How's the Sell Off Going?

I'm referring to "The Great Fabric Sell Off of 2014".
If you don't know, I've been selling off my stash of mostly vintage fabrics on Etsy.  (If you are in the market for some great fabrics at even better prices, check out the link in my side bar.)

I started last October 30th and even though you would think it was too close to Christmas to sell much in 2013(for gift making/giving)I sold 38 separate pieces goods before December 31st, a high percentage of those lengths were Christmas themed too.

So how is it going in 2014 at the halfway mark of the year?

It's been slow and steady thus far.
I've sold 46 pieces of fabric in 35 separate orders(meaning some folks buy more than one length of fabric in an order).

April was the worse month for sales with only $48 brought in.  June was the best with $114.50 in sales.  My next best month was February at $93.00.  There doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason to sales.
Go figure.

I've grossed $494.00 in sales in 2014.
That's not counting fees(Etsy and Paypal), ink and paper(for enclosures and postage printing)and the cost of goods sold(the fabric cost when I purchased it).
I charge $6 for flat rate envelope shipping and most orders fit into that size, so I get a small bit of "profit"(between .30¢ and .95¢ depending on which envie(flat rate or flat rate padded)is used.

Between all the fees and costs I am not making but a small amount net profit on each sale.
But that's ok.

I didn't set out to undertake this as a money making proposition but rather as a way to get rid of LOTS of fabric without just giving it away and losing all those sunk costs.
And Etsy is serving that purpose.

I have 6 months left in this project as I will shut down the store in 2015.
Any fabric that is left at that time I'll divest myself of in other ways.

I'll be hauling out more tubs of Fall/Winter fabrics to start listing those in August.  Yes, the hottest month of the year and I'll be knee deep in wools, flannel and corduroy.
Oh goody.....I can't wait......*insert eye rolls here*.........

The problem with Fall/Winter fabrics however is that they are bulkier and heavier and most of them won't fit into a flat rate envie.  So I'll have to charge approx. $12 to cover the postage in a flat rate box, yet I won't be able to fit much more yardage in it than I fit into a flat rate envie(again, due to the bulkiness).  So while wools are costlier than say most cottons, I won't be able to charge what they are worth comparatively because of the higher shipping they will incur.

I have about 6 more tubs to go through and list, most of that Fall/Winter fabrics, plus what I have organized on shelving is down to 2+ tubs worth.  I'll need to make room in the spare bedroom where I keep my fabric for another étagère so I can access these Fall/Winter yard goods easily once I get them listed for sale.  I don't relish the thought of spending hours hunting down fabrics I have sold, so I get it all organized as I list it.  It helps that I have a staging area for it all.

I am hoping to gross another $750 in fabric sales before 2014 is over.
I currently have $1090.50 worth of yard goods listed with more stock coming online next month.
If my Etsy store gets any kind of traffic in the Fall months I should be able to meet that goal.

Selling this fabric off is just one of the many ways I have been downsizing in anticipation of selling and moving out of this house in a few years.
By the time we leave here, I only want to bring the fabric I still love and plan to use with me, to our next address.


Sluggy

Food and Toiletries Spending.....JUNE Update

 Onward to June's food spending report.......

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for JUNE 2014.

I have posted June's totals on the Total Grocery Savings for 2014 Page located HERE and have updated the Yearly Totals there.
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 4(3-5 at home this month)& 1 dog. No kids under 18.
*This month included a High School Graduation Party and an adult child visiting with his girlfriend for 5 days.
******************

BREAD OUTLET
OOP  $14.00
Value  $50.79
Savings  72.44%

DOLLAR GENERAL
OOP  $25.54
Qs/Ads  $7.75
Value  $33.29
Savings  23.28%

OLLIE'S
OOP  $34.14
Qs/Ads  $20.38
Value  $54.52
Savings  37.38%

 

SHURSAVE STORES(small local independent affiliated stores)
OOP  $17.17

Qs/Ads  $22.21

Value  $39.38

Savings  56.40%

SURPLUS OUTLET(discount food store)
OOP  $67.73
Value  $122.20
Savings  44.57%

WALMART
OOP  $44.87
Qs/Ads  $20.14
Value  $65.01
Savings  31%

WEIS MARKETS

OOP  $143.57

Qs/Ads  $111.76

Value  $215.95

Savings  33.52%

I also bought a Graduation Cake at the Bakery #2 Son works at for $30, which is included in my grocery spending this month.  It may not have been the cheapest cake I could have bought but it was head and shoulders above the grocery store bakery department in quality.  Yeah, I splurged.  8-)

*********************
My best 3 Store Savings Totals were the Bread Outlet at 72.44%,  the Local Grocer at 56.40% and Surplus Outlet at 44.57%.  My WORST savings rate was Dollar General at 23.28%.
I shopped at 8 different stores this past month counting that Bakery cake order.

