2015 Food and Toiltries Spending.....May Update

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

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for MAY 2015.

I have posted May's totals on the Total Grocery Savings for 2015 Page located HERE and have updated the Yearly Totals there.  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 SumMy spending includes Food, Toiletries/HBA, Cleaning Products, Paper Goods & tax where applicable. We are a family of 3(3 at home this month). No kids under 19.

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MAINE SOURCE
OOP  $6.78
Qs/Ads $14.39
Value $21.17
Savings  67.97%

OLLIE'S
OOP  $19.11
Value $35.11
Savings   45.57%

RITE-AID *(see below)
OOP  $11.67
Qs/Ads  $23.63
Value  $35.30
Savings  66.94%

SAM'S CLUB
OOP  $26.64
Value  $37.07
Savings  28.14%

 

SHURSAVE STORES(small local independent affiliated stores)
OOP  $159.20

Qs/Ads  $61.44

Value  $220.64

Savings  27.85%

TARGET
OOP  $5.76
Qs/Ads $12.20
Value $17.96
Savings  67.93%
 

WEIS MARKETS

OOP  $286.61

Qs/Ads  $278.80

Value  $565.41

Savings  49.31%
 

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My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Maine Source at 67.97%, Target at 67.93% and Rite-Aid at 66.94%.  My WORST savings rate was the ShurSave store at 27.15%.

I shopped at 6 different stores this past month. 

TOTAL Out of Pocket........ $515.77

TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$416.89

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$932.66

TOTAL Savings of...................................44.70%
TOTAL Savings WITHOUT Rite-Aid.............43.82%

This closes out the May food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I went into May without a firm food budget because the College Boy came home the beginning of the month and  there were many items I don't usually buy that had to be bought for him......essentials like Doritos, TastyKakes, Goldfish crackers, Cream soda, Chicken strips, canned Chili, stuff like that, that makes up the nutritious part of a teenage boy's diet. ;-)

Due to some "deals" at Weis(PMITA)Markets in May, we are stocked to the gills on pickles, salad dressing, flavored yogurt, popsicles and ice cream now.

The monthly savings percentage went up by .22% in May to 44.70% compared to April's 44.48% average.
A 44.70% is a bit better than a 44.48% savings rate so I'll take it.

You'll notice that without the +Ups Rewards at Rite-Aid my savings rate there went to hell-66.94%.  My usual R-A savings rate hovered in the 98% neighborhood until this month.  Yeah, my neighborhood is not so lush anymore.......

The savings rate for the year so far now stands at 60.72%.  That's a 4.28% decrease in savings over April's YTD total.  It's still hanging in well over a 40% savings rate for the year but will be going down further since I am not robbing Rite-Aid blind any longer. *sad face*

I was feeling out of sorts over my total spent on food/toiletries in May....it seemed really high for some reason.
Then I went and looked at 2014's May spending and it was $524.63(even more than what I spent this year)and 2013 was $500.35, so I am only slightly higher that that year.
I feel a bit better about it all now. 8-)

I have spent a total of $1,749.63 on food/toiletries in 2015 so far.  That averages out to $349.93 per month.
May's Grocery Spend Fest  raised the average monthly spending by $41.47 per month for the year-to-date.
meh.

LOOKING AHEAD To JUNE.........

Since College Boy is eating dinner at the restaurant he works at(and he is now working 5 nights a week)I won't be making dinner for him mostly.  He usually gets up at 2ish pm and has coffee and breakfast(cereal, a breakfast sammich or bagel).  He sometimes eats late at night after work but not always at home.
Other than stocking a few basics he requires(chips, tastykakes, breakfast foods, cereal, milk, burritos, chicken strips, burgers)my grocery spending should be fairly normal(under $400)this month. I'll be using down stores from the pantry and freezer this month.  No guests, parties or vacationing going on in June so we are back to the usual eating routine again.

We'll try for a $400 food budget for June.
Last year's June spending was $463.75 so I am sure I can do better than that this June.
 

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

 

*  How much did you spend on food/toiletries in May?
*  Do you track your yearly food spending?
*  What was your savings percentage buying on sale and/or with coupons vs. buying at regular retail price last month, if you track that sort of thing?
 

