Food Spending Report.......The January 2020 Edition

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

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for JANUARY 2020..

I have posted January'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 January.  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(3 at home this month). No "kids" under 23.
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ALDI'S
OOP  $22.96
Value  $47.21
Savings  51.37%

BIG LOTS

OOP  $25.66

Value  $86.63

Savings 70.38%

BREAD OUTLET
OOP  $6.67
Value  $24.14
Savings  72.37%

RITE-AID
OOP  $0.00
Qs/Ads/BC/GCard  $357.08
Value  $357.08
Savings  100%

TARGET
OOP  $15.40
Value  $27.40
Savings  43.80%

WALMART
OOP  $6.15
Value  $9.00
Savings  31.66%

WEGMAN'S
OOP  $6.87
Value  $13.11
Savings  47.60%

WEIS
OOP  $66.02
Qs/Ads  $
Value  $147.84
Savings  55.34%

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My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid at 100%, the Bread Outlet at 72.37% and Big Lots 70.38%.   My worst savings rate was at Walmart with 31.66%.
I shopped at 8 different stores in January.

TOTAL Spent.........................................$149.73

TOTAL Coupons/Store Sales.................$205.60

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased........$355.33

TOTAL Savings of ................................57.86%

TOTAL Out of Pocket for January w/R-A........$149.73
TOTAL Coupons/Store Sales w/R-A....................$562.68
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased w/Rite-Aid....$712.41
TOTAL Savings with Rite-Aid items.....................78.98%

This closes out the January food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I did well in spending below my usual $400 per month on food/toiletries.  I would have liked to have stayed under $100 but I'll take under $150. 8-)

The monthly food spending savings percentage went UP by 5.26% in January 2020 to 78.98% compared to the December 2019 rate of 73.72% savings average.   The fact that a larger percentage of my spending was at Rite-Aid(where I don't actually spend money)vs. grocery/other stores in January gave us such a larger savings percentage from December.

With 1 month accounted for, I have spent a Year-To-Date Total of $149.73 on food/toiletries in 2019.


2019 Yearly Grand Total Spent....................$149.73

2019 Yearly Grand Total Value of Items....$712.41

2019 Grand Total Saved...............................$562.68

2019 Yearly Savings Total............78.98%

The average per month amount spent is $149.73 in 2020.

LOOKING AHEAD To February 2020.............I am going to try to keep the grocery spending low again in February but on the other hand, there will be little Rite-Aid shopping to boost my savings percentage this month as I spend down the Bonus Cash.
I am shooting for a $200 spend this month and a savings percentage in the 40-50% range. 

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 January?

*  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

Frugal Friday.........the January 31st Edition

Here's a recap of what frugal goodness we experienced this past week here around Chez Sluggy........

*  I got the Weis(PMITA)Freebie..........

A 2 liter of soda.  As you can see by the time I got around to taking a photo of the bottle Ex-College Boy had polished it off. lolz

*  When Hubs and I went to the Big Lots 20% everything in the store sale 2 weekends ago the receipt spit out a coupon for $10 a $50 purchase(basically 20% off your $50 purchase)which was good until 1/30/2020(not the one pictured).
So I hit Big Lots when I went out on Thursday and found $50 worth of housewares/dog stuff(nothing that would count toward my food/toiletries spending tho)that came to $50.39.(You KNOW I used a calculator to get it that close to $50, right? lolz)
After $2.43 in sales tax and the $10 off I paid $42.82 for needed items.

*  The rebates just seemed to roll in this past week...........

This $10 debit card was from buying Clairol items at R-A in early December.

This $20 debit card was from the "Spend $50/Get $20 Visa card" Deal at R-A from earlier in January.

And the $1.99 check was from Andes mints from December from that manufacturer.  I forgot to take a photo of the check before I cashed this and tucked the monies into my "refund/rebate/post Q" envelope for 2020.

I am still waiting on one more mail-in rebate, a $15 debit card from PandG.

* I earned $9.05 in Ibotta rebates this past week, all at Rite-Aid.  It's funny how if you don't buy stuff at the grocery store the Ibotta rebates don't happen other than a 10¢ for buying "anything" one now and again. ;-)


*  I brought all this home from Rite-Aid on Tuesday and grew my Bonus Cash by .75¢ in the process.............

I went back on Thursday and brought all this home too.........

Same "Spend $30/Get $10 BC" Deal. Subtotaled $32.66($29.95 of it counted toward the Deal and I had credit toward the $30 leftover from the previous purchase).
I used $18.50 in various Qs so $14.16 + .23 tax=$14.39 OOP paid in BC.  Since I only have $13.75 in BC on the card I put the last .64¢ on one of my free R-A gift cards.  I earned back $10 BC and $2 more in Ibotta rebates for the toothbrushes.
The Biscoff cookies gave overage(20% disc. made them $2.71 and the Q was $3/1)so that helped me lower by .29¢ what I owed on the Deal items.

