2016 Food & Toiletries Spending.....October Update

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

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for OCTOBER 2016.

I have posted October'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(4-5 at home this month). No kids under 20.

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BAKERY OUTLET
OOP  $4.00
Value  $13.64
Savings   70.74%

MAINE SOURCE
OOP  $87.90
Value  $166.74
Savings  47.28%

RITE-AID
OOP  $0.00
Qs/Ads/PPs  $166.10
Value  $166.10
Savings  100%

SHURSAVE MARKET
OOP  $174.48
Qs/Ads $91.73
Value  $266.21
Savings  34.46%

TARGET
OOP  $0.00
Qs/Ads/Gift Cards  $15.92
Value  $15.92
Savings  100%

WEIS MARKETS

OOP  $250.34

Qs/Ads  $279.69

Value  $530.03

Savings  52.77%

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My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid at 100%, Target at 100% and the Bakery Outlet at 70.74%.  My WORST savings rate was Shursave Market at 34.46%.  For all but 1 store shopped at, the savings rate was at least 47.28%.
I shopped at 6 different stores this past month.

TOTAL Out of Pocket..........$516.72

TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$641.92

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$1,158.64

TOTAL Savings of ..................................55.40%
TOTAL Savings w/o Rite-Aid of ..............47.94%


This closes out the October food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I went into October wanting to do a $300(then changed to a $400)food budget for the month.
I actually spent $516.72, $116.72 over the extended goal amount.

The monthly food spending savings percentage went down by 7.49% in October to 55.40% compared to September's 62.89% savings average.
Still over 50% savings over regular retail is mighty fine though. 8-)

With 10 months accounted for, I have spent a total of $4,174.72 on food/toiletries so far in 2016 which averages out to $417.47 per month spent.  This is $11.02 higher per month than September's average.  My savings rate for the year is holding now at 60.99%.  This is a number I can easily live with. ;-)

LOOKING AHEAD To November 2016.........can it really be November already?.......
I've got a free meat item coming this month for Thanksgiving so Turkey dinner will just require some fresh produce purchases mostly as I've been gathering all the other fixings for that big holiday meal....unless I get a free ham instead to use for Christmas which makes sense frugally since Turkey is cheaper than Ham, so go for the one that is worth the most.  That means I'll have to buy a turkey but I am sure I can get a good price on one as other grocery stores around here have deals on them.

We will try to eat down some of the frozen assets here in November.  My food/toiletry spending will probably in the $400+ range but I'll try to keep it under $400.  No promises though with all the adult mouths I need to fill plus more on Turkey Day as we host the family dinner.

I'm going to put it out there now that I wish to stay under $5K total for food/toiletries spending in 2016. My thought was to do a $4K or lesss food year but then we gained two more adults fulltime in the household so that's that.
Staying at $5K means I have $825.28 left to spend this year on food.
Did I mention that there are still 2 months left in the year too?
Gulp!

To augment what I can spend out of the food budget, I have a $25 Weis gift card, a $20 Giant gift card, about $17 left on a Visa gift card too, so another $60+/- in "free" money to use beyond the $825.28.
Plus I have many Holiday foods/ingredients already acquired and a well stocked pantry/freezer to boot.
This will still be a struggle to mean everyone's needs here and not skimp on Christmas/Thanksgiving and stay under this mark.
But I am up for the challenge.....

Let the Holiday Food Games Begin!!  8-)))

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 October?
*  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

Last Trip for Weis Deals on Wednesday & Food Bank

Well I found another link for that $1.50/1 8 O'Clock Coffee Q(like their facebook page and scroll down to find a post with a link to another copy of that Q that can be printed off x 2) so I have 8 more prints of that Q but I decided NOT to use them today before this current sale at Weis ends.
These Qs are good until mid March and this brand coffee will be going on sale again there at least once before they expire, so I'll save them for later as I have already gotten 10 bags.  That should hold the coffee fiends around here for awhile....I hope. ;-)

So here is what I got Wednesday at Weis(PMITA)Markets in two separate photos as I couldn't get it all in one.
First the items that qualified for the Mix & Match 6/Get $3 Off Deal...........

2 x Hungry Jack pancake mix=$3.98
2 x Hungry Jack syrup=$3.98
2 x Tai Pei single serve lunches=$4.98
2 x Pillsbury cake mix/brownie mix=2.38
2 x Country Crock margarine=$5.98
2 x Weis soft cookies=$2.98
Subtotal=$24.28

Coupons Used
2 x HJ $1.25/2 1 mix/1 syrup IPQ=$2.50
2 x Tai Pei $1/1IPQ=$2.00
1 x Tai Pei $1/2 Weis QBook=$1.00
2 x Country Crock .55¢/1 IPQ(doubles to $1)=$2.00
2 x Instant $3 off wyb6=$6.00
Coupon Total=$13.50

$24.28-$13.50=$10.78 for all OR .90¢ paid per item above.
I was going to get more Scotties tissues but they were out so I had to get cake/brownie mix and cookies.  Awww, I am so sad to be forced to buy cookies......  ;-)

Then I also got all this......