Sluggy

I'm Baaack!--This Week on the Dining Table

It's the "Back Home & Don't Want to Cook" Edition--

 

I can still taste this pork bbq that had TONS of Bark mixed in. Mmmmmmm

 

 

 

When we walked into the house yesterday after being gone for 2 WEEKS it was like something out of a horror movie.......stuff everywhere and no rhyme or reason to where things were.  It was a total pig sty, especially the kitchen.
But then again.....what do you expect leaving a 19 year old home alone and he turns your house into a band studio?

Besides the unpacking I'll be spending the next couple of days just digging out the mess here.
Plus it's the first of the month and I need to do all my bookwork(spending totals for May AND June net worth calculations).
Oh, the fun never ends, doesn't it? ;-)

Here's a Meal Plan Monday post and I'll be back in a couple days with  regular postings.
-Sluggy

 Onward to the meal planning!

 

Here's what was planned last week.......

1.  Nothing
2.  Nothing

3.  Nothing
4.  Nothing

5.  Nothing

6.  Nothing
7.  Nothing

 

And this is what actually happened--

 

Again last week, breakfasts were at the hotel and most of the week was at one hotel since we were staying put in Shreveport for awhile.  My "go to" breakfast was either eggs(scrambled), sausage patty and water or hot tea OR oatmeal and yogurt or a banana. and water or hot tea.

Boring, boring.

 

Sunday--Lunch............

Ok, I had a couple of vegetarian fajitas with that Margarita! (And some chips and queso)at Supreme Grill in Shreveport, LA.

 

Dinner..................

Peach Lemonade Daiquiri topped with Peach gummi rings.

Hey!....my Daughter insisted! lolz

I also split an order of Sesame Chicken with my Daughter at the local take-out place near the hotel.

 

Monday--We hat a cookout at my Daughter's house.

 

Lunch--Salad, Veggies with Hummus, slab of smoked Beef Brisket and a beer

Dinner--Hubs and I split an order of Fried Shrimp w/2 veggies at a local seafood joint near the hotel

 

Tuesday--

Lunch......Tuna Sandwich and Unsweet Tea after house shopping in Bossier City, LA

Dinner .........

Fried Gator, Coleslaw, steamed Broccoli, Cornbread, Unsweetened Tea(and a couple of fried green tomato chunks for an appetizer)at Shane's Seafood and Bar BQ in Shreveport, LA.

 

Dessert  back at the hotel was......

 Blackberry hard Cider and a cream cheese filled Southern Maid donut....mmmmmm

 

Wednesday--

Lunch.....

A quick Chicken Salad Sammich at Arby's between house hunting in Haughton, LA

Dinner......

Chinese and Sushi dinner out at Sumo Supreme in Shreveport, LA.
I had 2 plates of food! mostly consisting of sushi/rolls, green beans, goyza(dumplings), 1 crab Rangoon, 1 "mudbug"(crawfish), broccoli w/chicken and 1 bacon wrapped sea leg piece with unsweetened iced tea

Thursday--
Lunch.........

A grilled Cheese sammich with peach tea at Tom & Chee in Bossier City, LA

Dinner........

Smoked Pulled Pork, Cole Slaw, Chili Beans and a slice of good ol' white bread with unsweetened iced tea at Smiley B's BBQ in Greenwood, LA

Friday--
Lunch.........a McChicken sammich and a small cheeseburger at Mickey D's from Meridian, MS while on the road.
Dinner........

A Cobb Salad at Zaxby's with PowerAde Zero in Trussville, AL

Saturday--
Lunch.........6" tuna sub at truck stop with a Subway near Dandridge, TN with sweet tea to drink(no unsweetened there).
Dinner........Steak, salad, asparagus and rolls w/unsweetened iced tea at Texas Steakhouse and Saloon in Staunton, VA.

 

We bought zero groceries last week(except I bought all the food for Daughter's cook-out for Memorial Day but this isn't in our food budget) and College Boy spent none of the $ I let him on groceries the last 2 weeks, so we will finish out our May food spending at $515.77.  Nowhere near $400 but not as bad as I thought it might turn out.

 

This coming week there is still no plan yet.  We just got home yesterday afternoon and after I clear out the fridge of stuff College Boy didn't eat while we were away and see what food is left in the freezer/pantry I'll make a plan and implement it, so check back in the next few days to see what we will be eating at Chez Sluggy.
 