TOTAL Out of Pocket........$463.75

TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$309.26

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$727.33

TOTAL Savings of...................................36.24%

This closes out the June food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....

I wanted to get as far south of $400 of spending as possible.
Didn't happen, mostly due to extra food spending the last week of the month when #1 Son came home to visit.  At least I didn't hit $500+ like last month.

The yearly savings percentage went down 1.90% in June(46.60%).  In May it was 48.50%.  Savings is still in the 40's which is good.

LOOKING AHEAD TO JULY......

I am going to try for a $350 food spending month in July.
Not sure what July holds for me yet in terms of travel plans but food spending while traveling comes out of the entertainment budget and not the grocery/toiletries budget.  I am sure if/when I leave, Hubs will keep grocery shopping to a bare minimum.

Other than the traveling, there are no plans in July that would push the food budget higher.

 

If you have other ideas or guidelines you follow please leave a comment and share yours with us all.

Total spend on food/toiletries so far this year at the half year mark.....$2,499.84.
The average monthly food/toiletries spending this year so far is $407.22.
We are over $400 per month average now.  I hope to get it back under $400 as soon as possible.

 

*  How much did you spend on food/toiletries in June?
*  Do you track your yearly food spending?
*  If so, how are you doing at the halfway point for 2014?
 

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

Hey!
I am back!!!
Now to your regularly scheduled programming.

The  "#1 Son and his GF have gone home already" Edition.......

 

 The visit was great but way too short.

 

Here is my list of meals for the second half of June that were left going into last week----

1.  French Bread Pizza, Salad
2.  Pork Chops, Sautéed Cabbage, Macaroni Salad(leftover)
3.  BLT Sandwiches or Cheesesteaks-Diner's Choice
4.  Dinner out with #1Son
5.  Lasagna, Salad
6.  London Broil, Fettuccine w/Sauce, Sugar Snap Peas
7.  Wild Card meal-not planned

And here is what we ate last week that was on this list.......

4.  Dinner out with #1Son
7.  Wild Card meal-not planned

2 out of 7......lolz

Here is what we had for dinner last week.....

Monday--Leftovers
Tuesday--Subway sandwiches(#1 Son arrived)
Wednesday--#1 Son Birthday dinner out at Hibachi Restaurant
Thursday--Went to microbrewery for Lunch, Dinner at home was snacks/chips/fruit
Friday--Burgers, COC, Baked Beans
Saturday--Fajitas at son's request
Sunday--Leftovers and Fend for Yourself

Let's just say there was a lot of adult beverages consumed last week after Tuesday and not a lot of thought given to cooking meals.  8-))

As predicted more food buying was done last week.  We went to Wegman's on Wednesday so #1 Son could check out the BEER and I ended up buying food.....strawberries(didn't have any fresh fruit left in the house), reduced today 90% lean ground beef, lunchmeat and cheese, fresh corn, mushrooms(for the fajitas #1 Son requested), hummus(a huge vat of that), pretzel chips, blue tortilla chips, coleslaw mix(to make cole slaw for the barbecue I saved for #1 Son) and 2 small pints of ice cream(which didn't get eaten last week).
While there I also saw and bought 2 kinds/brands of root beer(my vice), Stouffer's spinach soufflés (I haven't seen for years around here!), and a huge bag of frozen breaded chicken strips for #2 Son. $86.73 later we left that store.

Hubs also spent $11.94 at the local market to get the rest of the ingredients so I could make Fajitas on Saturday.  He did NOT shop around and get the best prices so that is what it is and I am embracing that spending.

While we were in Berwick we stopped at the Surplus Outlet(it's a discounted grocery store-the kind that has deals like almost expired foods, dented cans, crushed boxes, overruns, old packaging, etc.)and another $67.73 flew out of my wallet, and pushed my monthly food/toiletries spending over $400.
Crap.

Oh well.
It's all good though since I was prepared for that, we had extra mouths to feed, some of it will carry forward and be used in July, plus that best thing is--I had the cash to pay for it all.  ;-)

At least it wasn't $500+ in food spending, right?

We had a bit of food waste last week.  Had to throw out some of that #10 can of baked beans I bought for the graduation party.  We ate on them until we just couldn't anymore and a hefty portion went bad.  Lesson learned.....

Going into this week, in leftovers we have.........Fajitas filling(for 1 or 2 tortillas), 1 ear of COC, 3 helpings of Cole Slaw, a whole package of 90% lean Ground Beef, Spaghetti w/Sausage and Meatballs.

