$32K Savings Challenge for 2011.....June Totals or the Treading Water Edition

I have posted my JUNE End of Month $32K $AVING$ CHALLENGE Totals.
Check out the side bar to your right for the specific numbers.

I have 2 goals really each month.....
The 1st is to actually finish each month in the black and not the red.
The 2nd is to hit the targeted savings amount of $2,666.67.

I have to report that we finished up June in the black!
The extra cash amount we ended the month of June with.......$316.92.

Income
We had $267.96 left over from our income after our monthly expenses were deducted.
Add in $48.96 of Rebates applied against the food expenses and you have a deposit of $316.92  toward the Savings Challenge!

Our monthly target is an average of $2,666.67 to reach our Year End Goal.  Do I have to even say we came in well under that amount for June?lol
As I look back over the past 2 years of doing Savings Challenges, I see that June is typically a very expensive month for us.  In 2010 we only saved $547.73 in June.  So our pitiful savings this month are nothing out of the ordinary for us.

Outgo
As for the expenses in June....

HERE are the GOOD THINGS
* We paid the Sewage bill for the year, so no quarterly payment this month.
* The electric and credit card bills were not higher than last month.

HERE are the BAD THINGS
* The water bill was doubled from last month(we opened the pool).
* We paid cash for camp.
* The WAM money was much higher than usual.
* We had a kennel bill for boarding the dogs.
* We had an electrician bill for running a line to the pool.
* We had a washing machine repair bill.


The Food Budget costs for June are in another post, which is located HERE.  The actual Food/Toiletries spending in June was more than $147 over budget or $98 when you take off my rebate check total which I use toward the food bill.

What's ahead for July.......
There are the usual suspects: electricity, water, phone, cable, credit card bill, food cash, etc.

No non-monthly bills this month.
Plus this month will see 3 paychecks....yay! 8-)
So If I can keep the food spending on budget, we should be able to put away a good sized amount into savings this month and make up for June's lackluster showing.

YEAR-TO-DATE TOTAL.....
With 6 months behind us, our Savings total to-date for 2011 is $15,250.91.


And if you need to start putting money into savings......What's that you say?  You don't have an emergency fund of 6-8 months worth of expenses!!??....consider playing along in 2011 with me and Challenging Yourself to Save Money each Month Toward a Realistic for YOU Savings Goal!
Not everyone can shoot for $32K, I fully get that!
But everyone can shoot for some number, right!?

Find a money goal that works for you and put that number out there for everyone to see.  It will help keep you accountable to your goal if other eyes are on you.
Ooo, that sounded kind of creepy didn't it? ;-)

So how was your June financially?
Did you spend less than you made?
Did you stay within your budget or not?

Leave a comment and share with us what you did with your money, both the good and not-so good.   Do you have any tricks or tips that help you to end your month before the money runs out?    Let us know!
If you posted your financial progress on your own blog, leave a link in the comments so we can go check you out too!

Sluggy

Don't Look Behind You.....It's Retirement Sneaking UP!

Last year, when I began researching the cost/probability of replacing our heating system with a geothermal system, I realized that it made little sense to spend the money to do this since we wouldn't be living here long enough to recoup the expense of said system.


Yes, it was at that moment that I realized that we only have to live in this school district, as of now, for 3 more years!
And going further, I realized that we only have to live in this area near Hubs job for another 7 years because Hubs has decided that he wants to retire early at 60.

All I can keep thinking is, "How did being near retirement age sneak up on me"!?!?

One day I am dealing with a Husband, 3 kids, 4 dogs and life as a suburban Homemaker and I turn around and I'm 52 years old with only 1 kid left at home fulltime, 2 dogs and a husband who is planning on retiring in 7 years.
Wow!

Other than throwing money into retirement/investment accounts before I get the Hubs paycheck every other week(for the last umpteen years), and glancing at the statements that come in the mail quarterly, we haven't sat down and actually crushed any numbers or figured out how much we will have or need to live in retirement.

Hubs use to tell me offhandedly that he wanted to retire at 55.  He comes at that age due to his father, who was a laborer, who worked until he became physically disabled in his 50s.  He was forced to retire in ill health/pain and never got to enjoy his old age fully.
Hubs wants to leave the rat race while he still has his health and wits about him.
And I so get that.

But I didn't pay him much heed when he started spouting off about retiring, because well, geez, 55 is a long way off, right?
But it's here now, knocking on the door and I am not wanting to open that door and let Mr. 55 in!

Then after the last few years of Recession/Foreclosures/Bank Bailouts/Stock Market Dives, Hubs stopped throwing around that 55 number.....especially after our investments took a nose dive in 2008/2009.
Last year he started making noises about retiring at 60 instead.  He said he ran some numbers and with the hit we took in our savings(even with the rebounds lately), he feels secure about making age 60 his new retirement number.

