shop at any drug stores this month, especially Rite-Aid where I have or have close to 100% savings rate.  That is why my overall savings percentage is only 48.80% in April instead of 60-80%.  But even though the rate is much lower this month, I'll gladly take it.  Besides the paper products I bought this month, I bought no other HBA or non-food items.  An almost 50% savings rate on just food items is wonderful!  Especially when I only used 3 ManuCoupons, 2 PeelieCoupons and 2 CatalinaCoupons.

As for the discounts I used in April....
*3 ManuQs
*2 Catalina WYB Qs
*2 PeelieQs
*12 Meat discount Qs
*16 Store Qs(4 of which were Free item Qs)

Besides the few coupons I used, utilizing UTOF meats, in season produce, buying at lowest sale price in the cycle in the stores and finding alternate sources for groceries(outlets), helped me spend less of my cash in the grocery store than my neighbor on identical items this month.

LOOKING AHEAD TO MAY.....My Daughter will be coming home to stay in another week.  My oldest Son will be coming home for 10 days or so with his girlfriend in tow next week.  So we will be a family of 6 for 1/3rd of the month and then a family of 4 for the remainder of the May.  More people means more food spending.  My oldest has already asked me to make him some favorite foods while he is home and of course they are not cheap foods.  Most of them involve smoked meats so I'll be firing up the smoker soon. ;-)

I will be increasing my food budget to $400 for May.  As for the meats I'll need for the smoker, I'll be going to the restaurant supply store this month for the best deals locally.  I'll continue to seek out in-season produce, store loss leaders/lowest priced in the store cycle goods and keep my eyes peeled while in the store for instant discount Deals.

How did you do in April with your Food Budget? 

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

April Food Spending Week 1, Meal Plan April Week 2

I know I never got around to doing a menu last week.

Shame. on. me.

But here is what actually happened....

SUNDAY--Hamburgers, Corn, Beans

MONDAY--?
TUESDAY--?
WEDNESDAY--Hot Dogs, Beans, Coleslaw
THURSDAY--Hubs Birthday Dinner out
FRIDAY--Veal Parmesan, leftover Rigatoni
SATURDAY--Pizza(take-out)

Yes, I am pathetic that this is all I can remember.lol  I really didn't make a plan last week.  We ate from the stockpile, freezer(and used up some leftovers too)since I didn't go to the grocery store until Saturday afternoon.  The burgers were those Angus burger patties I got the deal on a couple of weeks ago.  I just have to say that they were really Good!  I usually don't care much for those boxed, frozen pre-made burgers but these were actually tasty.  And they were HUGE too!  Next time I'll have to buy bigger buns for them.

The weekly food spending was $76.79 this past week. 

I am scared that spending this much is getting to be a habit with me!

 

One trip on Saturday to Weis(PMITA)Markets.

I got a ham(free when you spent $50, and did I!!), asparagus and leeks specifically for Easter dinner.

I also had coupons that made a qt. of ice cream(or whatever size they are calling it this month),  a can of pineapple and a dozen eggs for free.   The eggs got used up for Sunday's meal.

Things I bought for later use that were on sale.....4 cream cheese blocks, 2 jars of apricot perserves, 2 lbs. of kielbasa(bogo sale), 2 boxes of jumbo pasta shells, 2 large containers of ricotta cheese, 1lb. of flounder, a cantaloupe, 2 boxes of 50% off muffins, a small porketta roast(discounted) and a small package of Lebanon bologna(discounted-for lunches).

My savings rate was only 47% overall.

 

I bought an on sale package of napkins as my stockpile just ran out. 8-(

The porketta is for a new recipe I want to try later this week.  The pasta shells will be cooked up and stuffed with the ricotta(and mozzarella)and frozen for later use.  I have some leeks I didn't use in my side dish on Sunday and some leftover asparagus that I served, so I'll be making leek and asparagus soup this week to use up those items.  the soup recipe calls for potatoes as well, which I don't have, so I'll use form dehydrated flakes which will work just as well.

The month is nearly 1/3 over and I have $223.21 left of my $300 monthly food budget.  As I've spent "about" 1/3 of my food monies, I am on target for the month.

************************

I'm going into this week with a 1/2 head of cabbage, and after Sunday's dinner....2 leeks, lots of rolls, some leeks in cream sauce

This week's menu.....

SUNDAY--Ham, Asparagus, Leeks in Cream Sauce, Great Aunt Lula's Rolls, Deviled Eggs
MONDAY--Leftovers

TUESDAY--Ham, Mac & Cheese, Cabbage, Leeks in cream sauce
WEDNESDAY--Sausage Sandwiches, Onions, Corn
THURSDAY--Leek Soup and Ham Sandwiches
FRIDAY--Chinese Take-out
SATURDAY--Roast Pork with Dried Fruit, Rolls, Brussell Sprouts

This menu gives us 5 new meals, 1 night of leftovers and 1 take-out meal. 

