This Week on the Dining Table

The Funniest Fortune Cookie EVER!"" Edition.........

Even better than the typo on the menu at the Hibachi restaurant from last year that served "Red Snapple" on a bed of rice. Mmmm......I didn't know that Snapple was a fish. lolz

Moving On....

Onward to the meal planning!

This is what was planned--

1. Sunday--Leftovers or Fend for Yourself

2. Monday--Hoagies

3. Tuesday--Seafood Buffet

4. Wednesday--Spaghetti and Meatballs

5. Thursday--Chicken Tenders, Taters, Veggie TBD

6. Friday--Leftovers
7. Saturday--Breakfast for Dinner(tentatively)

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Leftovers or Fend for Yourself

2. Monday--Hoagies

3. Tuesday--Leftovers

4. Wednesday--Turkey Casserole

5. Thursday--Spaghetti and Meatballs, Tossed Salad

6. Friday--Strip Steak, Baked Taters, Brussels Sprouts
7. Saturday--Marinated Pork Loin, Sugar Snap Peas, Teriyaki Rice

Sometimes the plan happens and sometimes I go rogue if I find a great deal or just aren't feeling what I had planned.
I did use up some Turkey Day leftovers making a casserole w/turkey, stuffing, carrots and Campbell's soup.  We aren't much of a turkey soup family here so this worked to use up stuff.
The Seafood Buffet didn't happen because I couldn't find the fish in the freezer and it's too cold out in the garage to dig around much.  When it turns up it will get used. ;-)

Last week saw 4 nights of home cooked dinners, 2 nights of leftovers/fend for yourself, 1 night of Eating Out/Take-Out. Primo Hoagies had a Cyber Monday special so we indulged.

 A couple of grocery trips.....1 to the Bread Outlet($10.16), a couple of veggies at Shursave($1.98)and a small Weis shop($22.17)brought the weekly food spending to $40.31 and brought the December monthly total to $40.31 so far.

I have 28 days left in my shopping month for December.
December already?!
Seriously......

My savings percentage last week was 65.25%(without Rite-Aid trips)and December's monthly savings total comes to 65.25%(w/out R-A)so far.  The percentage is so high because there was very little grocery store shopping and a good sized Bread Outlet shop.

Leftovers going into this week.....rolls, Hawaiian rolls, some spaghetti and meatballs in sauce.

Here is this week's "food plan".....

1. Sunday--Beef Stroganoff, Rice

2. Monday--Spaghetti, Meatballs in sauce, Salad?

3. Tuesday--Bratwurst on rolls, Potato Salad, Spinach

4. Wednesday--Beef Pie

5. Thursday--Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches, Sweet Potato Fries

6. Friday--Leftovers
7. Saturday--Fend for Yourself or maybe Tacos?

This week will see 5-6 new meals cooked, 1-2 nights of leftovers/FFY, 0 nights of Take-Out/Eating Out.

What needs buying for this menu? Green Beans and if I can find a bag of Salad

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  

2018 Food & Toiletries Spending.....the November Edition

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

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for NOVEMBER 2018.

I have posted November'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 November.  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 4-5(4 at home this month). No "kids" under 22.

*****************

ALDI
OOP  $50.54
Value  $89.70
Savings  43.66%

BREAD OUTLET
OOP  $9.00
Value  $36.42
Savings  75.29%

DOLLAR TREE
OOP  $4.00
Value  $6.00
Savings   66.66%

GIANT
OOP  $22.56
Value  $39.86
Savings  43.40%

OLLIE'S
OOP  $17.66
Value  $45.65
Savings  61.31%

PRICE CHOPPER
OOP  $47.54
Qs/Sales  $55.45
Value  $102.99
Savings  53.84%

RITE-AID
OOP  $0.00
Qs/Ads/BC  $1259.36
Value  $1259.36
Savings  100%

TARGET
OOP  $0.00
Value  $77.81
Savings   100%

WEIS MARKETS

OOP  $331.64

Qs/Ads  $450.71

Value  $782.35

Savings  57.61%

*********************
My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid and Target each at 100%, the Bread Outlet at 75.29% and Ollie's at 61.31%.  My worst savings rate was Giant at 43.40%.
Over 40% being the worst is aok with me! ;-)

I shopped at 9 different stores this past month.  

