Food Spending.....the October 2024 Edition

Onward to October's Food Spending Report.....

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for October 2024.

I have posted October'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 Octohyhhber.  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, Pet Food. We are a family of 2(and 2 dogs).
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BROOKSHIRE'S 

OOP  $30.16

Sales  $18.85

Value  $49.01

Savings  38.46%

DOLLAR GENERAL

OOP  $12.23

Sales  $20.47

Value  $32.70

Savings  62.60%

KROGER

OOP  $431.31

Qs/Gift Cards  $318.05

Value $749.36

Savings  42.44%

LOWE'S

OOP $19.52

Value  $26.00

Savings  24.92%

WALMART

OOP  $156.75

Qs/Gift Cards $83.76

Value  $240.51

Savings  34.83%

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My best Store Savings Total was at Dollar General with a savings of 62.60%.  My worse rate was at Lowe's with 24.92%.  Not a bad savings rate average overall though.

I shopped at 5 different stores in OCTOBER.  

TOTAL Spent in October......$649.97

TOTAL Coupons/Sales/Gift Cards....$517.67

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased.....$1,167.64

TOTAL Savings of........44.33%

This closes out the October food/toiletries/etc. spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month....

On the surface our spending was a little high but that doesn't figure in all the rebating cash I got back.  Even so, we had a goodly savings percentage over regular retail anyway.

The Monthly food spending savings percentage went Up by 4.14% in October to 44.33% compared to September's 40.19% savings average.  

Since we have an adequate income and food should be a pleasure in life(no way am I going to eat unseasoned rice and beans for my remaining days like some people-because I don't have to). I will buy quality food and pay the price at the register.  I may not like the price but I will deal with it.

With 10 months accounted for, I have spent a Total of $5,984.68 on groceries/HBA/paper goods/etc. in 2024.  Food prices have gotten to the ridiculous level, haven't they?

2024 Yearly Total Value of Items  $11,829.88

2024 Total Saved   $5,845.20

2024 Yearly Total Spent  $5,984.68

2024 Yearly Savings Total of  49.41%

The average per month amount spent is $598.47 in 2024 so far but that's before all the rebate monies are added in.

Remember that I withdraw all my cash rebate monies(Ibotta, Shopmium, TaDa, Checkout 51, Swag Bucks, My Points and other miscellaneous rebates-Aisle, Tremendous, Sampoll  etc. and have it sent to my Paypal)at the end of the year and add it back into my food budget, so at the end of the year my food spending will go down.  I don't add in all the cashed out savings until the end of the year,

The other savings apps like Fetch, Shop Kick, Kroger Cash Back that let us get free gift cards(or $ off your grocery total-Kroger Cash Back), those are added back in when I cash those points in along the way.  Alexa app gave me Amazon credit onto my account but I don't buy food on Amazon(sometimes I buy dog food there)so I really don't know how to count that and it's defunct now so I won't worry about that bit.

Because I don't like to let money sit in these rebate accounts and Paypal, I send $$ to my bank account throughout the year.  So far I have sent $2,717.68 from various rebating programs and through Paypal to my bank.  If you add in all that my food spending at the 10 month point in 2024 comes in at $3,267.00 or $326.70 per month.

Besides all I sent to my bank account I have more $ sitting in these various rebating programs as well as in Paypal.  This is not counting Alexa, ShopKick or Fetch, which all comes out in gift cards or Amazon credit.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NOVEMBER 2024.....

After we went through and organized the freezer, I am trying to eat down freezer/pantry in November and it seems like most of my grocery spending lately has been for Food Bank donations.  I hope to spend less in November than in October but time will tell.  Inflation is still crazy high so spending is more than I'd like it to be.

Gone are the days of a $350 grocery budget.

If you have other ideas or guidelines you follow please leave a comment and share your thoughts with us all.

*  How much did you spend on food/toiletries in October?

*  Do you track your yearly food spending?  It's really not that hard or time consuming; just keep 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 versus 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

I Can't Believe It!

 

The McRib sandwich is returning soon to McDonald's! 

It's a great day....

Sluggy

This!

Sluggy

Poor Peanut the Squirrel

 I just had to share this meme, stolen from Joe at Fat in Indiana.