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?

Any great deals on food at your stores this week?

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

It's the "Adventures in Eating" Edition--
 

A very good fried shrimp  I ate last week.  Jumbo shrimp is such an oxymoron, isn't it?

 

Anyway, onward to the meal planning!

 

Here's what was planned last week.......

1.  Nothing
2.  Nothing

3.  Nothing
4.  Nothing

5.  Nothing

6.  Nothing
7.  Nothing

 

And this is what actually happened--
(Other than 1 breakfast we ate out on Monday noted below, all breakfasts were hotel breakfasts and not worth recounting.  I had either oatmeal or eggs, yogurt or fruit with sometimes some breakfast meat or not.  No carby waffles, pancakes, pastries, toast, bagels or cold cereal for me.  Drinks were either milk, iced water or hot tea.)

1. 

Lunch-homemade burger at a bar with unsweetened iced tea  Dinner-Grilled chicken breast, steamed broccoli, roll and small salad with water

2. 

Breakfast-ham biscuit wit milk, fried apples biscuit(eaten later) Lunch-no lunch, Dinner-Fried rice, veggies and meat(mine was shrimp tho, not chicken) with iced tea

3. 

Lunch-steak and salad with water  Dinner-A crab cake appetizer with spinach, corn, bean salad and a Greek type salad with water

4. 

Lunch-ribs, beans, coleslaw, pork sandwich with unsweetened iced tea  Dinner-a chicken salad sandwich and a side of raw veggies and Italian dressing 

5. 

Lunch-pork tenderloin sandwich, a tossed salad with water  Dinner-serving of beef lasagna and too many breadsticks and a cannoli for dessert with iced tea 

6. 

 

Lunch-wild boar and duck burger with homemade pecan root beer  Dinner-whole catfish and jumbo shrimp with corn and coleslaw with water

 

7.  Lunch-chicken fingers, cole slaw and fries with unsweetened iced tea   Dinner-Go see my dinner on Saturday HERE
I had that with a G2 Gatorade.
I also had a crawfish egg roll and a bite of Boudin sausage at the festival that evening.

Last week I made 0 trips to the grocery store since we aren't home.  I don't know what College Boy spent yet at the store, but I suspect it wasn't much(if anything).  I'll update the food spending when we get back.
No Rite-Aid trips either.

Our eating out totals are quite high but eating out doesn't come out of the monthly food budget.
 

This coming week there is still no plan so come back next Monday to see what interesting things we had on Week 2 of our Adventures in Eating Away From Home! ;-)
 

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?

Any great deals on food at your stores this week?

Sluggy

My Off Centered Week

Well if you've noticed the lack of posts and the things I am posting on Facebook you realize I am "on the road" now.

I don't have much time for posting on the blog nor do I feel inclined to sit here(or wherever I am!)and write stuff.
Sorry 'bout that.

But I am just too busy "doing" right now to sit and write.

Just a few reflections on how things are going so far until I can catch my breath and fill y'all in on what Sluggy is up to later........

* It has rained almost every blasted day so far.  But not driving storms involving thunder and massive amounts of rain, just dribbles here and there constantly.  I think yesterday was the first day it did NOT rain wherever we have been.  The weather reporter tonight on the local tv station talked about a sand bag pick-up on Saturday and where to report to get yours.  There has been entirely too much rain here in the last 3 months!

* We are spending absolutely too much money.  Ok, let me correct that.......we are spending lots of money but nowhere near enough to make our lives unbearable in retirement later.  It just seems like we are running through the Benjamins like crazy!  Word of advice--do NOT look at your credit card statement while you are still ON vacation.   It will just make you sad. lolz
At least the extended stay in Lousiana motel has already been paid for so we won't be adding that hefty cost onto the c/c when we return home. 8-)

* I seem to be "eating my way through the South". ;-)   I have had meals in 5 of the 7 states we have passed through so far(and 1 of the 2 I've not dined in will go over to the "ate in" column later on this trip).  I am trying to make good(or at least better)choices at meals.  It's sad that when eating on the road(at hotels and in restaurants)that healthier choices are either non-existent or just plain boring(and expensive) or even worse, nasty.  Even so, there has been nary a doughnut, pastry or bowl of mac and cheese involved in the feeding of Sluggy to this point.
I did however break down and partake in a cannoli and the Italian restaurant on Thursday.............