2 x Weis ketchup @.77¢ ea.=$1.54
2 x Prego Farmer's Market pasta sauce @ $3 ea.=$6.00
2 x Pace Salsa @ $3 ea.=$6.00
2 x Gratify gluten-free crackers @ $2.50 ea.=$5.00
2 x Louis Kemp sea legs BOGO=$3.49
4 x Perdue chicken cutlets BOGO=$8.00
1 lb. mushrooms 50% off sticker=$1.99
1 lb. TranSea sea legs 50% off sticker=$2.00
Bakery muffins 50% off sticker=$2.00
Bakery rolls 50% off sticker=$1.49
Bakery bagels 50% off sticker=$1.29
Also not pictured is a box of Bob Evans breakfast sandwiches=$4.00 *reg. price item*
SubTotal for this lot......$42.80

Coupons Used (watch the total magically lower)
2 x Prego .50¢/1 IPQ(doubles to $1)=$2.00
1 x Prego $1/2 Weis QBook=$1.00
2 x Pace .50¢/1 IPQ(doubles to $1)=$2.00
1 x Pace $1/2 Weis QBook=$1.00
2 x $2/1 Gratify item IPQ=$4.00
2 x Louis Kemp $1/1 item IPQ=$2.00
2 x Perdue $1.25/2 prepared items IPQ=$2.50
Coupon Total....$14.50

$42.80-$14.50=28.30

$10.78+$28.30=$39.08 OOP  (no taxable items)

Spent $39.08, saved $60.44(over reg. retail), savings percentage of 60%.
Now THAT'S how to start off a new month of grocery savings!  8-)

The glulten-free crackers were an impulse buy(well, impulse with coupons).  No one here has gluten issues so I'll either work them into a Christmas gift basket for someone OR haul them up to the food bank before the end of 2016 in a donation.

And speaking of Food Bank Donations......

I have taken a break most of this year from shopping extras to donate to our local food bank.
There are two reasons for this--
First off our eldest is having a hard time with money being tight so if I have extra I would like to supplement his pantry first.  Charity beings at home and all that.
And secondly, Daughter decided to move back in earlier this year and bring her BF(with our blessing)so she could finish her degree and have a better chance in life supporting herself well.  I knew our expenses would be going up so I stopped contributing around April to the food bank for the short term, until I could get a feel for just how much more we would be shelling out around here for the household costs.

I am considering resuming buying extras again to give away as long as I can get needed items for cheap or free.  And if I shop prudently I know I can at least help a little and it not impact our finances very much.

So if you can spare something, remember your local food bank/pantry not only this Holiday Season but all year long.  The need does NOT go away after Christmas is over.

Sluggy

Nov 1st Net Worth....Update Quickie

We are actually up almost $12k from October 1st's net worth overall(only liquid cash/investments/bonds, as I don't count housing or car values).  The retirement accounts were up $6K+ for November 1 from October's calculations and the cash reserve/non-retirement accounts were up $5K.

I didn't post the October 1st Net Worth...how did I forget that? lolz
We were almost $13K up in Oct. from Sept. net worth so this month is a bit lower but still, I'll take it!!! 8-)

We are up $90,426.96 from one year ago, in the November 1st of 2015's net worth snapshot.  Even with miserable interest rates and a lackluster stock showing lately, over the course of a year it still grows at a decent clip when you have a good chunk of money invested. ;-)  Even though we are mostly out of the stock market with our investments now since we are so close to retiring we still earn a nice hunk because of the size of the pot.

We are still in acquisition mode as Hubs still has a good income.  Unless something unfortuitious happens we should keep rolling along and tucking money away, even with our expanded living costs with 2 grown kids home fulltime, for at least another year+.  The plan is still for Hubs to retire once College Boy graduates college but the moving away piece of the puzzle won't be happening quite as soon as that since Daughter is still living here so she can finish school.

Some people wonder why I am so focused on saving so much money for our retirement.
We have no pensions(government or private company)coming to us from an employer is at the base of this thinking so we can't rely on that steady monthly income stream to help keep us afloat in our old ages.  We will receive SS however(unless it goes belly up or close enough to it that the Asshats in Washington start means testing who will get what they put into it-but that's another rant for another time).
The main reason being twofold--

1-Hubs will be retiring before the age when he can collect Social Security benefits and receive Medicare.  Since I am even younger, that means I will also be healthcare shopping(+ 9 extra months worth for me)on a Government Exchange(or whatever the system is that is in place at that date)once Hubs employer isn't extending their coverage to us, before I can receive either SS or Medicare too.  Hubs employer gives retirees a lump of cash to cover some medical once they retire but it's not even close to what health premiums and deductibles will cost for those 4-7 years we may need to "bridge" to SS and Medicare.  We also have an HSA which we haven't tapped yet and are also squirreling money away in for later use, once Hubs retires and our medical bills increase.

