Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for APRIL 2011.
I have posted April'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 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(4 at home this month)& 2 dogs. No kids under 15.
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BIG LOTS
OOP $4.20
Value $5.38
Savings 22%
BREAD OUTLET
OOP $20.45
Value $74.02
Savings 72.37%
Value $4.99
Savings 9.62%
DOLLAR TREE
OOP $10.69
Value $20.52
Savings 48%
I have posted April'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 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(4 at home this month)& 2 dogs. No kids under 15.
******************
BIG LOTS
OOP $4.20
Value $5.38
Savings 22%
BREAD OUTLET
OOP $20.45
Value $74.02
Savings 72.37%
CARONE'S(small local independent store)
OOP $4.51
Qs/Ads $.48OOP $4.51
Value $4.99
Savings 9.62%
DOLLAR TREE
OOP $10.69
Value $20.52
Savings 48%
RITE AID
OOP $6.77 (whole amount put on free Rite-Aid Gift Cards)=$.00 actual OOP
Qs/Ads/+Ups $770.79
Value $822.27
Savings 99.17% before gift cards/ 100% savings after free gift cards
SAFEWAY
OOP $1.49($25 put on free gift card
Qs/Ads/gift card $13.92
Value $40.41
Savings 96.31%
OOP $6.77 (whole amount put on free Rite-Aid Gift Cards)=$.00 actual OOP
Qs/Ads/+Ups $770.79
Value $822.27
Savings 99.17% before gift cards/ 100% savings after free gift cards
SAFEWAY
OOP $1.49($25 put on free gift card
Qs/Ads/gift card $13.92
Value $40.41
Savings 96.31%
WEIS (local chain Grocery store that doesn't take IP Qs in my town/doubles up to $1 total)
OOP $61.09
Qs/Ads $52.31
Value $113.40
Savings 46.13%
OOP $61.09
Qs/Ads $52.31
Value $113.40
Savings 46.13%
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
Pinecone Research....$6.00
Rite-Aid SCR...$56.99
Subtotal........$62.99
Pinecone Research....$6.00
Rite-Aid SCR...$56.99
Subtotal........$62.99
GIFT CARDS and CERTIFICATES
Subtotal....$0.00
TOTAL Value of Cash/Store Checks/Gift Card Rebates Received...$62.99
COUPONS and FREEBIES
Ocean Spray.....sample and $1 Q
Ocean Spray.....sample and $1 Q
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My best 3 Store Savings Totals were from Rite-Aid at 100%, Safeway at 96.31% and the Bread Outlet at 72.37%. I shopped at 7 stores in April.
TOTAL Out of Pocket...............................$102.43
TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$978.56
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$1080.99 with Rite-Aid figured in
TOTAL Savings of...................................90.52%
TOTAL Savings including Rebates...........$1041.55
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$1080.99
TOTAL Savings After Rebates...................96.35%
Since my Rite-Aid shopping(which contains No OOP)always skews my savings percentages, I like to figure my Totals without the Rite-Aid numbers also.
TOTAL OOP after Rebates.....$39.44
TOTAL Value of Items Purchases(w/out Rite-Aid items)....$258.72
TOTAL Savings After Rebates(w/out Rite-Aid items).....84.75%
My best 3 Store Savings Totals were from Rite-Aid at 100%, Safeway at 96.31% and the Bread Outlet at 72.37%. I shopped at 7 stores in April.
TOTAL Out of Pocket...............................$102.43
TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$978.56
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$1080.99 with Rite-Aid figured in
TOTAL Savings of...................................90.52%
TOTAL of CASH Rebates........................$62.99
TOTAL Out of Pocket After Rebates........$39.44TOTAL Savings including Rebates...........$1041.55
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$1080.99
TOTAL Savings After Rebates...................96.35%
Since my Rite-Aid shopping(which contains No OOP)always skews my savings percentages, I like to figure my Totals without the Rite-Aid numbers also.
TOTAL OOP after Rebates.....$39.44
TOTAL Value of Items Purchases(w/out Rite-Aid items)....$258.72
TOTAL Savings After Rebates(w/out Rite-Aid items).....84.75%
This closes out the April spending.
THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month-
We ate down the freezer/stockpile again this month. Add in that there were few stocking up opportunities(aka great deals)so I stayed out of the food stores most of the month and thus didn't spend alot of the $250 food budget. 3 out of the 4 months in 2011 so far have come in well under that budgeted amount.
I could probably do another under $100 in food spending month in May since we still have enough veg and meat left in the freezer to only have to buy milk, fresh produce and a few items we run out of this month.
THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month-
We ate down the freezer/stockpile again this month. Add in that there were few stocking up opportunities(aka great deals)so I stayed out of the food stores most of the month and thus didn't spend alot of the $250 food budget. 3 out of the 4 months in 2011 so far have come in well under that budgeted amount.
I could probably do another under $100 in food spending month in May since we still have enough veg and meat left in the freezer to only have to buy milk, fresh produce and a few items we run out of this month.
What's ahead for May.....
Since #1 son(aka the Eating Machine) will be home this month, I suspect I'll be sending more than $40 on food this month. I also plan to get some bulk items at the restaurant supply store and take advantage of a 2 Catalina Deals this week at Weis(coffee/choc. milk mix and pet food).
I plan on spending all $250 of my food budget this month.
We also will be having a family Graduation Party in early June, so I plan on picking up some things ahead of time for that in the coming weeks. Sort of spreading out the expenses for that over 2 months instead of spending it all in June.
This means I may go over my budget this month.
But I figure, since I've averaged only $130 per month each month in food spending in 2011 so far(I give myself $250 per month for food), I have $480 +/- in the budget money I've earmarked for food for the last 4 months but haven't spent yet. That means I've only spent barely half of what is budgeted for food for the last 4 months!
I figure I've got some 'wiggle room' when it comes to spending on food next month.
How did you do in April with your Food Budget?
What are your challenges for May?
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
Since #1 son(aka the Eating Machine) will be home this month, I suspect I'll be sending more than $40 on food this month. I also plan to get some bulk items at the restaurant supply store and take advantage of a 2 Catalina Deals this week at Weis(coffee/choc. milk mix and pet food).
I plan on spending all $250 of my food budget this month.
We also will be having a family Graduation Party in early June, so I plan on picking up some things ahead of time for that in the coming weeks. Sort of spreading out the expenses for that over 2 months instead of spending it all in June.
This means I may go over my budget this month.
But I figure, since I've averaged only $130 per month each month in food spending in 2011 so far(I give myself $250 per month for food), I have $480 +/- in the budget money I've earmarked for food for the last 4 months but haven't spent yet. That means I've only spent barely half of what is budgeted for food for the last 4 months!
I figure I've got some 'wiggle room' when it comes to spending on food next month.
How did you do in April with your Food Budget?
What are your challenges for May?
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