Besides figuring out the savings balance, I am more comfortable with 60 than I was with 55.  Mainly because at 55 we would still have a child in high school and one in college.  So the kids would still be dependent on us for financial support.  Kids + No income=Bad Planning  8-(

So I want to ask all of you dear readers.....
1.  How many years from now do you or does your significant other(if that applies)plan on retiring?   Is it a 'historically normal' retirement age or do you plan to retire early?  Or is retirement going to happen the day you can no longer physically work or drop dead?

2.  And when you retire, do you mean stop working fully?.....Or getting different job--one that is parttime and/or pays less but keeps you active?....or a job that you love?

3.  Besides Social Security benefits, are you putting any money away for your retirement?

4.  If you were to retire, in today's dollars equivalent, how much money do you think you would need to live on for 1 year? (Don't include the cost for major medical care(other than prescription meds and normal preventative care)in this, just the amount you would need to cover your normal living expenses in retirement with no one to support other than yourself and your spouse, if you will have one.)

5.  If you will have savings/cash to live off of in retirement other than SS, do you think you will have enough to support yourself until you die(given no catastrophic medical bills that would bankrupt you)?
How many years do you think you will live until your savings run out?

6.  Where will you 'park' your savings?  Invest it?  Bank it?  CD it?  Bury it in the backyard?  An Annuity?  Do you have a Pension?

Yeah, I know this post is pretty much a downer with all this death and running out of money talk?lol
But I am very curious to see how other people are planning for retirement and what they think about entering this stage of their lives.

Sluggy

What Food I Bought in June...A Big Boring List Only for Other Nerd's Eyes

My good blogging buddy, Annie Jones, over at Real Life Living posts what she buys every month. The way she tells it, it shows people that she really does get a lot of food for the little amount she spends each month. You can eat well and still be frugal.

I think it's helpful to see it all written down in one place so you can gauge how you are doing with the food money each month.

HERE is her posted list for June for feeding a family of 3.

So I thought this was a real good idea and decided to steal borrow her idea and post all the food I buy in a month to feed my family of 4-5.
Besides, I am a big fat NERD! 

For June, we had all 5 home for 2 weeks and only 2 people home for the other half of the month.  We also threw a Graduation Party for 12 in June.

This list isn't necessarily what we "ate" in June since I stockpile, so we may have only eaten a few things(besides the obvious fresh produce).
But it shows you how far you can make your money go by buying on discount, bulk, sale and paring coupons and/or rebates with the deals.

Here's the food items, including pet foods, I bought in June for an out of pocket of $348.05 after rebates.
It doesn't include the 32+lb. of charcoal I bought that is included in this total spent.

MEAT, POULTRY AND PORK
Ground Beef  8.5 lbs.
Hot Dogs  5 packs
Ground Chicken  4 lbs.
Kielbasa  5 lbs.

SEAFOOD
Shrimp  1 lb.

VEGETABLES AND FRUITS
Cabbage(shredded)  2 bags
Corn  1 bag frozen
Bananas  2.42 lbs.
Salad Greens  6 bags
Watermelons  2
Mushrooms   2 bags frozen
Strawberries   5 cartons
Lettuce  1 head
Raisins  1 box
Red Potatoes  5 lbs.
Cantaloupes  2
Grapes   1.65 lbs.
Cherries   1.69 lbs.
Tomatoes   1.12 lbs.
Blueberries  1 carton
Carrots  2 lbs.
Cucumbers  2
Red Pepper  1
Yellow Pepper  1
Peaches  2/3 lb.

DAIRY
blocks of Cheese   9 blocks(8 oz.)
Greek Yogurt  8 containers
Milk  2.5 gals.

Whipped Cream  3 bottles
Ice Cream   14 cartons
Eggs  1 doz.
Egg Whites  1 carton
Sour Cream dip   3 containers

PASTA, GRAINS, BEANS
Fettuccine Noodles   1 box
Breakfast Cereal   2 boxes

BREADS
Hamburger Buns   5 packs
Hot Dog Rolls   4 packs
Bread   6 loaves
Multigrain Tortillas   5 packs
Tortillas   3 packs
Muffins 4-pack   2
Bagels  6-pack  1

BAKING/COOKING STAPLES
Olive Oil 1 large. bottle
Yeast   1 packet
Local Honey   3 lbs.
Sea Salt   1 lb.
Pink Himalayan Salt   1 lb.

CONDIMENTS/SPICES/HERBS
None

SNACKS
Fritos  4 bags
Popcorn   3 boxes
Froot by Foot fruit snacks   2 boxes

CANDY
Chocolate Candy bars   7


BEVERAGES
Lemonade 1 bottle
Soda-12 packs   1
100% Juice   7 bottles

PREPARED
Chicken Fillets   2 bags
Glazed Chicken Strips   2 bags
1/2 Sheet Cake
Helper type meals   5 boxes
Pasta Salad mix   4 boxes
Pizza frozen   3
Alfredo Sauce  2 jars
Graham Pie Crusts 2
Health Salad(deli)  1/4 lb.
Coffee Creamer  2 bottles

DOG FOOD
Pedigree dog kibble 4lb.  2 bags

Sluggy

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.
******************

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

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