Grocery Deals & Rite-Aid This Week

I went to the town West of here to grocery shop this week.  The Shursave market in town here doesn't accept internet printed coupons so I have to shop at the Shursave market West of us to use IPQs.  Plus they also have a Weis(PMITA)Markets in that town.

The Shursave market shop looked like this........

2 x reduced mushroom packages $2 reg. retail @.99¢=$1.98
1/2 lb.+/- of ham deli meat @$4.99 lb.=$2.67
4 x Kellogg's cereals $1.88 each wyb4=$7.52
SubTotal....$12.17

I used these IPQs.....
1 x .40¢/1(doubled)Raisin Bran IPQ=.80¢
1 x .40¢/1(doubled)Frosted Flakes IPQ=.80¢
1 x .50¢/1(doubled)Corn Flakes IPQ=$1.00
1 x .50¢/1(doubled)Rice Krispies IPQ=$1.00
Coupon Total......$3.60

$12.17-3.60=$8.57 OOP
The cereal came out to 98¢ per box after sale/coupons.

Then I hit Weis for 7 more boxes of cereal......

2 x Lucky Charms $1.47 wyb4 GM cereals=$2.94
2 x Cheerios $1.47 wyb4 GM cereals=$2.94
3 x select Kellogg's cereals $1.99 wyb3=$5.97
SubTotal.....$11.85

Coupons Used
2 x Lucky Charms $1/1 IPQ=$2.00
2 x Cheerios $1/1 IPQ=$2.00
1 x Frosted Flakes .40¢/1(doubled)IPQ=.80¢
1 x Apple Jacks .70¢/1(doubled)IPQ=$1.00
1 x Corn Pops .70¢/1(doubled)IPQ=$1.00
Coupon Total.....$6.80

$11.85-$6.80=$5.05 OOP for all 7 boxes.
Plus there is a $1/2 rebate on select GM cereals on Savingstar dotcom so after that comes in the 7 boxes will cost me $4.05

As I only eat Raisin Bran and Cheerios of that above what the kids don't want(or the nephew)will go to the Food Bank.

Then I hit the mother lode of discounted meats at Weis in this town.
If only I had had more room in the chest freezer I'd have bought more.

Altogether I got-
9.32 lb. pork shoulder picnic
7 lb. whole chickens
3.52 lb ground lamb
5.76 lb. boneless/skinless chicken breast

30.46 lbs. of assorted meats for $27.65 or an average price of .90¢ a lb!

The b/s chicken $1.23 lb.  Marked down to $1.98 lb. but the packages each had $2 instant discount stickers on them.

 The ground lamb $1.98 lb.

The pork shoulder was marked down to .98¢ lb.

The whole chickens .59¢ lb.

They also have pork butt $1.28 lb. and ground beef $1.69 lb.(but it was 73% lean so I wasn't interested in that).
I could have scoffed up 20 more pork butts, 12 rolls of ground beef, and 11 more packages of chicken or lamb or whole chickens, plus chicken leg quarter packs equally as cheap if I had freezer space.
But I didn't so I left most of it for others to find.

In the meat group shot there are also two packages of Oscar Meyer deli meats. These are regularly $4.50 per package but were on sale for $3 yesterday.  These two packs had $2 instant discount stickers on them so they each cost me $1.

Some whack biscuits(on sale and I had Qs), 50% off Bakery items(muffins and bagels)and 2 boxes of decaffeinated tea bags and 3 8-packs of Powerade for Daughter(on sale for $3.99 and I got $3 off for "spending" $15 on Coke/Nabisco items-based on regular shelf price-so the drinks were $8.97 for all) brought this shop to $59.23.
I used the $6.48 left on one of my Weis gift cards(which were paid for in 2016)so I am OOP $52.75 for everything I bought at Weis Markets.
My savings percentage on both of these shops came to 60.88%.

Meanwhile at Rite-Aid.....

The town also has a Rite-Aid where the prices aren't jacked up higher like in my Rite-Aid so I did the nail polish Sally Hansen Deal on two of our cards.......

