I decided to change my grocery budget dates to calendar months
rather than based on my scheduled paydays beginning in the new year. In order to do that I needed to extend this
month to include the final eleven days in December. I added an extra $50 to the budget to
compensate. That being said, I still
think I did really well.
Our nonfood items
came in at a whopping $7.00 for a few toiletry items and food storage bags.
Here is the list of
all the food items I bought last month.
The items highlighted in red are my stock up items and I managed to add quite a few of them this
month:
Groceries
|
$$$
|
||
Pinto beans
|
1.00
|
Dollar Store
|
|
Black beans
|
1.00
|
Dollar Store
|
|
Corn syrup
|
1.00
|
Dollar Store
|
|
Coconut
|
1.00
|
Dollar Store
|
|
Mini pretzels
|
1.00
|
Dollar Store
|
|
Coconut milk (2)
|
2.00
|
Dollar Store
|
|
Sour cream
|
0.99
|
Store Coupon
|
|
Cottage cheese
|
0.99
|
Store Coupon
|
|
Cream cheese (2)
|
1.98
|
Store Coupon
|
|
Onion bagels
|
1.49
|
Markdown
|
|
Lettuce
|
1.29
|
||
Cole slaw mix
|
1.79
|
||
Chips (3)
|
4.94
|
Sale/Coupon
|
|
Olives (2)
|
2.00
|
Sale
|
|
Cool whip (4)
|
3.16
|
Store Coupon
|
|
Tortillas (2)
|
2.98
|
Sale
|
|
Flour - 5#
|
1.29
|
Sale/Coupon
|
|
Marshmallows
|
1.49
|
Sale
|
|
Yogurt (12)
|
3.00
|
Store Coupon
|
|
Milk
|
1.99
|
||
Tortillas (2)
|
2.19
|
Sale
|
|
Lemon juice
|
1.29
|
Sale
|
|
Bagels (2)
|
1.98
|
Markdown
|
|
Summer sausage
|
3.98
|
Sale
|
|
Spice packets (2)
|
0.74
|
Sale
|
|
Almond bark
|
1.98
|
Sale
|
|
Buttermilk - quart
|
1.48
|
||
Margarine (3)
|
2.34
|
Sale
|
|
Cream - pint
|
1.58
|
Sale
|
|
Egg nog - quart
|
2.18
|
Sale
|
|
Oregano
|
0.31
|
Bulk Bin
|
|
Garlic powder
|
0.86
|
Bulk Bin
|
|
Basil
|
0.49
|
Bulk Bin
|
|
Pecans
|
4.68
|
Bulk Bin
|
|
Onions
|
0.91
|
Bulk Bin
|
|
Dried apricots
|
2.10
|
Bulk Bin
|
|
Peanuts
|
1.20
|
Bulk Bin
|
|
Pasta(6)
|
1.92
|
Sale
|
|
Olives - green
|
1.78
|
Sale
|
|
Olives - black (2)
|
1.98
|
Sale
|
|
Horseradish
|
1.29
|
||
Chili paste
|
3.36
|
||
Tomato sauce (3)
|
1.74
|
Sale
|
|
Chipotle peppers
|
1.26
|
||
Pesto
|
2.34
|
Sale
|
|
Shrimp (2)
|
4.86
|
||
Potatoes - 5#
|
0.98
|
Sale
|
|
Cole slaw mix (2)
|
1.98
|
||
Bean sprouts (2)
|
2.16
|
Sale
|
|
Water chestnuts (2)
|
0.96
|
Sale
|
|
Ham - 11#
|
9.50
|
Sale
|
|
New York strip steak
|
13.12
|
Sale
|
|
Cream cheese (4)
|
3.88
|
Sale
|
|
Chips (2)
|
2.00
|
Sale
|
|
Dip
|
1.50
|
Sale/Coupon
|
|
Ham - 10#
|
8.12
|
Sale
|
|
Potatoes - 10#
|
0.99
|
Sale
|
|
Broccoli
|
1.50
|
Sale
|
|
Cauliflower
|
1.50
|
Sale
|
|
Bananas
|
0.82
|
Sale
|
|
Bell pepper (2)
|
1.77
|
Sale
|
|
Milk - 1 gal.
