Friday, December 29, 2017

My Uber Thrifty Month In Review - December


December was a pretty thrifty month for us, all things considered.  I know for a lot of people December can be especially difficult for finances.  Thankfully, I had planned ahead enough and we managed to get through the month as if it was like any other.

Our monthly expenses were paid ahead of their due dates and we saw a much higher electric bill this time as we are now in winter and our temperatures have been well below freezing most days.  I was pleasantly surprised, however to see I had budgeted more than was necessary to cover that expense.  I was able to push the extra over to my Laverne goal.


Speaking of... how is that going?  Well I am very happy to report that I am ahead of schedule and super excited about that!  Getting the money put back that I've spent on the motorhome so far is my current priority and I'll be very happy to have that goal wrapped up and completed soon.

I had a few unexpected medical bills this month and I managed those using money in our emergency fund, which is what that fund is designed for.  I plan to get that money put back next month so I'm sure to have it in case I need it again.  There is a lot of comfort knowing that I have that money set aside, just in case.


Christmas can be an expensive time, but I had planned ahead and prepared enough that we literally felt no financial impact whatsoever.  The only Christmas shopping I did in December was to finish up stocking stuffers and I did that at the dollar store.  I had a lot of fun too!

We had plenty of food in the pantry and freezers including our meat for our Christmas dinner which I had bought on sale a couple months ago.  We didn't need much this month.  I filled in with fresh produce and dairy as well as a few pantry items coming in well under budget.


I found fuel at a service station near my work for 10¢ less per gallon than Fred Meyer so I stopped there to fill up our car.  I only needed to buy one tank of fuel this month and I'll be ending the year with over half a tank still left.  The girls being out of school the last half of the month has made quite a difference in our fuel use.

So that is it for the final month of the year.  Going forward into 2018 I plan to continue with my latest financial goal and I have a few new ones in mind as well.  In order to accomplish those goals we'll need to be wise with our spending.  I hope you'll continue to follow along with me as we embark on another fantastic and thrifty year ahead.



Thursday, December 28, 2017

My Grocery Budget 2017 - December Update


Amazingly, it is already time for me to post our monthly grocery spending.  Seems like I just got done doing that and here we are again.  And it is the last grocery post of 2017!

Trader Joes

It was a pretty good month for me as I didn't need to do a whole lot of grocery shopping.  We were well stocked and ready for a little holiday baking and some pretty fantastic meals.

Winco

Our nonfood items were comprised of cat food, cat litter and toilet paper.  Total spent came in at $21.51.  I've got no complaints about that!

My big Winco haul

Most of my food shopping was done to resupply us with fresh produce and some dairy items as well as to fill in a few gaps in the pantry.  My biggest grocery haul was a trip to Winco and I managed to skate out of there with only a $50 bill!  That actually surprised me.

Here is all the food I bought this month:

Groceries
 $$$
Milk - 1/2 gal
              1.39
Trader Joes
Carrots
              1.49
Trader Joes
Chicken sausage
              3.37
Trader Joes
Ground turkey
              2.99
Trader Joes
Turkey burgers
              2.99
Trader Joes
Almonds
              5.99
Trader Joes
Walnuts
              5.99
Trader Joes
Romaine lettuce
              1.99
Trader Joes
Green beans
              2.79
Trader Joes
Bell pepper
              0.69
Trader Joes
Avocados (6)
              2.99
Trader Joes
Almond butter
              5.99
Trader Joes
WW flour - 5#
              2.99
Wal-mart
Chicken
              4.98
Wal-mart
Coleslaw mix
              1.17
Wal-mart
Bananas
              1.32
Wal-mart
Chips
              1.48
Wal-mart
Milk - 1/2 gal
              1.07
Wal-mart
Vanilla bark
              2.50
Sale
Albertsons
Apples
              1.53
Sale
WinCo
Bell pepper
              0.68
Sale
WinCo
Lettuce
              2.28
WinCo
Coleslaw mix
              0.98
WinCo
Carrots
              0.98
WinCo
Potatoes - 5#
              1.48
WinCo
Mandarins
              1.98
WinCo
Onions
              0.89
WinCo
Chocolate chips
              1.68
Sale
WinCo
Spaghetti sauce - 4
              3.12
WinCo
Tomato sauce - 2
              0.94
Sale
WinCo
Tomatoes - 4
              2.32
WinCo
Tomato sauce - 4
              1.04
WinCo
Parmesan
              2.28
Sale
WinCo
Pasta - 3#
              1.98
Sale
WinCo
Pasta - 2
              1.96
Sale
WinCo
Pasta - 4
              1.12
Sale
WinCo
Pasta
              0.88
Sale
WinCo
Red beans
              0.89
Sale
WinCo
Taco seasoning - 4
              1.44
WinCo
Gravy mix - 4
              1.44
WinCo
Soup mix
              1.78
WinCo
Vegetable oil
              1.87
Sale
WinCo
Egg nog
              2.28
WinCo
Evaporated milk - 3
              2.10
Sale
WinCo
Sour cream
              1.78
Sale
WinCo
Strawberries
              1.99
Trader Joes
Milk - 1/2 gal
              1.39
Trader Joes
Mushrooms
              1.68
Trader Joes
Celery hearts
              1.48
Trader Joes
Avocados (6)
              2.99
Trader Joes
Tortellini
              1.99
Trader Joes
Oranges
              3.49
Trader Joes
Bananas
              1.33
Trader Joes
Grape tomatoes
              2.49
Trader Joes
Total
         114.70

$114.70 ÷ 31 days ÷3 people = $1.23 per person per day!

Trader Joes - love their produce

How did you do last month?  Any great bargains?


This budget month runs from December 1 through December 31