Food & Toiletries Spending......January 2018 Report

* I am done food shopping for January so am posting this a day early.*

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

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for JANUARY 2018.

I have posted January'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 January.  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 3-5(4 at home this month). No kids under 21.

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BIG LOTS
OOP  $45.90
Value  $84.96
Savings  45.97%

BREAD OUTLET
OOP  $3.75
Value  $16.76
Savings  77.63%

DOLLAR TREE
OOP  $10.00
Value  $16.33
Savings  38.76%

RITE-AID
OOP  $0.00
Qs/Ads/PP/BC  $1234.48
Value  $1234.48
Savings  100%

SHURSAVE
OOP  $44.66
Qs/Ads  $61.84
Value  $106.50
Savings  58.07%

WEIS MARKETS

OOP  $348.38

Qs/Ads  $408.16

Value  $756.54

Savings  53.95%

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My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid at 100%, the Bread Outlet at 77.63% and Shursave at 58.07%.  My WORST savings rate was at Dollar Tree at 38.76%.

I shopped at 6 different stores this past month.  

TOTAL Out of Pocket..........$452.69

TOTAL Coupons/Store Sales...$528.40

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$981.09

TOTAL Savings of ..................................53.86%

TOTAL Out of Pocket for Dec.....$452,69
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased w/Rite-Aid....$2215.57
TOTAL Coupons/Store Sales.....$1762.88
TOTAL Savings with Rite-Aid items..........79.57%

This closes out the January food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I didn't set a food budget limit going into January because I know the sales cycle here and I knew I'd miss out on some "deals" if my budget was too low.  I hoped to come in between $400 and $500 spending($400 would have been better)and I just about hit that right in the middle. ;-)

The monthly food spending savings percentage went DOWN by 2.85% in January 2018to 79.57% compared to December 2017's 82.42% savings average.

With 1 month accounted for, I have spent a Grand Total of $452.69 on food/toiletries in 2018 which is a 79.57g% savings rate for the year so far and averages out to $452.69 spent per month in 2018.

LOOKING AHEAD To February........
I am going to try for a low food spending month in February.  I really need to use up some things in the freezer and do a proper clean out.  I'll set out to spend as little as possible and go from there, with hopes of staying under $200 for the month.

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 January?
*  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

MARCH Budget Results....Food & Toiletries Spending

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for MARCH 2010.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in March.
These Totals include Food, Toiletries/HBA, Pet Supplies, Cleaning Products & tax where applicable.We are a family of 5(4 at home) & 3 dogs. No kids under 14.


BOYER'S(small local chain in next town)
OOP $38.01
Qs/Ads $71.09
Value $109.10
Savings 65.10%

CVS
OOP $.57 ($2.64 put on Gift Card)
Qs/Ads $37.39
Value $40.60
Savings 99.20%

ENTENMANN'S OUTLET
OOP $9.00
Ads/Sales $16.74
Value $25.74
Savings  65%

PRICE CHOPPER Northeast
OOP $3.92
Qs/Ads $21.48
Value $25.40
Savings 84.57%

RITE AID
OOP $3.93 ($42.48 put on Rite-Aid Gift Card/Prepaid Visa Card)
Qs/Ads $717.25
Value $759.73
Savings 99.48%

SHIEL'S(local Independent Grocery that doesn't take IP Qs)
OOP $0.00 ($8.00 put on Gift Card)
Qs/Ads $7.15
Value $15.15
Savings   100%

WALGREENS
OOP $8.02
Qs/Ads $49.33
Value $57.35
Savings  86%

WEIS (local chain Grocery store that doesn't take IP Qs in my town)
OOP $158.95
Qs/Ads $497.58
Value $371.49
Savings  81.70%

I don't track 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 RECV'D. IN MARCH

Lypsyl Rebate....$2.00

Naked Juice....$10.00

Olay Regenerist Rebate....$15.00

Olay Quench Rebate...$11.23
Olay 2 Cleansers Rebate.....$15.00
Pinecone Research....$6.00
Renpure Shampoo....$3.00
Rite-Aid SCR....$80.73
Schick Razor....$7.64

Subtotal........$150.60

FREE ITEMS

Barilla Pasta Q
Heluva Good Item Q x 2
Reese's Pieces Candy Bag Q
Sugardale Bacon Q

Yogi Tea Q x 2

COUPONS

Betty Crocker/Pillsbury Qs
Price Chopper Catalinas  $20

GIFT CARDS and CERTIFICATES

Rite-Aid $5 Wellness Gift Card

Rite-Aid $5 Nivea Gift Card

Rite-Aid $25 Heart Healthy Gift Card

TOTAL Value of Cash/Store Checks/Gift Card Rebates Received..$185.60


My best 3 Store Savings Totals were from Schiel's at 100%, Rite-Aid at 99.48%, and CVS at 99.20%.


TOTAL Out of Pocket...............................$222.40
TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$1182.16
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased.............$1404.56
TOTAL Savings of..........84.17%

TOTAL of CASH Rebates........................$150.60
TOTAL OOP After  Rebates....................$71.80
TOTAL Savings of..................................94.89%

This closes out the March spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month-
I think I did quite well this month, especially considering all the Catalina Deals I did!  The spending before rebates was $222.40 but with rebates added to the budget of $277.77($250 + carryover from last month of $27.77), we had $428.37 to use, so we have $205.97 left to carry over into April's $250 food/toiletries budget.  With that amount leftover I almost got through the month without spending any of the $250 March food/toiletries money!
I may NOT roll this $205.97 leftover into next month's food budget(since I have proven to myself I don't need to spend that much on the monthly supplies), but put it aside instead for buying a part of a steer or free-range chickens, or even for a bulk buy of veggies at the farm this summer to put up for next winter.

What's ahead for April 2010.....

The April 2010 Food/Toiletries Budget is set at $250 cash out of pocket.  Any rebates received this month will offset this OOP spending.  I have $255.14 in Rebates outstanding, so anything that comes in this month gets thrown into the food budget kitty.

How did you do in March with your Food Budget?  Leave a comment or link to your post and let us hear!  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