Food Spending 2021.....the July Edition

  Onward to July's Food Spending report......

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for JULY 2021.

I have posted July'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 July.  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(2-3 eating at home this month). No "kids" under 25. (I don't count all the "freebies" I get at the Discount Outlet in my totals either.)
*****************

GIANT

OOP  $4.30

Value  $18.20

Savings 76.37%

OCEAN STATE JOB LOT

OOP  $0.00

Value  $9.98(used free gift card)

Savings  100%

P and R DISCOUNTS
OOP  $14.81
Value  $43.68
Savings  66.09%

RITE-AID
OOP  $0.00
Qs/Ads/BC  $1,167.05
Value  $1,167.05
Savings  100%

OLLIES

OOP  $12.12

Value  $22.98

Savings  47.26%

SHOPRITE

OOP  $21.42

Value  $57.96

Savings  63.04%

SHURSAVE

OOP  $2.27

Value $2.27

Savings 00%

WALGREENS

OOP  $4.7280.94

Savings  94.17%

WALMART
OOP  $265.34
Value  $468.75
Savings  43.39%

WEIS

OOP  $148..85

Qs/Sales  $115.27
Value  $264.12
Savings  43.64%

*********************
My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid at 100%, Ocean State at 100% and Walgreens at 94.17%.

The worst rate was at Walmart at 43.39%.
I shopped at 10 different stores in July.  That's what happens when you go lots of places you don't usually go in a month. lolz

TOTAL Spent in July......................,...$473.80

TOTAL Coupons/Sales/Gift Cards.....$495.13

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased.,,...$968.93

TOTAL Savings of ..............................52.26%

TOTAL Out of Pocket for July w/R-A...............$473.80

TOTAL Coupons/Sales/Gift Cards w/................$1,662.18
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased w/Rite-Aid...$2,135.98
TOTAL Savings with Rite-Aid items....................77.82%

This closes out the July food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....

I went into July wanting to slack off on rebating. Didn't happen.  Dear me, I think I am now addicted to rebate apps. lolz  I've earned $312.72 back on Ibotta alone in July(not counting rebates earned on other apps)so spending close to $500 on groceries in a month isn't a concern to me.  I was able to get a bunch of donation items as well for the food bank so it's a win/win. ;-)

The monthly food spending savings percentage went DOWN by 6.01% in July 2021 to 77.82% compared to the June's 83.83% savings average.  Quite a bit down but still winning!

With 7 months accounted for, I have spent a Year-To-Date Total of $2,425.06 on food/toiletries in 2021.

2020 Yearly Grand Total Spent....................$2,425.06

2020 Yearly Grand Total Value of Items.....$12,924.04

2020 Grand Total Saved...............................$10,498.98

2020 Yearly Savings Total.............................81.24%

The average per month amount spent is $346.44 in 2021 so far.

My Ibotta rebate total for the year so far is $1,684.71.  Put that next to a full spending of $2,425.06 for the year so far and I've "actually" spent only $740.35 on food/toiletries for the year or an average of $105.76 per month.  Plus I've been able to donate to the food bank and share my haul bounty with others.

I think that is awesome. 8-)))

LOOKING AHEAD To August 2021...........

Vacation month so we'll be shopping less for groceries and trying to use up things that are perishable(or throw them into the freezer).  I have to finish my $10 Bonus and then we'll see what the month holds.

Perhaps I can actually just buy what is needed in August?  Time will tell.

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 July?

*  Do you track your yearly food spending?  It's really not that hard or time consuming; just have your receipts and either track it in a notebook or on a spreadsheet.

*  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

Stuff Lately.....#1 August Edition

*  Reader Jen G. sent photos of her kitty enjoying her giveaway box.   Not the "stuff" that came in the box but the actual box.  I hear it's a cat thing...fitting your feline self into a container whether you fit or not.

Here are Jen's kitties.  See the one on the bookshelf in the back? lolz  I just remember one's name, Zima, the black and white cat.  No photo of Darrell the dog however.

                             

Here is Zima exploring the box.......

