MARCH 2013 Budget Results....Food & Toiletries Spending

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for MARCH 2013.

I have posted March's totals on the right side bar under Total Grocery Savings for 2013 and updated the Yearly Totals.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in March.  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  $5.78

Value  $21.34

Savings   73%

MAINE SOURCE(restaurant supply)

OOP  $153.15

Value  $245.07

Savings   37.50%

SHURSAVE STORES(small local independent affiliated stores)
OOP  $99.06

Qs/Ads  $46.41

Value  $145.47

Savings  32%

WEIS MARKETS

OOP  $79.45

Qs/Ads  $33.57

Value  $113.02

Savings  29.70%

I am no longer adding my rebates received into my food budget directly. I will use them on food on occasion and will note that when used.  I will keep track of rebates/gift cards/certs received here as before however.

REBATE CHECKS RECEIVED IN February.....$5.00

GIFT CARDS and CERTIFICATES....$0

TOTAL Value of Cash/Store Checks/Gift Card Rebates Received...$5.00

COUPONS and FREEBIES

Zero

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My best 3 Store Savings Totals were the Bread Outlet at 73%,  the Restaurant Supply Store at 37.50% and Shursave affiliate market at 32%.  l only shopped at 4 different stores this past month. 8-)

TOTAL Out of Pocket........$337.44

TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$154.17

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$491.61

TOTAL Savings of...................................31.36%

This closes out the March food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....

I went into March with $400 budgeted for food/toiletries for the month.  I have $62.56 leftover in my March food envelope. 

I didn't count the number of Qs that were redeemed in March but there were very few.  I did NO Rite-Aid shopping in March, which lead to a substantially lower savings rate overall.  My almost free shopping at Rite-Aid always brings up my rate of savings for the grocery stores.

Looking ahead to April---We'll stick to our $400 food budget again this month.  With the sudden changes I need to make to my diet this month I am not sure how this will affect our food budget.  I suspect we will need to spend more on food. April will see some changes in our food spending.

 

And here is the run down of my Food & Toiletries Spending for 2013 so far--

2013 Total Saved $932.72

2013 Yearly Total Value of Items  $1,914.70

2013 Yearly Total Spent $990.98

2013 Yearly Savings Total of 48.25%

How much did you spend on food in March?
 

Sluggy

I Can't Make This Stuff Up

I feel like I need to use the old Hillbilly Southern preface to a story here, the one that goes like......

Y'ALL AIN'T GONNA BELIEVE THIS SHIT!

Because I can hardly believe my life the last month or so.

I am alive and back online. 
And out of the hospital. 
And I have a new doctor.
And when I feel more lucid and stronger, I'll blog about this all.

Until then, I'll just be lurking on your blogs because that's the best I can do right now.  ;-)
And I might through up my March Totals post and/or a YouTube video until I get around to blogging about my adventures.

Here's my theme song for today.

This one is for my young and "hip" friends......



And for my "artsy" friends, here is your version......



And for my theatrical friends, here's your version....



And for all my old friends for whom only the original will do.....



Sluggy


 

I'm Still Alive Here....

...but barely.

Now I know I am going to burn in hell for posting this today.....Holy Saturday as all you Christian types know.
But this is too funny.....or maybe in my drug induced stupor, it's just funny to me. 
Whatever.....you know I am wacky and I'm apt to do things like this.

Anyway, enjoy some humor!




Sluggy

What I Haven't Been Up to Lately + More

I know some of you are shocked as can be that you're reading a post from ME!
I have been MIA off and on for about a month now.
The reason being?....March has been kicking my ASS!

My tooth ordeal is finally about over but I've also had a major case of not giving a crab about anything.
Nothing on my To-Do List has gotten done.....and I don't really care.

I've physically felt like warmed over manure for more than a month.  I'm swollen and can't breath and I need to get up to the dr.'s to have some tests run but I have the energy of a slug and can't seem to get myself organized enough to do that either.
Can I add that I am sooo tired of this Winter weather?!  We had snow on the 1st Day of Spring and here it is March 25th and it's snowing.....AGAIN!!

I sit and psyche myself up, and I try to concentrate on one goal and can't get that done.....I just keep spinning my wheels, get tired and give up.

