This Week on the Dining Table

Saw this door mat and had a chuckle.  "did you call first?" sounds about right for me. lol

Onward to the meal planning!  Here is what was planned for the last week.....

1. Sunday--Don't remember

2. Monday--Leftovers

3. Tuesday--Chinese Takeout

4. Wednesday--Pasta w/Meat Sauce, Caesar Salad

5. Thursday--Pork Loin, Brussels Sprouts

6. Friday--Flounder, Veggie TBD

7. Saturday--Cheese Burger, Sweet Potato Fries

And here's what actually happened....

1. Sunday--Don't remember

2. Monday--Leftovers

3. Tuesday--Chinese Takeout

4. Wednesday--Pasta w/Meat Sauce, Caesar Salad

5. Thursday--Stir-Fry Veggies w/Pork

6. Friday--Flounder, Veggie TBD

7. Saturday--Pork Loin, California Mix Veggie

Not a very inspired menu but it got the job done.  We shopped at Walmart and Shoprite this past week so everything was bought there.

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

*  Pork Tenderloin

*  Ground Beef

*  Stir-Fry Veggies

*  Flounder

*  Ca Mix Veggies

The last week we spent $127.96 on groceries and the savings rate came in at 34.16%. Spending for the month is $467.15 and the savings rate is 24.87% for May before rebate monies are added in.

Rebates earned in May--

$88.95 on Ibotta

$7.00 on Checkout51

$0 on Aisle and Misc.

$95.95 total in $$

Total spent after rebates is $371.20

 for May. I need to find someplace other than Walmart to buy groceries here. We picked up loss leaders at Shoprite but it's crazy how much more food cost here than in LA.  I miss Kroger. 8-((

16,932 Pts. on Fetch

3,177 Pts. on SwagBucks lol

353 Pts. on My Points

2,212 Pts. on ShopKick

0 Pts. on TaDa

(I don't count these until I cash out for a gift card or cash.)

Before AND after rebates we had a very low spend month for groceries at least for us.

Leftovers going into next week...Meatloaf, Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Chicken Thighs.

Here is what was planned for this week.....

1. Sunday--Cheese Burger, Sweet Potato Fries

2. Monday--Leftover Meatloaf, Carrots, Brussels Sprouts

3. Tuesday--Leftover Chicken Thighs, Broccoli

4. Wednesday--Chicken Parmesan, Green Beans

5. Thursday--Broccoli Cheddar Soup

6. Friday--Mushroom Risotto, Salad

7. Saturday--Top Round Beef, Veggie TBD

We have a much smaller fridge/freezer now so have to be more strategic with food purchases here.  It's going to take some getting use to.

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   

Frugal Friday...The Last Two Weeks

 

Here are the frugal wins for this past week....

*  We have been hemorrhaging money lately.  Can't be helped.  I really don't want to go through this again.  Parts of it were a nightmare!

*  We got take-out only once at the new place.

*   The journey up here wasn't very frugal(more on that later)but we got to PA in one piece.

*  We finished up the Goodwill donations in LA. Go us!

*  Everything it turns out wouldn't fit on the moving truck(ugh)so some items got left behind and I wasn't there to  decide what got left.(double ugh)  Not frugal.

*  We've been paying deposits for services in PA which hasn't been very frugal but it is what it is and can't be avoided.

*  Entertainment the week before last was watching some tv shows and packing boxes. lol  It's hard to spend money if you are sitting home packing up your stuff. ;-)  Last week the "fun" was setting up the house.  And shopping for necessities and food.

*  We needed some room darkening curtains(the house came with blinds)for the bedroom so we hit Ollie's("Good Stuff Cheap!")and found what we needed at a cheaper price.

*   I got my mojo back and I found money!

I found .37 total at assorted stops along the way to PA.

I found .27¢ at the Aldi on the Sunday before last.

         

Then I found .01¢ at the Doctor's office on the Tuesday before last.

I found two pennies at Dollar General last Saturday.

I found a nickel at Walmart on the 21st.

Then I found another penny in a different Walmart parking lot.

Found Money The Past Two Weeks..... .73¢

Grand Total Found in 2025....$3.90

That's all I got.

Any frugal wins in your neck of the woods?  Let's hear all about them!