Ok, let's figure out how to fit in this thing........

Success!  Time for a snooze.......

*  In other news we are heading out on our Alaskan adventure later this month with Kim and her hubby.

I hope we don't have to throw anyone overboard but the possibility does exist..... ;-)

Anybody out there take one of these cruise ships to Alaska?  Tell us about your experience-what you did or wish you had done(or hadn't done in hindsight).  There will be no rock climbing/rappelling or snorkeling for this slug but otherwise we are wide open for suggestions as far as excursions.  Should we partake of the cruise prompted shore excursions or just explore on our own?

Someone mentioned in Kim's blog comment they live up there, I think it was in Ketchikan, so let us know and maybe we can meet up with ya(as long as you have a Diet Coke and a Pastry for Kim-unless you enjoy Grizzly Bear behavior)!*snort*

Also anybody live in Southern Alaska want to chime in on what to pack to wear there in August?  I hear it's a might cooler than PA and rainier as in 'rain forest wet" in August.

*  Finished my $10 Ibotta Bonus today, rah.  I doubt I'll be tempted to do any more grocery shopping this month as we are in "use up what's here" mode now until the trip. 8-)

After coupons and a free $25 gift card I paid $2.41 for all and earned back $30.29 from Ibotta.(That doesn't count the Fetch points-a few-or the 1,610 in Shop Kick points($6.44)earned.)making this trip a $27.88 Moneymaker and getting my August grocery spending off to a roaring start. ;-)

*  The weather the last 5 days or so here has been just lovely for late July/early August.  If you don't count the hail storm last Tuesday or the torrential rains we had for 2 days.  The rains did manage to break the humidity so that's a plus but I am scared to look in the garden again for fear of finding more mammoth green Italian squash monsters!!!

Or better yet, did anyone see the Crankshaft" comic on Sunday?

Back tomorrow with the July Grocery Spending Totals.......

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

 The "Zucchini and Cucumbers Anyone?!?" Edition...

Current state of zukes and cukes not used yet.  Will have to see if the neighbors want more.  Needless to say this week's menu is heavy on zucchini. lol

Onward to the meal planning!

This is what was planned--

1. Sunday--Subway or Leftovers

2. Monday--Pizza, Salad

3. Tuesday--Roasted Chicken, Veg TBD, leftover 

Taters

4. Wednesday--Clam Chowder, Biscuits
5. Thursday--No Clue(Hubs night to cook)

6.  Friday--Leftovers or Chicken Salad Sandwiches

7. Saturday--Fend for Yourself

And this is what really happened.......

1. Sunday--Subway or Leftovers

2. Monday--Pizza, Salad

3. Tuesday--BLTs

4. Wednesday--Lemon Pepper Chicken w/Zuke Tomatoes, Rice
5. Thursday--(Hubs night to cook)FFY

6.  Friday--BLTs

7. Saturday--Fend for Yourself

What got put into the freezer last week....

* Nothing

What got taken out of the freezer and used...

* 4 Chicken Thighs

* 1 pack of Bacon

I spent $29.44 on food/toiletries/HBA last week.....just a few things we needed.  This brings our food/toiletries/paper goods Total to $473.80 for July(I made a math error earlier in the month that I just found.)  More over my $400 limit but still under $500 at least.

There are 0 shopping days left in July.  We are onto August!

I've earned $312.72 on Ibotta in July.

I've earned $12.00 on Checkout51 in July.

I've earned $27.43 on Coupons dotcom/Paypal in July.

I've earned 20,361 points from shopping on Fetch in July which equals $20.36(It's actually more but I've been lazy about submitting my receipts.).

I've earned 16,834 points from food shopping on Shop Kick in July which equals $67.33.

I've earned 7,210 points from food shopping on Swagbucks in July which equals $72.10(if they ever approve the last $30 of stuff)...hate them!

That's $352.15 in rebates(not counting the Shop Kick/Swag Bucks/Fetch)on $462.56 in grocery spending so in reality it's $110.41 spent after the 3 rebate apps I count until I cash out on the other three apps. 8-)))

My savings percentage for last week was 46.25%(without "regular" Rite-Aid trips)for July and the monthly savings total for July comes in at 52.26%.(w/out R-A).