* The hotels we've stayed at so far(5 so far in as many states)have been a real mixed bag of very good to "OMG, what are we doing in this one?!?" bad.  It seems the one I picked out to stay in for an extended time, I have been told is in the "ghetto".    Well we won't go out jogging at night here nor will we be flashing wads of cash(if we had any here)or diamonds(ditto).  The hotel seems very nice(and there is a pool!).  The prices these various hotels have charged has also been all over the place from a low of $50 a night to $137 a night...eek!  I like spending more on the side of $50 per night as opposed to that $137 one.

* We spent some time with this guy on Friday.............

Yes it's a hamster in a tux.
Its' funny how things happen and when.

We were here because of this......

My Daughter's now ex-car. (Daughter is fine.....the car?, not so much)


* Speaking of adventures in eating in unfamiliar locals.......I have yet to get food poisoning(knock on wood).  There were some questionable hours back in West Virginia when I thought I'd need a paper bag however, but it passed.

* Did I mention that we are spending too much money?  Ok, maybe I did......  We don't seem to have a lot to show for all this spending(it's mostly been for hotels and food)but we are filling up the trunk with adult beverages(well HUBS is).  I am on a liquor moratorium this year.  Ok, I lied, I did break down and buy a couple yummies but I think I've bought more bottled water and G2 Gatorade to consume on the trip so I don't break down and drink gallons of sweet tea which would be very bad for me in the long run.  Hubs' purchases have run to the bourbon and whiskey variety mostly.

* And I got to ride a bus earlier this week.......

Ok, not a bus out of here, but this short bus full of old people...........

More later on when I get another chance to post.

What have you been up to this week?

Sluggy

Let's Hear it For Tightwaddery!

When did it become a bad thing to be tight or mean with your money?  Being careful with your dollars when spending them is as important as being careful when you earn it.
Tightwaddery should not have a stigma attached to it.

Now being a miser, that's another whole level.
Some folks  who are considered tightwads have an unhealthy attachment to money and some don't.  It's just a way of dealing with a budget and still being able to do pleasurable things without going broke.
Misers don't enjoy their money(except when they are hoarding it).  Tightwads just have priorities on where to spend their money and where not to spend it.

What have you done that would fall under the tightwad category?
I'll go first---
* I often will empty a vacuum cleaner bag and reuse it.  Have you seen the price of those things??! lolz
* I save and reuse bacon grease for cooking, much like my mother and her mother before her, etc. did.  My sister in-law does me one better as she has a "grease pot".....a dedicated container with a built in strainer for keeping your used bacon grease.  I am jealous of it and her! ;-)
* I have a sign on my dryer-Only for use on rainy days between the hours of 5pm and 7am and weekends(as that is when the rates are lower).
* I reuse plastic bags(Ziploc types), always!  Unless raw meat was in it the first go 'round.
* When my kids were little and their clothing sizes/growth from season to season was predictable I would buy deeply discounted clothing at the end of each season in sizes they would be wearing that season the next year and store them away until needed.  One Spring I bought 3 years of sweatpants and shirts for each of them at Walmart for .50¢ a piece.(And some of them got handed down to the younger ones and used twice or thrice.) 
*When traveling and the motel I am staying at offers a free breakfast(well not free really, the price is built into what they charge for the room)I will take extra items I don't eat for breakfast then on the road with me to consume later.  Sometimes these items are eaten at lunch or dinner time so I don't have to shell out even more $ for another "one never knows if it will be a good or a bad meal" on the road.  My "go to" take alongs are whole fruits(like a banana or an apple), a yogurt or two(if I have a cooler with me to keep this chilled until use), or bread and little containers of peanut butter.  A pb sandwich isn't the most elegant dinner but it's semi-healthy and filling and having one that is free helps stretch the travel budget.

I see Tightwaddery as a lifestyle choice.  Habits that just throw good money away/that are wasteful  get under my skin.  But I can part with my money for a good reason or for something I see as a good value or that gives me a benefit.
Frugality is the cousin of Tightwaddery but not as severe.

So what tips or habits do you have that the "normal" person/consumer would find strange, odd or questionable?

Sluggy