4 x SA nail color BOGO50%($2.99/$1.49)=$8.97 + .53¢ tax=$9.50
Paid for with Plenti points.
Earned $10 in new Plenti points($5 for every 2 bottles bought)so a .50¢ moneymaker.

I did that deal on two of my cards.

I also popped into my Rite-Aid on the way home to see what first Wednesday(Wellness Wednesday)samples they were giving out............

Saline wipes and pain patches I took home.

And after seeing what the 1 day only coupons were I decided to buy this.........

4 x Russell Stoveer sugar-free candies reg. $2.79/$2.23 with 20% Wellness discount=$8.92
I used 4 x $2/1 RS sugar-free candies 1 Day Wellness Wednesday Qs=$8.00 making each bag .23¢.
So I spent down my Plenti points .92¢ to get 4 bags of candies.
I am such a spendthrift, aren't I? lolz

Unfortunately they were out of the thin mints variety(my fav)but I got some other kinds to try.

I spent $61.32 on everything pictured above(plus more).
Regular retail value on everything I bought was $191.82.
Not a bad day's worth of shopping, huh?

And looking at all these photos I just realized that I still have my Xmas tablecloth on my kitchen table.
;-)

Sluggy

Net Worth.....April 1st Update

We are up almost $29k from the March 1st net worth overall(only liquid cash/investments/bonds, as I don't count housing or car values).  The retirement accounts were up almost $6K for April 1st 2017 from the March 1st 2017 calculations and the cash reserve/non-retirement accounts were up almost $23K.
Most of that cash reserve/non-retirement accounts earnings was Hubs' 2016 work bonus check(plus what I squirreled away into savings from the regular paycheck).

We are up $93,862.55 from one year ago, from the April 1st of 2016's net worth snapshot.  I am glad to see that interest rates have inched up something like a quarter of a percent. Whoopie! lolz
I know those of you paying off debt dread interest rates going up but those of us trying to grow our savings and are too close to retirement age(or retired)to risk a lot of it in the stock market so we hunger for interest rates to climb.  They have been artificially depressed for soooo many years by those in charge and our federal government that it's almost impossible for regular people who are saving to get ahead of the inflation rate.  This is a travesty!
But I digress.....

We are still in acquisition mode and Hubs still has a good income.  We continue to live well below our means and sock away as much cash as we can for retirement.  Luckily in March we didn't have any big money emergencies as I try to be proactive in looking ahead for problems to avoid them.

Life happens and is expensive so save as much as you can for those rainy days no matter your age or how close/far away you are from retirement.

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

Sluggy

2017 Savings Challenge....March Update

Every year I keep a close eye on our monthly expenses and our monthly income.

Our income is mainly the salary my Hubs draws from his job.  We have money taken off each paycheck from the top to put into savings, before we even get our hands on it.  This money that's taken goes into various savings pots....life insurance, health insurance premiums, long term care insurance premiums, investments and retirement savings.  It's automatic so we are never tempted to NOT put it into savings or these other categories.

Once the automatic savings amounts, plus taxes and medical/dental/vision premiums are taken out, it leaves what we get to "live on".  From this amount we budget for bills, both monthly and irregular bills(semi-annual, annual etc.) and our variable bills(like food, eating out, clothing  etc.)  Anything left over once our monthly expenses are paid, I put aside into an interest bearing Savings Challenge account.

For 2017 I am continuing my Yearly Savings Challenge.
I have decided to lower the goal amount to save for the year to $35K.
I barely made my $38K goal in 2016, what with our added expenses, so I think it's wise to back down the goal a bit again this year so I am not so stressed through out the year worrying about making the number.

We will have higher medical expenses this year and although the BF doesn't live here anymore the Daughter does still, so some every day bills will be higher than when it was just Hubs and I(and College Boy here during school breaks).

If I do better than I think I will and save OVER my goal that's great too. 8-)

On to the March report.....