|
1.88
|
Store Coupon
|
|
Ice cream (2)
|
3.98
|
Store Coupon
|
|
Black beans (2)
|
2.00
|
Dollar Store
|
|
Pinto beans
|
1.00
|
Dollar Store
|
|
Rice (3)
|
3.00
|
Dollar Store
|
|
Peppers (2)
|
2.00
|
Dollar Store
|
|
Steak
|
3.13
|
Markdown
|
|
Crab
|
5.99
|
Sale
|
|
Crackers (2)
|
2.78
|
Store Coupon
|
|
Egg roll wrappers
|
1.99
|
||
Lettuce (2)
|
0.98
|
||
Cole slaw mix
|
1.29
|
||
Lettuce
|
1.49
|
||
Mushrooms
|
2.00
|
Sale
|
|
Total
|
$ 171.49
|
$171.49 ÷
42 days ÷3 people = $1.36 per person per day!
My total spent on groceries in 2015 came in at $1674.00 even. I went over budget this year by $174.00. I'll work much harder to stay within budget in 2016. As it stands we are very well stocked to begin the new year.
How did you do preparing
for Christmas? Were you able to find
some good sales and stock up on anything?
I am trying to do a budget this year but my past history budgeting isn't very good. I do really well for about two months then some how I get side tracked and forget all about it. I am hoping that by following your blog and couple others, I will be able to stay on track.
ReplyDeleteAre those the peppermint marshmellows in the hot chocolate? I bought two bags last night at Walmart for 75 cents each.
Thank you for all your post this year and I wish you a very Happy New Year!!
Paula in Kansas
Happy New Year Paula! 2016 will be your year! :)
DeleteIn the early years it was easy for me to stick to a budget because that was all the money I had. Then it just became a habit. A good one I think. You'll get there.
Well done!!! You are amazing with your grocery budgeting! These last 6 months have thrown off my budgeting so I am going to go into the new year with a fresh slate and determined state of mind. We still have some numbers to work out but I am sure that our monthly grocery budget will be decreasing this coming year so I am gearing myself up for the challenge! Your posts like this are so encouraging and make me want to say, "Ok, 2016, Bring it on!"
ReplyDeleteYep, that's right - "Bring it On!" It is looking like both girls will be in braces this year. Young one is going to have to have an expander and head gear. So it looks like we'll be tightening this up around here in 2016. I'm up for it!
DeleteHappy New Year Dawn. Wishing you and your family loads of joy, health & happiness.
That's an amazingly low yearly total! My husband just retired and our income is more than enough but I plan to spend a lot less than we have in the last few years as I want to increase our bank savings, you're very inspiring!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rhonda. That's why I do it. To pad those coffers. :)
DeleteAwesome food budget, and such tasty meals! Thanks for the inspiration to do (much) better in the grocery saving realm. I totally slacked on cooking at home until this month, and we ended up with lots more money in all the cash envelopes (when you don't eat out, you tend to stay home more and spend less money on entertainment too: cooking becomes the entertainment, and alas so does the clean up lol!).
ReplyDeleteThere is always that blasted clean up. I do daydream about a maid. Ha, ha. Who knows? Maybe someday. :)
DeleteI seem to remember in an earlier post that your children eat breakfast and lunch at their school at no charge. How do you think you would compensate for that in your food budget if you had to include the extra food. I have to pack lunches and skip breakfast some days to have enough in the food budget. Is there a special program in your area for free lunches or is it something that you have to ask for? I am just wondering how you stretch a dollar so far... hopefully no judgment for skipping breakfast to make ends meet.
ReplyDeleteThanks
Great questions. This year the schools my daughters attend offer free breakfast and lunch to all students. It is an experimental program this year so they tried it out. However, it isn't all that great. The food is not the best quality. They frequently pack a lunch and almost always eat breakfast at home. We have had this same budget for years. As far as skipping meals to make ends meet I get it and have done it myself when my son was little. Had to. In the coming year I plan to post more in detail how I do it so more people can do the same if they want. My biggest advice is to take advantage of loss leaders and buy when prices are at their lowest. If you can add in a coupon so much the better.
Delete