2016 Food & Toiletries Spending......September Update

* I've closed out the September books a day early as I am done shopping.  Anything bought in the next day will come out of October's funds. *

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

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for SEPTEMBER 2016.

I have posted September's totals on the Total Grocery Savings for 2016 Page located HERE and have updated the Yearly Totals there.  I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in September.  If you aren't interested in that much detail, just skip to the bottom for the Totals Sum.  My spending includes Food, Toiletries/HBA, Cleaning Products, Paper Goods & tax where applicable. We are a family of 5(4 at home this month). No kids under 20.

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BAKERY OUTLET
OOP  $3.00
Value  $9.77
Savings   69.29%

DOLLAR TREE
OOP  $15.65
Value  $42.36
Savings  63.05%

FARM STANDS
OOP  $23.25
Value  $52.86
Savings  56.02%

MALACARI'S PRODUCE
OOP  $5.55
Value  $12.55
Savings  55.78%

PANERA
OOP  $6.99
Value  $9.99
Savings  30.03%

RITE-AID
OOP  $2.99
Qs/Ads  $350.42
Value  $353.41
Savings  99.15%

SHURSAVE MARKET
OOP  $93.30
Qs/Ads $54.12
Value  $147.42
Savings  36.71%

TARGET
OOP  $6.70
Qs/Ads/Gift Cards  $86.23
Value  $92.93
Savings  92.79%

WEIS MARKETS

OOP  $564.08

Qs/Ads  $658.74

Value  $1222.82

Savings  53.87%

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My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid at 99.15%, Target at 92.79% and the Bakery Outlet at 69.29%.  My WORST savings rate was Panera at 30.03%(for the bagels I bought there).  For all but 2 stores shopped at, the savings rate was at least 53.87%.
I shopped at 9 different stores this past month.

TOTAL Out of Pocket..........$721.51

TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$1222.60

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$1944.11

TOTAL Savings of...................................62.89%


This closes out the September food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I went into September wanting to do a $400(then changed to a $500)food budget for the month.
Things went waaaay off budget this month!  $221.51 over my revised higher budget.
What can I say?  Lots of awesome deals on items we use/need(cheese, pantry staples, facial tissue, etc.) and meat discounts so I loaded up.
My spending total also included supplies for making/canning my pepper relish so I'd be at about $700 without those costs.  Still high though.

It is looking like I won't need to shop much in October.  My budget may get a well deserved rest in the coming month.  ;-)

The monthly food spending savings percentage went up by 14.84% in September to 62.89% compared to August's 48.05% savings average.
That's a big difference!  It seems that when I spend more on my budget I save a much higher percentage comparatively.  Crazy.

With 9 months accounted for, I have spent a total of $3658.00 on food/toiletries so far in 2016 which averages out to $406.45 per month spent.  This is $51.89 higher per month than the average in August was.  Yikes.  But then again I spent A LOT more in September.  At least the savings percentage rate was better meaning I paid less for what I did buy in September compared to August.


LOOKING AHEAD To October 2016.........

Other than chicken I am well stocked on every item I possibly could be stocked on(not counting fresh milk and produce and bread).
Maybe I will take a break from the grocery stores in October except for necessities.
That would be different, right?  8-)

If I am not planning on stocking up(and will try to avoid any Deals I find)I could try for a $300 budget on food in October.  Hey! Stop laughing out there.  It could happen......

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 September?
*  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?
*  What are your methods for keeping your food spending in check?

Is anyone out there up for tracking expenditures and trying to spend less but still eat well?


Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

*Well I am 3 days late this week posting my Menu.  I still wanted to get it up anyway.*

It's the "Quick Weekend Reunion Trip" Edition.......

It was nice weather this year for the Reunion.  I was so relaxed that I didn't even take any photos while we were there, except for this one of a floral arrangement to commemorate my 1st cousin 1 x removed, Hilda, who died earlier this year.
I was able to connect with 2 of Hilda's daughters at the reunion this year as well as talk with another 1st cousin 1 x removed at length.
Between the heat that day and yakking I forgot all about my camera until late in the day.
Oh well.

Moving on......

Onward to the meal planning!

Here's what was planned last week--

1. Sunday--Beef Bourguinon, Mashed Potatoes

2. Monday--Turkey, Stuffing and Gravy, Asparagus

3. Tuesday--Paprika Chicken with Peppers and Onions, Noodles

4. Wednesday--Tuna Noodle Casserole, Fried Green Tomatoes

5. Thursday--Leftovers

6. Friday--Crab cakes, Cole Slaw, Fries, Summer Squash

7. Saturday--Leftovers

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Beef Bourguinon, Mashed Potatoes

2. Monday--Turkey, Stuffing and Gravy, Asparagus

3. Tuesday--Paprika Chicken with Peppers and Onions, Garlic Noodles

4. Wednesday--Leftovers(I had manicotti and salad)

5. Thursday--Leftovers(I had Beef Bourguinon)

6. Friday--Pizza(from Papa John's)

7. Saturday--Golden Skillet Chicken Sammich(Out of Town)

5 meals cooked at home, 2 of them nights of leftovers, 2 nights Eating Out(we were away) and 0 night of Take-Out.
We had so many leftovers still that after Tuesday I stopped cooking and we ate leftovers exclusively until we went out of town.   Crab cake meal gets moved again and though it's on this coming week's menu, it may or may not happen this week too.