TOTAL Out of Pocket for November..........$482.94

TOTAL Coupons/Store Sales............$697.84

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased.........$1180.78

TOTAL Savings of ................................59.10%

TOTAL Out of Pocket for November.....$482.94
TOTAL Coupons/Store Sales....$1957.20
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased w/Rite-Aid.....$2440.14
TOTAL Savings with Rite-Aid items........80.20%

This closes out the November food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
Well, I did go over my $400 goal for November.  But if I take the almost $100 I didn't spend in my October food budget that more than makes up for the overspending in November.  Averaging the 2 months out I am still on target for the year. 8-)))

The monthly food spending savings percentage went UP an amazing 6.04% in November 2018 to 80.20% compared to October's 74.16% savings average.  Most of that was thanks to freebies at Rite-Aid.
The free stuff from Rite-Aid skewers my averages but without R-A I am at a 59.10% savings.  So even without R-A we are doing well on the "savings" front.

With 11 months accounted for, I have spent a Grand Total of $4747.03 on food/toiletries in 2018 which is a 74.55% savings rate for the year so far and averages out to $431.55 spent per month in 2018.   Still over my $400 per month average goal but this monthly average will go down in December as I cash out all my rebates/cash envies to apply toward the December spending.

LOOKING AHEAD To December.......
Let the Holiday games continue! Lots of cheap and free stuff was had in November.  If the deals present themselves I will continue to pick items up if it's something we can/will use or I can donate to the food bank and doesn't put me over budget.
I've got well over $550 so far in various envies/rebate apps/etc. to dump back into the food spending and I've got another few weeks to earn more so I've soooo got this!!! ;-)

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 November?
*  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

Puppy Cuteness for Saturday

One of our errands this past week took us to the local pet/puppy store looking for some bling for Chester.

They had this cutie out in the play area......

Alexa the Akita.
How come I always think a great name for an Akita is Evita, like in the song lyrics from "Rent"? lol

Alexa is 4 months old and quite large already.....look at those massive paws!

I sent my daughter a text with Alexa's picture and she wanted me to bring her home.....of course my daughter loves all largish dogs and wants them all too live with her.  ;-)

The pet store had gotten in some new chihuahuas too; 2 long hair males, 1 long hair female and 1 short hair female(the runt)-all the same litter.

They didn't have photos of the girl huas on their website so I asked in the store if they had the photos there.  The lady said she had them in the back.

I thought she meant she had the photos, so imagine my surprise when she carried this little cutie-patootey out......

This is Chaca.  A terrible name for an adorable 2 month old puppy.  I held her and got lots of little puppy kisses and nibbles.
And no, I didn't bring her home.  I'm not crazy enough to spend what they were asking for her...Yikes!  Not as bad as the $3500 for a French Bull Dog they had but still........

I don't think Chester would cotton to the competition of another Chihuahua.

Sluggy

Frugal Friday....The November 30th Edition

Taking a look around Chez Sluggy, this is what I'd call our frugal wins this past week.......

* I am considering changing my nickname from Sluggy to Money Magnet after all the change I found this week!

On Tuesday while out in a town South of us Hubs and I stopped at Walmart there to look for Xmas lights.  On the way out I found .6¢ on the floor.

Then on Wednesday while crossing the parking lot at Weis I spied this dime on the crosswalk.

Later that day leaving Rite-Aid I saw .23¢ strewn on the little landscaped area by the walkway near the door.
That .39¢ is now safely tucked into my change envelope.  8-)))

*  I hit Weis(PMITA)Markets the day after Thanksgiving for a few Deal items and hit the Pumpkin Clearance foods jackpot........

Lots of pumpkin stuff for $1(though the Pumpkin Jello was .50¢ a box).

*  In the photo above is the Friday Freebie from last Friday-a cup of yogurt.  WOW...what a great freebie. hahaha

*  Hubs wanted a burger on Wednesday so while I was out I used the Burger King app on my phone to get him a Whopper for $1.  BK sent me a digital Q for that.  $1.06 for a Whopper with that Q vs. $4.23 for a Whopper w/out that Q.  Sluggy for the Win! lolz

*  I got an offer a while back from a vendor on Amazon for a free bottle of Turmeric Curcumin(as I had bought a bottle previously from them and they sent me a survey, which I filled out and for giving them feedback they sent me a code for a free bottle).  I redeem that code and received that free bottle this past week.