I've got $14 in BC over 3 cards left and I don't have to worry about rolling any of it until at least 2/19/20. rah.

Total "spent" at R-A this week on 2 shops.......$23.64
Total BC earned......$20.00
Total Ibotta rebates earned....$3.00
Not a bad week.

* We have hit our $4K deductible for 2020 on our insurance before the end of January.  A $3,378 charge for a Humira order(plus the cost of an eye injection for Hubs in Jan.)will do that for ya!
Go. me.
Having to pay $4K OOP(our high deductible went from $3K to $4K this year)on medical stuff isn't frugal but for the rest of 2020, our various medical costs will look sane again.  So sad though that TWO charges can amount to that kind of money!

*  I found money!!!

A penny in the parking lot next to my car tire when I got out of my car last Friday at Rite-Aid.

Later at Weis this quarter was lying under the self-check out machine I used to get my freebie bottle of soda.

I was visiting with my friend at Rite-Aid in their break room on Sunday while she had her lunch and this change was scattered all over the floor in there.  It's probably all the young'uns that work there that don't value coins we agreed.  They drop money and just leave it.  If they can't be bothered with it, all the better for me!
I'll have to hang out in the R-A break room more often! lolz

On Tuesday I had to go to Dollar Tree to get my brother a birthday card and I spied this penny sitting next to the register/counter that was closed as I walked into the store.

Later on, while I was in the back of the store by the refrigerated cases I heard a horrible racket up front and I spied the employees dragging the bubble gum machines across the floor to a new location closer to the front door.
After I checked out I casually walked over to where the machines had been and saw this penny sitting on the floor there.

As I picked up that penny I glanced a foot away to where some boxes of merch were yet to be unpacked and saw something shiny between the stack of boxes and the wall.  Reached my hand in there and out came this George Washington!

On Thursday I went to Gabe's to have a look around..........

I haven't been in there since Kim and Sissie came here for my birthday and I took them there.......

Well I am telling you it PAYS to go down the clearance aisles!  Over near where this photo above was taken in 2019 I looked down and found this on the floor..........

.16¢ in coins
I didn't purchase anything in that store so yay me!

Total found money for the week.......  .82¢
Total found money for the year so far.... $2.30

As always stay frugal my friends and tell us about your money wins this past week!


Sluggy

January Giveaway Winners

There were 94 valid entries and I used Random dot org to help me select the winning entries.

A recap of the two prize boxes available this time-
This special one.....

 plus this coffee.....

Or this regular box of goodies..........

The first winner is......

Angie!

AngieJanuary 29, 2020 at 8:31 PM

I struggle some with SAD during these cold, gray, winter days. Here's hoping the sun comes out for both of us tomorrow! Thanks for a happy give away during these bleak days. --Angie

Congratulations Angie!!!

Please email me your full mailing address and which Box you want and I'll get that out to you asap.

And the second name drawn is.........

Wendy Payne!

AnonymousJanuary 23, 2020 at 11:56 AM

HAPPY BIRTHDAY,!!!

I loved the post. For some reason I imagined the announcer from the Price is Right describing the showcases. Maybe one day the giveaway RULES could be like the showcase LOL.

WendyPayne.
pioneergirl1970

Congratulations Wendy!!!

Please email me your full mailing address and after Angie decides which box she wants I'll get your box out to you asap.

Each winner has 48 hours from the time stamp when this post goes live to contact me.  If I don't hear from one or either of them then I'll draw another winner(s) on Sunday.

Thanks for playing along to everyone else and only the Random Generator knows if maybe your name will be drawn next time. ;-)

Sluggy

Last Day to Enter the Giveaway & Rite-Aid Shop

The week is getting away from me, sorry.  I am behind, overwhelmed and have to put off doing some things.  We've been in phone tag for a few days over insurance, deductibles and charges.  Let me just say that if I end up in hell it will be me dealing with insurance providers and their sub-entities for eternity. 
I've also been having a touch of depression, no motivation, pain in my hands(oh goody! a new physical problem to deal with!!)so I just don't want to do ANYTHING but sit in front of the TV or sleep.
So bear with me for a bit if I disappear online and don't post for awhile.  I will post the Giveaway winner tomorrow and speaking of which........

I did want to say that today is the last day to enter the January Giveaway.  You have until 11:59 pm Eastern Time to enter on the link on the Side Bar under Giveaways.  If you leave a comment on this post it will not count.  Thanks.