I haven't even been to the grocery store in more than a week.  I just send Hubs or one of the kids to pick up a few things.  Depression and sickness do keep you from going out and spending unnecessary money, don't they? So it can't be all bad, right? lolol

My oldest son graduates college in a mere 6 weeks from now.  He just found out he's graduating Magna Cum Laude too.  While I am thrilled for him, the thought of having to drive out to the school and attend the Commencement makes me just want to crawl back into bed and hide.  I so don't want to deal with the crowds and hassles.

Add in the hijinx of the youngest kid lately, hijinx being code for "he has been making my life miserable", and I just want to call a taxi and go somewhere nobody knows me.

Do you see all the loveliness I have saved you all from by being quiet this past month? ;-)

The ONLY thing I stayed on top of was the Secret Sister Swap.  I had fun filling my swappee's wish list.  And I hope she enjoys it and posts about it when she gets time.

So let me close with the "Secret Sister Swap" package I received.....

I got mine like super SUPER early.....the end of February early.  So I held off posting it until the mailing deadline.

I had to email Carla just to be sure that this WAS my swap package, since the swapper didn't mention the swap at all in little handmade card that accompanied the package.....

I am assuming my swapper made that card...it's so crafty.

And here is what Debby sent me.....

A sewing project.  It's a pattern for a quilty-like casserole "cozy" and all the fabric pieces cut out and labeled.  All I have to do is just make it.
Thanks for sharing your love of crafty, quilty sewing things with me Debby.
Just don't be looking for me to actually attempt this one anytime soon, as the pile of my sewing projects(sewing clothes)is stacked quite high. ;-)



 Sluggy

Meal Planning March Week 4 & Food Spending Week 3

Here is what actually got served last week....

Sunday-Leftovers or Pizza

Monday--Sloppy Joes on Rolls, Corn

Tuesday--Stuffed Shells, Caesar Salad, Garlic Bread

Wednesday--Leftovers

Thursday--Roast Chicken, Carrots, Onions, Potatoes

Friday--Breakfast for Dinner-pancakes, eggs, sausage

Saturday--Leftovers or Find Something Yourself LOL

 

 

The Tacos and Fish Fry never happened.  They were replaced by a Roast Chicken dinner and a Leftovers meal.  I basically didn't eat these dinner meals until Thursday because of my dental issues.

My appointment on Wednesday took care of the problems and I am now a chomping champ again. lol

 

The food spending the last week?

Between not feeling well and having car issues, I never actually went to the grocery store last week.  The daughter and Hubs picked up items along the way last week, but no actual proper grocery shopping was accomplished.  Nevertheless, we did NOT starve since we have plenty here in the pantry/freezer.

A couple of trips to the local Shursave affiliate where a total of $29.62 was spent.  Food spending for the month is now at $127.69, leaving $272.31 of my $400 March food budget to cover the next 13 days.

As for leftovers rolling into this week--there is some roast chicken and veggies and some breakfast sausages.  Hubs is working out of town the beginning of this week so the kids and I are on our own for dinner until Thursday.

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Here is what is getting served this week.....

Sunday-Chinese take-out

Monday--Soup, Broccoli or Fend for Yourself

Tuesday--Green Bean Casserole, Mac and Cheese

Wednesday--Veggie Fajitas

Thursday--Corned Beef, Cabbage, Carrots

Friday--Fish "Fry",Coleslaw, Veggie TBD

Saturday--?

Needed at the store to serve the meals I am making this week?  

Peppers for the Fajitas, Cabbage to go with the CBeef and to make the Coleslaw.  And when I figure out Saturdays dinner I may need to buy something for that. lol 

We also need fresh fruit and milk this week.  If I can get Daughter to do the shopping I may not go to the store again this week too! Yeah, I live on the wild side.....

 

The freezer is getting a bit empty now, as I've been using up some things here and haven't been restocking.  Unless some incredible meat deal comes my way, I am holding off on stocking up on foods to throw in the freezer.   And I still have to figure out what to serve for Easter dinner.  It looks like we may have 7 at the table this year so I've got to find out what everyone can/will eat this year. sigh.  The only definite are the Deviled Eggs....lol

We did have some food waste this past week.  A Tupperware of chicken stock with bones that got pushed to the back lower corner of the fridge went bad before it could be used or added to the dog's dinners.  I hang my head in shame. 8-(

What's on your menu for the week?  

Any good deals at the grocers this week?
Did you have any food waste this week?

Sluggy