Holy
cow did I buy groceries this month! And
yes, I definitely went over my budget, especially since I started out the month
in hole already. I had the extra money
this month so I decided to spend it.
Our beginning
balance was $112.98. I spent $175.04
which means I'm in the hole big time next month. Our beginning balance with be $79.50. Will I be able to feed my family on only that
much next month? Realistically, probably
not. But I'm going to try to stay as
close to it as possible.
Our
freezer is full and our pantry has quite a bit in it as well so we are pretty
well situated. My main focus will be on
fresh produce and dairy. I have more
than enough meats and pantry staples although our flour is getting a little
low.
Our
non-food spending came in at $27.36 (of our allotted $25 budget) and yes that
means I went over budget there too. I
don't feel too bad about that because I rarely ever come close to using it all
anyway. I bought a 20 lb bag of cat
litter, 2 cans of cat food, a bottle of dish soap, facial tissues, astringent,
liquid hand soap and stocked up on the girlie stuff. I had a boat load of great coupons and sales
to go along with. A stop at the dollar
store too helped keep these expenses to a minimum. We are good to go in all areas for quite some
time.
This is
what I bought for groceries this month:
|
Groceries
|
|
$$$
|
|
|
Cheese
(2)
|
|
3.28
|
Sale/Coupon
|
|
Tortilla
chips
|
|
1.00
|
Sale
|
|
Butter
(2)
|
|
4.00
|
Store
Coupon
|
|
Olives
(2)
|
|
1.98
|
Sale
|
|
Mayonnaise
|
|
2.09
|
Sale
|
|
Asparagus
|
|
1.75
|
Sale
|
|
Chicken
breasts - 2.5# (2)
|
|
12.98
|
Sale
|
|
Ground
pork - 2#
|
|
4.00
|
Sale
|
|
Flour -
5#
|
|
1.59
|
Sale
|
|
Sugar -
4#
|
|
1.99
|
|
|
Peanut
butter (2)
|
|
2.98
|
Sale
|
|
Cereal
(4)
|
|
3.96
|
Sale/Coupon
|
|
Pork
chops - 5ct
|
|
2.35
|
Markdown
|
|
Italian
sausage
|
|
1.00
|
Markdown
|
|
Ground
beef (3)
|
|
7.20
|
Markdown
|
|
Chili
powder
|
|
0.36
|
Bulk
Bin
|
|
Parsley
|
|
0.45
|
Bulk
Bin
|
|
Almonds
|
|
1.47
|
Bulk
Bin
|
|
Apricots
|
|
1.99
|
Bulk
Bin
|
|
Raisins
|
|
1.42
|
Bulk
Bin
|
|
Craisins
|
|
1.64
|
Bulk
Bin
|
|
Bagels
(2)
|
|
3.96
|
Sale
|
|
English
muffins (2)
|
|
1.98
|
Sale
|
|
Frozen
french fries
|
|
0.88
|
Sale
|
|
Corn
dogs - 16 ct
|
|
3.98
|
Sale
|
|
Salisbury
steak
|
|
2.44
|
Sale
|
|
Pot
pies (3)
|
|
2.34
|
Sale
|
|
Ground
beef patties - 20 ct
|
|
12.98
|
Sale
|
|
Whipped
topping (2)
|
|
1.56
|
Sale
|
|
Ramen
(20)
|
|
3.52
|
Sale
|
|
Pasta (6)
|
|
3.48
|
Sale
|
|
Mung
bean noodles
|
|
1.20
|
|
|
Vegetable
juice (2)
|
|
3.12
|
|
|
Tuna
(4)
|
|
2.72
|
|
|
Tomato
sauce - 29 oz (4)
|
|
3.12
|
Sale
|
|
Cream
cheese (2)
|
|
1.98
|
Sale
|
|
Parmesan
(2)
|
|
1.96
|
Sale
|
|
Beets
|
|
0.78
|
Sale
|
|
Water
chestnuts (2)
|
|
0.96
|
|
|
Bean
sprouts (2)
|
|
2.16
|
|
|
Soy
sauce
|
|
1.62
|
Coupon
|
|
Nesquik
|
|
3.58
|
Sale
|
|
Apple
cider vinegar
|
|
1.12
|
|
|
Marinated
artichokes
|
|
0.98
|
Sale
|
|
Pan
spray
|
|
1.97
|
Sale
|
|
WW
flour
|
|
3.22
|
Sale
|
|
Milk -
1 gal
|
|
2.28
|
Sale
|
|
Sour
cream
|
|
0.98
|
Store
Promotion
|
|
Eggs -
1 doz
|
|
0.98
|
Store
Promotion
|
|
Worcestershire
sauce
|
|
1.10
|
Sale
|
|
Hamburger
buns
|
|
1.25
|
Sale
|
|
Cream
|
|
1.19
|
Sale
|
|
Mushrooms
|
|
1.23
|
Sale
|
|
Cheese
(3)
|
|
5.00
|
Store
Coupon
|
|
Tortilla
chips (2)
|
|
2.00
|
Sale
|
|
Milk -
1 gal
|
|
1.88
|
Store
Promotion
|
|
Bananas
|
|
1.27
|
Markdown
|
|
Sugar -
4#
|
|
1.89
|
Store
Coupon
|
|
Orange
juice
|
|
1.25
|
Store
Coupon
|
|
Raspberries
|
|
2.50
|
Sale
|
|
WW
Tortillas (2)
|
|
3.18
|
|
|
Lettuce
(2)
|
|
1.76
|
|
|
Spinach
|
|
1.99
|
|
|
Mushrooms
|
|
1.79
|
Sale
|
|
Salad
dressing (2)
|
|
3.78
|
Markdown
|
|
Bread
(2)
|
|
1.50
|
Markdown
|
|
Snap
peas
|
|
2.50
|
|
|
Cabbage
|
|
0.98
|
|
|
Apples
|
|
2.40
|
|
|
Milk -
1 gal
|
|
2.28
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$ 174.05
|
|
$175.04 ÷ 31 days ÷3 people = $1.88 per
person per day!
The items
in red are my stock up items.
How did
you do with your grocery budget? Hit any
great sales?
I think you did great this month with the sales and coupons! Wow- where in the world did you find marinated artichokes on sale for 98 cents?? I love those! I have never seen them that low. (That would have been one of my stock-up items- haha.) I like to be ahead of the game when I can as far as having groceries in the house- that way you are stocked up and can live off of it for a while if you ever have to. (And it also makes some room for some extra treats here and there.)
ReplyDeleteThis month I got some more meat on sale. In the past I have bought beef cubes (to make beef stew) but this week I picked up a beef roast on sale and cut it up into cubes myself. For a couple of dollars more than I would have bought the already cut cubes, I got three times the amount of beef. I was happy about that. :)
I used to buy the "stew meat" until I figured out I could make my own with a roast. You are right, you get so much more for your money doing that. I think I should have bought more artichoke hearts too. ;) We have a store called Winco and that is where I got them.
DeleteI swear I am at the grocery store every other day. I need to set a realistic budget because I go over every single week. Yesterday I noticed that food prices are really jumping again. For a while food prices were not rising. It is truly disturbing to think about those on fixed incomes. I need to start donating to the food bank again to do my part.
ReplyDeleteGroceries are really going up right now. I've noticed it too. Food banks are really hurting right now. If you have extra that would be great. They just had a campaign at my daughter's school to get food in so they can do boxes at Easter.
Delete