Leftovers going into this week....a little corn casserole, au gratin taters, 2 pieces lemon pepper chicken, zuke tomatoes, rice.  And carrot cake.

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

1. Sunday--Clam Chowder, Biscuits

2. Monday--Leftover Lemon Pepper, Zuke in tomatoes, rice

3. Tuesday--Breakfast for Dinner

4. Wednesday--Stuffed Zuke w/Beef and Onion, Rice
5. Thursday--No Clue(Hubs night to cook)

6.  Friday--Tempura Zucchini and Fish

7. Saturday--Fend for Yourself and Zuke Casserole

I will also be making bread pudding this week for Hubs(his fav)with some Thomas' mini croissants taking up room in the fridge that no one has eaten and some of the excess milk on hand.

What do I need to buy to fix everything on this menu?  Nothing unless I can't find any ground beef hidden in the bowels of the chest freezer(or I can sneak ground turkey into the dish without Hubs noticing lol).  I will be finishing up my Ibotta Lunch Money $10 rebate this week and then taking a break from them until we return from Alaska.

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

 

Frugal Friday...the July 30th Edition

 Frugal wins here at Chez Sluggy this past week came and went.  Here are the highlights.......

*  The Freeosk machine in Walmart was actually dispensing samples this week.....

Cinnamon mini tarts.  No one has tried them yet so the jury is still out on this product.

*  I found money!

Last Saturday I got a drink at Burger King while I was out pillaging a R-A.  These 3 coins were stuck into the asphalt next to my car at the drivee-thru.  Since the cashier was slow at running my gift card I hopped out of the car and pried them off the driveway.  There were more coins more embedded into the asphalt so next time I'll bring a screwdriver with me! lol

Found this lot around the store at my Rite-Aid and in the foyer there on Monday.

This penny was found on Tuesday at CVS by the register.

Back to R-A for Rx refills on Wednesday and found this lot of coins.

The 3 coins to the left were found again at my R-A on Thursday.  The coin on the right I don't remember where.....Weis maybe or Walmart?  It's been a long week and I can't recall....

Total Found This Week... .32¢

Total Found This Year...$12.78

*  I actually went to CVS(if you saw the penny I got there above)on Tuesday.  I had a freebie digital Q for acetaminophen or ibuprofen but their truck hadn't come in yet this week.

But I did use a $5 off any ice cream digital Q and brought home a pint of my favorite Ben and Jerry's flavor(Cherry Garcia).  It only cost me $1.29.  I'd pay that all day long for this flavor. 8-)))

And speaking of CVS this ECB printed out when I bought the ice cream......

An ECB for THREE CENTS!

Seriously?  What the hell am I suppose to do with that?!?! lolz

*  I've been trying to keep ahead of the cukes and zukes from the garden.

Last Weekend I made pickles.  I need to add more cukes to this jar once we eat these.

And the zukes have made appearances at the table(so far)as tempura spears, in a tomato based dish with lemon pepper chicken and in this......

I had leftover carrot shreds to use up so I shredded 1/3 of a zuke too and threw that into the mixture and voila!....carrot cake.  So moist and full of fruits and veg and nuts it doesn't need frosting.

I see more tempura spears, grilled zuke, a zuke gratin casserole and stuffed zuke waiting in the wings to make their appearances. ;-)

That's about it for the highlights besides some Rite-Aid pillaging(4 cans of Friskies for a $6+ moneymaker? Yes please!).

How was your week?  Any good deals or frugal wins??

Hope y'all have a good weekend!

Sluggy

To-Do List....Yikes! Has it Been THAT Long?

Has it really been April since I did a To-Do List update?  Going through my posts I can only hang my head at being a slacker with this item.

Let's just see what I actually got accomplished in the last 3 months(April, May, June).....maybe I should do this as a quarterly item going forward?

* Pay Bills  DONE  Everything has gotten paid in the 2nd quarter and on time or early.