2-I have chronic illness and am a "frequent flyer" when it comes to health services.  Except for 1 short term issue, Hubs has no health problems(well, if you don't count that I am a pain in his ass).  He takes nor needs any medications.
Lucky duck! lolz  I will always need healthcare and I suspect the costs will just keep going up(Ya think??).  Sluggy is NOT a cheap date...... ;-)

My thinking is no matter how much you think you will need to live when you get old, it won't be enough.  At some point it's going to run out.
So save whatever more you can, when you can as long as it doesn't take away from your quality of life now.

So I just keep plugging along and updating "where the money stands" until something changes.

Did you increase your net worth last month?
Do you have a retirement plan in place?

Sluggy

Another Weis Deal Before Thursday--Update

*UPDATE*
Hey there!  I forgot to add that I had a $1/2 Tai Pei singles coupon in the Weis Coupon Book to use as well, which I forgot.
So I took the Q back in with my receipt yesterday and got my $1 back.
That means I got all 6 items below for $3.36!


Here's another Mix & Match Pick 6/Get $3 Off Deal combination I got.

Surfing around online I happened upon an "ad" for BOGO Free Scotties Q so I clicked on it and printed off 2 of them.

Then I went to Weis(PMITA)Markets and bought this.......

4 x Scotties large 250 ct. box tissues on sale($1.99)=$7.96
2 x Tai Pei frozen single serve lunches on sale($2.49)=$4.98
SubTotal...$12.94

I used Coupons--
2 x Scotties BOGO Free(up to $1.79-so didn't take exactly half off)=$3.58
2 x Tai Pei $1/1 IPQ couponsdotcom=$2.00
1 x Tai Pei $1/2 Weis CouponBookQ=$1.00
Instant $3 Discount=$3.00
Coupon Total....$9.58

$12.94-$8.58=$3.36 OOP for all 6 items
Awesome!

Sluggy

Well That was a Bust

Jack-O-Lanterns set out and lit at dusk, porch light on and the candy was in the bowl and ready for the hoards of beggars for Halloween Night.

Heck I even had the company of 2 beasts while I attended the miniature people.............

My Daughter in a Gorilla Suit and the Granddog, the fearsome canine.

The night was a bust!
The weather was near perfect-no rain, no wind and temps in the high 40's.
5 of the 6 houses on our cul-de-sac had lights on to welcome the T-or-T'ers.  The Hermit's house across the street was dark and they hid.  I guess since his kid is beyond T-or-T'ing age they don't participate.  Heck even the childless couple our age who lives catty corner to us on the street in the house that's a mirror image to ours gives out snacks to the little goblins!

By 8 pm we had 17 kids stop by to beg.  And I am not counting the two cute little brothers who came back to the house AGAIN on their way out of the cul-de-sac because I had Zombie Sour Patch Kids and they wanted some more. lolz

At 8 pm, after all but one other house on our street had shut down for the night I took the candy bowl inside.  It was too cold to remain outside with so little traffic and I could just hop back to the door if the doorbell rang.
I had 5 more show up(older teens)between 8-9 pm, which is when I turned the lights off.

22 kids!

It's never been this low a number.  I guess our part of the development has has all the children age out for this sort of activity.  Houses don't resell very often here, people tend to buy here and stay forever, or at least until they no longer need the good school district. ;-)
Come to think of it, I can only count 3 houses in my immediate area of the neighborhood where T-or-T aged kids reside.
I figure the bulk of the kids now reside in the newer development that was hooked onto the back end of ours.  It's kind of a long walk from back there to us near the front of where the residential area connects to the secondary roads through town.

Usually we get at least 100 kids.
Nada.  And there were no "little" kids(toddlers with parents or very young school age tikes). For me, those are the most fun to interact with.  The youngest kids were the twin brothers who came back for more....I'm guessing they were about 7 years old.

Now the question remains.............

What am I going to do with all this??? lolz

I can pilfer the mini Butterfinger bars but I don't like the rest(ok, maybe a Baby Ruth or two also).
Daughter & the BF will suck down the Sour Patch Kids and Airheads and some of the chocolate no doubt.
I guess there is always putting some in a candy dish for Thanksgiving guests to nosh on and use some of the chocolate bars for holiday baking.  Pouring a lot of it into various Christmas stockings in another month+ is a solution as well.

Yikes!
I totally forgot that once Halloween is over we begin the short frenzied panic to Christmas!!
* Sluggy plugs her ears and sings and hums to avoid thinking/talking about the Christmas Rush.*

So how did your Halloween go off?
Are you stuck with a metric shit ton of candy to use up?

Sluggy