My sentiments exactly......

Government overreach at it's finest.

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table.....the Nov. 3rd to Nov. 9th

The "I Wouldn't Spend Money on This" Edition.......

This was a free after rebate tv dinner from "Real Good".  It was more than double the price of a Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice one(never seen this brand go on sale)and about as thrilling as the others.  The BBQ sauce was strange tasting too.   I'll pass on this next time.  I wish my store carried their plain bagged chicken.  That I could have dressed up to be edible.

Onward to the meal planning!

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

1. Sunday--Leftover Brisket, Green Beans, Mac and Cheese(Hubs only)

2. Monday--Catfish, Leftover Green Beans

3. Tuesday--Something from the Freezer

4. Wednesday--Something from the Freezer

5. Thursday--Something from the Freezer

6. Friday--Something from the Freezer

7. Saturday--Leftovers

And here's what actually happened....

1. Sunday--Leftover Brisket, Green Beans, Mac and Cheese(Hubs only)

2. Monday--Catfish, Leftover Green Beans

3. Tuesday--can't remember

4. Wednesday--I had a free after rebate TV dinner

5. Thursday--Rotisserie Chicken, Carrots, Au Gratin Taters

6. Friday--late lunch(I had a Salad and Strawberries later)

7. Saturday--So memorable I can't recall it lol

If your meal plan is just "something from the freezer" it's hard to go off plan. lol

I probably had a salad and strawberries(had a lot of strawberries)on Saturday and Hubs cut into his massive pot of chili.  Tuesday's dinner is lost to the mist of time. ;-)

We had a rare food waste last week.  I uncovered some collards in the freezer that were freezer burned so those got pitched.  I can't remember the last time we had any food waste beyond that. 8-)

What got taken out of the freezer last week....

*  Beef Brisket

*  Catfish

*  Don't remember

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

*  Ice Cream Cones

*  Chicken Biscuits(there was a deal)

                    

Last week we spent $175.79 grocery shopping(not counting the days in November).

Total shopping comes to $649.97 for October.   There are 0 shopping days left in October.

Rebate monies earned this month so far.....

I've earned $266.37 on Ibotta in October.

I've earned $3.00 on Shopmium in October.

I've earned $0.01 on TaDa in October.

I've earned $32.11 on Checkout51 in October.

I've earned $118.69 on Aisle, etc. in October. (Haven't gotten my Nature Valley rebate yet from June.)

I've earned 28,510 points on Fetch from food shopping in October.

I've earned 11,572 points from food shopping on Shop Kick in October.($46.28)

I've earned 6,679 Points on My Points in October.(not sure what the conversion rate it here)

I've earned 2,644 from food shopping on Swag Bucks in October.($26.44)

That is $420.16 in rebates(not counting Shop Kick/Fetch/MyPoints/Swag Bucks/TaDa/The Insiders were I earn,  gift cards)on $649.97 of grocery spending so in reality it's $229.81 in food spending after the rebate apps I count. I now separate out the Food Bank donations and don't count those in the grocery spending(but I do count any rebates on those items) so it's a win/win--the food bank gets a large donation of goods and I get a lower grocery bill.

My savings percentage for the last week was 33.39% and the monthly savings total for October comes in at 44.33% spent.

Leftovers going into this week.....leftover carrots, au gratin taters, catfish, chili and the leftover rotisserie chicken got turned into chicken salad.  All of this will be lunch fodder as there isn't enough of any item for meals for 2.

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

1. Sunday--Tuna Subs

2. Monday--Chicken Strips, Squash and Onions

3. Tuesday--Salmon, Sweet Potato Fries

4. Wednesday--(Look Away Anne!)Liver and Onions, Mashed Potatoes, Beets

5. Thursday--Cheeseburgers, Sweet Potato Fries

6. Friday--Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad

7. Saturday--Beef w/Stir-fry Veggies

I can easily see what's in the freezer now and make a plan.  We have everything for these meals(except provolone cheese for the subs).  Except for the cheese mentioned we need nothing from the store this week.  I may still go and cherry pick some deals since Thanksgiving is near and there will be stock-up deals and pick up some more items for the food bank too.

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? 

Sluggy