June Budget Results.....Food and Toiletries Spending

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for JUNE 2011.

I have posted June'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 June.  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(2-4 at home this month)& 2 dogs. No kids under 15.
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CARONE'S(small local independent store)
OOP  $14.97

Qs/Ads  $8.07
Value  $23.04
Savings  35%

BAKERY OUTLET
OOP  $8.67
Value  $34.71
Savings  75%

DOLLAR TREE
OOP  $2.00
Value  $3.98
Savings  49.75%

HEALTH FOOD STORE
OOP  $23.48
Value  $29.35
Savings  20%


OLLIE'S(regional discount store)
OOP  $5.94
Value  $12.99
Savings  54.28%

PRICE CHOPPER
OOP  $50.41
Value  $108.61
Savings  53.60%

RITE AID
OOP  $3.15 (whole amount put on free Rite-Aid Gift Cards)=$.00 actual OOP
Qs/Ads/+Ups  $367.21

Value  $370.36 

Savings  99.15% before gift cards/ 100% savings after free gift cards

TARGET

OOP $0.00

Qs/Ads  $1.19

Value  $1.19

Savings   100%

TURKEY HILL

OOP  $7.98 (ice for party)

Value  $7.98

Savings  00%

WALMART

OOP  $18.62

Qs/Ad/GC  $31.65

Value  $50.27

Savings  63%

WEIS (local chain Grocery store in my town/doubles up to $1 total)
OOP  $255.98
Qs/Ads  $274.08
Value  $530.06
Savings  51.71%  (includes bakery cake w/no discounts)& ended the month with $19 in Catalina Qs

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 JUNE
Pinecone Research....$6.00
Rite-Aid SCR...$42.96
Subtotal........$48.96

GIFT CARDS and CERTIFICATES
$0.00

TOTAL Value of Cash/Store Checks/Gift Card Rebates Received...$48.96

COUPONS and FREEBIES
Suave....3 x Free Item Q

Lay's....2 x Free Item Q
On-Cor....2 x Free Item Q and 1 x .55/1 Q

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My best 3 Store Savings Totals were from Rite-Aid at 100%,  Target at 100% and the Bakery Outlet as 75%.  I shopped at 11 different stores in June.


TOTAL Out of Pocket...............................$397.01
TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$775.53
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$1,172.54 with Rite-Aid figured in
TOTAL Savings of...................................66.15%

TOTAL of CASH Rebates........................$48.96

TOTAL Out of Pocket After Rebates........$348.05
TOTAL Savings including Rebates...........$824.49
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$1,172.54
TOTAL Savings After Rebates...................70.32%

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.....$348.05
TOTAL Value of Items Purchases(w/out Rite-Aid items)....$802.18
TOTAL Savings After Rebates(w/out Rite-Aid items).....56.62%
My food savings percentage seems to run about 50%-60% for the strictly food items only.
Those Rite-Aid purchases always boost up my savings total about 20% points.



This closes out the June spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month-
Even with my rebates added to the food budget kitty, I went just south of $100 over my budget limit for the month.  Since I did some Catalina deals and threw a Party for 12 in June, I am not going to beat myself up over this overage.

What's ahead for July.....
We are down to 3 family members at home this month.  I hope to ease up on the food spending and try to eat from the stockpiled items in July.  July is also the beginning of fresh local produce season so I'll keep my budget at $250 as I will be getting farm produce to put up for winter.


How did you do in June with your Food Budget?
What are your challenges for July?  Any family coming to stay....or are you trying to figure out a food budget for a vacation? 
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

Happy July 4th!

Sluggy

New Week at Rite-Aid....Happy Happy, Joy Joy!

I did 2 transactions on Sunday.

1 x Sunday paper=$1.00 *not pictured*
2 x Pantene Shampoo on sale=$7.00
2 x John Frieda Shampoo(raincheck $4.99)=$9.98
1 x Gillette Razor wellness discount less than sale price=$9.03
2 x Amp drinks on sale=$3.00
1 x Nutella on sale=$2.50
1 x Oral B Pulsar Toothbrush on sale=$4.99
2 x Oral B Advantage manual Toothbrushes on sale=$5.14
2 x Orbit gum on sale=$1.38
SubTotal.....$44.02

1 x $3/$15 purchase Store Survey Q=$3.00
1 x $3/2 Pantene Shampoo ManuQ=$3.00
1 x $5/1 John Frieda item ManuQ=$5.00
1 x $2/1 John Frieda item ManuQ=$2.00
1 x $4/1 Gillette Razor ManuQ(from last P&G insert, not the most recent one)=$4.00
1 x BOGO Amp AdPerk/VV Q=$1.00 **
1 x $1/1 Nutella AdPerk/VV Q=$1.00
1 x $2/1 Oral B Pulsar Toothbrush ManuQ(last P&G insert, not most recent one)=$2.00
1 x $2/1 Oral B Advantage Toothbrush(Sunday's P&G insert)=$2.00
2 x $.25/1 Orbit gum AdPerk/VV Q=$.50
1 x $1/2 Orbit gum ManuQ=$1.00
Coupon Total....$24.50