Sluggy       

This Week on the Dining Table....the May 19th Edition

"Home Sweet Home"

Saw this pillow and it's true.lol

Onward to the meal planning!  Here is what was planned for the last week.....

1. Sunday--?

2. Monday--?

3. Tuesday--?

4. Wednesday--?

5. Thursday--?

6. Friday--?

7. Saturday--?

And here's what actually happened....

1. Sunday--Take & Bake Pizza from Aldi

2. Monday--Pork Tenderloin, Mixed Veggies

3. Tuesday--Cheeseburgers, Green Beans

4. Wednesday--Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches, Brussels Sprouts

5. Thursday--Salmon, Sweet Potato Fries

6. Friday-- BBQ Chicken Thighs, Roasted Broccoli

7. Saturday--out for BBQ, Cole Slaw

Not a very inspired menu but it got the job done.  We shopped at Aldi that week so everything was bought there.

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

*  Pork Tenderloin

*  Ground Beef

*  Salmon

*  Chicken Thighs

The last 2 weeks  we spent $339.19 on groceries and the savings rate came in at 20.65%. Spending for the month is $339.19 and the savings rate is 20.65% for May before rebate monies are added in.

Rebates earned in May--

$63.85 on Ibotta

$6.00 on Checkout51

$0 on Aisle and Misc.

$69.85 total in $$

Total spent after rebates is $269.34 for May. I need to find someplace other than Walmart to buy groceries here.

2,188 Pts. on Fetch

3,077 Pts. on SwagBucks lol

353 Pts. on My Points

1,770 Pts. on ShopKick

0 Pts. on TaDa

(I don't count these until I cash out for a gift card or cash.)

Before AND after rebates we had a very low spend month for groceries at least for us.

Leftovers going into next week...Meatloaf, Brussels Sprouts.

Here is what was planned for this week.....

1. Sunday--Don't remember

2. Monday--Leftovers

3. Tuesday--Chinese Takeout

4. Wednesday--Pasta w/Meat Sauce, Caesar Salad

5. Thursday--Pork Loin, Brussels Sprouts

6. Friday--Flounder, Veggie TBD

7. Saturday--Cheese Burger, Sweet Potato Fries

We have a much smaller fridge/freezer now so have to be more strategic with food purchases here.  It's goiong to take some getting use to.

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  

Food Spending.....the April Edition

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

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for April 2025.

I have posted April's totals on the Total Grocery Savings Page located  and have updated the Totals there. 
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in April.  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).
***************

KROGER

OOP  $48.86

Qs/Gift Cards  $42.64

Value $91.50

Savings  46.60%

WALMART

OOP  $45.74

Qs/Gift Cards $42.71

Value  $88.46

Savings  48.29%

********************
My best Store Savings Total was at Walmart  with a savings of 48.29% with a similar amount of the grocery dollars were spent at Kroger with a savings rate of 46.60%. Not a bad savings rate average overall though and we spent less than $100 for the month.

I shopped at 2 different stores in APRIL.  

TOTAL Spent in April....$95.60

TOTAL Coupons/Sales/Gift Cards....$84.33

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased.....$179.93

TOTAL Savings of........46.87%

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

pril

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month....A

The Monthly food spending savings percentage went UP by 2.79% in April  to 46.87% compared to March's 49.66% savings average.  Still over 40% savings so I am good with that.

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 4 months accounted for, I have spent a Total of $1,156.03 on groceries/HBA/paper goods/etc. in 2025.

2025 Yearly Total Value of Items  $2,110.98

2025 Total Saved   $954.95

2025 Yearly Total Spent  $1,156.03

2025 Yearly Savings Total of  45.24%

The average per month amount spent is $289.01 in 2025 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 $652.30 from various rebating programs and through Paypal to my bank.  If you add in all that my food spending at the 4 month point in 2025 comes in at $503.73 or $125.94 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 MAY 2025....

As we are moving to a new area it will take me some time to get back into my frugal, money saving groove.  There are multiple grocery store and I need to find the best(lowest priced)one for our needs.

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 April?

*  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 Made It!

 I am alive and finally up in PA, sequestered in the new digs.

My knee is giving me fits as it was abused the past week+ so I  am restricted in what I can do and acting more in a supervisory capacity.

I hope everyone is doing well and I'll be back online when I get set up here.

Sluggy