Onward to March's food spending report.......
Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for MARCH 2018.
I have posted March's totals on the Total Grocery Savings Page located HERE and have updated the 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 Sum. My spending includes Food, Toiletries/HBA, Cleaning Products, Paper Goods & tax where applicable. We are a family of 3-5(4 at home this month). No "kids" under 22.
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BIG LOTS
OOP $14.25
Value $20.49
Savings 30.45%
BREAD OUTLET
OOP $13.00
Value $45.29
Savings 71.30%
MAINE SOURCE
OOP $37.86
Value $61.69
Savings 38.63%
RITE-AID
OOP $0.00
Qs/Ads/PP/BC $546.86
Value $546.86
Savings 100%
SHURSAVE
OOP $33.89
Qs/Ads $9.77
Value $43.66
Savings 22.38%
TARGET
OOP $0.00
Value $72.79
Savings 100%
WEIS MARKETS
OOP $302.62
Qs/Ads $358.27
Value $660.89
Savings 54.21%
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My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid at 100%, Target at 100% and the Bread Outlet at 71.30%. My worst savings rate was from Shursave at 22.38%.
I shopped at 7 different stores this past month.
TOTAL Out of Pocket..........$401.62
TOTAL Coupons/Store Sales...$503.19
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased.........$904.81
TOTAL Savings of ................................55.61%
TOTAL Out of Pocket for Feb.....$401.62
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased w/Rite-Aid....$1451.67
TOTAL Coupons/Store Sales.........$1050.05
TOTAL Savings with Rite-Aid items........72.33%
This closes out the March food/toiletries spending.
THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I had wanted to stay at or under $300 food spending for March. Then I realized that feeding four adults "well" was sort of not very doable where I live in March for $300. I can't grow my own veggies right now and even shopping strategically using sales, Qs, rebate apps, etc. With the currents price of foods and the lack of deals(no cheap eggs at Easter is a travesty!)and the lack of good Qs, plus $300 doesn't allow me to stockpile or take advantage of "deals" much. Sure we could eat like kings in March using my $300 budget and emptying my stockpile, but come June the larders would be empty.
So I have resigned myself to upping my food budget to $400 at least until the two kids move out permanently.
And I am good with that.
The monthly food spending savings percentage went DOWN by 2.22% in March 2018 to 72.33% compared to February's 74.55% savings average.
With 3 months accounted for, I have spent a Grand Total of $1261.72 on food/toiletries in 2018 which is a 76.05% savings rate for the year so far and averages out to $420.57 spent per month in 2018.
* I have realized that of the two stores in town, I do better savings wise at Weis over Shursave. But Shursave is more convenient(closer to the house and not as big/crowded). So I'll try to focus on Weis but use Shursave if we need something specific or last minute or if they have a great deals on particular items.
* The Bread Outlet has become a hit or miss thing as they are frequently out of what I need there but I will continue to try them for bread products we use/need.
* The Big Lots shop was not so great. I was going there anyway for something and Hubs needed instant coffee and Sensodyne toothpaste and I didn't want to have to make a stop anyplace else. Luckily they had a house brand sensitive teeth toothpaste(same ingredients as Sensodyne)and it was only $1.50. It still KILLED me to pay for toothpaste even at $1.50. lolz Since I was there I picked up a bag of dog chewies for Chester. I am kicking myself since it wasn't one of their 20% off everything in the store days and we weren't out of chewies....I should have waited on those. sigh.
LOOKING AHEAD To April.......
Staring down the barrel of a $400 food/toiletries budget for April. I'll try to do better than that but no promises. ;-)
I know there is a restaurant supply trip in my future this coming month as I am almost out of onions and it's coming on fresh produce months. Plus I need a 5 lb. block of Cooper sharp cheese for College Boy. This is the cheese of choice around here and CB eats his weight in grilled cheese sandwiches and if I buy a whole log it's a lot cheaper and more convenient than having to find a sale at a deli counter every week or so. We have an industrial strength cheese cutter/slicer so we are good to go. lolz
TOTAL Out of Pocket for Feb.....$401.62
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased w/Rite-Aid....$1451.67
TOTAL Coupons/Store Sales.........$1050.05
TOTAL Savings with Rite-Aid items........72.33%
This closes out the March food/toiletries spending.
THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I had wanted to stay at or under $300 food spending for March. Then I realized that feeding four adults "well" was sort of not very doable where I live in March for $300. I can't grow my own veggies right now and even shopping strategically using sales, Qs, rebate apps, etc. With the currents price of foods and the lack of deals(no cheap eggs at Easter is a travesty!)and the lack of good Qs, plus $300 doesn't allow me to stockpile or take advantage of "deals" much. Sure we could eat like kings in March using my $300 budget and emptying my stockpile, but come June the larders would be empty.
So I have resigned myself to upping my food budget to $400 at least until the two kids move out permanently.
And I am good with that.
With 3 months accounted for, I have spent a Grand Total of $1261.72 on food/toiletries in 2018 which is a 76.05% savings rate for the year so far and averages out to $420.57 spent per month in 2018.
* I have realized that of the two stores in town, I do better savings wise at Weis over Shursave. But Shursave is more convenient(closer to the house and not as big/crowded). So I'll try to focus on Weis but use Shursave if we need something specific or last minute or if they have a great deals on particular items.
* The Bread Outlet has become a hit or miss thing as they are frequently out of what I need there but I will continue to try them for bread products we use/need.
* The Big Lots shop was not so great. I was going there anyway for something and Hubs needed instant coffee and Sensodyne toothpaste and I didn't want to have to make a stop anyplace else. Luckily they had a house brand sensitive teeth toothpaste(same ingredients as Sensodyne)and it was only $1.50. It still KILLED me to pay for toothpaste even at $1.50. lolz Since I was there I picked up a bag of dog chewies for Chester. I am kicking myself since it wasn't one of their 20% off everything in the store days and we weren't out of chewies....I should have waited on those. sigh.
LOOKING AHEAD To April.......
Staring down the barrel of a $400 food/toiletries budget for April. I'll try to do better than that but no promises. ;-)
I know there is a restaurant supply trip in my future this coming month as I am almost out of onions and it's coming on fresh produce months. Plus I need a 5 lb. block of Cooper sharp cheese for College Boy. This is the cheese of choice around here and CB eats his weight in grilled cheese sandwiches and if I buy a whole log it's a lot cheaper and more convenient than having to find a sale at a deli counter every week or so. We have an industrial strength cheese cutter/slicer so we are good to go. lolz
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 March?
* 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
* 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