$44.02-$24.50=$19.52+.06 tax=$19.58
I used $18.97 in +Up Rewards to pay and put the .61¢ left on my Rite-Aid gift card.
I received $16 in +Ups back($2 Pantene wyb2, 2 x $2 Oral B advantage brushes, $5 Gillette razor, $5 John Frieda wyb2).
I qualified for SCR #5(Oral B Pulsar brush)for $4.50.

*A word of warning on the BOGO AMP AdPerk/VV Q.
Though it should take $1.50 off for the 2 drinks, no matter what the cashier imputs, the register will change it to $1.00.
I know this because the cashier distinctly put in $1.50 and the register changed it to $1.00.
Then I bought 2 more AMPs in the 2nd transaction, so the manager tried to take $2.00 off($1.50 for those 2 cans + the .50¢ they owed me for the previous 2 cans)and the register again changed the amount to $1.00.
So much for computers NOT having minds of their own....lol

So I bought 2 more Amps and another Oral B Pulsar brush on BIL's card.....

This should have been easy, right?

2 x Amp on sale=$3.00
1 x Oral B Pulsar brush on sale=$4.99
SubTotal....$7.99

Used a BOGO Amp AdPerk/VV Q=$1.00
Manager took another $1 off for both transactions' Amps=$1.00
1 x $2/1 Oral B Pulsar ManuQ=$2.00

$7.99-$4.00=$3.99 OOP to use +Up Rewards on, right?

This time the Amps rang up at $1.91, which is the reg. price with 20% wellness discount, instead of the sale price of $1.50.
This made my SubTotal...$8.81
After $4 in Qs my Total was $4.81.
I used $4.49 in +Up Rewards and put the .32¢ on my gift card.
I received no +Ups but BIL qualified for a $4.50 SCR #5.

So Rite-Aid owes me .82¢ in overcharges.  I might go up and get it, I might not.  Just depends on how I feel this week. ;-)

I still have $11.50 in +Up Rewards to spend this week.
Anybody have any ideas or plans?


THIS TRIP
Number of Transactions.....2
Total Spent....$.93
Value of Items....$73.89
SCR qualified for...$9.00
Other Rebates earned...$0.00
Gift Cards earned....$0.00
+Up Rewards earned...$16.00
+Up Rewards spent.....$23.46
+Up Rewards left to spend.....$63.26
And I have $40.04 left on my gift card.


Rite-Aid GRAND TOTALS--JULY Rebate Period so far

Number of Transactions......6
Total Spent....$1.70 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Number of Items purchased.....48
Value of Items purchased....$210.33
SCR qualified for....$9.00
Other Cash....$0.00
Additional Rebates....$0.00
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0.00

+UPS Totals for July SCR period
+Up Rewards carryover from 7/2.....$70.72
+Up Rewards spent....$35.43
+Up Rewards earned....$41.38
+Up Rewards left....$63.26  includes ALL +Ups not just ones from this SCR period

Sluggy

Weis Markets on Saturday...Using some Catalinas

Friday and Saturday were a big shopping days for me.
Friday was chicken at the local Market, bread and baked goods at the Bakery Outlet and soap at Price Chopper.  Saturday was more soap + other items at Price Chopper, then 12 packs of soda and kool-aid packets at Dollar General, then more items at Weis Markets.

I had $19 in assorted OYNO Catalina Qs to use at Weis Markets.  They actually expire 'next' Saturday on the 9th but there are no Catalina Deals at Weis the week of the 3rd-9th to roll the Cats, so I went ahead and burned through $9 of them on Saturday the 2nd....

2 x Heluva Good Cheese on sale $2=$4.00
2 x BarS turkey breast on special .99¢=$1.98
1 x 4.08 lb Perdue chicken legs=$6.00
5 x Coke 12 packs on sale=$12.00 *not pictured*
SubTotal....$23.98

Coupons Used
2 x .50/1 Heluva Good item IPQ doubled to $1=$2.00
1 x $3 instant meat discount sticker on chicken package=$3.00
1 x $2 Catalina OYN purchase of meat/chicken/tuna=$2.00
1 x $1/3 12 packs of Coke products(from booklet in store)=$1.00
1 x $7 OYNO Cat Q=$7.00
Coupon Total....$15.00

$23.98-$15.00=$8.98 + .30¢tax=$9.28 OOP
$45.73 in items for a savings of 79.71%

The cheese was $1 a block after Qs, the chicken legs were $1 after meat discount Q and the meat Catalina, and the 5 packs of Coke were $4 after Q and Catalina.