Here is the plan, going back to a weekly one for at least this week......

1.  Fish, Coleslaw, Rutabaga
2.  Pork Chops, Squash Casserole
3.  BLT Sandwiches or Cheesesteaks-Diner's Choice
4.  Tacos
5.  Lasagna, Salad
6.  Leftovers
7.  Leftovers

This plan will use up all the leftovers(hopefully)except for the ear of corn.  I'll strip that ear and either throw the corn into the taco filling or use it in making a pot of Clam Chowder but not this week.

This uses up all but the French bread pizza and London Broil w/Fettuccine meals I planned for June.
Those 2 will carry over into July, later in that month.
 

What is getting fixed and served at your house this week?
Was last week's plan successful, did you go off plan or did you not even plan what was going to be eaten that week?

Do you plan your meals & then grocery shop OR do you grocery shop and figure out meals using what you buy OR is it a combination of both?

 

Sluggy

This Week

I'm enjoying having my eldest son home for a few days so I won't be online or posting much until next week.

Here we are mustering up all the decorum and classiness in ourselves yesterday while out shopping........and hopefully this makes Sassybear feel a little better......

Unfortunately Iron Man(aka Eldest's GF)refused to don her mask and have her picture took.....Humph

More later.....

Sluggy

 

This Week on the Dining Table

The  "One More Week and June is Over" Edition.......

 

] High School is over as is Marching Band.  Can't believe this picture was taken over 8 MONTHS ago!  It seems like just yesterday.

 

We are one WEEK from being halfway through 2014.

Where did it go???

 

Here is my list of meals for the second half of June.----

16.  Broiled Salmon, Veggie, Cole Slaw(leftover)
17.  Leftover Beef Stroganoff & Mushroom Risotto, Roasted Cauliflower
18.  Hot Italian Sausage and Spaghetti, Salad
19.  Leftover Burgers and other leftover party foods
20.  French Bread Pizza, Salad
21.  Scallops and Shrimp en Croute, Veggie
22.  Pork Chops, Sautéed Cabbage, Macaroni Salad(leftover)
23.  BLT Sandwiches or Cheesesteaks-Diner's Choice
24.  Battered Fish Portions, leftover party food side dishes
25.  Pulled Pork Sandwiches(leftover), Coleslaw or Veggie
26.  Dinner out with #1Son
27.  Lasagna, Salad
28.  Burritos, Salad
29.  London Broil, Fettuccine w/Sauce, Sugar Snap Peas
30.  Wild Card meal-not planned

And here is what we ate last week(in blue)and what is left to finish out June.......

16.  Broiled Salmon, Veggie, Cole Slaw(leftover)
17.  Leftover Beef Stroganoff and Mushroom Risotto, Roasted Cauliflower
18.  Hot Italian Sausage and Spaghetti, Salad
19.  Leftover Burgers and other leftover party foods
20.  French Bread Pizza, Salad
21.  Scallops and Shrimp en Croute, Veggie
22.  Pork Chops, Sautéed Cabbage, Macaroni Salad(leftover)
23.  BLT Sandwiches or Cheesesteaks-Diner's Choice
24.  Battered Fish Portions, leftover party food side dishes
25.  Pulled Pork Sandwiches(leftover), Coleslaw, Veggie
26.  Dinner out with #1Son
27.  Lasagna, Salad
28.  Burritos, Salad
29.  London Broil, Fettuccine w/Sauce, Sugar Snap Peas
30.  Wild Card meal-not planned

Right now we have leftover--1 helping of Stroganoff, 2 fish planks, Spaghetti/Hot Sausage, Meatballs, Pulled Pork(which #1 Son will devour when he gets here lol).  We also still have some Potato Salad and ALOT of Baked Beans....why oh why did I buy that #10 sized can of them for the party? LOLZ

It's suppose to be hot today so I'll probably do the #23--BLTs/Cheesesteaks--tonight.

After tonight that leaves 6 meals on my list.
Wednesday we are going out to dinner for #1 Son's birthday meal to THIS PLACE and that is as far as I know for this week how the eating will go.


Last week I did a variety of small shops, $5.23 here, $37.25 there, etc.
Total spent on food came to $76.62, putting me at $297.35 spent on $472.30 regular retail so far in June.  That gives me a 37% savings rate so far this month with 6 days to go in my buying month.
If #1 Son and GF don't want to eat what is left on my menu list, it might involve more food buying this month so check back next Monday for the TWOTDT Post to see what happened.

What is getting fixed and served at your house this week?
Do you make a menu and how flexible is your plan?

 

Sluggy