Grocery Wrap Up – December And Year End Totals

 

Due to a lot of savvy shopping, the better part of a $50 Walmart gift card and a lot of coupons stacked with coupon doublers I was able to acquire quite a bit of food this month and stay inside my budget, well I did go over by 47¢, but I am completely okay with that.  Most months I come in under so it’s a wash.  My non-food total this month came in at $24.28. 

The vast majority of the items I purchased with the gift card and coupons went toward stocking up my pantry.  All my stock up items are marked in blue.  I am very happy with where we are sitting as we head into a brand new year and a brand new budget. 

This is what I bought with my December budget of $125.00:

Groceries				$$$
Breakfast sausage (16)				15.80	Store Coupon
Clam chowder (10)				9.99	Store Coupon
Spaghetti sauce				6.32	Store Coupon
Green beans (12)				6.00	Store Coupon
Mushroom soup (4)				1.96	Store Coupon/Coupon
Stuffing				1.58	Store Coupon
Milk - 1/2 gal (4)				5.00	Store Coupon
Orange juice - 1/2 gal (2)				2.50	Store Coupon
Crackers (2)				2.98	Coupon
Baking chips (3)				5.64
Less Bag Refund				(0.15)
Flour tortillas (2)				3.48
Pretzels				1.88
Sugar - 4#				1.88
Tea				2.08
Cream cheese				1.28
Romano cheese				1.98
Raisins				1.78
Tater tots				1.34
Potatoes - 5#				1.28
Red potatoes - 5#				2.78
Canola oil				2.58
Pecans				2.63
Canned tomatoes (4)				2.32
Crushed pineapple				0.72
Asparagus soup				1.44
Peanut butter				3.88
Honey				2.50
Bean sprouts				1.08
Coconut milk				1.58
Olives (2)				1.56
Spinach				1.68
Whipped topping				0.74
Mandarin oranges (2)				1.36
Corn dogs -16ct				4.48
Tomato sauce (2)				1.06
Mayonnaise				1.98	Double coupon
Italian sausage				2.78	Double coupon
Canned chicken (2)				2.56	Double coupon
Less Gift Card				(7.32)
Milk - 1 gal				0.88	Double coupon
Cranberry juice				0.48	Double coupon
Chocolate milk - 1/2 gal				1.48	Double coupon
Less Gift Card				(2.84)
Mayonnaise				1.58	Double coupon
Weiners (2)				0.28	Double coupon
Stuffing				(0.12)	Double coupon
Less Gift Card				(1.74)
Sugar - 4# (2)				3.00	Store Coupon/Double coupon
Pineapple chunks (3)				0.94	Double coupon
Canned chicken (2)				2.56	Double coupon
Cake mix (2)				0.98	Store Coupon/Coupon
Chocolate chips (3)				5.64	Store Coupon
Brown sugar 2# (2)				3.00	Store Coupon
Soy sauce				0.99	Coupon
Less Gift Card				(17.11)
Milk - 1/2 gal (4)				5.00	Store Coupon
Brachs chocolate stars				2.02
Sage				0.21
Carrots				1.28
Celery				2.48
Lettuce				1.98
Dip				1.79
English muffins				0.78
Tortilla chips				1.18
Half & half				0.88
Frozen spinach				0.88
Total				$ 125.47

So how did I do all year?  After tracking my expenses I took the grand total and divided it by twelve for an average monthly amount which came in at $122.33.  Amazingly enough, it is $1 less per month than it was in 2011.  Not bad for feeding a family of three plus ending the year with a very well stocked pantry and freezer. 

I did some research and the average amounts most families our size spend are between $500 and $600 per month.  Some were as low as $300 and as high as $1000 (gulp!).  They do include their non-food purchases in these totals, but still, if I had to do that every month we would be in some serious trouble. 

How did you end the year with your grocery budget?