I have posted my March End of Month $35K $AVING$ CHALLENGE Totals.
Check out the Savings Challenge page tab at the top of the blog for the specific numbers HERE.

I have 2 goals each month.....
The 1st is to actually finish each month in the black and not the red.
The 2nd is to hit the targeted savings amount of $2,9916.66.

I have to report that we finished up March with a surprisingly to me large amount.
The extra amount we ended the month of March with?.......$4434.04

Income

We had $4188.14 left over from our income after our monthly expenses were deducted.

Other monies received in March totaled $245.90.  This was interest made on non-retirement accounts and quarterly dividends.

This brought us to our gain of $4,434.04
Since we have no debt, this all goes into savings.

Outgo

As for the expenses this March, here are the good and the bad side of things....

HERE are the GOOD THINGS

*  Phone charges and internet were approximately the same as last month(Within $1 or so).
*  The water bill was $22.88 lower than last month's bill.
*  The credit card bill was $61.60 lower in March.  $920.73 of this bill was medical charges.
*  We had NO gas card bill in March.  That doesn't mean we didn't have gas charges but we just put them all on the credit card instead.

HERE are the BAD THINGS

*  There were two medical co-pays I couldn't pay on the credit card totaling $59.85.
*  The electric bill was $25.30 higher in March.  Not too bad and I'll take it.
*  The cash withdrawals were $350 higher than in February.  Mostly due to Hubs going back to work in the office, buying stuff again while he is away from home.
*  We had 2 irregular annual bills due in March-annual sewage bill and half of our property taxes.
*  I also had $196.89 in Kohl's charges which I paid in March(partly paid ahead).

The Food Budget costs for March are in another post, which is located HERE.

With 3 months accounted for, our Savings Challenge Grand Total for 2017 is $10,134.58.

FINAL THOUGHTS on March---

I forgot we had an extra paycheck in March so that was a happy surprise, even though the first paycheck in March was still a lower disability paycheck.  We were able to save a large sum this month.
Compared to March 2016 we saved $513.45 LESS to put into savings this March.  Last March we also had a tax refund included in the savings total that month so without that, we'd be about $1200 more put into savings this March.

THOUGHTS going forward into April of 2017----
I pulled a "Doh!" moment in February when I set aside $500 of what was saved that month to pay medical charges that I thought would come due in March instead of letting that $500 go with all the other cash we saved in February into the Savings Challenge.  I totally forgot that March was a three paycheck month and we'd have an entire extra paycheck to put toward medical bills(that satisfied our high deductible)then.
Doh!
So those medical bills still have not arrived so I now have $500 from Feb. set aside plus $769.61 left from what I set aside in Dec. from that month's Saving Challenge total(to put toward the high deductible), making the kitty $1269.61 to put toward these medical charges when they finally arrive.  I am guessing this will happen in April.
These bills total $1579.76 so I just need to come up with the remainder of $310.15 out of the income in April to pay these in full and that is very doable.
There are no other big irregular bills due in April so bring it on! 8-)


Three months into the year and we have put $10,134.58 into savings.
There is $24,865.42 left to hit our $35K Saving Challenge target for the year.  This averages out to $2,762.82 per month for the next 9 months.

So how was your March financially?
  

Did you spend less than the income you had in March?
Did you stay within your budget or not?
What did you do with any money leftover at the end of the month?
Did you pay off any debts or put extra toward your mortgage principle or into savings, in an emergency fund or a retirement account?
Or did you blow it on a want?

If you posted your financial progress on your own blog, leave a link in the comments so we can go check out your progress too and celebrate or commiserate with you!

I hope this year was the one were you cleaned up your finances and paid off your debts.
That you planned to set something aside if you didn't already or increased what you banked now for your future self.
Or paid extra on the principle of your mortgage if your house isn't already paid off.

Live below your means and keep some change for a rainy day....because no matter how sunny it is in your life now, dark clouds come along and you'll be glad you have that umbrella to keep you dry.

