Grocery Budget Update - May

This month was a huge struggle for me in buying groceries.  It seems as if everything has taken a giant leap in price.  Well maybe not everything, but it sure seems like it.  Sales this month were not as good as usual and a lot of the things I buy as staples definitely were higher than I am used to.

Along with the rising cost of groceries it seemed both girls were having a major growth spurt of something.  Their appetites took off and keeping them fed was a challenge in and of itself.  It seemed as if I was always cooking and they were always hungry.  I cannot believe how much milk and bread we went through this past month.

Once again I found myself over my budget.  Not by much, mind you, but still I went over.  Since it appears this may be a bit of a trend this year I think I'm going to have to sit down and do some strategizing to see if I can get things better under control.  I may just have to bite the bullet and raise our budget.

Our non food budget came in under at $13.71 for cat food, a box of tissues and a box of sandwich bags.  I'm toying with the idea that whatever isn't spent on non-food items can roll over and be spent on groceries.

This is what I bought for groceries in the month of May:

Groceries		$$$
Pasta (4)		2.90	Sale/Coupon
Flour (2)		3.54	Store Coupon
Pineapple (2)		1.78	Store Coupon
Bread (2)		2.68	Store Coupon
Sour cream		1.09	Markdown
Peanut butter		1.88	Sale
Yeast		3.99	Costco
Milk		1.88	Store Promotion
Mayonnaise		1.35	Sale
Cheese (3)		5.00	Store Coupon
Spinach		1.99
Lettuce (2)		1.76
Green onions		0.39	Sale
Radishes		0.40	Sale
Yellow onions		1.27
Mushrooms		1.69	Sale
Whole wheat tortillas (2)		3.18
Canned jalapenos/chiles (4)		2.00	Sale
Onions		0.92	Sale
Sour cream (2)		1.94	Sale
Avocado (2)		1.50	Sale
Tomatoes		0.50	Sale
Ketchup		0.59	Store Promotion
Mayonnaise (2)		1.00	Markdown
Green peppers (3)		0.99	Markdown
Spinach		1.50	Sale
Lasagna noodles		1.00	Dollar Store
Artisan bread		0.70	Markdown
Hoagie Rolls		0.60	Markdown
Bread (3)		3.54	Sale
Hot dog buns		0.68	Sale
English muffins -12ct		1.50	Sale
Bagels (2)		3.00	Sale
Taco seasoning (4)		1.76
Nestle Quik		3.58	Sale
French fries		1.01
Lunchmeat (3)		5.72	Sale
Weiners		0.78	Sale
Steak		2.51	Sale
Pudding		0.54
Soup		1.54
Soup		1.26
Lettuce (2)		1.56
Raisin bran		2.77	Sale
Cereal		1.78	Sale
Pasta		0.88	Sale
Onions		0.81
Ramen (10)		1.80
Milk - gal		1.98
Olives (2)		1.78	Sale
Peanut butter		3.98	Sale
Spaghetti sauce (2)		1.72	Sale
Tuna (4)		2.72
Canned tomatoes (4)		2.32
Tomato sauce (2)		1.16
Parmesan		1.98
Mandarin oranges		0.58	Sale
Water chestnuts		0.48
Cabbage		0.98
Garlic		0.48
Fudgesicles - 20ct		3.98	Sale
Milk - gal		2.18
Bread		0.98
Lettuce (2)		0.88	Sale
Spinach (2)		1.99	Sale
Mushrooms		1.91
Cream		1.35
Strawberries - 1#		2.00	Sale
Hamburger buns		0.58	Sale
Bread (2)		2.38	Markdown
Bananas		1.21	Markdown
Lettuce (2)		1.56
Cabbage		0.98
Veg. medley		3.98
Tomatoes		0.93
Mushrooms		1.43
Olives (2)		1.84
WW tortillas		2.36
Flour tortillas		2.18
Enchilada sauce		1.78	Sale
Salad dressing (2)		3.16	Sale
Salad dressing		1.78	Sale
Beets		0.84
Milk - gal		1.98
Blue cheese		1.53	Sale
Colby jack cheese		3.90	Sale
Taquitos		3.98	Sale
Total		$   160.84

$160.84 ÷ 31 days ÷3 people = $1.73 per person per day!

Even though I'm over my budget I know that the numbers still look great.  How did you do with your grocery budget?  

Are groceries rising where you are at?  How are some ways you are saving money at the grocery store.