 Items needed to buy for this menu are....maybe some bread and/or rolls.  I've got everything here already in the fridge, freezer or the pantry.
We'll be buying milk as usual and I want to pick up more eggs as I deviled them all for Sunday's dinner.

The only stock-up opportunities are for orange juice and those bagged salad kits are on sale again at the local independent ShurSave market.  Nothing at Weis is tempting me this week.

So what is everyone else eating this week?

And more importantly, who has some good LEFTOVER HAM recipes?!?!

We gave the BIL a big stack of sliced ham  but there is still tons left.....eek!

Sluggy

March Food Spending Week 3, Meal Plan March Week 4 + More!

Onward to the Meals and Food Spending. 8-)

Last week's meal plan is in the books. Here is what actually happened....

SUNDAY--Chicken Fajitas

 MONDAY--Taco Bell
TUESDAY--Burritos, Corn
WEDNESDAY--Leftovers Fajitas
THURSDAY--Chinese Take-Out
FRIDAY--Fish, Stuffed Clams, Mixed Veggies, Kraft Mac&Cheese(aka crack)
SATURDAY--homemade Pizza

Things I used last week that I had bought the previous week.....colored bell peppers, onions, stuffed clams, Kraft mac&cheese(got for free at Rite-Aid).  This is to show you that I do use all those things I buy each week that I don't use the week I necessarily buy them. ;-)

The weekly food spending was $55.01 this past week.

I again, went to Weis "PoundYouInTheAss" Markets for groceries as I had another week of Grand Re-Opening Qs.  I got free 2ltr. soda(#2 son is happy), free bag of potato chips(hub's is happy), 1/2 price muffins(#2 son ditto), and $5 off when I spent $50(Momma is happy!lol).

There was an Instant Catalina Deal on certain Heinz products-5 off instantly WYB $20 in products(which was based on the reg. shelf price, not the sale price).  I bought 6 bottle of Log Cabin syrup-the NO HFCS kind.  On sale for $2.99 a bottle but after Instant Cat, each bottle cost me $2.16.
I also bought produce(cabbage, celery), 2 bags of cheese, rolled pie crust, whipped cream in a can, 3 boxes of pasta($1 per) and a 12-pack of soda--all store brand.  Then a big pack of ground beef with a $3 store sticker on it and a key lime pie, well, just because it was on sale and it looked good and we wanted crap.
***************
Not-So Brief  Deal Hunting Interlude
 
And from the Annals of "PAY ATTENTION TO STUFF WHEN YOU SHOP".......here is my deal of last week--

6 boxes of Angus Burgers.
We were perusing the frozen chicken/meats case and I spied these babies in the top corner of the case with $3 Instant Discount Qs stuck to them.
They are 2 lbs. of Angus Beef Burgers from Hormone-free, vegetarian-fed steer.
Reg. price at Weis?
$9.99 per box, each box has 6 burgers.
So $3 off makes then $6.99, which is a much better price.
I had Hubs get me 2 down to stick in my cart.
Not the sort of thing I buy(per-formed burgers), but at that price this would be a good thing to have in my freezer for #2 son, for those nights he doesn't want what I am fixing for dinner or for a weekend meal or after school snack.  It is something he can/will make for himself and I am ALL ABOUT getting teens to cook for themselves one way or another.  This would be the one way.  ;-)

So we get to the register and I notice that the 2nd box of burgers rings up as a BOGO....yes!
I paid $9.99 for 2 boxes instead of 1.
Evidently there was also a BOGO on this product but there was NO SHELF TAG.
Either that or it HAD BEEN a BOGO but whoever programs the computer, didn't change the price back after the sale.   Either way, as a customer at Weis PMITA Markets, I am entitled to the price it rings up for per their own policy.

So with 2 x $3 instant Q deducted, I got 4 lbs. of burgers for the wonderful price of $3.99.
That's $1 a pound for hoity-toity meat!!!
KA-ching Baby!!

So you KNOW what I did, don't you?
I sent Hubs back to the frozen meat case to buy 4 more boxes of this stuff.
So that's why I have 12 lbs. of pre-made burgers sitting in my freezer.

Moral of Story....you never know WHERE you will find a Deal and you won't find them unless you keep open to what is around you.
Burgers were not something I went into the store to buy, but by paying attention to what was in the store & what I was charged at the register(and a little luck) I found something I can use and that was practically free.

It's the 26th day of the month and I've already spent $400.64  my food budget for the month!   I do have $476.80 in the kitty with the $300 for this month and the leftover from Jan. and Feb.'s kitties.

I had to feed some leftover turkey to the dogs this past week, as nobody here would finish it and I'll be damned if I'll throw perfectly good food away!

