Grocery Budget Update - September

To say our cupboards were bare would have been an understatement.  We moved in with very little and had to start from scratch.  But now they are filling up and that always makes me very happy.  Especially as we gear up for winter and high monthly heat bills.

My goal was to restock and get as much as I could for as little as I could spend.  I think I did rather well all things considered.  There were several items on my list I had to go without because the prices were just too high.  Primarily that was beef.  With the exception of a package of frozen hamburger patties, I pretty much didn't buy any, especially since lean ground beef has been running nearly $5 a pound!  Finally toward the end of the month I found some packages of extra lean ground beef in the markdown bin and I bought three of them.

I jostled the menu plan a little and substituted pork or poultry where I could and things turned out rather well.  We enjoyed some delicious meat less meals too.

I blew the budget on our non food purchases coming in at $44.36.  Still not bad considering everything I bought and was able to stock up on.  In preparation of winter and cold season I picked up 10 boxes of tissue, one was a box of lotion tissues and I had a friend grab me a case of toilet paper at Costco while he was there.  Additionally, I bought cat food, dish soap, toiletries, hand soap, cleaning supplies, coffee filters and dryer sheets, most of which came from the dollar store.

I have a long list of the groceries I purchased to restock our pantry and freezer so bare with me.  Nearly everything I bought was on sale and I maximized my savings by adding coupons to sales items whenever I could.  My goal was to keep it under $300 this month.

I think I did pretty well:

Chopped clams (3)		2.37	Store Coupon
Cake mix (4)		2.00	Store Promotion
Crackers (3)		5.00	Store Coupon
Crackers		1.25	Sale/Coupon
Pasta (2)		1.00	Sale/Coupon
BBQ Sauce		0.79	Store Coupon
Cranberry juice		0.88	Sale/Coupon
Green beans (2)		0.98	Sale
Creamed corn (2)		0.98	Sale
Bread		1.28	Sale
Taco shells		1.00
Corn tortillas		0.88
Flour tortillas		1.38
Corn dogs - 16ct		3.48	Sale
Hamburger patties - 20ct		11.98	Sale
Frozen meatballs		1.98	Sale
Pot pies (4)		2.72	Sale
Margarine		0.78	Sale
Oatmeal (2)		4.84
Zoom		1.98
Smoked sausages		3.48	Sale
Brown sugar		1.38	Sale
Chicken breasts - 3#		5.98	Sale
Raisins		1.72
Pop Tarts (2)		2.96	Sale
Salad dressing (2)		3.00	Sale/Coupon
Fideo (2)		0.64
Orzo		0.35
Pasta (6)		4.68	Sale
Eggs		1.37
Ramen (6)		1.08
Non stick spray		1.97	Sale
Baking chips (2)		4.16	Sale
Tater tots		1.34
Flour - 5#		1.57	Sale
Sugar - 4#		1.68	Sale
Parmesan (2)		3.96	Sale
Tuna (12)		8.28	Sale
Wieners (2)		1.56	Sale
Soy sauce		0.98	Sale/Coupon
Teriyaki sauce		0.98	Sale/Coupon
Ketchup		0.88	Sale
Butter		2.88
Bean & bacon soup		1.78
Lunch meat (3)		3.96	Sale
Spaghettios		1.22
Enchilada sauce (2)		3.56	Sale
Graham crackers		1.58	Sale
Peanut butter		2.88	Sale
Olives (3)		1.81	Sale
Sauce packets (10)		4.50
Green olives		1.81	Sale
Rice - 5#		3.14	Sale
Canned tomatoes (6)		3.48
Asparagus soup		1.58
Cream soup (3)		2.50
Nestles Quik		6.78	Sale
Fruit cocktail		0.98
Tomato sauce (4)		2.32
Lettuce		0.78
Spinach		1.78
Veggie mix		3.98
Coleslaw mix		0.98
Potatoes - 3#		1.98
Bell peppers (2)		1.16	Sale
Carrots - 2#		0.98
Celery		1.48
Tomatoes		0.70	Sale
Cucumber		0.38	Sale
Onions		1.62
Bananas		0.90
Pineapple slices		0.98	Sale
Pesto		1.98	Sale
Honey		3.08
Gingersnaps		1.32
Hotdog buns		0.75
Hamburger buns		0.75
Mushrooms		2.18
Brownie mix		1.08
Mapeline		3.05
Pork chops		2.19	Markdown
Pork chops		2.68	Markdown
Pork chops		1.68	Markdown
Leg quarters		2.75	Markdown
Leg quarters		2.97	Markdown
Italian sausage		2.99	Markdown
Hot Italian sausage (2)		6.00	Markdown
Turkey ham (2)		4.06	Markdown
Eggs		0.88	Store Coupon
Nutella		1.99	Sale/Coupon
Ice Cream (2)		3.00	Store Coupon/Coupon
Pop Tarts - 48ct		7.99	Store Coupon/Coupon
Cereal (4)		5.32	Store Coupon/Coupon
Cheese - 2# (2)		9.98	Store Coupon
Ground turkey		2.54	Sale/Coupon
Lettuce (4)		1.76	Sale
Cinnamon rolls		1.00	Sale
Pasta (7)		5.53	Sale
Yogurt - 32oz		1.39	Markdown
Bread		1.33	Store Coupon
Butter (2)		4.00	Store Coupon
Chicken		4.86	Markdown
Chicken thighs		4.27	Markdown
Chicken		1.95	Markdown
Ground pork sausage		1.75	Markdown
Ground beef		2.71	Markdown
Ground beef		2.75	Markdown
Ground beef		2.68	Markdown
Milk - 1 gal.		1.88	Store Coupon
Baking chips (3)		5.37	Store Coupon
Sliced turkey		1.99	Markdown
Sliced turkey		1.99	Markdown
Salami		1.99	Markdown
Potatoes - 10#		0.99	Sale
Mushrooms		0.99	Markdown
Sausage breakfast links (5)		5.00	Sale
Total		$  293.40

Items in red are stock up items and should last for a long time to come.  I plan to go back to my regular shopping routine and budget in October and throughout the remainder of the year. 

Did you find any great deals at the grocery store this month?