* Read 1 Book  FAIL  I don't know what it is but I just can't seem to read much, let alone a whole book.  No books were completed in the 2nd quarter.  I seem to levitate toward watching YouTube at night right now instead. ;-)

* Get a Renovation Completed  DONE  It took a bit longer but the first big house project is checked off the list.

Go HERE to read about it if you missed that post.

* Hold Giveaways  DONE  I have done two Giveaways in the 2nd quarter.  Traipsing off to have fun with the twins(Kim and Sissie)in May meant that month's giveaway didn't happen this year but we got back into it in June.

April's goodies....

June's goodies.......

* Mail out Giveaways  DONE  All mailed and received.

* Clean out Inserts/Coupon Envie  DONE, sort of.  I didn't do a thorough monthly envelope clean out in a timely manner.  Again, can I blame going off to play with Kim and Sissie for that one? 8-)

*  Plant Garden  DONE  Anybody want zucchini?  Up to my armpits in those now. lolz

* Finish Editing Old Photos  FAIL  Well, I got some of them edited so I can transfer to the new computer but overall I still have too many to do. sigh.  Will keep going with this until I am done so be prepared to see this FAIL again and again on this list. 8-(

* Post about Old Trips  PASS  I got a couple posted but I am still so far behind on this.  Another one that will keep appearing here until I am caught up or dead(which ever comes first).

* Go to Cousin's Funeral in MA  DONE  

It was a trip mixed with sadness and joys.  Met and/or reconnected with some family I haven't seen in ages and spent some time with my Aunt, my only Aunt who turns 87 in August.  Above are my only two cousins left.

* Work on Genealogy  DONE  I am ALWAYS working on something genealogically related.  Might be mine might be someone else's tree but it brings me joy to research and sharpen my skills such that they are.  While in MA for the funeral I did some digging in my hotel room online for my cousin on his paternal side(my Aunt's ex-husband's line).  He said his dad told them that his day(cousin's grandfather)was from Georgia.  Well Georgia was only a 3 generation stop for that line as I found cousin's 3 x Great Grandparents and their parents(the 4 x Greats)were from South Carolina and I found his 4 x Great Grandfather's Revolutionary war service record.  Boy was he excited about all that. 

* Roll/Spend Bonus Cash  DONE  Another ongoing item on this list.  Before the moneymaker cat food Deal appeared this week at Rite-Aid I only had BC on 2 cards.  sigh.  The goal right now is to spend it all down if possible or get it to where it's roll-able come September(as I'll be otherwise occupied in late August).

* Eat down the Freezer/Pantry  PASS  Giving myself a pass on this one.  I have been buying very little freezer foods and since a lot of my canned goods are still in boxes in the living room(moved so we could hold the Stockpile Sale in June)it's easier to see/dig through them.

* Clean out Garage  DONE  It got partially done for the Stockpile Sale but there is still work to be done out there as the weather permits.

* Organize for Stockpile Sale  DONE  got everything ready and priced the night before and just had to open the garage door at the appointed time and place a few planks of wood on chairs on the driveaway for the overflow.

* Hold Stockpile Sale DONE  Held it on two nonconsecutive Saturdays in June.  The first day was very slow(as it was the same day as the local high school graduation ceremony unbeknownst to me!)and the second sale day was the same day as a multi-neighborhood yard sale being held in y community so lots more traffic and I sold a LOT of product that day.  All in all it was a success and after talking to one of my customers, somehow the subject of genealogy came up(imagine that! lol)we found out we were cousins of some ilk as we both have a notorious person in our lineages.

* Take Donation to Food Bank  DONE  I got no photo of the bags of stuff because Hubs took it up while I was at Sissie's house.

* Put Stockpile Leftovers Away  PASS  This is still a work in progress.  I got everything back up in the Guest room....mostly.   There is a new Food Bank Donation pile started in the living room along with the boxes of canned goods that still need to go back in the garage plus the new bags of stuff on the dining room table.  My house has become a processing center for toiletries! lol

Sluggy