As for the grocery spending.....3 trips to Weis(1 just for carrots)and 1 trip to the Shursave grocery store brought my weekly spending to $113.02 and my September food spending total to $617.52 with 4 days to go in the month.
I just don't want to think about this month's food spending anymore. 8-(


Leftovers going into this week........beef bourguinon, 1 chicken thigh w/peppers, 1/2 turkey breast, stuffing.

Here is this week's "food plan".

1. Sunday--Leftovers
2. Monday--Subway sandwiches Take-Out
3. Tuesday--Tuna Noodle Casserole, Sauted Squash
4. Wednesday--Meatloaf, Noodles, Fried Green Tomatoes
5. Thursday--Kielbasa, Halushki
6. Friday--Crab Cakes, Fries, Cole Slaw, Broccoli
7. Saturday--Leftovers

This week will see 4 new meals cooked and 1 nights of Take-Out and 2 nights of Leftovers.

What I need to buy for this menu?  Cabbage maybe. Don't need much besides milk but that won't keep me from adding to the stockpile this week.

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 last week?

Any great deals on food at your stores this week?


Sluggy

Rite-Aid Porn

Rite-Aid had a Spend $30, Get $10 in Plenti Points Deal this week plus a couple of other "freebies" after sales/coupons/rebates so I had to go, right?

Here is what I got on my card........

4 x Oral-B toothbrushes on sale $3 each=$12.00

I used 2 x $2/2 Oral-B products IPQs=$4.00

$12-$4=$8.00 OOP
I used $8 in Plenti Points to pay and received back $8 in new Plenti Points(2 x $4 wyb2 toothbrushes).
There is a limit of 2 of this Deal each card.
Free toothbrushes! 8-))

Then I got all this on my son's card.........

First the $30/$10 Deal items(Limit of 1 of this Deal per card)--
5 x Pantene(4 poos/1 conditioner)$3.99 each w/20% Wellness discount(better than sale price)=$19.95
4 x Cover Girl Eye Shadow BOGO50%=$10.16
Then the rest of it--
1 x L'Oreal Shampoo on sale=$3.99
2 x Suave Gold Shampoo on sale=$6.00
2 x Tresemme Shampoo on sale=$8.00
2 x Right Guard Xtreme Deodorant on sale=$7.00
4 x Oral-B Toothbrushes on sale=$12.00
SubTotal.........$67.10

Coupons Used
1 x $2 off $20 R-A Purchase Catalina Q=$2.00
1 x $5/3 Pantene ManuQ=$5.00
1 x $4/2 Pantene ManuQ=$4.00
4 x $3/1 Cover Girl item IPQ=$12.00
1 x $2/1 L'Oreal hair product IPQ=$2.00
1 x $3/2 Suave Gold items ManuQ=$3.00
1 x $5/2 Tresemme 'Poo/Conditioner ManuQ=$5.00
1 x BOGO Right Guard Xtreme item(up to $3.47)IPQ=$3.47
2 x $2/2 Oral-B Toothbrushes IPQ=$4.00
Coupon Total.......$40.47

$67.10-40.47=$26.63 + $1.14 tax=$27.77 OOP which I used Plenti Points to pay.
I earned back $21 in new Plenti Points(2 x $4 Oral-B, $1 L'Oreal, $2 Suave, $10 P&G Deal).
$27.77-$21=$6.77 of my PPs were used or "spent down".

I also earned $9 in SavingStar cash rebates(2 x $2 Right Guard Deo, $3 wyb2 Tresemme, $2 wyb2 Suave Gold)and $6 in Checkout51 cash rebates($1 Pantene 'Poo, $1 Pantene Cond, 4 x $1 Cover Girl face products).

$6.77-$15.00 cash back=an $8.23 "Moneymaker"!

8-)))))))

P&G Deal I spent $30.11, used $21 in Qs making it $9.11 spent, then I got $10 in new PPs AND $6 in cash rebates so "got paid" $6.89 to take this stuff home.

Suave was $6, $3 spent after Q, then $2 in new PPs AND $2 in cash rebates making this a $1 moneymaker.

The Tresemme was $8, used a $5/2 Q making it $3 OOP in PPs.  Though no PPs were earned on this purchase I did get $3 in cash rebates back making these 2 items straight up free.

Toothbrushes were also straight up free after Qs and new PPs earned.

While the L'Oreal Shampoo was NOT free($3.99-$2Q=$1.99, earned $1 in PPs), it was only .99¢ when all was said and done.  If I had not bought it this transaction would have been an even bigger moneymaker of $7.88.  ;-)

While there were no points to earn on the Right Guard I still got paid to buy it.....paid $7, used Q that gave me back $3.47 of that $7 spent, then got $4 in cash rebates so "got paid" .47¢ to take it home.

These deals are available until Saturday night at Rite-Aid.
If you need to know where a coupon is found or have a question just leave a comment.

Sluggy

Awesome Grocery Trip

I hit Weis(PMITA)Markets on Monday.

Used bunches of coupons and stocked up on a few items we use a lot of.
I made a video about this trip......



 I misspoke on the video-the Old El Paso shells were on sale for $1.50 each(not $2 each)and the Refried Beans for $1.27.  After Q($1) and Savingstar Rebate($1)I paid $2.27 for all 3 of those products.

Plus I used a $5 off your purchase Catalina I earned last week which helped my savings rate a bit.

After SavingStar rebates my savings rate becomes 71.20%.
Woohoo!

Now I'm off to work on my Meal Plan for the week as it is waaaay late!

Sluggy

God's Country

Here's the scenery where I am at the moment.............

A few of you will know what these plants are but most I am thinking won't.

Back later with a post tomorrow.
Hope you are enjoying your weekend no matter where you are spending it.

Sluggy