Sluggy

French's Ketchup UPDATE & Free Nail Polish at Rite-Aid This Week

Ok, so remember these bottles of ketchup I bought on Friday?

I had a rain check so got them for the sale price from the previous week of $1.47 per bottle.
Plus I had .50¢/1 Qs that doubled at Weis to $1 off 1 that were expiring that day.
So the ketchup cost me .47¢ each OOP.

Well, I found a cash rebate on Checkout51 on French's ketchup to apply for this week(until 4/5)for $1 rebate on each bottle(up to 5 rebates).

So now my 2 bottles of ketchup are a $1.06 moneymaker.  I got paid $1.06 to buy the ketchup.
I just love when things like this happen, don't you? ;-)

And if you have a Rite-Aid get over there before Saturday to buy 4 bottle of Sally Hansen nail color.
It is BOGO50% this week and there is a Plenti Offer for $5 in PPs back on every two bottles you buy(limit of 2 Deals per card).

4 Bottles of nail color will cost out around(depending on the price in your store)$8.97 and you will received $10 back in Plenti points so if you have enough Plenti points to pay for them fully you'll make about .50¢ in points(depending on tax in your state...if you have no state sales tax is will be closer to $1 in points).
Free nail color and points back?  Yes please!

I have 3 cards for 3 members of my household so I could get 12 bottles if I want so much.
This would make great stuff for future Boring Blog Box Giveaways, wouldn't it?  ;-)

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

The "Big News Coming This Week" Edition--

No photo this week but later this week I am free to talk about Big Changes happening at Chez Sluggy soon.  Big and scary changes.  So stay tuned on Thursday or Friday.
As Gwendolen in "The Importance of Being Earnest" said, "The suspense is terrible.  I hope it will last."

Or as Willy Wonka also said.....

Moving On....

Onward to the meal planning!

Here's what was planned last week--

1. Sunday--Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad *

2. Monday--Reuben Sandwiches(should finish up the corned beef)

3. Tuesday--Haddock, Cole Slaw, Asparagus

4. Wednesday--Leftovers

5. Thursday--Chicken Parm, leftover cooked Carrots and Cabbage
6. Friday--Leftovers or Pizza in Freezer
7. Saturday--Leftovers

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad *

2. Monday--Reuben Sandwiches(didn't finish the corned beef)

3. Tuesday--Chicken Parm, Asparagus

4. Wednesday--Leftovers

5. Thursday--Tempura Haddock, Cole Slaw
6. Friday--Grilled Steak, Baked Potatoes, Salad
7. Saturday--Leftovers

7 meals cooked at home, 2 of them a night of leftovers or Fend For Yourself, and 0 night of eating-out/take-out.

As for the grocery spending.....2 trips to Weis brought the food spending last week to $51.33. I used $38.53 in gift cards(1 trip)so it would have been $89.86 without the gift cards. This brought my April food spending total to $51.33.  There are 27 days left in the month.

My savings percentages last week was 70.44%(or 48.25% if I count the gift card purchases).

Leftovers going into this week.......1 slice Meatloaf, Cabbage and Carrots, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Cole Slaw and Haddock and a little bit of Corned Beef(enough for a sandwich).

Here is this week's "food plan"....
* Denotes "complicated" meals

1. Sunday--Fried Chicken, homemade Macaroni Salad, Carrots

2. Monday--Leftovers(hopefully using up some stuff)

3. Tuesday--Meatball Sandwiches or Spaghetti(leftovers or planned-overs)

4. Wednesday--Birthday dinner out

5. Thursday--Roast Chicken, Stuffing, Veggie
6. Friday--Beef Pie
7. Saturday--Fajitas(using leftover roast chicken)

This week will see 3-4 new meals cooked, 1 night of Take-Out/Eating-Out and 2-3 nights of Leftovers.

What I need to buy for this menu?  The Fried Chicken. for Sunday. Weis has a 8 pce. deal for $6 this week.  We are also out of milk and fruit.

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