I had to get out of the house yesterday(going stir-crazy)and hit up Rite-Aid of course.  Here is what I bought, all part of the "Spend $30/Get $10 BC" Deal...........

2 x Herbal Essence shampoo on sale but Wellness disc. better=$11.18
1 x Tide on sale=$5.99
1 x Oral-B two pack toothbrushes on sale but Wellness disc better=$6.79
2 x Cover Girl eye palettes BOGO50%=$9.73
SubTotal........$33.69

Coupons Used
1 x $5 Cat(good on anything/earned from Kleenex/TP shop 2 weeks ago)=$5.00
1 x $5/2 HE items ManuQ=$5.00
1 x $2/1 Tide L2CQ=$2.00
1 x $2/1 Oral-B L2CQ=$2.00
1 x $3/1 Oral-B RAQ mailed to me=$3.00
2 x $3/1 Cover Girl eye product IPQ=$6.00
1 x $2/1 Cover Girl item RAQ mailed to me=$2.00
Coupon Total......$25.00

$33.69-$25.00=$8.69+56¢ tax=$9.25 paid for with Bonus Cash.
I earned back $10 in new BC(Spend $30/Get $10 Deal)so a .75¢ moneymaker.
Plus I earned $1 on Ibotta for buying the toothbrushes so a $1.75 moneymaker in the end.

And that's all I got today.
Now I am off to the financial meeting with Hubs to see how 2019 came out and to look ahead to 2020 and how the money stuff will shape up.
rah.
After that I may need to start drinking heavily for the rest of the day. ;-)


Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

The "Would You Eat These?" Edition................

We were somewhere in Louisiana on the way to the wedding town when I spied these in a convenience store at a gas stop.  They looked like "homemade" pork rinds(they also have bbq flavor)from a very small local concern.  The rinds were massive compared to the little things you find up North here from the commercial/industrial food companies that carry them.

Moving On....

Onward to the meal planning-two weeks worth!

This is what was planned for last week.......

1. Sunday--Tacos or Taco Salad(I'll have my second pork tenderloin from last Friday)
2. Monday--Butternut Squash Ravioli, Roasted Carrots
3. Tuesday--Birthday!!! I don't cook!

4. Wednesday--Fish(type TBD), Veggie(TBD)

5. Thursday--Chicken and Dumplings

6. Friday--Chicken Broccoli Casserole
7. Saturday--Leftovers

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Tacos or Taco Salad(I had my second pork tenderloin from last Friday)
2. Monday--Fend for Yourself
3. Tuesday--Birthday-Steak, Salad, Baked Tater

4. Wednesday--Breakfast for Dinner(French Toast, Bacon)

5. Thursday--Chicken Marsala, Roasted Rainbow Carrots

6. Friday--Beer Brats on Rolls, Baked Beans
7. Saturday--Chicken and Dumplings

Last week saw 5 nights of home cooked dinners, 1 nights of leftovers/FFY, and 1 nights of Eating Out/Take-Out. 
3 of my meals didn't happen(ravioli, casserole and fish)but other meals did(brats, Marsala, breakfast). Those 3 meals move to this week and we'll see what actually happens next time. lolz

What got put into the freezer last week....
* Nothing

What got taken out of the freezer and used.....
*  2 packages of chicken breast
* 1 package of beer brats

1 small trip to Weis($10.06), a Big Lots trip($25.66)and a trip to Aldi($22.96) brought the weekly spending to $58.68 and my January spending on food to $142.86.

My savings percentage last week was 62.81%(without Rite-Aid trips)and January's monthly savings total comes in at 58.25%(w/out R-A).  

I have 4 more food shopping/spending days in January but I probably won't spend anymore else on this month.

Leftovers going into this week.....Taco Meat, Chicken and Dumplings, Chicken Marsala, Baked Beans.

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

1. Sunday--Pizza
2. Monday--Haddock, Fries, Coleslaw
3. Tuesday--Chicken Caesar Salad

4. Wednesday--Leftovers

5. Thursday--Butternut Squash Ravioli, Salad

6. Friday--Chicken Broccoli Casserole
7. Saturday--Pork Chops, Green Beans(Hubs is cooking)

What needs buying for this menu? If my romaine lettuce is still ok then nothing.  If it's gone South then romaine.
Other than the Chicken and Dumplings none of the leftovers from this week is enough for a full meal so all that will be lunch "fodder". ;-)

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?  Weis(PMITA)Markets has been pretty "eh" the last few weeks other than finding instant discount stickers on meat items(and I've only bought a few of those).

Sluggy