Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for OCTOBER 2012.
I have posted October'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 October. 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.
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BREAD OUTLET
OOP $6.89
Value $22.44
Savings 69.30%
BIG LOTS
OOP $67.12
BIG LOTS
OOP $67.12
Value $127.54
Savings 47.37%
DOLLAR STORE
OOP $7.00
DOLLAR STORE
OOP $7.00
Value $16.00
Savings 56.25%
DRUG STORE In MD
OOP $7.47
Qs/Ads $7.92
Value $15.66
Savings 50.57%
FOOD LION
OOP $24.94
Qs/Ads $12.00
Value $36.94
Savings 32.49%
KMART
OOP $1.50
Qs/Ads $.39
Value $1.89
Savings 20.63%
PRICE CHOPPER
OOP $32.66
Qs/Ads $19.95
Value $52.61
Savings 37.92%
RITE-AID
OOP $0.00
Qs/Ads/+Ups/Gift Card $322.35
Value $322.35
Savings 100.00%
SAV-A-LOT
OOP $22.56
Qs/Ads $9.88
Value $32.44
Savings 30.46%
SHURSAVE STORES(small local independent affiliated stores)
OOP $157.47
Value $239.58
Savings 34.27%
WEIS MARKETS
OOP $134.08
Qs/Ads $115.39
Value $249.47
Savings 46.25%
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 October
P&G Prepaid Visa Card Rebate.....$5.00
Rite-Aid Single Check Rebate.......$8.00
GIFT CARDS and CERTIFICATES
TOTAL Value of Cash/Store Checks/Gift Card Rebates Received...$13.00
COUPONS and FREEBIES
Nothing....well not really, but I have a separate post about that, so until then it's a secret. ;-)
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My best 3 Store Savings Totals were the Rite-Aid at 100%, the Bread Outlet at 69.30%, and The Dollar Store at 56.25%. l shopped at 11 different stores this past month, 4 of them only because we were on vacation far from home.
TOTAL Out of Pocket........$472.36
TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$658.23
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$1,130.59
TOTAL Savings of...................................58.22%
TOTAL Out of Pocket after Rebates received this Month......$459.36
TOTAL Savings after Rebates of..........................59.37%
This closes out the October spending.
THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I went into October with $400 budgeted for food/toiletries for the month. I blew through the $400 mark again this month, by $59.36, even after rebates received were applied to the food budget.
My grocery savings hovered at below 60% for October after rebates. If you take the Rite-Aid purchases out of the equation, my savings percentage falls to below 44%.
TOTAL Out of Pocket after Rebates received this Month......$459.36
TOTAL Savings after Rebates of..........................59.37%
This closes out the October spending.
THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I went into October with $400 budgeted for food/toiletries for the month. I blew through the $400 mark again this month, by $59.36, even after rebates received were applied to the food budget.
My grocery savings hovered at below 60% for October after rebates. If you take the Rite-Aid purchases out of the equation, my savings percentage falls to below 44%.
I continued to shop the loss leaders and sales and stocked up when things were at rock bottom price in the sales cycles. I also continued to not use many coupons at all at the food shops. I only counted 26 coupons and 4 store coupons on my receipts.
Of course, the small pile of coupons used at the grocery stores does NOT include the vast amounts I utilize at Rite-Aid. Yes, Rite-Aid is all about the coupons for me! lol
LOOKING AHEAD TO NOVEMBER......
I will be keeping my food budget at $400 for November. I am set for most of what I need for the Turkey Day meal this month so I don't need extra cash in the food budget for that.
I do plan on stocking up on some non-perishables/shelf stable items this month so I can earn a turkey gift certificate, as well as a $10 certificate for buying baking products at the Shursave independent grocer. Between that, the little I need for the Thanksgiving meal and some weekly fresh purchases(milk, fruit, produce)and some things for Daughter's work meals I should be able to stay below $400 this month.
I will be keeping my food budget at $400 for November. I am set for most of what I need for the Turkey Day meal this month so I don't need extra cash in the food budget for that.
I do plan on stocking up on some non-perishables/shelf stable items this month so I can earn a turkey gift certificate, as well as a $10 certificate for buying baking products at the Shursave independent grocer. Between that, the little I need for the Thanksgiving meal and some weekly fresh purchases(milk, fruit, produce)and some things for Daughter's work meals I should be able to stay below $400 this month.
The wild card is we don't know how many are coming for Thanksgiving dinner and what price turkey will be here when the time comes for me to buy the poultry. If more come, we'll just all have to eat less. ;-)
Did you stick to your budget?
Did you find any good rock bottom prices to stock up on groceries?
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