So that is the end of me roasting turkeys.....well, except for 1 at Thanksgiving.  The rest of the year?....the people here are shitoutofluck. ;-)

************************

Going into March Week 4+ I have leftovers--a little bit of corned beef, a little more cabbage from the week before.  As of Monday, everything that was cooked this past week is gone.

This week's menu.....

SUNDAY--Leftovers
MONDAY--Rigatoni w/meat sauce, Salad

TUESDAY--Breakfast for Dinner
WEDNESDAY--Tuna Noodle Casserole
THURSDAY--Shrimp, Cornbread, Coleslaw
FRIDAY--Leftovers
SATURDAY--?

This menu gives us 4 new meals, 2 nights of leftovers and 1 ? meal.  "? meal"= might go out to Bob Evans, might get take-out, who knows!lol

 Items needed to buy for this menu are....nothing.  I've got everything here already in the freezer or the pantry, except for the unknown meal, if we don't go out to eat that night.
We'll be buying milk as usual.

So far I don't see any stocking up opportunities, but then again, I haven't looked yet.  I do have another set of Grand Re-Opening Qs for "you know where".  Don't know yet if I'll use them.

So what is everyone else eating this week?

Sluggy

November Budget Results.......Food and Toiletries Spending

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for NOVEMBER 2011.

I have posted November's totals on the right side bar under Total Grocery Savings for 2011 and updated the Yearly Totals.
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 Summary.

My spending includes Food, Toiletries/HBA, Pet Supplies, Cleaning Products, Paper Goods & tax where applicable.We are a family of 5(3-4 at home this month)& 2 dogs. No kids under 15.
******************

BAKERY OUTLET
OOP  $17.89

Value  $72.44

Savings  75.30%

LUCAS FARMS(local produce market)

OOP  $13.02 

Value  $27.33

Savings  52.36%

RESTAURANT SUPPLY STORE
OOP  $32.50

Value  $75.90

Savings 57.20%

SHURSAVE STORES(small local independent affiliated stores)
OOP  $104.43

Qs/Ads  $173.15
Value  $277.58
Savings  62.38%

WALMART 

OOP  $3.60

Qs/Ads  $0
Value  $3.60

Savings  0%

WEIS (local chain Grocery store in my town/doubles up to $1 total)
OOP  $99.66

Qs/Ads  $261.51
Value  $361.17
Savings  72.40% 

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 NOVEMBER
Pinecone...$3.00
Subtotal........$3.00

GIFT CARDS and CERTIFICATES
$0.00
TOTAL Value of Cash/Store Checks/Gift Card Rebates Received...$3.00 * a pathetic month*

COUPONS and FREEBIES

Zero  *more pathetic-ness*

*********************
My best 3 Store Savings Totals were the Bakery Outlet at 75.30%, Weis at 72.40% and the Shursave Stores at 62.38%.
I shopped at 6 different stores in November.....well really it was 8 but 3 of them were Shursaves so I counted them as the same store. ;-)


TOTAL Out of Pocket........$271.10  soooo close!lol

TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$546.92

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$818.02
TOTAL Savings of...................................66.86%


TOTAL of CASH Rebates........................$3.00
TOTAL Out of Pocket After Rebates........$268.10
TOTAL Savings including Rebates...........$549.92
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$818.02
TOTAL Savings After Rebates...................67.22%

This closes out the November spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month-I came very close to staying on my $250 food budget in November.  I cashed in a grocery store gift card and did a couple of different Catalina Deals(can you say GRAVY?lol)this month.  I also bought a second turkey in November and did a wee bit of stocking up on dairy/baking supplies.

Oh! Wait a minute.....actually if you look at my October food budget post I set a $300 budget for November so I came in UNDER!

Go me!!lol

Now I'm sure that if I had remembered I gave myself a $300 food kitty last month, wanna bet I would have spent $320?  8-)

What's ahead for December.....
As always I'll keep an eye out for Catalina deals I can use.  I am going to try to use up some meats/proteins in the freezer this month before we get to Christmas.  The freezer needs a good defrosting and clean out.  Using up will help keep the food spending in check since I foresee a big Ham purchase in 3 weeks or so for a big Christmas Dinner and that hunk o' meat will cost mucho coinage!

With 1 month left in the year, we have spent a total of $2,772.85 of our income on food/HBA in 2011.
That comes out to $252.08 per month.
We brought home items with a reg. retail value of $13,287.59 so far this year.
That's a savings of $10,514.74 or 79.07%.

How did you do in November with your Food Budget?  Did the Turkey Holiday dinner bust your budget(not to mention your belt!lol)

What are your challenges for December?  Any family coming to stay....Holiday Celebrations?..  Do you throw parties and how do you budget for that?...or is your/the childs'/the spouse's school/work/Holiday extracurricular activities schedule too busy to shop/cook/eat as a family?

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