*  Other than the clearance deals my best buys at the grocery store were these........
Got paid $1 to buy two Febreeze sprays at Weis.
Got 2 Krusteaz mixes(pumpkin clearance)for .50¢ total(after sale, coupon and SavingStar rebate).
Got 2 meat discount sticker marinated pork loins(over 3 lb. total), $18.74 reg. price for $6.48 after sale price and discount sticker.
A better than free package of Cottonelle TP because the cashier didn't' ring one up but pushed the Q through. ;-)

*  Better than free toothbruhses and toothpaste at Rite-Aid....

*  And better than free Rimmel make-up at a different Rite-Aid..........

That's about it from here............

What frugal wins did y'all have this past wek?



Sluggy

Rite-Aid Plunder This Week So Far

This week is the last one to earn the $10 Rite-Aid gift card(the Spend $50 on "Beauty" products/get $10 GC).
There is also a Crest/Oral-B monthly Deal I just saw(ends this week)and some of the $3 on sale Crest toothpaste double dip with this deal and the weekly Crest Deal($3 toothpaste, use $2/1 Q, Get $1 BC making it free-limit 2).
Unfortunately to do a moneymaker overlapping the weekly Crest and the monthly Crest/Oral-B deal you'd need 7 $2/1 Crest toothpaste Qs.....
7 x $3 Crest=$21-$14 Qs=$7 and earn $10 BC back.  But I didn't have 7 of those Qs. 8-(

But if you can find a certain Oral-B toothbrush you can get 4 toothpastes and 2 toothbrushes free after BC earned.
We stopped at a R-A south of here while out shopping on Tuesday and I found the qualifying toothbrushes.

So I did this, part on Tuesday/part on Wednesday.........

2 x Oral-B pro-flex toothbrushes on sale BOGO50%=$9.88
4 x Crest 3D White  toothpaste(Radiant-mild mint)on sale $3=$12.00
SubTotal...$21.88

I used--
2 x $1/1 Oral-B toothbrush ManuQs=$2.00
3 x $2/1 Crest toothpaste ManuQs=$6.00
1 x $2/1 Crest toothpaste L2CQ=$2.00
Coupon Total.....$10.00

$21.88-$10.00=$11.88 paid for with Bonus Cash.
I earned $12 in new BC(2 x $1 wyb $3 Crest toothpastes, $10 wyspend $20 on select Crest/Oral-B)so a .12¢ moneymaker as there is no sales tax here on toothpaste/brushes.

I also found a R-A store on Tuesday with Rimmel makeup on clearance.  There is a Deal(buy 2 Rimmel/Get $5 BC)and the clearance stuff qualifies...woohoo!

I bought 4 items on each of our 3 cards/account.  Clearance prices ranged from .94¢ to $3.49, most were 75% off.
I paid a total of $20.85 for all with sales tax using Bonus Cash.
I earned a total of $30 in new Bonus Cash back so $9.15 moneymaker over 3 cards.

I also bought this stuff on my son's card during the 4-Day sale this week(Wed. to Sat).........

1 x Max Freeze on sale=$7.00
1 x Hydralyte tablets on sale=$6.99
2 x Herbal Essences renew shampoo on sale but 20% Wellness disc. better=$11.66
SubTotal......$25.65

Coupons Used
1 x $2/1 Max Freeze ManuQ=$2.00
1 x $2/1 Hydralyte IPQ(from their website)=$2.00
1 x $5/2 Herbal Essence ManuQ=$5.00
Total....$9.00

$25.65-$9.00=$16.65+.40¢tax=$17.05 paid for with BC
I earned back $11 in new BC($6 Zim's, $5 Hydralyte)and the coupon for the Free $10 Rite-Aid gift card offer printed so I redeemed that for the GC so spent $17.05, earned back $21($11 BC, $10 GC).

The Max-Freeze ended up being a $1 moneymaker, the Hydralyte a .01¢ moneymaker and the Herbal Essence earned me the $10 Beauty GC.
I also applied for a $1 Ibotta cash rebate for the Herbal Essence.

On Friday the 30% off Friends and Family Sale starts at Rite-Aid.  I'll buy more Herbal Essence and Head and Shoulders since it will be even cheaper than the sale price and I should be able to earn another $10 Beauty Deal GC on that card.

Sluggy