In just the first 2 days of July I've already spent $66.72 of my food budget for the month!
I've got to stay out of the grocery stores for the next week. 8-o

Sluggy

Price Chopper and The End of the Soap Saga

If you've been following the adventures of our heroine from this post HERE, she was waiting on the Price Chopper guy to call her when the soap hit the shelves on Saturday morning.

Around the crack of 11 am the phone rings and the PC guy is on the other end.  Seems they didn't receive any more Dove Men's soap on the truck.  I thanked him for at least letting me know I crapped out on the soap, so I didn't sit by the phone ALL DAY waiting on the call.
At this point I channeled my dead beloved dog, Mango, and said, "Crap"!  This was his favorite expression.....well, the expression that would have been his favorite if indeed he could talk. ;-)

Since I had to run out Saturday to other stores I found myself over by the other PC that had soap on Friday.  I figured I'd go in and check if any was left at this late stage of the Catalina game.
And I'm glad I did check it out since they were well stocked in the soap!  I think this PC jacked the other PC's soap shipment....don't ya think?lol

So I did 3 small transactions, one after another, from left to right in the photo.....

Transaction #1
2 x Dove Men's soap on sale=$10.98
1 x PC Sour Cream=$1.69
1 x Grands whack biscuits on sale=$2.00
SubTotal.....$14.67

Coupons
2 x $4/1 Dove Men's soap ManuQ(6/26 RP insert)=$8.00
1 x $1/1 Instant PC Discount sticker on biscuits=$1.00
1 x $5 OYNO Catalina Q(from last batch of soap I bought)=$5.00
Coupon Total....$14.00

$14.67-$14.00=$.67+$.36 tax=$1.03 OOP
And I received a $5 Catalina Q.

Transaction #2
Rinse and Repeat Transaction #1.

Transaction #3
2 x Dove Men's soap on sale=$10.98
3 x Hatfield hot dogs on sale B1G2Free=$3.99
1 x Grands whack biscuits on sale=$2.00
SubTotal.....$16.97

Coupons
2 x $4/1 Dove Men's soap ManuQ(6/26 RP insert)=$8.00
1 x $2/1 Hatfield any item IPQ(from company website)=$2.00
1 x $1/1 Instant PC Discount sticker on biscuits=$1.00
1 x $5 OYNO Catalina Q(from last batch of soap I bought)=$5.00
Coupon Total....$16.00

$16.97-$16.00=$.97+$.36 tax=$1.33 OOP
And I received a $5 OYNO Catalina Q.

I had a young gal cashier who didn't bat an eye when I asked to do 3 transactions in a row.  They weren't busy and I didn't go to an Express Lane which helped.  And I was organized and prepared and ready with my loyalty card, coupons and money for a change.lol
She got a kick out of what I was doing after the 2nd transaction and she saw how little I was actually spending. 

I ended up with 6 6-packs of soap, 3 tubes of whack biscuits, 2 containers of sour cream, 3 packs of hot dogs and a $5 Catalina for a grand total OOP of $3.39.
$74.66 worth of items for a savings of 95.46% and $5 in free food to spend later.

Of course, I couldn't end my trip to PC on a high note, could I?
The parking lot at this store is crazy weirdly shaped with another parking lot just next door.  I parked in the lot next door because it was a shorter walk to the entrance of the PC.  Makes perfect sense to park closer, right?
So I go to push the cart(one of those mini carts)out of the store and out into the parking lot roadway to get to the lot where I am parked and I almost take a header OVER the cart when it stops dead in the road!
I thought I had hit a deep pothole or something.  But I look down to see there is a BOOT on the cart wheel....like the ones they put on parking scofflaws who don't pay their tickets!  It must automatically trip the boot when you go over a certain perimeter.  Since this other lot is closer than alot of the parking spaces in the PC lot, it can't be a distance thing, so there must be a 'force field' around the store and the store's lot that trips the boot.
I guess they use to have a lot of carts stolen or vandalized in this area but dang, you think they'd put a sign up warning you that your cart will be disabled outside of a certain area.  I could have actually gotten hurt if I had fallen to the ground or ran over while I stood out in the road trying to drag that blasted cart back to the curb of the store.
Hmmm....I think I need to write them a letter.....

So I get the cart dragged, half carried back to the curb.  Do you know how heavy a shopping cart is??  I do now! 8-(
Then I tried to carry my 3 bags(blasted heavy soap!)to the car with one bag split open down the side and stuff is falling out of it into the road.
Oy!

It's always something, ain't it? ;-)

Sluggy